passport office closed?

[stevehaigh]

my wife is at the passport office in phuket now and it seems to be closed. i guess Suthep's followers have shut it down, not sure really. anyone know and any ideas when it might be open again? no answer on their main phone number.

[Mario2008]

Monday, probably.

See: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/702557-thai-foreign-ministry-passports-to-be-issued-in-downtown-bangkok/#entry7404993

[LivinginKata]

The old municiple building where the passport office is located is the hub of the protest group. Not been open for weeks.

[stevehaigh]

Monday, probably.

See: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/702557-thai-foreign-ministry-passports-to-be-issued-in-downtown-bangkok/#entry7404993

thanks for that but i don't get this statement:

'The ministry said that as soon as the server goes back into full operation, people can submit their passport applications at any branch of the Passport Office, with the exception of the Consular Department, the Labour Ministry as well as branches in Surat Thani and Phuket.'

does that mean Phuket will or will not be open? you could read this both ways i think.

[stevenl]

Monday, probably.

See: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/702557-thai-foreign-ministry-passports-to-be-issued-in-downtown-bangkok/#entry7404993

thanks for that but i don't get this statement:

'The ministry said that as soon as the server goes back into full operation, people can submit their passport applications at any branch of the Passport Office, with the exception of the Consular Department, the Labour Ministry as well as branches in Surat Thani and Phuket.'

does that mean Phuket will or will not be open? you could read this both ways i think.

I can read this statement only one way: applications can be submitted everywhere except for those 4 mentioned locations. So no, Phuket office will not open when the server is back in operation.

[stevehaigh]

Monday, probably.

See: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/702557-thai-foreign-ministry-passports-to-be-issued-in-downtown-bangkok/#entry7404993

thanks for that but i don't get this statement:

'The ministry said that as soon as the server goes back into full operation, people can submit their passport applications at any branch of the Passport Office, with the exception of the Consular Department, the Labour Ministry as well as branches in Surat Thani and Phuket.'

does that mean Phuket will or will not be open? you could read this both ways i think.

I can read this statement only one way: applications can be submitted everywhere except for those 4 mentioned locations. So no, Phuket office will not open when the server is back in operation.

i would agree with your interpretation of this but my wife just talked to a security person outside the office and he said it should be open on monday, so i guess we'll see

[Mario2008]

The problem was untill now that the server was down, giving the passport office very limited capacity.

On Monday the head office and server should be open again, thus the branchs offices can also operate normal again. But for Phuket the problem is that the passport office seems to be occupied/inaccesible as it is a really site.

If that is not the case on Monday, the office should be operating as usual than.

[stevenl]

Monday, probably.

See: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/702557-thai-foreign-ministry-passports-to-be-issued-in-downtown-bangkok/#entry7404993

thanks for that but i don't get this statement:

'The ministry said that as soon as the server goes back into full operation, people can submit their passport applications at any branch of the Passport Office, with the exception of the Consular Department, the Labour Ministry as well as branches in Surat Thani and Phuket.'

does that mean Phuket will or will not be open? you could read this both ways i think.

I can read this statement only one way: applications can be submitted everywhere except for those 4 mentioned locations. So no, Phuket office will not open when the server is back in operation.

i would agree with your interpretation of this but my wife just talked to a security person outside the office and he said it should be open on monday, so i guess we'll see

Those are 2 separate issues: 1. server problems, solved this Monday; 2. occupation problems, according to the security guard solved this Monday.

[hkt83100]

I read somewhere (sorry, don't remember where) that there is a temporary passport office at floor 3 of BigC. Might be worth a look.

[stevehaigh]

I read somewhere (sorry, don't remember where) that there is a temporary passport office at floor 3 of BigC. Might be worth a look.

really, i'll go check it out

[LivinginKata]

I read somewhere (sorry, don't remember where) that there is a temporary passport office at floor 3 of BigC. Might be worth a look.

really, i'll go check it out

There are few public service desks to the left side of the entrance to the bowling centre. One is electric company, another is the labour office desk (noboday there the last 2 times I looked), and another that was very busy (some sort of municiple services)

[stevehaigh]

i checked, no passports there

[LivinginKata]

Strange situation. Today the Immigration, Social security offices open. Revenue (tax) offices closed.

