Bangkok Immigration closed for long weekend, will put me on overstay

[seancbk]

My tourist visa expires on Sunday.

I had intended to go to Chaeng Wattana tomorrow to apply for a 30 day extension, but had not realised there is a public holiday until Tuesday.

Should I risk being on 2 day overstay and go to CW on Tuesday for the extension or would I be better off just flying to Macau and coming back in a few days on a Visa exempt?

My other option is fly to Penang and get a new Tourist visa there.

Advice appreciated.

Thanks.

[chowny77]

Seeing as tomorrow and Monday are holidays granted by the government you should be ok to rock up to Chaeng Wattana on Tuesday and not be made to pay a fine. I am sure others will say the same.

[lopburi3]

As long as you go on first day after weekend/holidays you are OK. But it is likely to be very crowded so might be better to just depart if you have other things you could be doing.

[seancbk]

Thank you guys.

That is what I thought and what someone else had told me, but always good to get confirmation.

Have a great long weekend!

[seancbk]

As long as you go on first day after weekend/holidays you are OK. But it is likely to be very crowded so might be better to just depart if you have other things you could be doing.

Normally I rock up there just after lunch but on Tuesday I'll be there before the cleaners arrive!!

Thanks!

[bwpage3]

Never wait till the last minute is pretty good advice.

[Travelighlty]

I'm coming up on the last of my two month tourist visa and thirty day extension through Immigration. Is it still possible to do a border run for one last 30 day extension?

[johnatong]

I'm coming up on the last of my two month tourist visa and thirty day extension through Immigration. Is it still possible to do a border run for one last 30 day extension?

Theoretically, yes, another visa exempt entry might be available depending on your Nationality and what is already stamped in the passport.

[seancbk]

Never wait till the last minute is pretty good advice.

Absolutely. I don't always bother with extensions, this time however I need to.

Bad timing.

[alexlm]

If your visa expires while the office is closed, you can get it done without overstay on the first day of re-openning of the office.

Since the office will be closed on Monday as well, you should go there Tuesday and get your extension done without any problem.

If they try to get overstay money from you, just say that it's not right...

[NoBrainer]

Are you sure they are closed on Monday.

I checked with Kasikorn bank and they told me that the branches are closed Thursday & Friday, no mention of Monday.

Usually government offices are closed on the same days as the banks.

[lopburi3]

It is not a bank holiday - banks are not allowed to be closed more than 3 days without special authorization AFAIK (know that used to be rule but they do close sometimes and this year will be closed 4 days for current holiday.

https://www.bot.or.th/English/FinancialInstitutions/FIholiday/Pages/2016.aspx

[NoBrainer]

It is not a bank holiday - banks are not allowed to be closed more than 3 days without special authorization AFAIK (know that used to be rule but they do close sometimes and this year will be closed 4 days for current holiday.

https://www.bot.or.th/English/FinancialInstitutions/FIholiday/Pages/2016.aspx

Thanks for the link.

Any idea why immigration would be closed on Monday (as stated above by the OP) then?

[lopburi3]

It is a national holiday - just not a bank holiday.

[stevenl]

It is not a bank holiday - banks are not allowed to be closed more than 3 days without special authorization AFAIK (know that used to be rule but they do close sometimes and this year will be closed 4 days for current holiday.

https://www.bot.or.th/English/FinancialInstitutions/FIholiday/Pages/2016.aspx

Thanks for the link.

Any idea why immigration would be closed on Monday (as stated above by the OP) then?

Monday is Royal Ploughing Ceremony Day. Banks are open, international schools etc. will mostly be open, but government offices will be closed.

[Old Croc]

I'm fairly sure Monday 9 may is not a holiday. Immigration is closed 5 and 6 May, but not on the 9th.

Last Monday was a holiday of sorts.

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/881743-public-holidays-2016/

According to this list Royal Ploughing Day (!) was 25/4/

Edited May 6, 2016 by Old Croc

[sandgroper2]

If your visa expires while the office is closed, you can get it done without overstay on the first day of re-openning of the office.

Since the office will be closed on Monday as well, you should go there Tuesday and get your extension done without any problem.

If they try to get overstay money from you, just say that it's not right...

If immigration tried that on with me, i would soon tell them where to go, dont take any sxxx from them. (P.S. make sure you got the fare home first)

[seancbk]

I'm fairly sure Monday 9 may is not a holiday. Immigration is closed 5 and 6 May, but not on the 9th.

Last Monday was a holiday of sorts.

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/881743-public-holidays-2016/

According to this list Royal Ploughing Day (!) was 25/4/

From the Immigration Website - http://bangkok.immigration.go.th/intro1.html

Announcement

Immigration Division 1 will be closed during the official holidays from May 5, 2016 until May 9,2016

and from May 20,2016 until May 22, 2016.

Foreigners who residing in Bangkok can do Re-entry Permit, Extension stay permit and Notify of staying longer than 90 days in advance before long weekend on office hour.

[NoBrainer]

I have a few Thai calendars that show the Thai holidays, and none of them show Monday May 9th, as being any kind of holiday.

