Helpful change at Jomtien Immigration

[SurfRider]

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It's true - I was there in March and got the lady with the computer and printer in back of her. She inputs all your data and prints out your next 90-day report form, folds it and staples it in your Passport. Her instructions were to bring the pre-printed form with your Passport to your next reporting day, sign it, and she'll repeat the procedure for the next time

I checked this anomaly with the person who publishes the Pattaya City Expats Club newsletter (which posts extensive Visa and reporting info on their website). He verified that many expats have reported the same-- so get the lady with the printer and you will no longer need to present any supporting data or copies, etc. -- it's all in her computer. The other two behind the desk still use the old procedure.

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Edited May 5, 2014 by Rimmer

[Jingthing]

That's pretty bizarre. Good tip though!

[Langsuan Man]

Make sure you open it up and look at the stamps on the new TM-47 form that she prepares for you. It will contain your next 90 day report date, your Passport Number with bar code, and any other information regarding your status that she may have noted. In my case it was my O-A VISA expiration date

[KittenKong]

This is all sounding a bit silly. I'm wrong because the lady was standing at the left side of the 90 day reporting counter? I know exactly where she was standing.

.. but who cares where she was located - there were no changes on Friday, May 2... the very last day the immigration office was open.

Do you people really think it's being done differently depending on where the lady is sitting or standing? She cuts off the bottom part of the form and staples it into the back of the passport - no changes.

I never get any copies of anything back. They keep it all. They were busy and doing exactly the same for everyone.

I think you saw a totally different lady.

The one you want to see is the one who is normally seated at the far right end of the 90-day counter, and who has a PC on her desk and a printer behind her. She is the only one who does the pre-printed form procedure. All the other officials do the old manual procedure and have neither a PC nor a printer.

Presumably at some point they will have more officials with PCs/printers and fewer doing it manually.

[KittenKong]

.

It's true - I was there in March and got the lady with the computer and printer in back of her. She inputs all your data and prints out your next 90-day report form, folds it and staples it in your Passport. Her instructions were to bring the pre-printed form with your Passport to your next reporting day, sign it, and she'll repeat the procedure for the next time

I checked this anomaly with the person who publishes the Pattaya City Expats Club newsletter (which posts extensive Visa and reporting info on their website). He verified that many expats have reported the same-- so get the lady with the printer and you will no longer need to present any supporting data or copies, etc. -- it's all in her computer. The other two behind the desk still use the old procedure.

Exactly my experience. She specifically told me that I would not need to bring copies or forms again. Just the passport and the reminder slip.

[tropo]

I have to correct me last post, the lady doesn't seem to be friendly to everyone. probably with reason

By the way never seen them standing behind the 90 day reporting counter, and I have insider info that Friday wasn't the very last day immigration was open.

It will be open again on Tuesday.

You have an amazing talent - You go there once every 90 days for 5 minuties and you know exactly where she sits or stands over the full 90 days? Anyway, I've never seen her stand behind the counter - only to the left of it, which is exactly where she was standing on Friday, May 2, between 1 pm and 1:10 pm.

[tropo]

This is all sounding a bit silly. I'm wrong because the lady was standing at the left side of the 90 day reporting counter? I know exactly where she was standing.

.. but who cares where she was located - there were no changes on Friday, May 2... the very last day the immigration office was open.

Do you people really think it's being done differently depending on where the lady is sitting or standing? She cuts off the bottom part of the form and staples it into the back of the passport - no changes.

I never get any copies of anything back. They keep it all. They were busy and doing exactly the same for everyone.

I think you saw a totally different lady.

The one you want to see is the one who is normally seated at the far right end of the 90-day counter, and who has a PC on her desk and a printer behind her. She is the only one who does the pre-printed form procedure. All the other officials do the old manual procedure and have neither a PC nor a printer.

Presumably at some point they will have more officials with PCs/printers and fewer doing it manually.

Oh, ok, I've got it now....We have to see the right lady, because there's two of them now. So if you see only one lady, which is all I've ever seen there, you have to ask if she is the right lady or the wrong lady.

All the people waiting last Friday were seeing the wrong lady because she was standing beside the desk with no PC and doing what she normally does.

