Obtaining a Thai passport...5 star service

[Sparkles]

Yesterday my wife and I made our way out to City Hall to get her a new Thai passport.

Entered the office at 1.05 pm .Wife filled out the one page form and handed it to reception with her old passport and ID card.

Before we could even find a seat her number was called up into one of the 13 staffed cubicles, Info was entered into the computer, photograph and finger prints taken, and she was given a confirmation form to take to the cashiers desk where we paid 1,000 baht for the pasport plus 40 baht  for them to EMS the passport to our home address.The guy said we would receive it within 5 days.We departed at 1.18pm.So that was 13 minutes all up to complete the procedure.

 

No staff were talking on their phone or wandering about, it was as streamlined as you could possible wish for. Most applicants were quite young, maybe having secured jobs overseas,who knows, but there did not seem to be any problems during our short stay

 

Of course I couldn't help but draw a comparison with the dysfunctional CM Immigration operation who seem to make life as difficult as possible for themselves and especially us, their clients.

 

Government departments can get it right, its whether they have the will to do it.Just my opinion.

 

 

 

 

 

Edited August 30, 2016 by Sparkles

[williamgeorgeallen]

we got the kids passports in the office under the avenue mall in pattaya. same experience. i was expecting days of grief. things can be run well here. probably just takes a good manager following good procedures. jomtien immigration is quite a bit better now days as well.

[whatproblem]

Everything in this country is a pain except the passport office ,U.K. Government could learn a lot if they visited there. Very efficient and painless ,why is the rest of the country not the same

[dotpoom]

I got my wife one at their office in Villa Market soon after it opened in Pattaya.....just fantastic service, a real pleasure going there.

[Alex2015]

30 minutes ago, whatproblem said:

Everything in this country is a pain except the passport office ,U.K. Government could learn a lot if they visited there. Very efficient and painless ,why is the rest of the country not the same

What can the UK Gover learn ?

I renewed my UK Passport at the Durham Office, I used the Same Day Service, made an appoint online, ok it's a 10 Year one, cost around £130. It's a 4 hour Service and they said they would text me when it was ready which they didn't, only fault I found with them. I returned to the office after 3 and a bit hours and it was ready. 

MY GF went to The Avenue in Pattaya yesterday to make an enquiry about one, they said you can apply now, no queue. It will arrive by post in1 week, 1040 baht, in and out less than 15 minutes. Ok it's only valid for 5 years, a huge difference in price understandably and very good service.

They could improve a lot of the Services here by using an Appointment Service instead of people queuing up from very early in the morning at Immigration, Government Hospitals, Passport Offices etc.

Several months ago the lady who cuts my hair went to the same office at 4 in the morning, there was over 20 queuing up then, I don't call that efficient and painless. An online Appointment System would make it more efficient. The majority of people have access to the Internet.

 

[true blue]

Agree with service but when wife got to use new passport got knocked back by passport control as something not right with passport. Never found out what

[whatproblem]

4 hours ago, Alex2015 said:

What can the UK Gover learn ?

I renewed my UK Passport at the Durham Office, I used the Same Day Service, made an appoint online, ok it's a 10 Year one, cost around £130. It's a 4 hour Service and they said they would text me when it was ready which they didn't, only fault I found with them. I returned to the office after 3 and a bit hours and it was ready. 

MY GF went to The Avenue in Pattaya yesterday to make an enquiry about one, they said you can apply now, no queue. It will arrive by post in1 week, 1040 baht, in and out less than 15 minutes. Ok it's only valid for 5 years, a huge difference in price understandably and very good service.

They could improve a lot of the Services here by using an Appointment Service instead of people queuing up from very early in the morning at Immigration, Government Hospitals, Passport Offices etc.

Several months ago the lady who cuts my hair went to the same office at 4 in the morning, there was over 20 queuing up then, I don't call that efficient and painless. An online Appointment System would make it more efficient. The majority of people have access to the Internet.

 

So you paid extra for a quick service and you compare that with normal service ,are you or was a civil servant .i did write that why the rest of services in Thailand can't be as efficient 

[Krataiboy]

Always thought one had to obtain a Thai passport from the government office in Pinklao, Bangkok, irrespective of where one happened to be living in Thailand. Has the system changed?

[LPCustom69]

29 minutes ago, Krataiboy said:

Always thought one had to obtain a Thai passport from the government office in Pinklao, Bangkok, irrespective of where one happened to be living in Thailand. Has the system changed?

I thought the same thing.

[Sparkles]

2 hours ago, Krataiboy said:

Always thought one had to obtain a Thai passport from the government office in Pinklao, Bangkok, irrespective of where one happened to be living in Thailand. Has the system changed?

Well this was my wife's second passport from the Chiang Mai Office at City Hall.

Maybe someone who has been here longer can confirm if thats always been the case

Never heard that Thais have to go to Bangkok in person.They will post the new one from Bangkok by EMS as I previously posted.

 

 

[SOTIRIOS]

....how is this relevant to any of us.....

[LawrenceChee]

Because if your missus is happy..you are happy ?

[evenstevens]

4 hours ago, SOTIRIOS said:

....how is this relevant to any of us.....

 

be fluffed if i know, perhaps being a C/Mai  Immgr Dept  dissenter, is the best lead??

its a Simple Minds good evening to all

[Sparkles]

4 hours ago, SOTIRIOS said:

....how is this relevant to any of us.....

Well if you wish to take your wife or girlfriend to visit another country you won't get far if she doesn't have a passport plus they are only valid for 5 years.Simply updating the positive experience of obtaining a Thai passport in CM.If its of no interest to yourself why read the thread ?