Immigration office is officially broken..

[northernjohn]

Got to love Thai Visa we have a guy on his high horse with a better than you know it all attitude to a guy who I am sure tongue in cheek insinuates that the immigration staff sleeps there.

Don't many of the Immigration staff live just behind the office?

What is someone, "on his high horse with a better than you know it all attitude" ? I can think of many posters I would consider in that category.

Don't bother hml367, NJ might not know much about certain things but he certainly does like to write about them.

As long as it keeps the three of you happy I am a success. Check me out. I may appear to be always wrong because I am not a Thai basher. So I will have a hard time turning the information in to sh-t. When the funding is spent the service will improve immensely.

Carry on with your beliefs. I have faith in the Thais. They do not follow my schedule but they do get the job done. That is why I live here. If I felt the way a lot of posters do I would be out of here like a shot.

[BB1955]

The trick is get there early.

[mesquite]

The trick is get there early.

How early?

[hml367]

EDIT: good idea, Dante

Edited December 13, 2014 by hml367

[Dante99]

hml367

Suggestion: Don't bother asking him anymore questions. Read and laugh but do not engage.

[akampa]

This year in October went to renew my extension to stay (married)and arrived at immagration at 06:30 and finished at 17:00,next time I`ll be there at 5:00

[evenstevens]

As long as it keeps the three of you happy I am a success. Check me out. I may appear to be always wrong because I am not a Thai basher. So I will have a hard time turning the information in to sh-t. When the funding is spent the service will improve immensely.

Carry on with your beliefs. I have faith in the Thais. They do not follow my schedule but they do get the job done. That is why I live here. If I felt the way a lot of posters do I would be out of here like a shot.

wheres the hankychiefs

[northernjohn]

As long as it keeps the three of you happy I am a success. Check me out. I may appear to be always wrong because I am not a Thai basher. So I will have a hard time turning the information in to sh-t. When the funding is spent the service will improve immensely.

Carry on with your beliefs. I have faith in the Thais. They do not follow my schedule but they do get the job done. That is why I live here. If I felt the way a lot of posters do I would be out of here like a shot.

wheres the hankychiefs

For a guy who pays over a 1,000 baht a year to have 4 letters sent for him you seem to have a lot to say about some thing you know nothing about.

[connda]

Got to love Thai Visa we have a guy on his high horse with a better than you know it all attitude to a guy who I am sure tongue in cheek insinuates that the immigration staff sleeps there.

Don't many of the Immigration staff live just behind the office?

What is someone, "on his high horse with a better than you know it all attitude" ? I can think of many posters I would consider in that category.

Don't bother hml367, NJ might not know much about certain things but he certainly does like to write about them.

As long as it keeps the three of you happy I am a success. Check me out. I may appear to be always wrong because I am not a Thai basher. So I will have a hard time turning the information in to sh-t. When the funding is spent the service will improve immensely.

Carry on with your beliefs. I have faith in the Thais. They do not follow my schedule but they do get the job done. That is why I live here. If I felt the way a lot of posters do I would be out of here like a shot.

I've bashed immigration when they deserved it, but I'm with you on this too. Police Colonel Prachak Awaiyawanont has always been upfront and transparent in his assessment of the immigration office that he leads. They have budget issues and staffing issues. Some things work well, some thing still suck. But I'm in agreement. If BKK ever releases the funding, CM immigration will change for the better.

Edited December 13, 2014 by connda

[evenstevens]

As long as it keeps the three of you happy I am a success. Check me out. I may appear to be always wrong because I am not a Thai basher. So I will have a hard time turning the information in to sh-t. When the funding is spent the service will improve immensely.

Carry on with your beliefs. I have faith in the Thais. They do not follow my schedule but they do get the job done. That is why I live here. If I felt the way a lot of posters do I would be out of here like a shot.

wheres the hankychiefs

For a guy who pays over a 1,000 baht a year to have 4 letters sent for him you seem to have a lot to say about some thing you know nothing about.

take it you are referring to 90 day reports being done by my super duper visa agent for a fee of 1000 baht

presently my super duper agent fee is 5000 baht

which is for retirement visa to be processed at the zoo,

and all 90 day reports are included in the 5000 baht fee

and a chelsea good morning to all:)

Edited December 14, 2014 by onthedarkside
unhelpful remarks removed

[hml367]

I think this is the last large building expenditure in Chiang Mai by Immigration. This picture is less than 3 years old. I'm not sure how old the building is, but it is not very old compared to Immigration office near the airport. Has anyone noticed more activity (not by foreieners) at this location?

