CM Immigration curiosities.

[dingdongrb]

7 hours ago, NancyL said:

Think about your own countries.  What do you think would happen if people had to queue up at 2 am in order to renew their driver's licenses?  

 

LOL...LOL...LOL

 

Folks in our own countries queue up 3 days prior to get the newest Apple iPhone, or xBox, or for a movie to be shown, or for the stores to open on Black Friday.....  and then tweet how well their experience was.....

[amexpat]

1 hour ago, dingdongrb said:

LOL...LOL...LOL

 

Folks in our own countries queue up 3 days prior to get the newest Apple iPhone, or xBox, or for a movie to be shown, or for the stores to open on Black Friday.....  and then tweet how well their experience was.....

 

Only if they want to. 

[Dante99]

45 minutes ago, amexpat said:

 

Only if they want to. 

Nobody is forced to go to CM Immigration.

[Oscar2]

20 hours ago, ramrod711 said:

Having arrived at 0530 on the 8th and being 3 or 4 for shy of the quota I was forced to return on the ninth.

 

My wife has a friend that is a line sitter, she and her son usually arrive at immigration at about 03:30 which was good enough to get me 4th place last month, the three people ahead of me were all paid by agents. The other night the lady was there at the usual time, 8 people ahead of her all employed by agents.  At what point will it become impossible for a person to do an extension themselves? I should add that the people ahead of her said that they arrived at 22"30 the night before.

i always get a kick out of reading about the people who go to Immigration at 3:00 or 4:00 or 5:00 or 6:00 or 7:00....etc.  in more than 12 years now i have never, ever, ever gone to Immigration before 9:00 for an extension. there is absolutely no need whatsoever. once again, this year i got there at 9:00 and was out at 11:30. couldn't be easier. some people love to do things the complicated way i guess.

[Konini]

Letter to the editor.

 

Last year the Bangkok Post published a letter from Sparkles.  There were immediate (same day) and tangible changes, including the number of queue tickets handed out each day.

 

Write a letter to the editor. It worked before and will work again.

 

(My  (two) followups to that letter weren't published.)

[NancyL]

41 minutes ago, Konini said:

Letter to the editor.

 

Last year the Bangkok Post published a letter from Sparkles.  There were immediate (same day) and tangible changes, including the number of queue tickets handed out each day.

 

Write a letter to the editor. It worked before and will work again.

 

(My  (two) followups to that letter weren't published.)

Yes, the timing of this letter was amazing because it was the same week that I was making a presentation of the results of the on-line survey that CEC did of expats' attitudes about the CM Immigration office and specifically about the wait times, and the demise of the on-line queue.  There were people from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Governor's office at the presentation and instead of focusing on these issues, they pulled me off into a discussion of the subject of that letter, i.e. the "visa agent" office next to CM Immigration.

 

Yes, "tangible changes" the next day.  More queue tickets distributed and the "visa agent" appeared to be shut down ...... for a time.  But, once the heat was off, things reverted back to normal.

 

The letter writer and I noticed more lasting "tangible changes".

 

So, even if the customers of CM Immigration choose to voice their displeasure anonymously  in the form of a mass survey, whomever designs, implements and delivers the survey becomes the messenger they will punish.

 

Presentation can be found on the CEC website:  http://www.chiangmaiexpatsclub.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/cec_2015_survey.pdf

[Thailand]

2 hours ago, Dante99 said:

Nobody is forced to go to CM Immigration.

If you live in Chiangmai and want an extension of stay you most certainly have to,even if it's only for a photo if your sooper dooper agent is going everything for you, or is that not correct?

[Thailand]

One more officer doing the extension based on retirement would probably solve the problem, not exactly rocket science.

 

When I was there the other day, two were dealing with tourist extensions, three were on the 90 day desk, one dealing with the very few reentry permits, and one officer dealing with extensions based on retirement.

 

One thing I noticed before we left, our "used" tickets were visible on the desk hanger, the next number was a Japanese guy sitting next to us, he moved to go to the desk as we were leaving but was sent back and the officer called for the 10am appointment- any idea how that is happening?