[Asiantravel]

I got the same treatment myself last month and was told next time I just need to bring my passport and the pre-completed form. No need for other photocopies etc and she even gave them back to me.

However I did note that the female Officer on the right of the three places (that served me) was doing this but the other officers were doing it the regular way. TIT.

Yes, I was there over one month ago and was directed to the lady that you refer to. Even one month ago I also got the piece of paper that the OP refers to stapled to the back of my passport

[JSixpack]

[KittenKong]

I think you saw a totally different lady.

The one you want to see is the one who is normally seated at the far right end of the 90-day counter, and who has a PC on her desk and a printer behind her. She is the only one who does the pre-printed form procedure. All the other officials do the old manual procedure and have neither a PC nor a printer.

Presumably at some point they will have more officials with PCs/printers and fewer doing it manually.

Oh, ok, I've got it now....We have to see the right lady, because there's two of them now. So if you see only one lady, which is all I've ever seen there, you have to ask if she is the right lady or the wrong lady.

All the people waiting last Friday were seeing the wrong lady because she was standing beside the desk with no PC and doing what she normally does.

Hey, I'm just trying to give you the benefit of my experiences. If you prefer to see the wrong person and are happy to have to take photocopies as a result, that's fine also.

[JesseFrank]

I have to correct me last post, the lady doesn't seem to be friendly to everyone. probably with reason

By the way never seen them standing behind the 90 day reporting counter, and I have insider info that Friday wasn't the very last day immigration was open.

It will be open again on Tuesday.

You have an amazing talent - You go there once every 90 days for 5 minuties and you know exactly where she sits or stands over the full 90 days? Anyway, I've never seen her stand behind the counter - only to the left of it, which is exactly where she was standing on Friday, May 2, between 1 pm and 1:10 pm.

So she was doing 90 day notifications, since you said earlier that she stapled your slip that day, while standing Amazing.

Indeed, i go there only once every 90 days and I, same as all other posters except one, know exactly where she sits when she is working.

Give it up man, you are talking about the young lady who checks the documents at the info counter and she has completely nothing to do with 90 day notifications.

[noodle]

I'd just like to say that when I did mine in early April it was a welcome surprise to have an efficient and pleasant lady cop to engage with.

[tropo]

I think you saw a totally different lady.

The one you want to see is the one who is normally seated at the far right end of the 90-day counter, and who has a PC on her desk and a printer behind her. She is the only one who does the pre-printed form procedure. All the other officials do the old manual procedure and have neither a PC nor a printer.

Presumably at some point they will have more officials with PCs/printers and fewer doing it manually.

Oh, ok, I've got it now....We have to see the right lady, because there's two of them now. So if you see only one lady, which is all I've ever seen there, you have to ask if she is the right lady or the wrong lady.

All the people waiting last Friday were seeing the wrong lady because she was standing beside the desk with no PC and doing what she normally does.

Hey, I'm just trying to give you the benefit of my experiences. If you prefer to see the wrong person and are happy to have to take photocopies as a result, that's fine also.

Until I can find the right lady, I'm happy to bring my photocopies.

[KittenKong]

Give it up man, you are talking about the young lady who checks the documents at the info counter and she has completely nothing to do with 90 day notifications.

Actually I think he is talking about the young lady (who, I think, is a trainee/assistant and not an actual officer) who stands to the left of the bank of desks for the 90-day registration. Her function appears to be to check that the various photocopies are correct and complete, and then to pass the lot forward to the proper official who stamps and dates the form, and then the girl takes care of putting the slip into the passport.

As understood by most people in this thread, she is not the lady immigration official with the PC and printer.

[Langsuan Man]

The desk space that you are talking about is occasionally occupied by one of the Immigration Office volunteers

[Beardog]

Great tune!

I was in for my 90 day on the 17th of april. all three agents gathered up copies of everything. No mention of not bringing in copies. Usually I get back all the papers this time she kept them.I also had the smurfy new printout thing & it didn't seem to make any difference. I have 20 copies for the immigration clan so I will bring them in till everyone states the same I didn't need them. Besides they could have done this years ago computers would document forms & such since Commodore64's or Atari with floppy disc drives. But being Thailand & all they are still even with all the advancements like a Greyhound bus terminal In the states in the 60's LOL!

