The queue for immigration this morning.

[WinnieTheKhwai]

Maybe something that would be useful is if they would put a notice in the window how to do 90 day mail in and 90 day online reporting though the latter is hit and miss. Perhaps add the QR code to the 90 day report pinned topic.

90 Day QR Code.jpg

Hello, the OP shows a picture of people unable to use the postage system. They're going to now get QR codes?

[elektrified]

Maybe something that would be useful is if they would put a notice in the window how to do 90 day mail in and 90 day online reporting though the latter is hit and miss. Perhaps add the QR code to the 90 day report pinned topic.

90 Day QR Code.jpg

Hello, the OP shows a picture of people unable to use the postage system. They're going to now get QR codes?

Right. And again I'm not being callous towards the elderly, but how difficult is it to put those same papers that they are holding while waiting in the queue, into an envelope and hand it to the postman/lady when they pass by their homes each day?

[Thailand]

Maybe something that would be useful is if they would put a notice in the window how to do 90 day mail in and 90 day online reporting though the latter is hit and miss. Perhaps add the QR code to the 90 day report pinned topic.

90 Day QR Code.jpg

Hello, the OP shows a picture of people unable to use the postage system. They're going to now get QR codes?

Right. And again I'm not being callous towards the elderly, but how difficult is it to put those same papers that they are holding while waiting in the queue, into an envelope and hand it to the postman/lady when they pass by their homes each day?

It's no fun standing in the hot sun or the pouring rain waiting for the postman to come.

[chingmai331]

Should we really care how other folks solve their 90 day or extension issues? If they want to sit in the hot sun at Prom, or arrive at 5.14am, or pee in the goat shed, why get our knickers twisted?

Unless their decision also affects others. Becoz they chose to NOT mail in the 90 day report do those same folks deprive you or me of a place in a common line? I thought at Prom we could find 2 lines: the 90 day line and the extension line. And the 2 lines do not interact.

Is this the way it is at Prom?

And i did mention in other thread that the govt Immig has 100% no need to keep anyone, esp farangs, happy, except of course the noble and exalted Prime Minister.

[silverhawk_usa]

While talking to people waiting at Immigration it was apparent that many do not know or understand their options. Many are possibly not computer literate or do not know where to look for information. The cumbersome Thai Immigration website is difficult to wade through and not multilingual. There were many non English speakers in the queue. The option to mail in reports is simply not being disseminated to many, many people. As much as some of us would like to believe everyone reads ThaiVisa, they don't.

I think one of the easiest, and most cost effective, solutions at this point would be for Immigration to create a multi language handout explaining and recommending the mail in process. The handout can be as simple as a single page photocopy. Give it to everyone making their 90 day report or other transaction. NancyL, this could be an expats community service project.

Edit: The Immigration Officer could hand the person a blank 90 day form to be completed, along with the instruction/information sheet.

Edited August 12, 2015 by silverhawk_usa

[Tywais]

Maybe something that would be useful is if they would put a notice in the window how to do 90 day mail in and 90 day online reporting though the latter is hit and miss. Perhaps add the QR code to the 90 day report pinned topic.

90 Day QR Code.jpg

Hello, the OP shows a picture of people unable to use the postage system. They're going to now get QR codes?

Just adding some levity to a rather dreary topic.

Another option is if they have on the back of the TM47 receipt the mail in/online information. Or better still, do what some other immigration offices are doing, use the bar code in the passport method. Just hand the old receipt in, they scan the bar code and computer print the receipt. About a 1 minute task and no one fumbling with their paperwork and turning in TM47s with errors or incomplete and starting over again.

[Sparkles]

I was there yesterday and it was the same. I don't understand why over 200 people are showing up in person to file their 90-day reports. The mail-in option is still working very nicely. When I talked with the people at the head of the 90-day queue, most were retirees with nothing better to do with their time. Seriously. I'm a retiree myself, but this isn't my idea of a fun day at the mall. I was there for other reasons.