[holy cow cm]

Is this only regarding the Retired visas at Promenada or does this include airport immigration? I agree it is WAY out of line and out of control and needs to be addressed. In my well rooted 16+ years in CM with my family, it is definitely becoming increasingly hard to do the extension. There should not be any agents allowed. Period! If you have a medical problem fine, then that is your golden ticket, otherwise one should come and sit and do your own laundry. Any news on the airport immigration situation/status as well would be appreciated.

[Bill97]

No, Chiengmaijoe raises a very good point.  One should reasonably expect to be able to conduct a required obligation if one shows up at the time the gov't office responsible for fulfilling that task opens.  OK, maybe it isn't reasonable to wait until the last minute, but here in Chiang Mai, you could show up at 8:30 am, 45 days before your retirement extension expires -- the earliest you can apply -- and be turned away because the queue was full.  You could return every day, at 8:30 am, for 45 days and be meet with the same story.

 

Think about your own countries.  What do you think would happen if people had to queue up at 2 am in order to renew their driver's licenses?  Thai people don't have to queue up at zero-dark-stupid in order to get visas to our countries nor do they have to queue up at those hours to meet the requirements imposed on them by their government.

 

Do any of you hire someone to apply for a driver's license for you in your home country?  Or wait in a queue at a government office?   Or for that matter, at any other government office in Thailand?  ..... I didn't think so.

 

 

Really Nancy, have you considered the services of the VA, IRS, whoever in the government responsible for serving vets from Viet Nam, Iraq, ....HUD...

And you find them all without waiting and with efficient service.

If so, look again.

[Oscar2]

1 hour ago, Bill97 said:

Really Nancy, have you considered the services of the VA, IRS, whoever in the government responsible for serving vets from Viet Nam, Iraq, ....HUD...

And you find them all without waiting and with efficient service.

If so, look again.

i concur. i once had a friend who has long passed, that was down on her luck and needed to have her glaucoma treated at the county (government) hospital in Los Angeles. sometimes i would give her a lift. she would have to arrive at 5:30 A.M. and be lucky if she was seen by the eye specialists by 4:00 in the afternoon.

[ramrod711]

7 hours ago, Oscar2 said:

i always get a kick out of reading about the people who go to Immigration at 3:00 or 4:00 or 5:00 or 6:00 or 7:00....etc.  in more than 12 years now i have never, ever, ever gone to Immigration before 9:00 for an extension. there is absolutely no need whatsoever. once again, this year i got there at 9:00 and was out at 11:30. couldn't be easier. some people love to do things the complicated way i guess.

 

Nothing complicated about it Oscar, my line sitter handled it all. Having said that, it is the first time I've used one, never used an agent and never ever had a problem with my paperwork, but you should buy a lottery ticket for sure because you are the only one that can wander in to immigration at your leisure and get an extension every year. Is it ok if I pm you next year so I can wander in with you?

[ramrod711]

16 hours ago, mamborobert said:

If we are going to compare like with like...A Thai will find it very difficult to get a  permanent or temporary retirement visa to the UK or USA or Australia....considerably more than the other way around.

 

Apart from the quotas that are in place in these countries they can perhaps get an investor/retiree visa if they are a multi millionaire....still temporary....whereas any number of western pensioners on a lower income  can basically rock up in Thailand on a  tourist visa and convert

 

Then there are the comprehensive  health checks for retirees in those countries so they do not become a burden on the public health system, the mandatory requirement for private health insurance, for some a language proficiency requirement, the requirement for a penal clearance certificate etc etc none of which are in place here for temporary visas for retirement (there seems to be more western criinals here that Thai criminals in the west )

 

All I am saying is it is still an easy visa......even in CM, my opinion, your experience may vary which I accept.  That does not however negate my good experiences to date and I am concerned that "agitating" will make things more difficult as evidenced perhaps by the recent issue with Residency certs.

 

16 hours ago, mamborobert said:

 

 

 

All I am saying is it is still an easy visa......even in CM, my opinion, your experience may vary which I accept.

Agreed, sometimes inconvenient but never impossible.

[Thailand]

1 hour ago, ramrod711 said:

 

Nothing complicated about it Oscar, my line sitter handled it all. Having said that, it is the first time I've used one, never used an agent and never ever had a problem with my paperwork, but you should buy a lottery ticket for sure because you are the only one that can wander in to immigration at your leisure and get an extension every year. Is it ok if I pm you next year so I can wander in with you?