Just trying to help the OP, because if they are open on Monday, and he goes on Tuesday, then he will have an overstay to deal with.

[Tchooptip]

I have a few Thai calendars that show the Thai holidays, and none of them show Monday May 9th, as being any kind of holiday.

Just trying to help the OP, because if they are open on Monday, and he goes on Tuesday, then he will have an overstay to deal with.

+1...sure! May 9th is not an hollyday of any sort

[Upnotover]

I have a few Thai calendars that show the Thai holidays, and none of them show Monday May 9th, as being any kind of holiday.

Just trying to help the OP, because if they are open on Monday, and he goes on Tuesday, then he will have an overstay to deal with.

+1...sure! May 9th is not an hollyday of any sort

Royal Ploughing Ceremony Day

[NoBrainer]

I have a few Thai calendars that show the Thai holidays, and none of them show Monday May 9th, as being any kind of holiday.

Just trying to help the OP, because if they are open on Monday, and he goes on Tuesday, then he will have an overstay to deal with.

+1...sure! May 9th is not an hollyday of any sort

Royal Ploughing Ceremony Day

http://www.thaivisa....-holidays-2016/

According to this list Royal Ploughing Day (!) was 25 / 4

[seancbk]

I have a few Thai calendars that show the Thai holidays, and none of them show Monday May 9th, as being any kind of holiday.

Just trying to help the OP, because if they are open on Monday, and he goes on Tuesday, then he will have an overstay to deal with.

My Google calendar shows May 9th as a holiday.

Royal Ploughing Day.

Part of the problem is a) I don't really use / look at the calendar very often and I have it set to show only the current day and 2-3 days into the future (because of lack of screen space on my phone)

That is why last week I wasn't aware that this weekend was a long holiday.

However, I've also check the Immigration website (and posted on here the details) and they have a notice saying they are closed on Monday.

Thanks for your comment.

[Tchooptip]

I have a few Thai calendars that show the Thai holidays, and none of them show Monday May 9th, as being any kind of holiday.

Just trying to help the OP, because if they are open on Monday, and he goes on Tuesday, then he will have an overstay to deal with.

+1...sure! May 9th is not an hollyday of any sort

Royal Ploughing Ceremony Day

Yeees "Raek Na Kwan" It was on none of my calendars so I missed it, we've just seen it on TV 5 minutes ago

[stevenl]

I'm fairly sure Monday 9 may is not a holiday. Immigration is closed 5 and 6 May, but not on the 9th.

Last Monday was a holiday of sorts.

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/881743-public-holidays-2016/

According to this list Royal Ploughing Day (!) was 25/4/

The TV calender is wrong.

[joy16]

I have a few Thai calendars that show the Thai holidays, and none of them show Monday May 9th, as being any kind of holiday.

Just trying to help the OP, because if they are open on Monday, and he goes on Tuesday, then he will have an overstay to deal with.

+1...sure! May 9th is not an hollyday of any sort

May 9th, 2016 is a Royal Ploughing Ceremony Day which is a holiday for only government sector. Like a labour day is a holiday for only private sector.

[MikeOwen]

I have a few Thai calendars that show the Thai holidays, and none of them show Monday May 9th, as being any kind of holiday.

For government offices it's a holiday , for banks schools ect. It's not . TiT

Just trying to help the OP, because if they are open on Monday, and he goes on Tuesday, then he will have an overstay to deal with.

[timendres]

From the Immigration Website - http://bangkok.immigration.go.th/intro1.html

Announcement

Immigration Division 1 will be closed during the official holidays from May 5, 2016 until May 9,2016

and from May 20,2016 until May 22, 2016.

Foreigners who residing in Bangkok can do Re-entry Permit, Extension stay permit and Notify of staying longer than 90 days in advance before long weekend on office hour.

Those highlighted words would give me pause.... But I have no idea how you could verify to be sure.

[lopburi3]

Until May 22 is key - May 22 they will obviously not be open; so meaning is will be open the following day. So they will be open the day following 9 May.

[seancbk]

Just a small update seeing as I went to Chaeng Wattana this morning to get my 30 day Tourist Visa extension.

I arrived at about 7:00 am, an hour before Immigration are supposed to open to find that there were approx 150-200 people in the queue, which already circled the seating area outside the office.

Many people had put down notebooks and even phones (!) to indicate that they'd reserved that space in the queue..... There were also motorbike taxi guys holding spaces for groups of people, so just before the doors opened at 08:30 the queue suddenly swelled by at least double.

Despite the large numbers of people I was inside with my ticket within 5 minutes and had my paperwork submitted in an hour.

I was on 2 days overstay because of the holiday, the immigration officer said no problem because it was a holiday and I was not charged anything. I ran into another guy I know there and he was on 6 days overstay, he also was not charged anything.

After submitting the paperwork I had to wait about 30 minutes to collect my passport with the 30 day extension.

All in all an easy day, no hassles.

Big thanks to the Immigration staff for doing a nice job!