Come on, folks -- mail in your reports. Let the 200 queue cards available for the day go to those with problems -- like they forgot to file and have to pay a fine or are within a day or two of their due date.

You should have seem the irate younger people later in the day who came to file 90 day reports. People who have to drop children off at school at 8 am and can't be a part of this morning farce.

NancyL, I've been saying this for years now. What is wrong with some of these people??? Why can't people mail the damn things in and free the queue for people who NEED to go there for extensions and so forth? I feel no pity for the people sitting in the heat for 8 hours for 90-day reports. None whatsoever.

There are many of us been saying this for ages.It works but what %age of the expats living in CM will see this on Thai Visa.I still run into people ,some new arrivals,who do not know the mail in or online option.Of course there should be a large sign at Immigration advising people of these options but that would require someone with some intelligence and vision.

As a positive move let us all try and show this fiasco to the rest of the nation.Email Nation, Bangkok Post and social media for starters,Embassies if there are any left.. ie try the shaming tactic.

Its only going to get worse.I have already emailed Pim at City Life I'm sure she already knows but we, need to get pro active.

[elektrified]

Should we really care how other folks solve their 90 day or extension issues? If they want to sit in the hot sun at Prom, or arrive at 5.14am, or pee in the goat shed, why get our knickers twisted?

Unless their decision also affects others. Becoz they chose to NOT mail in the 90 day report do those same folks deprive you or me of a place in a common line? I thought at Prom we could find 2 lines: the 90 day line and the extension line. And the 2 lines do not interact.

Is this the way it is at Prom?

And i did mention in other thread that the govt Immig has 100% no need to keep anyone, esp farangs, happy, except of course the noble and exalted Prime Minister.

That is where you are wrong. It does affect others because valuable resources are being used unnecessarily for 90-day reporting. If everyone reported by post there would be more time and more Immigration Officers available to deal with annual extensions, etc.

[elektrified]

While talking to people waiting at Immigration it was apparent that many do not know or understand their options. Many are possibly not computer literate or do not know where to look for information. The cumbersome Thai Immigration website is difficult to wade through and not multilingual. There were many non English speakers in the queue. The option to mail in reports is simply not being disseminated to many, many people. As much as some of us would like to believe everyone reads ThaiVisa, they don't.

I think one of the easiest, and most cost effective, solutions at this point would be for Immigration to create a multi language handout explaining and recommending the mail in process. The handout can be as simple as a single page photocopy. Give it to everyone making their 90 day report or other transaction. NancyL, this could be an expats community service project.

Edit: The Immigration Officer could hand the person a blank 90 day form to be completed, along with the instruction/information sheet.

This is kind of what I eluded to in another post, but you took it to another level. This is the best post/idea in this thread.

[CNXBKKMAN]

Should we really care how other folks solve their 90 day or extension issues? If they want to sit in the hot sun at Prom, or arrive at 5.14am, or pee in the goat shed, why get our knickers twisted?

Unless their decision also affects others. Becoz they chose to NOT mail in the 90 day report do those same folks deprive you or me of a place in a common line? I thought at Prom we could find 2 lines: the 90 day line and the extension line. And the 2 lines do not interact.

Is this the way it is at Prom?

And i did mention in other thread that the govt Immig has 100% no need to keep anyone, esp farangs, happy, except of course the noble and exalted Prime Minister.

That is where you are wrong. It does affect others because valuable resources are being used unnecessarily for 90-day reporting. If everyone reported by post there would be more time and more Immigration Officers available to deal with annual extensions, etc.

I dont think that it is as clear cut as that. The postal 90 days reports have still got to be checked, processed and mailed back. Immigration staff still have to spend time doing this . It takes an immigration official 2 mins to process a 90 day walk in and probably takes 2 mins per mailed in report? Online reporting will be the most efficient but it doesnt seem to work properly yet.

[chingmai331]

I got my report back in the self-addressed envelope. The Immig return address was hand scripted, all in Thai. I mean, have these folks no idea of efficiency, like a simple rubber stamp. Or do they simply not care if slow, lazy, incorrect, etc? I find similar inefficiencies at Tops market, Central, Tesco. Maybe it's simply Thainess.