Ditto.

[evenstevens]

Thailands Immgr Dept Ret Visas  and rules  are very liberal to say the least , compared with countrys , that  most  of the bitching hail from, J.M.O.

 sure a hassle here and there, but by engaging the services of a  reputable professional  visa agent( at  approx14 baht a day) solves those hassles,in most cases

 

the immgr dept  bitching,  and visa  agent bashing  as usual comes from the  same old suspects. ,who  not prepared to   take into consideration  the huge Farung invasion over the past 8 yrs or so and make allowances, just want it their own spoilt way, as i posted yesterday evening, go back  home to  their  own countrys, if they don.t like the present set up, they will not be missed  one iota again  J.M.O.

 

sure the immgr dept of c/mai have,nt moved   with times etc etc , with this invasion, but from my experiences living , holidaying, building a house, even getting my old shelia to do a simple  task

 

IT  Takes Time , or Thai Time !!!   and most  Importantly full respect must be given,  settle back  relax, roll up a Jolly One, or in E/S case a Beer Lao Dark or two, perhaps three and four, its not the end of the world,  is it ???

and the immgr dept ,may make a U turn on their poor services given  here in c.mai, keep this bitching up,it will remain the same, you can bet London to a Brick On ,   on that !

 a lovely cool early evening to all

 

Edited September 12, 2016 by evenstevens

[NotEinstein]

This issue will reach critical for all eventually, regardless of whether you use an agent, line-sitter, or DIY because they can only process x number of renewals per day, and as there are literally more people every day, agent "queuing" from 16:30 the previous day will start for more than the available slots, which is when visas will start to be over-stayed. Until that happens, officialdom doesn't have any reason to address what they probably see as whinging.

Maybe turn-aways should ask for a receipt each day ready for when the over-stay arguments start.

[HenryB]

Maybe they want Farangs to to move to Pattaya as Immigration is Very Fast no need to get their before 9:00am

[balo]

Yes very odd, Jomtien immigration is great now , a quick service , in and out within 30 minutes if you have the documents with you.

I am a bit worried since I'm moving to CM for a short time and have to use Promenade for my 90 day extension in October , I got my 1 year visa in Chonburi , who knows what kind of trouble I could get into . Maybe they will ask me to go back to Pattaya. 

 

 

[jobin]

Seems the CM Immig process encourages spending by expats.  Use the new Alien form means more photos are needed, long queue lines means expensive agents thrive, the officer needs a copy of 3 yr old entry stamp and that helps the copy shop stay busy.

I also believe that one element of Thai thinking is to keep more Thais working so there is a resistance to modernization, computerization and the like.  The Asian way is also top-down driven so no underling, or service recipient, can criticize or correct the 'boss'.  That is precisely what the current Thai govt is all about. The idea extends down to the lowest Immig clerk.

 

 And don't forget,  retired people 'have all the time in the world'.  For me, a once a year, very minor,  Immig drama is far outweighed by the positive elements of living in CM.  

[hougourou]

I renewed a marriage visa at the airport office last week.  Arrived 4:20, got a queue number at 7 am.  I think I only made the cut since I had words with a line sitter who had placed 3 chairs in the line.  New requirement for TM30 delay solved with 1600 Baht, receipted, at the building at the back.  Processed at noon, back for photo at 1 pm, passsport returned after sign off at 4 pm.  A really fun day!

 

The guy who processed us was a new arrival from Suwanaphum, polite and efficient, not pleased he'd been posted to CM.  I noticed a few empty desks in the room. I don't think  previous comments about how it works in ohter countieres are are particualry useful--we're here.

 

Next year I might hire a line sitter/agent.  

 

Sorry I pressed the wrong button and the message to which I reply is below

 

7 hours ago, holy cow cm said:

Is this only regarding the Retired visas at Promenada or does this include airport immigration? I agree it is WAY out of line and out of control and needs to be addressed. In my well rooted 16+ years in CM with my family, it is definitely becoming increasingly hard to do the extension. There should not be any agents allowed. Period! If you have a medical problem fine, then that is your golden ticket, otherwise one should come and sit and do your own laundry. Any news on the airport immigration situation/status as well would be appreciated.

myself. 

