CM Immigration - well organized like an Indian train station

[Whistler]

After arriving at CM immigration well before 7:00 am and standing in line for more than two hours, it took the guy at the counter more than 20 minutes and a dozen questions to say "Que full come back tomorrow".

Unlike other posters I have no sympathy for the staff. They seem to use long lines that lead nowhere, confusion, and frustrations as a deterrent to having any expectation that the office runs as efficiently as possible. Having renewed my retirement visa for several years in Jomtien I know the process isn't that complicated.

The incompetence ingrained in the Thai system is really beyond imagination, and a major reason that Thailand is rapidly becoming an object of ridicule - both globally and right here at home.

Harrumph.

Edited December 11, 2014 by Whistler

[mesquite]

Agree on all counts and will add that good management at the CM office would be able to persuade the people in Bangkok for more resources and then allocate those resources for much improved service. My guess is this topic will have a short life. Good topic title BTW.

Edited December 11, 2014 by mesquite

[LivinLOS]

As per the "Immigration is officially broken" thread..

Some very simple low cost changes could streamline the operation a lot.

[Whistler]

It is absurd that getting in line at 6:00 AM - two and a half hours before the office opens - is not sufficient time to make ANY progress towards satisfying one's immigration requirements before closing time.

If they simply passed out numbers that were valid to the next day that would be an improvement, but it shouldn't be up to foreigners to need to suggest how immigration administers the requirements they place on us.

[slapout]

The immigration have discarded several very workable sign in, que, etc systems which were quite successful. But the stigma attached to what were introduced by farang seems to have been scrapped as too successful or looked at , as they stuck their nose into our business.

[uptheos]

It is absurd that getting in line at 6:00 AM - two and a half hours before the office opens - is not sufficient time to make ANY progress towards satisfying one's immigration requirements before closing time.

If they simply passed out numbers that were valid to the next day that would be an improvement, but it shouldn't be up to foreigners to need to suggest how immigration administers the requirements they place on us.

It shouldn't be, but when the head of Chiang Mai immigration has an interview and 'welcomes suggestions' to make CMI a 'happy smile' place and also asks for foreigners to write to Bangkok pleading the plight of CMI, then it sort of gets handed over a little bit, don't you think?

[Whistler]

It would be great if they accepted workable suggestions - I meant to say it shouldn't be our responsibility to come up with a fix. Immigration isn't a service we can choose to use or not. We are just trying to fulfill the requirement the government places on me, and its' the government's responsibility to administer their requirement. The immigration officer pointed out that I have two weeks left on my existing retirement extensions - the implication being I should plan nothing for the rest of the month other than trying the same failed system again and again.

I spoke with an "Agent" who can get it done in a day if I pay them a 5,500 baht service fee. It is totally unacceptable that I can't fulfill the requirement on my own - and must pay a middle person to do it.

A cynical person might suspect the immigration office intentionally empowers a system which discourage us from doing it ourselves and might have motive to help the agent's business. Any family connections between the officials creating obstacles and the agents smoothing the way must certainly be a coincidence.

[Tywais]

We have an ongoing complaint topic already so no point in two of them. http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/782670-immigration-office-is-officially-broken/