Of course, more inefficiency means more folks at work. Who needs a shovel when a thousand men stand ready with teaspoons?

[NancyL]

I got my report back in the self-addressed envelope. The Immig return address was hand scripted, all in Thai. I mean, have these folks no idea of efficiency, like a simple rubber stamp. Or do they simply not care if slow, lazy, incorrect, etc? I find similar inefficiencies at Tops market, Central, Tesco. Maybe it's simply Thainess.

Of course, more inefficiency means more folks at work. Who needs a shovel when a thousand men stand ready with teaspoons?

This may be why they don't seem to have enough CMU students to help at Immigration Promenada. They have them all busy hand-addressing the return addresses on envelopes and other such busy-work at the old office. Sigh.

[kcore]

Hers something that might be a meaningful at the next Imm/expat circle jerk.........cancell all 90 day reports period!

[DavidOxon]

I am always amazed at how many blank stares I get when I mention Thai Visa! I would expect the entire expat community to use is but it would appear to be way under 50% in my experience

[dingdongrb]

So I have to ask, if this picture shows the queue for 90 day reporting why wasn't there a queue that long for 90 day reporting at the airport office?

Is the queue that long as this picture was supposedly taken a day before the holiday?

[daoyai]

^^^ At the old office, they seemed to have sped up the 90 day process, my last time there, the processing time took about 1 minute, my PP was handed to a guy at a computer and click, click out popped a form from the printer and done... so if a procees that used to take 3 minutes is suddenly done in one, that theoreticly reduces wait time by 2/3s ... at the Prom, they are back to an older system. Also at the old office many people found seats inside as well as in the coffee zone and some were waiting for copies so the crowd was defused. In the photo it appears they are lining up for a que number and after getting a number can find a place to wait to be called.

Edited August 13, 2015 by daoyai

[NancyL]

There are a number of reasons why there is a long queue in the morning all of the sudden, even with the same number of queue tickets as at the old office. At the old office, as mentioned, the process was more streamlined. The officers doing the reports had more assistants and everything seemed to go more quickly. There were more places for the customers to wait and still be able to hear and see what number was being served.

I think right now there may be some of the same phenomenon that drove the shortages of toilet paper in the stores after the 2011 floods. Remember? There began to be reports of shortages in a few stores and then people rushed to stock up and soon you couldn't find toilet paper for sale anywhere in northern Thailand. I think there are reports of the long wait at the new Immigration office, so people are coming earlier in the day and Presto! within a few days, all 200 queue cards are gone by 9 am.

[Saan]

Maybe something that would be useful is if they would put a notice in the window how to do 90 day mail in and 90 day online reporting though the latter is hit and miss. Perhaps add the QR code to the 90 day report pinned topic.

90 Day QR Code.jpg

Hello, the OP shows a picture of people unable to use the postage system. They're going to now get QR codes?

Right. And again I'm not being callous towards the elderly, but how difficult is it to put those same papers that they are holding while waiting in the queue, into an envelope and hand it to the postman/lady when they pass by their homes each day?

I don't do my 90 day report by mail because I have never had piece of mail delivered in over 5 years I have lived here. I gave up several years ago and got a mail box which works well, never any missing mail. But I don't think immigration will accept a mail box as an address, they want to reply to an actual address. It is some sort of proof that you live there, I suppose.

[CMNightRider]

There are a number of reasons why there is a long queue in the morning all of the sudden, even with the same number of queue tickets as at the old office. At the old office, as mentioned, the process was more streamlined. The officers doing the reports had more assistants and everything seemed to go more quickly. There were more places for the customers to wait and still be able to hear and see what number was being served.

I think right now there may be some of the same phenomenon that drove the shortages of toilet paper in the stores after the 2011 floods. Remember? There began to be reports of shortages in a few stores and then people rushed to stock up and soon you couldn't find toilet paper for sale anywhere in northern Thailand. I think there are reports of the long wait at the new Immigration office, so people are coming earlier in the day and Presto! within a few days, all 200 queue cards are gone by 9 am.