[Oscar2]

5 hours ago, ramrod711 said:

 

Nothing complicated about it Oscar, my line sitter handled it all. Having said that, it is the first time I've used one, never used an agent and never ever had a problem with my paperwork, but you should buy a lottery ticket for sure because you are the only one that can wander in to immigration at your leisure and get an extension every year. Is it ok if I pm you next year so I can wander in with you?

rubbish. i'm not the only one that knows how to get an extension easily. in fact there was an Israeli who came in after me and was still able to get his extension by 12:00, and he was clueless, didn't have any photocopies, forgot his glasses,  filling out the forms outside....but a Thai woman showed up and helped him quickly get it together. sometimes i have to come back a second time, but i never go before 9:00 - ever.

Edited September 12, 2016 by Oscar2

[CNXBKKMAN]

20 hours ago, Chiengmaijoe said:

 

CNXBKKMAN was implying that Chiang Mai is purposely inefficient in order to force people to use agents so that they  can become rich. I don't believe that, and still think that if that were the case others would have done the same thing. I'm sure that agents exist in other cities, as there will always be people that choose to take the hassle-free approach, but my belief is that Chiang Mai is just being overwhelmed by sheer numbers, and for some reason they're not getting the increased funding they require.

 

Until last year I had always managed to renew my 1 year visa without any hassle, without using an agent, and although the fee for using an agent is of no great concern to me, I still find it interesting to see the system that worked reasonably well for so many years become so difficult for those wishing to avoid agents fees. I get the impression that it is also getting to be more difficult for the agents too.

 

I wouldn't say the office is run inefficiently apart from the obvious admin procedures set by HQ that they have no control over. My impression recently doing a marriage extension is that the office is deliberately restricting the numbers of people they will process who want to just pay the government set charge of 1900 baht. I arrived at 05:00 same as previous years but was only seen at about 16:00. Previous years a 05:00 arrival would have got you an early number and you would on your way home at 09:30-10:30. 

      Other people have mentioned(on this forum) at Prom that they tried to do 90 day report (or whatever can't remember the exact details) and they staff said its too late, no more numbers , finished for the day etc. The person went to the attached agents office and paid the inflated price and the agent came back with it all done 15mins later.

         There is the front door, public face of immigration where they work as they should but limit the numbers they deal with. There is the backdoor version where for a charge they will do what the front door office will say is not possible today.

           Who are these agents? It seems obvious these agents are directly connected to the office through family or or are trusted business partners. When you pay 6000 baht on top of the 1900b fee for your extension how much does the imm office get of that 6000? 3000 per applicant ? more ? all of it if they are running an agent business themselves. Can some local person set themselves up as an agent with no connections within the office ? Very doubtful imo. This is a multi million baht business and if you pay extra all immigration needs are done swiftly, no backlogs. Pay extra above the government set fees and the office will work on a saturday in a pleasant hotel in town and do all extensions with a smile as they do for the japanese expats. They are not short staffed on a saturday. They are not short staffed when you go to the agents office at prom and pay the extra charge. They are only short staffed for anyone who wants to pay no more than the government set fees.

         Why doesnt BKK clamp down on it? The amounts of money being generated may be large enough that BKK can be pacified and basically told just leave CM alone. Nobody is complaining. Everyone is getting their visa requirements done. The system works. We are farangs and and as so many farangs have said on this forum 6000 baht is small change once a year. Farangs are not going to complain like local people would. If local farmers had to deal with CM Imm they would protest out front. Block the road with tractors, dump farm waste in the car park. Will CM expats do this? No . People are paying up and many feel its worth it and are not too fussed. 

       Just my opinion but i don't think CM imm is so inefficient or bumbling that they came to work one monday morning and found they had a lucrative business built on top of legit state owned immigration office. What do detectives say "follow the money" or something like that. Who benefits from these 6000 baht agent fees? who collects that money? When you think that way it does make sense out of the CM Immigration situation.

      

[orchis]

I had an extension of tourist visa in july walked in at 11am got out at 11 21 am.