[stevehaigh]

on the news last night they said all passport office will be open nation wide on monday but only handling 200 applications a day. they also said the Songkla office was open yesterday but there was 500 people waiting at 8am so i guess the next few weeks are going to be a bit crazy clearing the backlog

[stevenl]

on the news last night they said all passport office will be open nation wide on monday but only handling 200 applications a day. they also said the Songkla office was open yesterday but there was 500 people waiting at 8am so i guess the next few weeks are going to be a bit crazy clearing the backlog

I would presume this 200 is because of the server problems? And 'all passport offices opening' also after they were closed because of server problems?

I hope this is sorted very quickly, I also need to renew my son's passport, and may have to do it in a hurry.

[Chao Lao Beach]

Many from Spewket at Bang Na (Bangkok) last week camping out in que, we were there at 4am and #709 in line. If you arrived an hour before the office opened, there was no chance.

[stevehaigh]

Many from Spewket at Bang Na (Bangkok) last week camping out in que, we were there at 4am and #709 in line. If you arrived an hour before the office opened, there was no chance.

maybe not so bad down here? who knows.

bummer, we were planning a quick getaway to Oz to take advantage of the cheap flights and get away from the April heat then i noticed the wife's passport had already expired. they only give 5 years on a Thai passport, i guess its all part of the Thai need to create more bureaucracy and government jobs

[merijn]

I read somewhere (sorry, don't remember where) that there is a temporary passport office at floor 3 of BigC. Might be worth a look.

really, i'll go check it out

There are few public service desks to the left side of the entrance to the bowling centre. One is electric company, another is the labour office desk (noboday there the last 2 times I looked), and another that was very busy (some sort of municiple services)

The other desk mentioned where for the transportation department where people could pay for road tax etc.

as the transportation office is open again (so far i know) those desk at Big-C are not used any more.

[stevehaigh]

my wife is no 9 in the queue now, she got there about 6am. she said they are taking 120 people today and there is only about 50 in line at the moment so if someone needs a passport, make a dash to town now

[eezergood]

This is madness now

[stevenl]

Was there this morning for a new passport for my son. All very calm, relaxed and organised, but they were making appointments for next Tuesday, no more people allowed in today. Friday is of course a holiday, and Monday I don't know, either closed or full already.

So we're on the list for Tuesday now.

[eezergood]

Was there this morning for a new passport for my son. All very calm, relaxed and organised, but they were making appointments for next Tuesday, no more people allowed in today. Friday is of course a holiday, and Monday I don't know, either closed or full already.

So we're on the list for Tuesday now.

What time did you turn up there?

[stevenl]

Was there this morning for a new passport for my son. All very calm, relaxed and organised, but they were making appointments for next Tuesday, no more people allowed in today. Friday is of course a holiday, and Monday I don't know, either closed or full already.

So we're on the list for Tuesday now.

What time did you turn up there?

09.30 or so I guess

[eezergood]

Thanks

[stevehaigh]

my wife just got her passport back in the mail yesterday, so that part seems to be working ok

[eezergood]

where is the office? near to the prison?

[LivinginKata]

where is the office? near to the prison?

Past the prison, past the next set of traffic lights (land office on the right), next ligts turn right, next light turn left into old municiple buildings.

[eezergood]

Thanks very much

Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[eezergood]

Great point perfect directions:)

Now we have our queue number, how long should the process take to get a new passport for the baby/mrs? Should I plan an extra day off?

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[LivinginKata]

depends how many folks in front of you. Once being processed it should only take 15 minutes assuming you have the Thai IDs and tabian baan. They will post the passports to your registered address, should arrive in 3 -ish days.