Farang Has Stupidity Attack at 90 Day Report Counter

[Frank James]

Friday, June 5, was another hot, jam-packed day at Chiang Mai's famous Immigration Center. I was there to submit my 90 day report. I was given ticket number 639. At the time, Counter 2 was serving ticket number 611. I estimated it would be about 35 minutes before my number came up. My papers were all in order. I was ready. Ticket number 638 was held by a young American who appeared at the counter with two passports, and accompanying paperwork. There he received the news that each passport requires its own ticket. He said a few harsh words to the counter lady, and angrily slapped one of the passports down hard on the counter, and stalked off to get another number.

The counter clerk was clearly upset by this display of bad manners, and rightly so. It's understandable that the guy would be annoyed, but this kind of behavior is uncalled-for and unacceptable. Keep your emotions in check! The lady processed the passport quickly and put it back on the counter. The guy didn't come back to pick it up while I was there. Anyone could have walked away with it.

Imagine if you were a clerk at the 90 day counter, and every day, all day you dealt with waves of foreigners, some of whom seem to have been recent residents of asylums. So many have to be sent away to get a missing form, and then people have to wait while somebody signs all their forms, a task they should have handled while they waited for their number to come up. Meanwhile, people whose numbers won't come up for several turns insist on standing near the counter, blocking access for those whose numbers are up. It's amazing to me, and a great credit to the staff, that we get processed at quickly and efficiently as we do.

Just another day at the Fun House, best free show in town.

[Ulysses G.]

I agree with you and I am always super careful at immigration, but I think that I would have been so surprised that I would have flipped out too. What a chickenshit rule!

[Oscar2]

why did you go to Immigration to file your 90-day report???

[Frank James]

why did you go to Immigration to file your 90-day report???

I KNEW someone would ask me that. Because it is still a valid choice, and I don't mind doing it. I always enjoy a visit to the Aberrant Human Behavior Lab, AKA "Chiang Mai Immigration." Apparently, other people seem to prefer this method as well, since the counter is busy every day.

Clearly, people who do the online report are superior in every way. Please, have pity on the rest of us.

[TheAppletons]

why did you go to Immigration to file your 90-day report???

I KNEW someone would ask me that. Because it is still a valid choice, and I don't mind doing it. I always enjoy a visit to the Aberrant Human Behavior Lab, AKA "Chiang Mai Immigration." Apparently, other people seem to prefer this method as well, since the counter is busy every day.

Clearly, people who do the online report are superior in every way. Please, have pity on the rest of us.

I think there are many, many people who don't know there are alternatives....or they don't trust those alternatives. I've had people look at me like I'm crazy when I tell them I mail my 90 days reports.

If you enjoy it though....have at it.

[Sparkles]

why did you go to Immigration to file your 90-day report???

I KNEW someone would ask me that. Because it is still a valid choice, and I don't mind doing it. I always enjoy a visit to the Aberrant Human Behavior Lab, AKA "Chiang Mai Immigration." Apparently, other people seem to prefer this method as well, since the counter is busy every day.

Clearly, people who do the online report are superior in every way. Please, have pity on the rest of us.

I guarantee there are still a lot of folk that do not even know about the on line option, or my preferred way which is by using the post. Unless people are regulars on this forum they probably don't even know.

I haven't been near the place since last December.

Have they got around to putting a sign up that says you can do reporting on line or mail in, or would that be too much to hope for ?

[Thailand]

It's been the rule for sometime, 1 ticket per passport. Same when making online booking for "retirement " visa ( retirement in brackets for the visa police) with dependent, two slots required.

I was in immigration about a month ago where a Brit gave some lip to the lady officer doing the 90 day reports, she simply placed his passport to one side, he stood at the right of the counter. The officer continued to process subsequent ticket numbers and he was still there when mine was processed and I left some 30 minutes later.

[MaeJoMTB]

VISA agents don't seem to need separate tickets.

I guess different rules for paying customers.

Anyway,

30s top to process a 90 day report, no excuse not to do both.

Why do they take so long, because they want you to pay a VISA agent.

CM immigration is corruption at it's very worst.

Prayut wants to clean up the country, CM Immigration ought to be up there near the top.

[redsox44]

Bol 1 number for as many passports one can carry.

[MaeJoMTB]

Whilst waiting to get my 'retirement' visa to be processed, I was trying to listen for my name being announced, but this Farang chatterbox - who had been yakking non-stop - was making my task very difficult. Then he asks me if I like coffee more that tea. I resisted the urge to compare him to a yammering old woman; however, it felt real good when I told him to shut up so people could hear the intercom.

Wear earphones, no music.

Works every time.

Alternatively,

Grow some balls, tell them you don't talk to strangers, etc.

Alternatively

Bonjour, comment ca va, parlez vous Francais?

Edited June 6, 2015 by MaeJoMTB

[Beetlejuice]

At some time in the perhaps not so distant future there are going to be incidents at Immigration. I`m surprise nothing major have occurred yet.

