Immigration Promenada One Stop Service v2

[northernjohn]

Maybe the 2016 version of this thread could be split into parts -- Part 1 being actual eyewitness accounts of visits to Imm. Prom and Part 2 being discussion about Imm Prom.

That way people who have poor reading comprehension, like Cyberfarang wouldn't keep asking the same questions over and over and wouldn't have to go back thru 10 or 11 pages to see where I posted that during the previous three eyewitness reports EVERYONE who was in the retirement extension queue at 8:30 am received a queue card even if there were more than 20 people.

How long that will last is anyone's guess.

Too bad the 7 or 8 people who seem to be the "peanut gallery" for this thread, discouraging others from emailing their consulates/embassies, finding no fault with G4T, thinking the problem is the cause of stinky, rude foreigners, etc, can't be motivated to get up early and do their own eyewitness research.

Thank you very much for calling me someone with poor reading comprehension. I have given you nothing but thanks and compliments throughout this whole thing, never have I been disrespectful to you.

I have my own feelings about the agencies, all of them including GT4 that if I posted would probably be arrested and banned from these forums for life. If immigration are giving out more then 20 slots a day, I contribute that to YOU and indebted and praise your efforts. My only doubts about your strategy is going on the attack with the GT4 mob that I don`t think is a good idea for reasons I have given. Being as I am one of those who has done nothing so far have no rights to question you in the front line, I am fully aware of that. But like a lot of other people I am scared of jumping into the lions den if this is a direct attack on immigration and other bodies that maybe attached to them. This is why you are having a tough time convincing people to write to their consulates and embassies. On the other hand if we had a representative or representatives, people with diplomacy that could deal with the situation the Thai way without face being lost, then count me in.

I won`t say any more on the subject, well said my piece and hope you may take in some of the points I have posted.

I agreed they must be approached in a diplomatic way. The Thais are not very receptive to the you are wrong here is how to do it way. Like you I am going to drop out of this circle jerk. I have asked a couple of questions and got no answers. There is lots of eye witness in the morning as to the number of people there and how many queue numbers have been handed out but no eye witness of how many people were able to see the officer. Hand out all the queue numbers you want and if the people are screwed up with their reports then they might only see 17 out of the 29 queue numbers handed out. Where is the improvement in that?

Also as has been mentioned here already the Embassy and consulate are well aware of the problem. What good has it done us.

[Thailand]

They are a little up to date with technology http://GovChannei.go.th but that technology has not reached Chiangmai yet,and appears no language translator.

And I guess the free appointment booking software is too simple a solution, or that a solution is not really wanted?

A booking system for appointments for every immigration service should dominate, with a few standby appointments for emergency,compassionate etc, not the other way around as it is now.

[Lizard2010]

They are a little up to date with technology http://GovChannei.go.th but that technology has not reached Chiangmai yet,and appears no language translator.

And I guess the free appointment booking software is too simple a solution, or that a solution is not really wanted?

A booking system for appointments for every immigration service should dominate, with a few standby appointments for emergency,compassionate etc, not the other way around as it is now.

The Link did not work

The problem is always Money to fix things

What do they do with all the money they raise from all the Visa that they take every day

Maybe instead of putting it in to general revenue

Put it back into the immigration Offices That need it

The Malaysian Government has implemented the new Passport checking machines over 4 years ago

So they are with more latest technology compared to Thailand

Here in Thailand unfortunately They Are Many Many Years behind

As they say This Is Thailand Unfortunately

[Thailand]

Dumb fingers!

http://govchannel.go.th

Basically it says its a channel to links & services provided by the government to make your life easier, there you go, job done!

But as mentioned, no translator widget so I guess you cannot search in languages other than Thai.

[Konini]

Too many people are just not getting it. Nobody is out to close businesses down, nobody is saying that no agents don't have some historical ties to immigration staff if not current. Three words.

LEVEL PLAYING FIELD

You can argue as much as you want, but for everyone to be happy we need sufficient queue slots each day for those who want to DIY and all agents must have the same access to immigration. It really shouldn't be that hard.

