BTW

Granted it's only once a year but I guess these guys are processing hundreds of applications every day and they have it off pat.

Traffic control to ease you in and out. Adequate parking. Info desk inside and outside. Smiling,happy to assist staff,at least within language limitations.One queue payment processing,moved around 10 people via 2 desks in 2 minutes whilst I was in the queue.

Anyone any ideas if there are other gov offices in Chiangmai that could learn from this type of efficiency?

Just drove by the application building in Wing 41. The place was heaving. Inside parking area packed with cars and MCs and cars lined both sides of the street in front. Those who went early got lucky, those who haven't gone yet may wish to postpone it for a while.

As mentioned above, there were MPs managing the traffic there. The only thing wrong in the above post was 'adequate parking'.

Yes it was heaving.. I was close so dropped in for the forms.. Almost wished I hadnt..

How long does the process stay open ??

Went in a couple of days ago, parking lot full, a few cars on the street. No wait to get the forms, completed them, 3 people in line at the form check table, about 40 people in line to pay but that line was fast, about 10 minutes to get through it.

The forms must be submitted by 25th December (my wife tells me) so there's still plenty of time. This early scramble is akin to the 90 day reporters who used to stand in line at 6:00 AM and then grumble about how difficult it all is, when showing up mid afternoon hardly ever required a wait of more than 15 minutes. Makes me wonder if the Thais feel there's some kind of kudos in getting your new Wing 41 pass up on the windscreen before the guy next door.

We went this morning at about 8.45 and there were no lines at all.

Something odd. The secretary just returned my copies of my WP and copy of my drivers license. She said they only wanted copy of the registration book and passport. I asked if she was 100% sure and she was adamant as she just went there and they returned them. One year they want my WP another year they don't.