Chiang Mai Immigration: As hot as an oven

[connda]

Just a 'heads up' to older folks or others who are adversely affected by the heat. I had to make a trip to Chiang Mai Immigration yesterday for a required visit. In the waiting room, there were only two working fans: one roof mounted and one free standing fan directed at the folks standing in line at station 1. The air conditioner on the East side of the room was turned on about 1:35pm, but I put a hand up to it and unless you were sitting right in front of it, it was essentially useless. With the building packed with heat generating humans in the waiting room plus an almost complete lack of air circulation, well, it was pretty uncomfortable. I'm pretty good at estimating the temperature at home in the section of our home that lacks A/C. Right now it feels like 35C where I'm sitting. I checked the thermometer and it's 34. I'm pretty aclimatized, so I'm not really sweating at 34 C. In the waiting room yesterday, I had sweat beaded on my arms and face and my shirt was wet. So, I'm thinking the temperature was well over 35C inside that building. Hopefully I'll have no reason to go back to CM Immigration until next year at (unfortunately) this time of year.

So be careful if you have problems with the heat. I'd suggest not going in the afternoon at all if you are adversely affected by heat. Try to get your business completed in the morning.

And by the way, just for comparison, the next time you visit, check out the size and condition of the fans and air conditioners on the Thai worker side of the room as compared to size and condition of the fans and air conditioners on the foreigner waiting room side. I'll leave the results of that comparison up to you. Remember, you can't take photos inside the building. Hummm, I wonder why?

[worgeordie]

They did put one fan on when I was there last week.think it would

be advisable to take some water with you,if you expect to be there

any length of time.

regards Worgeordie

[mesquite]

Time to look up the visa service.

[CMKiwi]

Or maybe time to take a moist towel and step ladder and show them how to clean a fan? On second thought forget that; unless you have a work permit for that particular job

[connda]

Time to look up the visa service.

Maybe, but you shouldn't have too. There is no excuse that I can think of to treat folks like cattle.

Perhaps it's time for a letter to the US Ambassador's office. More clout is going to be needed than anything any of us has.

[Saan]

Time to look up the visa service.

As the visa services are obviously a source of income at immigration maybe turning off the air conditioning is a way of forcing people to use their services. Who knows, anything is possible in Thailand.

[JulieM]

Maybe it's a temporary problem. I was there about two weeks ago and don't recall if it was hot in there or not. I don't think it was. I always wait outside anyway. So hot out there sweat was dripping from me onto the form I was filling out.

[connda]

Maybe it's a temporary problem. I was there about two weeks ago and don't recall if it was hot in there or not. I don't think it was. I always wait outside anyway. So hot out there sweat was dripping from me onto the form I was filling out.

If anybody reading this heads that direction in the next week or two, perhaps you can provide an update on the 'cooling' system status.

"Temporary" here in the Land of Smiles has a completely different meaning than it does back in the home country.

[evenstevens]

Time to look up the visa service.

Maybe, but you shouldn't have too. There is no excuse that I can think of to treat folks like cattle.

ditto mesquite,and very nicely summed up connda

i know a number of aussies calling the zoo a outback shearers shed

E/S has always called the zoo ,a up market refugee camp,and have been riducled for posting that

check the bog houses out. one word PUTRID, if their working

disgusting place

[mat999]

They should be able to build a new building with one days takings. Rather mean not to improve the facilities. The airport is just a few minutes walk away and has lovely freezing aircon, so if you know you will be waiting go and enjoy the airport for a while. There is a nice tea shop who will make traditional teas for you to sample if buying a pack. Also Mcdonalds and Burger King. If your number is still not close to being called go to the mall, a similar distance the other way.

[hugocnx]

I was at Immi on thursday afternoon. Same situation as described by OP. I made an instant U turn.

My best guess is there is works on the way or they encountered a really bad power failure. Even the number screen for 90 days mentioned all zeroes. Never was like that and yes....it was awfull in there.

[NancyL]

They installed new aircon units on the west wall of the customer waiting area with the past couple months. That's when they blocked the door to the toilets and now you have to shimmy past a little opening between the building and the chain link fence to get to the toilets. And you really have to be in a world of hurt to want to use their toilets.

Meanwhile, let's all jump on the "Promenada" thread and fan the flames of the rumor that CM Immigration is going to move to that ghost mall. Maybe someone able to make it happen will read it and realize it's actually a good idea.

[Thakkar]

I don't like conspiracies, but it really seems to me that there is a conscious effort to drive more business to the paid visa services.

Either that or someone has a fetish for sweaty old farangs. Could be that.

T

[circusman]

Time to look up the visa service.

As the visa services are obviously a source of income at immigration maybe turning off the air conditioning is a way of forcing people to use their services. Who knows, anything is possible in Thailand.

The ultimate paranoia...

[Beetlejuice]

Time to look up the visa service.