British embassy hasn't acknowledged my correspondence, I'll give them the benefit of the doubt and assume it has either got lost in the ether or is looking for a department to call home. I'm wondering if we should be quaint and old fashioned and send actual letters through the mail rather than email, not sure which would have the most impact. Opinions?

[Konini]

The joint session with the Japanese wasn't the "only" thing that has happened. Another thing is that they're passing out more than 20 queue tickets for retirement extensions in the morning and not turning away people who have waiting in the queue for hours. That was a result of the emails to the consuls and the letter to the Bangkok Post.

And I'm sure not a little down to the fact that they know you're watching when you go in.

[HenryB]

Too many people are just not getting it. Nobody is out to close businesses down, nobody is saying that no agents don't have some historical ties to immigration staff if not current. Three words.

LEVEL PLAYING FIELD

You can argue as much as you want, but for everyone to be happy we need sufficient queue slots each day for those who want to DIY and all agents must have the same access to immigration. It really shouldn't be that hard.

British embassy hasn't acknowledged my correspondence, I'll give them the benefit of the doubt and assume it has either got lost in the ether or is looking for a department to call home. I'm wondering if we should be quaint and old fashioned and send actual letters through the mail rather than email, not sure which would have the most impact. Opinions?

The Playing field is level any Thai can start a Business as A Visa Agent What is your Problem you have a favorite Thai maybe Wife GF Family Member

Since I know no any agents they are all equal.

I will not use the one some Farang get something from works for or is a members unless they are cheaper and easier to use

A LEVEL PLAYING FIELD to me means the cheapest and easiest to use?

Please answer do not tell me your favorite Ice cream favor Just the agent that is the cheapest and easiest to use

I will tell you GT4 is my favorite and the one I use

I can not believe you came to Thailand to Level Paying Field for Unknown Visa Agents I say you Feed the Orphans First

[hml367]

You beat me, Henry.

A level playing field in Asia....... Or anywhere for that matter..... I like that one.

[HullyGully]

I think registered mail is better than email

Many emails just end up in the bin

[Sparkles]

They are a little up to date with technology http://GovChannei.go.th but that technology has not reached Chiangmai yet,and appears no language translator.

And I guess the free appointment booking software is too simple a solution, or that a solution is not really wanted?

A booking system for appointments for every immigration service should dominate, with a few standby appointments for emergency,compassionate etc, not the other way around as it is now.

The Link did not work

The problem is always Money to fix things

What do they do with all the money they raise from all the Visa that they take every day

Maybe instead of putting it in to general revenue

Put it back into the immigration Offices That need it

The Malaysian Government has implemented the new Passport checking machines over 4 years ago

So they are with more latest technology compared to Thailand

Here in Thailand unfortunately They Are Many Many Years behind

As they say This Is Thailand Unfortunately

Lizard I don't think there is a problem with funding for any improvements CM Immigration needs to make be it staff or getting a computer system up and running.

Its a lack of will to do so which is the first question that should be asked of them.Immigration offices are gold mines ,a never ending ,growing in CM, stream of customers.

You mention the money they make from visas ,very true but what about ,as I keep mentioning ,the 30 a day "residence letters" at 500 baht a pop, that's 15,000 baht a week

60 000 baht a mth etc .Of course there are no receipts issued even if you request/insist on one.

In case anyone doubts the 30 a day.That information is from the older,always smiling, Immigration gentleman at the office opp Promenada.I was first in queue last time for pick up there were actually 31

,normal day he said.

I don't believe Nancy has any agenda other than to improve what is a totally farcial situation at Immigration and as I have also posted many times before it only is happening in CM.

I have friends,former collegues in many provinces that have no reason to lie about the Immigration facilities they enjoy. If you dont accept that information that is up to you.

[OneZero]

Sparkles, perhaps I missed something with the residence certificates. If 30/day x 500 THB = 15,000 THB/day. Lets estimate 20 working days/month x 15,000/day = 300,000 THB/month. Nice little earner by itself isn't it, without even addressing the G4T issue.