[NancyL]

On 8/19/2016 at 4:39 PM, Kerryd said:

 

 

9 minutes ago, orchis said:

I had an extension of tourist visa in july walked in at 11am got out at 11 21 am.

 

The problem isn't with tourist visa extensions, but with other longer term extensions.  

[NancyL]

1 hour ago, CNXBKKMAN said:

 

I wouldn't say the office is run inefficiently apart from the obvious admin procedures set by HQ that they have no control over. My impression recently doing a marriage extension is that the office is deliberately restricting the numbers of people they will process who want to just pay the government set charge of 1900 baht. I arrived at 05:00 same as previous years but was only seen at about 16:00. Previous years a 05:00 arrival would have got you an early number and you would on your way home at 09:30-10:30. 

      Other people have mentioned(on this forum) at Prom that they tried to do 90 day report (or whatever can't remember the exact details) and they staff said its too late, no more numbers , finished for the day etc. The person went to the attached agents office and paid the inflated price and the agent came back with it all done 15mins later.

         There is the front door, public face of immigration where they work as they should but limit the numbers they deal with. There is the backdoor version where for a charge they will do what the front door office will say is not possible today.

           Who are these agents? It seems obvious these agents are directly connected to the office through family or or are trusted business partners. When you pay 6000 baht on top of the 1900b fee for your extension how much does the imm office get of that 6000? 3000 per applicant ? more ? all of it if they are running an agent business themselves. Can some local person set themselves up as an agent with no connections within the office ? Very doubtful imo. This is a multi million baht business and if you pay extra all immigration needs are done swiftly, no backlogs. Pay extra above the government set fees and the office will work on a saturday in a pleasant hotel in town and do all extensions with a smile as they do for the japanese expats. They are not short staffed on a saturday. They are not short staffed when you go to the agents office at prom and pay the extra charge. They are only short staffed for anyone who wants to pay no more than the government set fees.

         Why doesnt BKK clamp down on it? The amounts of money being generated may be large enough that BKK can be pacified and basically told just leave CM alone. Nobody is complaining. Everyone is getting their visa requirements done. The system works. We are farangs and and as so many farangs have said on this forum 6000 baht is small change once a year. Farangs are not going to complain like local people would. If local farmers had to deal with CM Imm they would protest out front. Block the road with tractors, dump farm waste in the car park. Will CM expats do this? No . People are paying up and many feel its worth it and are not too fussed. 

       Just my opinion but i don't think CM imm is so inefficient or bumbling that they came to work one monday morning and found they had a lucrative business built on top of legit state owned immigration office. What do detectives say "follow the money" or something like that. Who benefits from these 6000 baht agent fees? who collects that money? When you think that way it does make sense out of the CM Immigration situation.

      

CNXBKKMAN, I'd say your observations are generally spot on.  In researching practices in other provinces with high resident expat populations, there doesn't appear to be the artificial restrictions or quota system that CM Imm. sets .  None of this business of issuing all the queue tickets for a day's business before they open and turning away people after opening.  No artificial setting of quotas.  

 

I think part of the reason why the TM30 is being enforced here is because CM Imm. is "working to rule" in an effort to find enough for the lone Imm. officer processing retirement extension applications to keep busy in processing just 20 or 25 applications per day.  In truth, more could be done and in fact more are done if a certain visa agent has more walk-in customers that day.  

 

Part of the "working to rule" is that each officer sticks to their appointed task and they don't move between desks and help each other.  If there are no applicants for re-entry permits, that officer just sits there and plays with his smart phone.  It isn't that way in other offices.

 

To set the record straight, however, the Japanese Long Stay Club no longer enjoys the special privilege of having Immigration officers come to their meetings on a Saturday to process their immigration business.  That went out when Immigration moved to Promenada.  Something about the need for extension applicants to be photographed in the office with that little camera attached to the immigration officer's computer.

 

 

[Bob9]

37 minutes ago, NancyL said:

CNXBKKMAN, I'd say your observations are generally spot on.  In researching practices in other provinces with high resident expat populations, there doesn't appear to be the artificial restrictions or quota system that CM Imm. sets .  None of this business of issuing all the queue tickets for a day's business before they open and turning away people after opening.  No artificial setting of quotas.  