Are you aware of CM Immigration having any plans to increase their staff at Promenada or are they okay with the way it is? There should be plenty of room in the new office for additional staff since foreigners are not allowed to sit inside their air-conditioned office.

During my last visit to Promenada Immigration, I couldn't help notice a couple of elderly retirees sitting in the heat outside the air-condidtioned immigration office. These people looked like they may be in their final stage of life. I'm sure this is of no concern to immigration staff, but it seems to me there is something wrong with this picture.

Also, do you know if the CM immigration on-line queue has gone the way of the buffalo or will they bring it back to life? I can't imagine trying to do the one year retirement visa without it. Anyway, I certainly appreciate viewing your updates about CM Immigration, and all the other issues you deal with daily. Thank you.

[elektrified]

I am always amazed at how many blank stares I get when I mention Thai Visa! I would expect the entire expat community to use is but it would appear to be way under 50% in my experience

One reason is that so many people prefer facebook now because it is easier to integrate into other apps and is used often throughout the day. A lot of posters who used to be on TV are on the C.M. facebook groups now (which BTW do give lots of info about Immigration procedures). Another reason is that there are a lot of ex-pats here who don't speak a single word of English. I met two this weekend. Fortunately I still remember some German and Spanish and was able to communicate with them.

[elektrified]

Maybe something that would be useful is if they would put a notice in the window how to do 90 day mail in and 90 day online reporting though the latter is hit and miss. Perhaps add the QR code to the 90 day report pinned topic.

90 Day QR Code.jpg

Hello, the OP shows a picture of people unable to use the postage system. They're going to now get QR codes?

Right. And again I'm not being callous towards the elderly, but how difficult is it to put those same papers that they are holding while waiting in the queue, into an envelope and hand it to the postman/lady when they pass by their homes each day?

I don't do my 90 day report by mail because I have never had piece of mail delivered in over 5 years I have lived here. I gave up several years ago and got a mail box which works well, never any missing mail. But I don't think immigration will accept a mail box as an address, they want to reply to an actual address. It is some sort of proof that you live there, I suppose.

Not true. I use my P.O. Box address for return post whenever I am going out of town and don't want it sitting in the post box at home (which gets rained on). Our post lady knows us and leaves our registered mail when we are not there. I have used my P.O. Box address many times over the years.

[northernjohn]

Some were there at 4am yesterday and still there at 4pm when I left! People in their seventies and in wheelchairs should be shown more respect than to be left out all day like cattle!

Indeed, this is an example of administrative ineptitude/callous indifference of the first order. An e-mail to General Prayudt' PA is in order here. Anyone have it?

Nothing holding you back but fear and the law of gravity.

[NancyL]

I am always amazed at how many blank stares I get when I mention Thai Visa! I would expect the entire expat community to use is but it would appear to be way under 50% in my experience

One reason is that so many people prefer facebook now because it is easier to integrate into other apps and is used often throughout the day. A lot of posters who used to be on TV are on the C.M. facebook groups now (which BTW do give lots of info about Immigration procedures). Another reason is that there are a lot of ex-pats here who don't speak a single word of English. I met two this weekend. Fortunately I still remember some German and Spanish and was able to communicate with them.

Are there Facebook groups where people are posting daily reports about what's happening at Immigration Promenada, complete with photos and reports of what time they run out of queue cards and how many queue cards were distributed that day for retirement extensions? I've looked and can't find any, but maybe I just don't know my way around Facebook.

[Tywais]

Are there Facebook groups where people are posting daily reports about what's happening at Immigration Promenada, complete with photos and reports of what time they run out of queue cards and how many queue cards were distributed that day for retirement extensions? I've looked and can't find any, but maybe I just don't know my way around Facebook.

I had spent time looking also and the only place I could find was this - Visa Extenstion / Chiang Mai Immigration (their spelling not mine). It's not clear that is actually run by immigration or not. It's not kept very up to date though they have added the 90 day online information but in Thai which never made sense to me. There was one post there today complaining about the queues and older people having to wait out in the heat.