[KittenKong]

The desk space that you are talking about is occasionally occupied by one of the Immigration Office volunteers

Do you mean the desk space at the far right of the 90-day section? If so I disagree.

If you mean the desk on its own by the window to the left of the 90-day section, yes it is indeed often occupied by a foreign volunteer, but I wasnt talking about that desk at all. Maybe you meant someone else.

[tropo]

The desk space that you are talking about is occasionally occupied by one of the Immigration Office volunteers

Do you mean the desk space at the far right of the 90-day section? If so I disagree.

If you mean the desk on its own by the window to the left of the 90-day section, yes it is indeed often occupied by a foreign volunteer, but I wasnt talking about that desk at all. Maybe you meant someone else.

You seem to know everything about what's happening at the reporting desk. How about you get some names, so we can determine if a lady is the right one or the wrong one. What uniform does she wear? What colour? Approximately how old is she? The wrong one who did mine on Friday was in her 30's. Is that "young"?

Obviously myself and everyone else doing 90 day reporting when I was in there on Friday were being assisted by the wrong lady. Where do you think the right lady could have been hiding, as it was very busy and you'd think she would be on duty?

If we turn up and only the wrong lady is working, what do we do? How would we find the right lady if she is not present when we arrive? Who should we talk to about this? I don't imagine asking where the old lady is would go down very well. We really need a name.

Edited May 6, 2014 by tropo

[KittenKong]

If we turn up and only the wrong lady is working, what do we do?

I posed the same question much earlier in this thread.

I have no answer apart from pointing out for the nth time that it is no big deal for me to go home and come back the next day with my photocopies as I live within walking distance. For people who live a long way away it could indeed be a total pain and I sympathise with them.

[patsfangr]

MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING! Seriously, folks, how difficult is it to make a copy of 4 pages of your passport, and a copy of you last cable or internet bill (or just give them the original)?

I have never had the good fortune of being served by the lady in question - whether from the right or the left. But the fact is that the entire process, done the original way, takes no more than 5 minutes, with all of the document reviews and stamping. Some of you in this thread have wasted much more of your time discussing the "right or left" issue than it takes to complete the full process!

I've remained subscribed to this thread for one reason only. If something significant changes occur in the 90-Day reporting process, I'd hope to see them here. But can we please stop the inane argument over which seat has the lady, and which the tiger?

[ThaiBob]

At the end of April,I found the "right" lady sitting on the right hand side by her computer monitor as described. The monitor was just to her right and right behind her was the printer. I should say she found me as I was going to sit by the gentleman on the left who has processed my paperwork in the past but she waved me over with her right hand to her station. She returned all my copies after her computer input and told me to see her next visit. Well, at least I have my copies just in case she is not available next visit.

[KittenKong]

MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING! Seriously, folks, how difficult is it to make a copy of 4 pages of your passport, and a copy of you last cable or internet bill (or just give them the original)?

The point for me is that the production of the same photocopies every 90 days is a complete waste of time and trees and money. It must be a nuisance for them to have to store them all also.

So very sensibly they have introduced a system whereby we dont need to do this. I think this is a great idea. They should do the same thing with all the other paperwork that is repeated exactly from time to time.

If you like to have to make pointless photocopies for absolutely no reason that's fine. I dont.

[tropo]

So very sensibly they have introduced a system whereby we dont need to do this. I think this is a great idea.

Allegedly.. if you meet the right lady on the right day sitting or standing in the right position. .. and be certain to dress right and hold your mouth in the right position.

Edited May 6, 2014 by tropo

[barryofthailand]

I bet when you were in your home country you also complained about all the things you had to do to renew your driver license etc.

KittenKong, on 06 May 2014 - 18:45, said:

patsfangr, on 06 May 2014 - 15:35, said:

MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING! Seriously, folks, how difficult is it to make a copy of 4 pages of your passport, and a copy of you last cable or internet bill (or just give them the original)?

The point for me is that the production of the same photocopies every 90 days is a complete waste of time and trees and money. It must be a nuisance for them to have to store them all also.