The building and area around it is very beautiful last time I saw it.

Edited December 14, 2014 by hml367

[Tywais]

I think this is the last large building expenditure in Chiang Mai by Immigration. This picture is less than 3 years old. I'm not sure how old the building is, but it is not very old compared to Immigration office near the airport. Has anyone noticed more activity (not by foreieners) at this location?

The building and area around it is very beautiful last time I saw it.

That's the Division 5 immigration headquarters. Believe it was initiated between 2550-2552.

[hml367]

That is correct, Tywais. Money must have come from Bangkok to have it built. However, I am not sure how "budgeting" and allocation works to know when they money may have been made available for this building. It does show that money does come from Bangkok sometimes.

Compared to now, there seemed to be quite a bit of money being spent in Chiang Mai up to the time frame you indicate.

Edited December 14, 2014 by hml367

[Sparkles]

Can't believe a shortage of money is the problem,more likely of a political nature

[inlandchris]

I just got my 90 day and it took a second try also. 2nd time, I got in at 11AM and got the que;622. They had already processed ~500 in the morning. Went to lunch, as they did and did some errands and back at 3:00pm, whoosh, walked in the door and they were calling my number, lucky. Parking? Park at the airport, 10 baht. Is there parking across the street?

I hear that the govt is making a new office to handle the traffic.

Wow, 700-1000 ninety-day apps, that is a lot and dedicated 2-3 people for it. By-the-way, first try, the 90 day officers went to lunch early and no signs stating so, just that the numbers were not clicking off anymore....sad.

[uptheos]

I just got my 90 day and it took a second try also. 2nd time, I got in at 11AM and got the que;622. They had already processed ~500 in the morning. Went to lunch, as they did and did some errands and back at 3:00pm, whoosh, walked in the door and they were calling my number, lucky. Parking? Park at the airport, 10 baht. Is there parking across the street?

I hear that the govt is making a new office to handle the traffic.

Wow, 700-1000 ninety-day apps, that is a lot and dedicated 2-3 people for it. By-the-way, first try, the 90 day officers went to lunch early and no signs stating so, just that the numbers were not clicking off anymore....sad.

I think the numbers start at 500 but I'm not certain.

[inlandchris]

Starts at 1 everyday

[mania]

I do not think they start the 90 day Que at the #1

I also dont think as another poster said they did 500 in the morning

Just not feasible is it?

Lets say it takes only 3 minutes per...which we know is not likely & many times takes longer

But even 3 minutes times 500 cases = 1500 minutes or 25 hours for a single worker

12.5 hours for two workers etc....

I think more likely as Uptheos said starts at 500

Inlandchris said he came at 11am & got #622

seems more likely 122 x 3 min is about 6 hours & about when he got seen...after lunch 3pm

Edited December 14, 2014 by mania

[Tywais]

Starts at 1 everyday

From another topic outlining in detail the line numbers, 90 days start at 501. No way they could process 500 90 day reports in just a morning as you stated.

06:20: The sun was up high enough now to allow us to see that there were A4-sized placards stapled to the building's east side eaves. They are above eye level and not obvious. We were meant to form queues corresponding to our category. From left to right, they read as follows (verbatim, with spelling corrected):

201: In the case of teacher, researcher, state-owned educational, private educational, mass media function, Buddhism or religious function, missionary, retirement, visit Thai spouse or child, medical treatment, etc.

301: In the case of transfer visa to new passport, endorsement, non-quota, BOI (Board of Investment only), Change visa.

401: In the case of Business, family member of Thailand (spouse/child/child of his or her spouse), volunteers, etc.

501: Notify 90 days

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/779785-report-retirement-visa-extension-at-chiang-mai-immigration-2014-11-27-th/?view=findpost&p=8728183

[JulieM]

Can't believe a shortage of money is the problem,more likely of a political nature

In a fairly recent article with the (former?) head of CM Immigration, he said something to the affect that all fees they gather at CM Immigration goes to Bangkok and less than 20% of it comes back in the form of his budget. Something to that effect. He also complained that he cannot hire with Bangkok approval.

[daveAustin]

Palm Springs California will be my new home after nearly 10 years here. Loved living here but it's time to move on and Immigration issues definitely did figure in my decision.