Maybe, but you shouldn't have too. There is no excuse that I can think of to treat folks like cattle.

ditto mesquite,and very nicely summed up connda

i know a number of aussies calling the zoo a outback shearers shed

E/S has always called the zoo ,a up market refugee camp,and have been riducled for posting that

check the bog houses out. one word PUTRID, if their working

disgusting place

I have to agree.

Although the staff are always polite providing we tow the line with them, visiting Immigration is a stressful and unpleasant experience. I have actually walked out of there feeling hyped up and ill, even when my business has been completed successfully.

I have absolutely no idea why they will not upgrade their facilities. I do have my own opinions but those could be considered as allegations and best not to air them on an open forum.

[slipperylobster]

Time to look up the visa service.

As the visa services are obviously a source of income at immigration maybe turning off the air conditioning is a way of forcing people to use their services. Who knows, anything is possible in Thailand.

how sad, and disheartening...

A world class destination, and a well touted retirement option.

Cannot even provide basic services...for older folks at temperatures of 40C

Expats need only travel to Udon, to see how user friendly a Thai Immigration Office can be.

Shame on you, Chiang Mai !! Bravo,..Udon Thani !!!!

Edited May 10, 2015 by slipperylobster

[slipperylobster]

Time to look up the visa service.

As the visa services are obviously a source of income at immigration maybe turning off the air conditioning is a way of forcing people to use their services. Who knows, anything is possible in Thailand.

The ultimate paranoia...

I prefer Panasonic.

Seriously....what gives in Chiang Mai? Other places have decent chairs and airconditioning. Udon, Pattaya, Bangkok?

[eyecatcher]

Time to look up the visa service.

As the visa services are obviously a source of income at immigration maybe turning off the air conditioning is a way of forcing people to use their services. Who knows, anything is possible in Thailand.

how sad, and disheartening...

A world class destination, and a well touted retirement option.

Cannot even provide basic services...for older folks at temperatures of 40C

Expats need only travel to Udon, to see how user friendly a Thai Immigration Office can be.

Shame on you, Chiang Mai !! Bravo,..Udon Thani !!!!

I have never been to the CM immig but you are describing the same experience I had this week in the Vientienne Thai Embassy. My first time there, I was honestly expecting to be inside a classical French style listed building.

far from it. It was a shack set up in the garden 200 chairs; 2 open reception windows, no fans; and a wait of 300 ticket numbers.

I can tell you I was well pissed returning to that window 90 minutes later.

The organisation and inefficiencies of these places is head scratching. Understaffed, yes massively...... and then I go into Global and see the wealth of redundant staff in there, nattering all day under super powered exhaust and extract systems; and standing infront portable air conditioners.

Surely the salary differential between a trainee immigration officer and a half intelligent depot bod isnt going to be too great.

I sympathise with those of you having to go to CM immig regularly. Trips to Mae Sai and England are a breeze; pardon the pun but currently I still have the option of taking up a retirement visa or a marriage visa; but I may just continue into my 5th year with a good old tourist visa.

[CNXBKKMAN]

I was in CM immigration this afternoon. It was jam packed full and very hot and unpleasant. It must be a terrible place to work at every day. My forearms were glistening with sweat and that only happens to me when i cycle up steep hills in the heat. I actually thought i must be ill! I got up and sat outside no cooler but you have the air around you. With all those bodies in the waiting room and standing room only today, i always get an unhealthy vibe when i visit. Its way past its demolition date even by thai standards.

[hugocnx]

Today an insider at Promenada told me that immigration has closed a deal for a new office there.

Not certain what date they will open new office, but they have "the keys" from june first.

I believe it's the area below Duke's.

Queue numbers will be announced over the PA system (OMG), so you can do some shopping meanwhile.

[Thailand]

Today an insider at Promenada told me that immigration has closed a deal for a new office there.

Not certain what date they will open new office, but they have "the keys" from june first.

I believe it's the area below Duke's.

Queue numbers will be announced over the PA system (OMG), so you can do some shopping meanwhile.

That one would quadruple the number of visitors to Promenada. You would think they would pay immigration to take the space.

As for a numbers over the PA system that will not work, would drive people nuts.

Edited May 11, 2015 by Thailand

[NancyL]

Today an insider at Promenada told me that immigration has closed a deal for a new office there.

Not certain what date they will open new office, but they have "the keys" from june first.

I believe it's the area below Duke's.

Queue numbers will be announced over the PA system (OMG), so you can do some shopping meanwhile.

That one would quadruple the number of visitors to Promenada. You would think they would pay immigration to take the space.

As for a numbers over the PA system that will not work, would drive people nuts.

Yeah, I've wondered if the Immigration people hear those PA announcements in their sleep. Can you imagine all the mall workers being subjected to them?

We're probably just wishing on a star hoping they're going to move us into Promenada. That will probably be the office for their ASEAN customers.

[LarryBird]

It doesn't help when the AC is on, and people leave the door open...