So very sensibly they have introduced a system whereby we dont need to do this. I think this is a great idea. They should do the same thing with all the other paperwork that is repeated exactly from time to time.

If you like to have to make pointless photocopies for absolutely no reason that's fine. I dont.

[KittenKong]

I bet when you were in your home country you also complained about all the things you had to do to renew your driver license etc.

No, because my old licence was valid for decades. Even now that the UK has changed the way it renews licences you still only need to post them one photo every 10 years. In fact I seem to remember that the last time mine was renewed they obtained my photo electronically from my passport records.

To renew my UK passport every 10 years requires much less paperwork than a single 90-day reporting does here via the traditional manual method.

The Thai mania for utterly pointless paperwork is insane.

[cdnvic]

Put the handbags down gentlemen. This is an informational thread, not another one to get in silly fights over.

[JesseFrank]

This is all sounding a bit silly. I'm wrong because the lady was standing at the left side of the 90 day reporting counter? I know exactly where she was standing.

.. but who cares where she was located - there were no changes on Friday, May 2... the very last day the immigration office was open.

Do you people really think it's being done differently depending on where the lady is sitting or standing? She cuts off the bottom part of the form and staples it into the back of the passport - no changes.

I never get any copies of anything back. They keep it all. They were busy and doing exactly the same for everyone.

I think you saw a totally different lady.

The one you want to see is the one who is normally seated at the far right end of the 90-day counter, and who has a PC on her desk and a printer behind her. She is the only one who does the pre-printed form procedure. All the other officials do the old manual procedure and have neither a PC nor a printer.

Presumably at some point they will have more officials with PCs/printers and fewer doing it manually.

Oh, ok, I've got it now....We have to see the right lady, because there's two of them now. So if you see only one lady, which is all I've ever seen there, you have to ask if she is the right lady or the wrong lady.

All the people waiting last Friday were seeing the wrong lady because she was standing beside the desk with no PC and doing what she normally does.

Did my 90 day report today, and the lady in question wasn't present, so I was in panic about what was gonna happen.In fact there is only 1 lady that handles 90 days reports, together with 2 male officers, and they have each their nameplate with their picture, rank, name and telephone number in a holder glued to their desk.

The ladies desk is the one far right of the 3 desks that are next to each other. I was served by the male officer at the middle desk, as he was the only one present actually, so i had a look at the name of the lady officer for the convenience of a poster in despair.

It said Sergeant major B. Soracha ( sic) next to her picture and the telephone number, but I keep that one for myself

So i was served ny the male officer, i handed him all the documents which he stapled together without even having a look at them. The only thing he looked at was the visa issue date in my passport and the document that was stapled in my passport the previous report date.

He scanned the bar-code on the document and asked me to sit down while he served other foreigners. After a few minutes a document rolled out of the printer, which he cut to size, and handed to me together with the copies I had brought with me including the TM47. I asked him if he sure didn't need the TM47 and he replied, only have to show.

I could see that all 3 officers had a computer screen, keyboard and handheld barcode scanner on their desk, but there was only 1 printer which is placed central behind them.It is obvious that every officer now provides the computer generated report slip.

By the way, the super friendly gay officer at the info desk didn't even look up while I was standing in front of his desk and asked for a blanc TM47 for next time

[tropo]

^^ Let me explain something which should have been obvious. I don't care how many ladies work there or what their names are. My replies were not as serious as you may have thought - perhaps I should have added some extra smileys.

You've just confirmed that no one seems to have a clue about procedure there, including the officers in charge. Perhaps in a year or so they may get it together.

Edited May 8, 2014 by tropo

[Kaoboi Bebobp]

I did the 90-day shuffle this week. I swear my butt hadn't even touched the seat when the middle officer handed me back my passport and reminded me I had to renew my extension and do another 90-day report at the same time. Believe me, I'm not complaining, especially since I had a full day ahead with a trip to BKK and back. But mine was the paper version, not the special lady computer record version.

Edited May 8, 2014 by Kaoboi Bebobp

[KittenKong]

I could see that all 3 officers had a computer screen, keyboard and handheld barcode scanner on their desk, but there was only 1 printer which is placed central behind them.It is obvious that every officer now provides the computer generated report slip.

Good. That settles the only problem I had with the new system.