[connda]

I can not believe all the waffling going on about the Embassy and Consulated

I had to go through 11 Pages to find my poat

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/861438-immigration-promenada-one-stop-service-v2/page-11#entry10074768

I clearly said and this is the normal procedure

Obvious you do not know the steps you have to take when talking to Countries that you have Embassy in

There is a protocol that has to be adhered too

You have to talk very diplomaticly about the problem

We can always have our Foreign Minister voice there concerns

The Country Foreign minister listens

Then it goes to the various Dept

Then all the shuffling around

We are only visiting resident here

We do not have much say

As the Old Saying Goes

Rome Was Not Built In A Day

Maybe this Topic has run its course

I am personalty sick of the knockers

Maybe a Moderator can close this down

This thread serves the purpose of documenting publicly the problems with CM Immigration. Until we have some sort of problem resolution, the thread has not 'run its course'.

If you are personally 'sick of the knockers', then feel free to tune out. Stop coming to this thread if it aggravates you. Simple.

[stephenterry]

They are a little up to date with technology http://GovChannei.go.th but that technology has not reached Chiangmai yet,and appears no language translator.

And I guess the free appointment booking software is too simple a solution, or that a solution is not really wanted?

A booking system for appointments for every immigration service should dominate, with a few standby appointments for emergency,compassionate etc, not the other way around as it is now.

The Link did not work

The problem is always Money to fix things

What do they do with all the money they raise from all the Visa that they take every day

Maybe instead of putting it in to general revenue

Put it back into the immigration Offices That need it

The Malaysian Government has implemented the new Passport checking machines over 4 years ago

So they are with more latest technology compared to Thailand

Here in Thailand unfortunately They Are Many Many Years behind

As they say This Is Thailand Unfortunately

Lizard I don't think there is a problem with funding for any improvements CM Immigration needs to make be it staff or getting a computer system up and running.

Its a lack of will to do so which is the first question that should be asked of them.Immigration offices are gold mines ,a never ending ,growing in CM, stream of customers.

You mention the money they make from visas ,very true but what about ,as I keep mentioning ,the 30 a day "residence letters" at 500 baht a pop, that's 15,000 baht a week

60 000 baht a mth etc .Of course there are no receipts issued even if you request/insist on one.

In case anyone doubts the 30 a day.That information is from the older,always smiling, Immigration gentleman at the office opp Promenada.I was first in queue last time for pick up there were actually 31

,normal day he said.

I don't believe Nancy has any agenda other than to improve what is a totally farcial situation at Immigration and as I have also posted many times before it only is happening in CM.

I have friends,former collegues in many provinces that have no reason to lie about the Immigration facilities they enjoy. If you dont accept that information that is up to you.

Exactly. And maybe greed has a part to play as well. Shame on CM immigration.

[NancyL]

OK, there hasn't been a first-hand report in a while, so I got up early and went to Imm. Prom. today. I'm outside the 4GT office right now. The name is painted on the glass door "G4T Cafe" I've never seen a cafe with desks and computers. They aren't exactly busy, though, only seen two customers in the past 30 minutes and one left with his passport, so I think he was just making an inquiry.

Anyway, the good news is that everyone who was in the retirement extension queue when they started to distribute queue cards received one. 24 people. They were prepared to distribute more. There were about 30 people waiting, but some didn't get queue cards because they had issues where they didn't qualify for a retirement visa. The officers weren't being picky -- the people they refused really didn't qualify.

There has been absolutely no progress on other "comfort" issues here. No lighted sign with queue-number-being-served. No evidence of an on-site supervisor to sign off on retirement extension applications.

[hml367]

Now we will see people taking credit for affecting the change.

More important, in my opinion, is the total effect it will have had if it had any. This could have happened without what people will think caused it. It has happened before.

[HenryB]

Thanks you NancyL for your report

[Thailand]

Now we will see people taking credit for affecting the change.

