How far must you go to your local immigration centre?

[BuriramRes]

I live in Satuek & originally I had to go to Korat Immigration (round trip of over 200kms). Then immigration devised a new scheme whereby once a month they came to either Surin or Buriram (one month one centre, the next month the other one) which was great. Buriram is only 45kms from me & Surin was not that much further.

Now for some unknown reason they have stopped this practice (they must have felt that they were making it too convenient you us). Buriram alone has more than 700 farangs.

We were then told we had to go to Surin (in reality it is Kap Choeng) which is a round trip again of about 200kms, but more importantly it takes over 2 hours to get there with the horrendous traffic on the route. The Korat immigration is a much better proposition as, although it is no closer, at least we can stop into Korat for a bit of shopping on the way back.

In short, it is a full day's trip whichever one I go to. I've lately started going back to Korat Immigration for 90 day reporting & they have not objected to this (even though they originally told me that I had to shift to Kap Choeng).

Why do they seemingly intentionally make it difficult to obey their rules?? Also, what is so wrong for us to go to some other immigration centre if for some reason it happens to be more conveniently.

Last time I extended my visa I had to travel to BKK to get my income verified by my embassy (as is normal every 12 months, 1,000 km round trip). Travelling back I noticed a sign to the local immigration centre & I dropped in to get the extension there. But no, they couldn't process the thing.

Sometimes I feel it would be easier simply to transfer back to AUS to escape all this bullshit!!!

[Mario2008]

It is called "zoning", which is a practise that happens all over the world. You simply have to use the office for your own region where you live.

As in every country, the zones they use are not always logical or convinient for all. I also have an immigration office much, much closer by than the one I have to use.

[OJAS]

Why not do your 90-day reporting by mail (assuming that Surin allow this)? Unfortunately there's no escaping the "joyous" 2-hour trip at annual extension of stay time, however.

[Jingthing]

I can walk to my local one in 5 minutes. Don't be a hater!

[PoorSucker]

I can walk to my local one in 5 minutes. Don't be a hater!

But you will take the motorbike, you have been here to long.

[HeijoshinCool]

If you are "traveling," you can do a 90 day at any immigration office.

But as Ojas says, you could have mailed it ------ in the time it took you to post your question.

There's a substantial number of things in Thailand worthy of complaint. Maybe you could pick your battles better, bud.

[Jingthing]

I can walk to my local one in 5 minutes. Don't be a hater!

But you will take the motorbike, you have been here to long.

Never!

Edited September 12, 2013 by Jingthing

[ubonjoe]

They don't allow mail in reports at Kap Chong.

[khwaibah]

Why not do your 90-day reporting by mail (assuming that Surin allow this)? Unfortunately there's no escaping the "joyous" 2-hour trip at annual extension of stay time, however.

Kap Choeng Immigration or Korat Immigration do not accept 90 day report by mail.

[khwaibah]

If the OP can show that Korat immigration is closer than Kap Choeng then Korat Immigration will let you do your report there but you will have to do your yearly at KCI. Most people in the extreme western districts of Buriram are allowed to report to Korat. By Google earth your about 185 km from Korat and 125 from Kap Choeng Immigration. BTW they stooped the roving immigration service in January 2012.

Edited September 12, 2013 by khwaibah

[Briggsy]

It takes me around 10 - 15 minutes to get there on my motorbike.

I can understand your frustration at the rules and the inconvenience they cause for very little point. Perhaps you could leave the country every 90 days. I believe that there is no need to report if you don't remain in the country for 90 days. You would have to shell out for a multi re-entry permit and stlll do the annual renewal of course.

[khwaibah]

It takes me around 10 - 15 minutes to get there on my motorbike.

I can understand your frustration at the rules and the inconvenience they cause for very little point. Perhaps you could leave the country every 90 days. I believe that there is no need to report if you don't remain in the country for 90 days. You would have to shell out for a multi re-entry permit and stlll do the annual renewal of course.

I'm only 600 meters from KCI.

[ubonjoe]

It takes me around 10 - 15 minutes to get there on my motorbike.

