rockderk Posted March 15, 2014 Share Posted March 15, 2014 I need to get a new Thai one for my daughter's re-entry to Thailand. [Dual citizenship] We're travelling next month. Anyone know the real situation at the passport office? - specifically the one at Central Bang Na? I read that there's an impossible waiting time, and queue touts selling places in line. Apparently all caused by the protesters blocking the passport printing office. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bangkokhatter Posted March 15, 2014 Share Posted March 15, 2014 There is no problem there now, last month there were some problems due to the office in BKK being shut but now back to normal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lopburi3 Posted March 15, 2014 Share Posted March 15, 2014 Are you sure? Last reports I have seen were not normal by any means at any office. But there is current report that an office in Building B floor 7 at Chiang Watanna will be allowed to provide passport service starting on 17 March. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
p_brownstone Posted March 15, 2014 Share Posted March 15, 2014 (edited) My wife went to Bang Na Office on Monday this week to get Thai Passports for herself and our 2 children. She went early - around 6.00 am - to get a Ticket in the queue but only actually received one around 10.00 or so - once you get the ticket you can wander off to shop or eat at Central Department Store or wherever and go back to the Passport Office later - even if your ticket has already been called and you were not there at the time, you can simply go to the first Officer available in line and submit your documentation. She actually finished the application process by around 2.30 - and all 3 Passports arrived in the Mail on Wednesday. Not as perfect or quick as it was but certainly do-able! Patrick Edited March 15, 2014 by p_brownstone 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Songhua Posted March 15, 2014 Share Posted March 15, 2014 Suthep announced during his address last night (Friday) that Phra Issara will be lifting the blockade of the 'consulate department' at Chaeng Wattana from Monday 17th March to allow the application and processing of passports for Thais. (NOTE to others: NO mention was made of Immigration or other offices within the complex) Just passing on what I heard - probably best to call and confirm. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thongkorn Posted March 15, 2014 Share Posted March 15, 2014 I have been with the wife and not seen any one selling places in the Que, do you think other Thais would stand for that . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rockderk Posted March 20, 2014 Author Share Posted March 20, 2014 My wife went to Bang Na Office on Monday this week to get Thai Passports for herself and our 2 children. She went early - around 6.00 am - to get a Ticket in the queue but only actually received one around 10.00 or so - once you get the ticket you can wander off to shop or eat at Central Department Store or wherever and go back to the Passport Office later - even if your ticket has already been called and you were not there at the time, you can simply go to the first Officer available in line and submit your documentation. She actually finished the application process by around 2.30 - and all 3 Passports arrived in the Mail on Wednesday. Not as perfect or quick as it was but certainly do-able! Patrick Thanks for the info. Wish we'd done it > My wife went up to Korat to do it and 'avoid the Bangkok queue'. She called me and said "Absolutely packed with people - impossible to get in application and the the wait for passport to be sent will be over 2 weeks." My last resort is pick her up and go to Bang Na to do it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lomatopo Posted March 20, 2014 Share Posted March 20, 2014 queue touts selling places in line Believe you can trade-up, that is exchange your higher number, for a lower number by discretely asking others waiting and offering decent remuneration; a bit like license queue at a DLT. Based on the number of people milling about at Central Bang Na (floor 5 near the newer restaurant area where this MFA office) this week, many are still going there rather than Chang Watthana. Normally the queue at Central Bang Na is small and manageable, but it may take a few weeks to return to normal. Also expect there is some pent-up demand owing to the summer holidays? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wym Posted March 20, 2014 Share Posted March 20, 2014 Also higher demand overall, all those non-poor Thais realizing it's good to have options available, get out of Dodge if everything goes pear-shaped for a while due to "unforeseen" but inevitable events on the near horizon. Fortune favours the prepared. . . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rockderk Posted March 21, 2014 Author Share Posted March 21, 2014 This is the REAL DEAL: Went to Bang Na and did it today [1] office is up and running normally [2] You need to arrive BEFORE 6:30am or you'll be so far down the queue you'll get a number in the 800s. I arrived at 6:15 and was politely ushered to the end of the long queue by people officials with flashlights. . Sat on hard floor until 7:30 and felt a bit like a refugee. No sign of touts selling numbers or funny biz. Everyone friendly, nice, helpful -in the same boat! [3] Official Numbers are given out from 7:30 am. If you're not already in line, I wouldn't bother coming in after about 7:30.. Over a thousand people on the line at this time. [4] I finally got number 642 about 9am after shuffling along on a line about 400 meters long for a few hours. New people constantly arriving. [5] If you don't have your paperwork EXACTLY right, they won't give you an official number. ..[6] After you get the number they call you into the actual office in groups of 20 by number. [7] EVERY stage is well organised and comfortable from this point. Processing my daughter took around 40 minutes from entering the office. [8] They told us Passport will arrive in around 5 working days. I have some pics of the drama but i can't be arsed trying to figure out how to attach pics to this Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fletchsmile Posted March 21, 2014 Share Posted March 21, 2014 (edited) For Central Bang Na a friend in the office went there Monday. I asked him to let me know how he went on as my wife and daughter need to get one done He went there about 4.30 am and there were about 50 people before him. He said you have to queue up to get a queue number! Once you get your queue number you are OK to get processed that day. Once you have your queue number you can also go for a walk around Central while waiting. He finished late morning. He said people after about 10 a.m. may struggle. He asked the staff member how many they were doing/could do a day. It was about 2,000. Once they hit a certain number they stop issuing queue numbers and tell people to come back tomorrow. The other problem apparently is getting a parking space. BTW For Chaeng Wattana I believe they are now processing about 500 a day compared to the normal 2,000 capacity. Up country, my wife went in to Korat for a day. They couldn't process her application that day and gave her a queue number for the following week! Summary: Obviously still problems and backlogs. Get there very early. Definitely before 10am. Don't take the car! Cheers Fletch Edited March 21, 2014 by fletchsmile Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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