More important, in my opinion, is the total effect it will have had if it had any. This could have happened without what people will think caused it. It has happened before.

I think I deserve a lot of the credit for liking a number of posts relating to the problems at immigration. Without those likes there would have been little encouragement for some people putting themselves out on behalf of others.

[daoyai]

Now we will see people taking credit for affecting the change.

More important, in my opinion, is the total effect it will have had if it had any. This could have happened without what people will think caused it. It has happened before.

Where credit is due. It seems rather obvious to me that since a bit of light has been focused on the situation there has been some change of direction in Imm. service. They now know they are being monitored and inconvenient questions asked. They are making compromises.

[stephenterry]

Now we will see people taking credit for affecting the change.

More important, in my opinion, is the total effect it will have had if it had any. This could have happened without what people will think caused it. It has happened before.

Where credit is due. It seems rather obvious to me that since a bit of light has been focused on the situation there has been some change of direction in Imm. service. They now know they are being monitored and inconvenient questions asked. They are making compromises.

There's always one person who discredits the effort made by Nancy and co. Well I don't. And I'm sure her continuing presence will shame cnx immigration to provide a proper service.

[hml367]

Now we will see people taking credit for affecting the change.

More important, in my opinion, is the total effect it will have had if it had any. This could have happened without what people will think caused it. It has happened before.

Where credit is due. It seems rather obvious to me that since a bit of light has been focused on the situation there has been some change of direction in Imm. service. They now know they are being monitored and inconvenient questions asked. They are making compromises.

There's always one person who discredits the effort made by Nancy and co. Well I don't. And I'm sure her continuing presence will shame cnx immigration to provide a proper service.

I knew there would be a response like this because people infer the wrong things. I don't recall naming NancyL in regard to this post. You, by including my post, are inferring that.

That happens a lot when people are quick to jump on the defense wagon when it is not the case at all.

[CMBob]

While one can believe what one wants with respect to why Immigration (at least for now) is handing out more than 20 numbers a day for extensions, I happen to believe that the pressure that Nancy and others (including the letter writers) brought to bear is more likely the cause than the sudden wisdom/kindness of the officials.

But, regardless of that or what anybody believes about it, there's been one person who's most often and most accurately kept all of us up to date as to what's happening at Immigration. Of course, that's Nancy, and I'm thankful for her updates and efforts.

[TheAppletons]

Now we will see people taking credit for affecting the change.

More important, in my opinion, is the total effect it will have had if it had any. This could have happened without what people will think caused it. It has happened before.

Where credit is due. It seems rather obvious to me that since a bit of light has been focused on the situation there has been some change of direction in Imm. service. They now know they are being monitored and inconvenient questions asked. They are making compromises.

Spot on, daoyai. Haters gonna hate, as they say.

(And don't you just love the passive-aggressive nature of the purposely vague phrasing "people taking credit" and "what people will think caused it".)

[hml367]

Spot on, daoyai. Haters gonna hate, as they say.

(And don't you just love the passive-aggressive nature of the purposely vague phrasing "people taking credit" and "what people will think caused it".)

You have no idea what was meant in the post.

The attempts at changing the way Immigration in Chiang Mai works started long before NancyL was even in Chiang Mai. Unless you witnessed that and remember what happened, as I said, you have no idea what was meant in my post.

Too many people have tunnel vision when reading this thread.

[aslimversgwm]

Nancy and the ensuing pressures applied by the British Honorary Consul, the American Consul and other consulates, escalated up to their respective embassies have most certainly helped improve the situation and this will doubtless continue.

[delboy]

I think it's probably the fact that they don't have any appointments to process that's the reason for giving out more tickets. They used to give out 20 tickets, and process 10 appointments per day, now they give out 24 or so tickets a day.

I just want to add my thanks to Nancy for all the time and effort she puts in to improve the situation, she deserves all our thanks.