 

I can understand your frustration at the rules and the inconvenience they cause for very little point. Perhaps you could leave the country every 90 days. I believe that there is no need to report if you don't remain in the country for 90 days. You would have to shell out for a multi re-entry permit and stlll do the annual renewal of course.

For OP that would not work. Office is just a little bit closer than border.

Not very practical for most people .

[khwaibah]

It takes me around 10 - 15 minutes to get there on my motorbike.

I can understand your frustration at the rules and the inconvenience they cause for very little point. Perhaps you could leave the country every 90 days. I believe that there is no need to report if you don't remain in the country for 90 days. You would have to shell out for a multi re-entry permit and stlll do the annual renewal of course.

For OP that would not work. Office is just a little bit closer than border.

Not very practical for most people .

True Chong Chom Border crossing is about 12 km past KCI.

[Briggsy]

Although it usually doesn't work, visits to immigration offices can be such a stressful, lengthy [and sometimes humiliating] process, I must admit to having chosen border runs over visits to the office when the cost was about the same.

[ignis]

Nonthaburi Immigration they built out in the sticks, good for me a little over 20 mins drive, if the country roads were good then maybe 10 mins

[zyphodb]

I have a 220+km trip to Khon Khen to do mine, Korat is maybe 20km closer but actually takes longer to get to as I have to ride right through Korat to get to it, so yes it takes all day, Iv'e only just started 90 day reports so will find out if I can do it by email or snail mail next month, I'll put it on the forum when I know...

[ubonjoe]

E-mail is not allowed anywhere. KK allows mail in reports. Korat does not.

Edited September 13, 2013 by ubonjoe

[GrantSmith]

I live about 10 minutes on the Bangkok side from the Samut Sakhon Immigration Office..

Even if I was given the choice of where I could lodge the paperwork, I'd still take CW over Samut Sakhon..

It might be a lot closer but by the time I got out from Samut Sakhon, it would be close to dinner time, where as at CW, I'd be still able to grab a late breakfast...

Distance wise it's about a 100+ km round trip plus traffic...

[55Jay]

I always bear in mind it is a government operation with government workers, who will do as little as possible for the same pay.

Fun idea ~ provide a modest, flat rate salary then 10 Baht for each number ticket (person) they handled. Stamp, Stamp, bang, done, NEXT!

Imagine if the nice lady at the Korat Information desk inside to the right, could be dual hatted to process mail-in 90-day reports? Between answering a few questions but mostly just sitting there staring at all the seated customers, or the 90 day report guy reading the newspaper, I bet she could process at least 10 a day without breaking a sweat.

[BuriramRes]

It takes me around 10 - 15 minutes to get there on my motorbike.

I can understand your frustration at the rules and the inconvenience they cause for very little point. Perhaps you could leave the country every 90 days. I believe that there is no need to report if you don't remain in the country for 90 days. You would have to shell out for a multi re-entry permit and stlll do the annual renewal of course.

That's true, but my nearest border crossing is about 5km past Kap Cheong. There would be no point.

I spoke to them at Kap Cheong & they said if you go to Korat they would probably accept it there if you took your house registration, which I did once and it was ok. Didn't need the additional house registration. Last time I went back to Kap Cheong as I needed to pick up some mail from customs there.

[youreavinalaff]

It takes me around 10 - 15 minutes to get there on my motorbike.

I can understand your frustration at the rules and the inconvenience they cause for very little point. Perhaps you could leave the country every 90 days. I believe that there is no need to report if you don't remain in the country for 90 days. You would have to shell out for a multi re-entry permit and stlll do the annual renewal of course.

That's true, but my nearest border crossing is about 5km past Kap Cheong. There would be no point.

I spoke to them at Kap Cheong & they said if you go to Korat they would probably accept it there if you took your house registration, which I did once and it was ok. Didn't need the additional house registration. Last time I went back to Kap Cheong as I needed to pick up some mail from customs there.

In your opening post you mentioned traffic. Which way do you go? I cannot imagine bad traffic between Satuek and Kap Cheong.