Well done, CSN. I'm close to the end of by tenure, too. Hope things work out there.

[LivinLOS]

Starts at 1 everyday

Not for 90 days they dont..

[OneZero]

Speculation: Considering the undeniable need for improvement here in CM, it could very well be that there are political and / or personality considerations underlying Bangkok not providing the resources and CM not implementing further process improvements in the interim.

Is there possibly at least a certain degree of a standoff, face, one up man ship underlying the lack of improvement?

[daveAustin]

At the time when my number appeared on the LCD display a Burmese monk literally shoved me out of the way and handed his papers to the officer, which held me back for another 15 minutes.

I hope you gave him what for! I have had the exact same thing happen by a red-robed monk in that office while patiently waiting my turn -- forceful hand out to firmly move you out the way -- though my gentle 'Buddhist' met with some resistance and a few well chosen words. Do not feel obligated to meekly take it from these people; that robe does not magically give him right of way, and esp being an alien just like us.

Edited December 15, 2014 by daveAustin

[daveAustin]

It really is high time for online reporting. There is no need for this any more, it is just wasting everybody's time. They have your address and number and can visit any time if they like, plus most of us visit every year for the extension in any case. Come on, immigration, get with it; 2014 is not Thai years, it's 2557!

[Tecumseh]

It really is high time for online reporting. There is no need for this any more, it is just wasting everybody's time. They have your address and number and can visit any time if they like, plus most of us visit every year for the extension in any case. Come on, immigration, get with it; 2014 is not Thai years, it's 2557!

Stop making it sound so easy and logical dave, you know that's not how bureaucracy works.

The sooner people realise that government officers both want and need all the form filling, lining up, being dependent, fearful etc, the sooner people will simply learn to live with it. They are the masters and you comply or get nothing. I guarantee that if the amount of people using that immigration dept overnight doubled, it would not bother the people who work there one bit and anyone who thinks it would is deluded and knows nothing about the control aspect of bureacracy. They have you where they want you and that's where they will keep you, don't get ulcers over it.

[inlandchris]

Ok, cannot say for sure what number they start at but at 11AM, the number was 530-535; somewhere around that number. They open for business around 8:30AM so 2 1/2 hours to process 30-35 numbers? At 3 min. each officer times 3 equals (2.5X60 =150 min. Divide by 3 min=50 tickets processed times 3 officers = 150 tickets processed by 11AM.

Your guess is as good as mine...no rhyme or reason and this is for the Chiang mai office.

They work for 6 hours (lunch at ~11:30AM and back at 1:30PM), no overlap in lunchtime so everything stops!

6 hours =360 min. divide by 3 min =120 ticket time 3 officers = 360 tickets processed a day....maybe.

CM immigration should overlap officers so tickets can be processed during lunch too.

[uptheos]

Ok, cannot say for sure what number they start at but at 11AM, the number was 530-535; somewhere around that number. They open for business around 8:30AM so 2 1/2 hours to process 30-35 numbers? At 3 min. each officer times 3 equals (2.5X60 =150 min. Divide by 3 min=50 tickets processed times 3 officers = 150 tickets processed by 11AM.

Your guess is as good as mine...no rhyme or reason and this is for the Chiang mai office.

They work for 6 hours (lunch at ~11:30AM and back at 1:30PM), no overlap in lunchtime so everything stops!

6 hours =360 min. divide by 3 min =120 ticket time 3 officers = 360 tickets processed a day....maybe.

CM immigration should overlap officers so tickets can be processed during lunch too.

Why, don't you get it?

They have their numbers, therefore they have their daily quotas, if too many then you may have to come back.

Their hours are set, their lunch breaks are set, they go home when they're finished and they have an aroi meal.

Why can't people get it? THEY don't have a problem, THEY don't care if you camp out all night. We have the problem and it's too bad, the cavalry won't be coming......so you have to deal with it the best way you can for you as no-one else is going to solve the problem for you, especially government officers.....trust me on this one.

[inlandchris]

Got it but maybe next time I will just mail it; copy of passport and the app.

As far as camping out, never, wont do it but it is expensive and now the only way.

[ThaiPauly]

Went this morning to do 90 days AND re-entry permit.

In at 8am out before 10am, I'm not complaining about that !!

Seems that perhaps a mid week visit can pay off rather than going on a Monday or Friday