If people are imposed to endure over crowded, stifling hot conditions in a cramped environment of limited space with dilapidated facilities for long periods than patience is going to dwindle and tempers are going to flare. But unfortunately the Thai philosophy is, we will worry about that if it happens.

The staff is always polite and do the best they can under the circumstances, but visiting Immigration is still an unpleasant and stressful experience and I can understand how visitors to Immigration end up on a short fuse.

[Frank James]

Now that I think about this incident some more, I now realize that the passport that the counter clerk put back on the bar could not possibly have gotten processed. There is this complicated three way hand-off that goes on. One guy looks at it, flips through the pages and the papers, hands it off to guy 2. Guy 2 performs some arcane rite, unstaples the old 90 day slip, then hands off to Guy 3, who scans the passport, and then puts the staple into the new paper off the printer. (Or it that a fax!?)

It all takes a minute or so. That particular passport was back on the bar in about 15 seconds. Uh oh! Farang come back, be very "Moodie" now!

Edited June 6, 2015 by Frank James

[colinneil]

Why do some farangs go to immigration and spout their mouths off????

There is no need to be rude and offensive. Lady at the desk is only trying to do what is at best a difficult job in a very busy office.

Chill out lighten up, then Thai people will treat you better

We are guests in their country show some respect..

[Chicog]

I agree with you and I am always super careful at immigration, but I think that I would have been so surprised that I would have flipped out too. What a chickenshit rule!

What a completely perfect rule, otherwise you'd have all the agents in front of you with a wad of passports.

You prefer that?

[Ulysses G.]

VISA agents don't seem to need separate tickets.

I guess different rules for paying customers.

The agents always seem to be carrying a pile of passports and I have not noticed more than one ticket. You are right. It does not seem to apply to them.

[zeichen]

You should have been there the day it happened to me when I grabbed the clerk and punched him in the face. Oh wait, that was only in my mind. I actually remain quite calm even though sometimes I am boiling inside.

I absolutely hate when I am behind and agent who has a stack of passports. Really not fair at all to have to wait 30+ minutes for one customer.

Personally, I don't blame people for losing their cool. It isn't effective or doesn't give the result you want, but don't think for a second that the clerks wouldn't do the same if they wasted their day waiting. Ever seen a Thai person in your home country in similar situations? They definitely aren't calm.

What I find ironic is those that all are indignant about this young person's explosion, do the same exact thing when they are in their home country. I am certain that every single poster here at some point in their life has lost their sh** at some worker just doing their job.

If there is a valid rule, then it should be posted right at the counter. One rule should apply to all.

[northernjohn]

I agree with you and I am always super careful at immigration, but I think that I would have been so surprised that I would have flipped out too. What a chickenshit rule!

Chicken Shit rule to cover ignorant people who for some mysterious reason feel compelled to show off how many passports they have.

Edit

I just thought about it. I wonder if he had put both passport numbers on the one form.

You know where it say's passport number not passport number's.

Edited June 6, 2015 by northernjohn

[Beetlejuice]

VISA agents don't seem to need separate tickets.

I guess different rules for paying customers.

The agents always seem to be carrying a pile of passports and I have not noticed more than one ticket. You are right. It does not seem to apply to them.

I have never seen agents requiring tickets. They just walk straight to the counter with their piles of copies and forms and are immediately given priority over the rest of us peasants.

Perhaps it`s for reasons that Immigration consider processing the reports in bulk saves time rather than having queues of people on an individual basis, the official agents treated with more credibility than the rest of us. I can understand the logic and probably helps the flow of things in an already chaotic situation. It`s just unlucky for those in the queues when agents suddenly turn up creating a bigger time lapse between queue numbers.

[Sparkles]

VISA agents don't seem to need separate tickets.

I guess different rules for paying customers.

The agents always seem to be carrying a pile of passports and I have not noticed more than one ticket. You are right. It does not seem to apply to them.

The main reason I do 90 day reports by mail.

Your queue number Is a lottery.Witnessed on my last visit some 6 or so mths ago an agent fronted the desk with no number and a bag full of passports so while your number might be getting closer you are relegated to a frustrating longer wait.Judging by the chit chat between them it wasn't the first time.

Would it be so hard for Imm to put a trainee or volunteer near the 90 day counter with a flyer that outlines alternatives to going there ie explaining that you can do it on line or mail.

Might even get a volunteer through Thai Visa as some folk seem to like to spend some time there "people watching". At the very least PUT UP A SIGN spelling alternatives out.

[northernjohn]

It's been the rule for sometime, 1 ticket per passport. Same when making online booking for "retirement " visa ( retirement in brackets for the visa police) with dependent, two slots required.

I was in immigration about a month ago where a Brit gave some lip to the lady officer doing the 90 day reports, she simply placed his passport to one side, he stood at the right of the counter. The officer continued to process subsequent ticket numbers and he was still there when mine was processed and I left some 30 minutes later.

They should do that every time some one wants to give them lip. It is an easy process. No need to take off on the clerk.