Here is another Facebook page that has some complaints and also photos of the queues at the new place and old. Chiangmai.immigration

[elektrified]

I am always amazed at how many blank stares I get when I mention Thai Visa! I would expect the entire expat community to use is but it would appear to be way under 50% in my experience

One reason is that so many people prefer facebook now because it is easier to integrate into other apps and is used often throughout the day. A lot of posters who used to be on TV are on the C.M. facebook groups now (which BTW do give lots of info about Immigration procedures). Another reason is that there are a lot of ex-pats here who don't speak a single word of English. I met two this weekend. Fortunately I still remember some German and Spanish and was able to communicate with them.

Are there Facebook groups where people are posting daily reports about what's happening at Immigration Promenada, complete with photos and reports of what time they run out of queue cards and how many queue cards were distributed that day for retirement extensions? I've looked and can't find any, but maybe I just don't know my way around Facebook.

Yes NancyL, sometimes. I can't remember which group it is but I think it is "What, Where, When - Chiang Mai" (spelled just like that). You could join the group and see.

Edit: I just searched that group and there are a number of topics about Immigration but not what I was thinking of. I'll have to check some other groups and see if I can find what I have seen.

Edited August 13, 2015 by elektrified

[Loptr]

I am always amazed at how many blank stares I get when I mention Thai Visa! I would expect the entire expat community to use is but it would appear to be way under 50% in my experience

One reason is that so many people prefer facebook now because it is easier to integrate into other apps and is used often throughout the day. A lot of posters who used to be on TV are on the C.M. facebook groups now (which BTW do give lots of info about Immigration procedures). Another reason is that there are a lot of ex-pats here who don't speak a single word of English. I met two this weekend. Fortunately I still remember some German and Spanish and was able to communicate with them.

Are there Facebook groups where people are posting daily reports about what's happening at Immigration Promenada, complete with photos and reports of what time they run out of queue cards and how many queue cards were distributed that day for retirement extensions? I've looked and can't find any, but maybe I just don't know my way around Facebook.

Yes Nancy, this story along with the photos have been posted on a couple of FB groups specific to CM... One of them is the FARANG COMMUNITY CHIANG MAI CITY group...

[Chiengmaijoe]

I am always amazed at how many blank stares I get when I mention Thai Visa! I would expect the entire expat community to use is but it would appear to be way under 50% in my experience

The majority of people that I have mentioned Thaivisa to utterly despise it. For good reason, mostly.

[VIPinthailand]

don't they have a system where you can scan your doc and send via the Internet. and get a receipt.

seems to me the system is old and need to be changed....

[CMNightRider]

CM Immigration online queue has been down since immigration moved to Promenada. There is a shortage of immigration staff at their new Promenada office. When reporting for the 90 day requirement, you have to show up early in the morning for a queue. Then to add insult to injury, immigration officers require foreigners to sit outside in the heat rather than inside their new air-conditioned office.

All this took place after the CM Immigration presentation at the CM Expat club, where they said their services are going to improve once they make their historic move to their new complex at Promenada Mall.

There is something wrong with this picture. It appears immigration staff may be trying to make it difficult for foreigners to complete immigration requirements, without the aid of outside help such as an attorney or one of the visa services.

[cloudhopper]

CM Immigration online queue has been down since immigration moved to Promenada. There is a shortage of immigration staff at their new Promenada office. When reporting for the 90 day requirement, you have to show up early in the morning for a queue. Then to add insult to injury, immigration officers require foreigners to sit outside in the heat rather than inside their new air-conditioned office.

All this took place after the CM Immigration presentation at the CM Expat club, where they said their services are going to improve once they make their historic move to their new complex at Promenada Mall.

There is something wrong with this picture. It appears immigration staff may be trying to make it difficult for foreigners to complete immigration requirements, without the aid of outside help such as an attorney or one of the visa services.

Of course. Those visa fees from agents are a nice little earner for them.