What is Phuket Immigration Like After Songkran ?

[LeungKen]

I can only imagine some of the horror stories, but first hand accounts will be of interest to local expats.

Is there any evidence of the ticketing system as used in banks or am I dreaming. ?

[hansgruber]

Phuketwan running a story on it today. Go check it out. It's mayhem supposedly

[LivinginKata]

The ticketing system has been in operation at Phuket Immigration for about a year. Mind you it's the queue to get a ticket that's the problem. I don't know the situation after a 3 day holiday + weekend.

[fiddlehead]

I have to tell an interesting story about last year's Songkran and immigration.
I re-entered BKK on my multiple entry permit around 6 PM of Songkran day.
Immigration there, noticed that whoever gave me the permit, forgot to put the permit number in there.
So, they took me to the back room, told me they had to call down to Phuket immigration and get this number before I could enter the country.

I thought: Yeah right! Songkran Day, 6 PM, There won't be anybody there. I'll be stuck here all night!

Well, someone DID answer the phone and said they'd call back after they found my paperwork and the officer there told me he expected it to be about 2 hours.
I thought again: Yeah Right!

Well, sure enough, about 1 1/2 hours later, the phone rings, it's Phuket immigration, they found my paperwork (I was pleasantly shocked about this!), and gave him the number.

OF course I missed my flight to Phuket and had to spend the night in BKK and buy another 2,000 baht ticket the next day.

So, check your passports when getting something done there, it could save you a LOT of hassle.

By the way, this year, when getting another multiple entry, the officer at Phuket immigration once again forgot that little number.
I pointed it out to him, and he said "oh sorry, sorry" and then put it in.

Good luck all.

[LeungKen]

I guess we won't hear from anybody for ages and they'll be too shell-shocked to write a meaningful report....................

[PlastikbinLina]

Phuket Immigration has, surprisingly, had relatively quiet days this week, Next Monday (20/04) might be entirely different but who knows, it could be many phuket expats are still enjoying extended Songkran holidays elsewhere.

[grumpyoldman]

Last time there I had to do a 90 day check and a re-entry permit. Got one number for the re-entry queue, received another for 90 queue. 90 queue took longer as boneheads not following would show up with number 46 when they were already at 52......guy there calling out numbers,other one had the board showing numbers and desk number.

Recently for the same used Patong, very few people in there,much quicker.

[DrDave]

Today (the first Monday after Songkran), I was expecting big crowds.

Pleasantly surprised - I arrived slightly after opening time, and it seemed less busy than usual in the upstairs area. Not sure about downstairs - didn't look there.

[merijn]

Thursday and Friday after songkran where reasonable quiet. (up and downstais)

Don't ask me why but maybe people think that it would be to busy and go later.

[LeungKen]

Thanks for the feed feed-back chaps.