VISA agents don't seem to need separate tickets.

I guess different rules for paying customers.

Anyway,

30s top to process a 90 day report, no excuse not to do both.

Why do they take so long, because they want you to pay a VISA agent.

CM immigration is corruption at it's very worst.

Prayut wants to clean up the country, CM Immigration ought to be up there near the top.

Well think about it for a moment. Would you rather have one guy standing in front of you with 30 passports and paper correctly filled out or thirty people standing in front of you and some of them having to have it explained to them.

[Saan]

I took and elderly friend to get his income statement from the US Consulate the other day. His appointment was the first after lunch and although he arrived early there was a family who arrived just in front of him with an appointment after him. The family was seen first, all 5 of them, I spent over an hour outside in the car cooking.

So it is not just Thai immigration that have problems. It can happen anywhere.

[MaeJoMTB]

VISA agents don't seem to need separate tickets.

I guess different rules for paying customers.

The agents always seem to be carrying a pile of passports and I have not noticed more than one ticket. You are right. It does not seem to apply to them.

I have never seen agents requiring tickets. They just walk straight to the counter with their piles of copies and forms and are immediately given priority over the rest of us peasants.

Perhaps it`s for reasons that Immigration consider processing the reports in bulk saves time rather than having queues of people on an individual basis, the official agents treated with more credibility than the rest of us. I can understand the logic and probably helps the flow of things in an already chaotic situation. It`s just unlucky for those in the queues when agents suddenly turn up creating a bigger time lapse between queue numbers.

No, it's the envelope full of MONEY that the agents slide under the table.

[MaeJoMTB]

Well think about it for a moment. Would you rather have one guy standing in front of you with 30 passports and paper correctly filled out or thirty people standing in front of you and some of them having to have it explained to them.

I'd rather have the guy with the 3x 1,000bht note standing in front of me.

No waiting for him.

[onthedarkside]

All the off topic posts are being removed.

[uptheos]

"Imagine if you were a clerk at the 90 day counter, and every day, all day you dealt with waves of foreigners, some of whom seem to have been recent residents of asylums"

I'd thank my lucky stars that I'm not picking bananas or planting rice under the scorching sun.

[pgrahmm]

VISA agents don't seem to need separate tickets.

I guess different rules for paying customers.

The agents always seem to be carrying a pile of passports and I have not noticed more than one ticket. You are right. It does not seem to apply to them.

I have never seen agents requiring tickets. They just walk straight to the counter with their piles of copies and forms and are immediately given priority over the rest of us peasants.

Perhaps it`s for reasons that Immigration consider processing the reports in bulk saves time rather than having queues of people on an individual basis, the official agents treated with more credibility than the rest of us. I can understand the logic and probably helps the flow of things in an already chaotic situation. It`s just unlucky for those in the queues when agents suddenly turn up creating a bigger time lapse between queue numbers.

I use an agent for my yearly and 90 day check ins....The reason???? - last time I was there I patiently waited my number to be called - some little Germanic @$$hole (I could have snuffed him like a spent cigarette) pushed me out of the way and started an unitellsable tirade that embarrassed everyone - except him.....but - who did they remember???? Not him - but me - while they patiently moved this @$$hole off to the side - I'd always behaved properly; but now was visually linked with this butt nugget......My proof of residence that usually took 3 hours took 3+ weeks because they facially connected me to this idiot....I reported at their mandated times only to be met by the same counter clerk with a bland next week expression and look on her face....Based on prior visits over the years where everything went well as could be I knew I was doomed by someone elses actions.....3+ weeks later after reporting back 2x's a week I got my (previously easy to get) residence certificate... I got it - I will always remember the unearned look of distain from clerk on the front line that had always been helpful before....

It amazes me how the people there can smile every afternoon after being beseiged from 6AM on......

[uptheos]

VISA agents don't seem to need separate tickets.

I guess different rules for paying customers.

The agents always seem to be carrying a pile of passports and I have not noticed more than one ticket. You are right. It does not seem to apply to them.

I have never seen agents requiring tickets. They just walk straight to the counter with their piles of copies and forms and are immediately given priority over the rest of us peasants.

Perhaps it`s for reasons that Immigration consider processing the reports in bulk saves time rather than having queues of people on an individual basis, the official agents treated with more credibility than the rest of us. I can understand the logic and probably helps the flow of things in an already chaotic situation. It`s just unlucky for those in the queues when agents suddenly turn up creating a bigger time lapse between queue numbers.

...

It amazes me how the people there can smile every afternoon after being beseiged from 6AM on......

Maybe they don't think too much about being besieged, but rather they smile because of the air con, 5 day week. public and annual holidays, decent salary, benefits, pension, assisted housing etc.............oh, and the power!!

[Chicog]

What happened to the new online reporting then?

[uptheos]

What happened to the new online reporting then?

People like socializing Chic.

[Chicog]

What happened to the new online reporting then?

People like socializing Chic.

Or they like sweating.