[moe666]

Maybe the up grade in service is just the natural course of things, the longer they provide service at the new location then the better it will get. Unless they come out and say it was because of the complaints and our feet being held to the fire who knows. Thanks for Nancy and the amount of time she has spent at immigration.

Just remember the service at the old shop wasn't all that good but it was fimiliar sopeople didn't gripe so much.

[NancyL]

They were sticking to 20 tickets per day long after the appointments booked via the on-line system were gone. What seemed to push them to the point of giving queue tickets to everyone who shows up at the opening bell were several well-documented days of them turning away people in droves (22 one day, 17 the next, etc) during a two week period when there were several meetings involving consular and embassy officials with CEC and several Thai gov't agencies, Imm and others. Then the letter from the Bangkok Post hit.

Handing out a queue ticket to everyone who shows up at 8:30 am for a retirement extension is an improvement, but it's just a beginning. Today, the people who arrived at 6 am didn't have their passports returned until 5:30 pm. They need to have a supervisor at Imm. Prom. who is authorized to sign off on retirement extensions.

[Mapguy]

I took a moment today to recall the number of Thai administrative offices I have visited on business over the years. Quite a number as it turns out. In this collection I include the post office (three branches) electric company, the water company, Land Transportation, the Revenue Department, the police (three stations), and four offices and a fewborder stations of the Department of Immigration. I have also had dealings with the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources although I have never visited an office. I do not include other municipal services with which one comes into contact with routinely.

The result? Basically excellent and efficient service (although figuring out somedetailscan be bothersome) from all --- EXCEPT one: The Department of Immigration. I can not complain about individual officers whom I have found efficient and far too often harried by foreigners who are not adequately prepared to deal with paperwork. And there is certainly that everywhere in Thailand. But it is clear that the leadership and organization of this department is appalling and has been for some time. One does not have to read revealing stories about problems to the South. And when I mention experiences to my Thai friends, they agree.

[moe666]

They are a little up to date with technology http://GovChannei.go.th but that technology has not reached Chiangmai yet,and appears no language translator.

And I guess the free appointment booking software is too simple a solution, or that a solution is not really wanted?

A booking system for appointments for every immigration service should dominate, with a few standby appointments for emergency,compassionate etc, not the other way around as it is now.

The Link did not work

The problem is always Money to fix things

What do they do with all the money they raise from all the Visa that they take every day

Maybe instead of putting it in to general revenue

Put it back into the immigration Offices That need it

The Malaysian Government has implemented the new Passport checking machines over 4 years ago

So they are with more latest technology compared to Thailand

Here in Thailand unfortunately They Are Many Many Years behind

As they say This Is Thailand Unfortunately

Lizard I don't think there is a problem with funding for any improvements CM Immigration needs to make be it staff or getting a computer system up and running.

Its a lack of will to do so which is the first question that should be asked of them.Immigration offices are gold mines ,a never ending ,growing in CM, stream of customers.

You mention the money they make from visas ,very true but what about ,as I keep mentioning ,the 30 a day "residence letters" at 500 baht a pop, that's 15,000 baht a week

60 000 baht a mth etc .Of course there are no receipts issued even if you request/insist on one.

In case anyone doubts the 30 a day.That information is from the older,always smiling, Immigration gentleman at the office opp Promenada.I was first in queue last time for pick up there were actually 31

,normal day he said.

I don't believe Nancy has any agenda other than to improve what is a totally farcial situation at Immigration and as I have also posted many times before it only is happening in CM.

I have friends,former collegues in many provinces that have no reason to lie about the Immigration facilities they enjoy. If you dont accept that information that is up to you.

if you want wait 10 days and get it for free. I believe a couple of years agothey suspended the certificate of residencey service and you went to your local representive being a US citizen that cost 50 dollars I think I will pay 500b

[Mapguy]

Oh! I forgot to add a recent detail. As most people know, there is an Immigration Department station just inside the transit zone at the airport to provide re-entry visas for those in a rush to take a surprise international journey. The airport was absolutely packed with people going abroad. The Immigration Station with its "One Stop Service" sign was absolutely unmanned.