 

I think part of the reason why the TM30 is being enforced here is because CM Imm. is "working to rule" in an effort to find enough for the lone Imm. officer processing retirement extension applications to keep busy in processing just 20 or 25 applications per day.  In truth, more could be done and in fact more are done if a certain visa agent has more walk-in customers that day.  

 

Part of the "working to rule" is that each officer sticks to their appointed task and they don't move between desks and help each other.  If there are no applicants for re-entry permits, that officer just sits there and plays with his smart phone.  It isn't that way in other offices.

 

To set the record straight, however, the Japanese Long Stay Club no longer enjoys the special privilege of having Immigration officers come to their meetings on a Saturday to process their immigration business.  That went out when Immigration moved to Promenada.  Something about the need for extension applicants to be photographed in the office with that little camera attached to the immigration officer's computer.

 

 

 

I agree with all those that state the system in CM is deliberately corrupt and that money exchanges hands on a regular basis - both during the day (in office) and afterwards (when agents/others pay their 'fee's).  I have seen it several times over the years, including an agent taking a rich old Chinese man and talking to the 'officers' and then he was attended to in front of me (he had no number - had literally just arrived) and who handed over at least 10,000baht plus the 1900 baht for the permission to return (plus he would have paid the agent).  They saw that I saw the money go into the 'other' drawer - so I smiled and they were reassured I was OK - and they processed me quickly next.  But by the sounds of it is getting worse and more rampant, and perhaps the time has come to shut this down a bit.

 

May I suggest that someone with contacts at the Embassies (perhaps the US one as there are a lot of US people here and US has a full Embassy in CM) and passes on anonymously this forums feedback (all anon).  If the head official at the Embassy could then 'quietly' approach the head of the Immigration Dept (here or in BKK) and ask them politely to tell them the problem and ask them to 'tone it down a little' and maybe give another worker for the Visa extensions, then perhaps things will improve.  Nancy?? Has this been tried??  Can perhaps a TV forum 'petition' to the local Embassy be started for everyone to 'sign' while we all stay anon??? 

While I wait for hell to freeze over, does anyone have the details of a queue sitter and their cost??  I gotta do my Visa extension later this month or early Oct and last year didn't need to get a queue sitter.

 

 

[cyberfarang]

1 hour ago, CNXBKKMAN said:

 

I wouldn't say the office is run inefficiently apart from the obvious admin procedures set by HQ that they have no control over. My impression recently doing a marriage extension is that the office is deliberately restricting the numbers of people they will process who want to just pay the government set charge of 1900 baht. I arrived at 05:00 same as previous years but was only seen at about 16:00. Previous years a 05:00 arrival would have got you an early number and you would on your way home at 09:30-10:30. 

      Other people have mentioned(on this forum) at Prom that they tried to do 90 day report (or whatever can't remember the exact details) and they staff said its too late, no more numbers , finished for the day etc. The person went to the attached agents office and paid the inflated price and the agent came back with it all done 15mins later.

         There is the front door, public face of immigration where they work as they should but limit the numbers they deal with. There is the backdoor version where for a charge they will do what the front door office will say is not possible today.

           Who are these agents? It seems obvious these agents are directly connected to the office through family or or are trusted business partners. When you pay 6000 baht on top of the 1900b fee for your extension how much does the imm office get of that 6000? 3000 per applicant ? more ? all of it if they are running an agent business themselves. Can some local person set themselves up as an agent with no connections within the office ? Very doubtful imo. This is a multi million baht business and if you pay extra all immigration needs are done swiftly, no backlogs. Pay extra above the government set fees and the office will work on a saturday in a pleasant hotel in town and do all extensions with a smile as they do for the japanese expats. They are not short staffed on a saturday. They are not short staffed when you go to the agents office at prom and pay the extra charge. They are only short staffed for anyone who wants to pay no more than the government set fees.

         Why doesnt BKK clamp down on it? The amounts of money being generated may be large enough that BKK can be pacified and basically told just leave CM alone. Nobody is complaining. Everyone is getting their visa requirements done. The system works. We are farangs and and as so many farangs have said on this forum 6000 baht is small change once a year. Farangs are not going to complain like local people would. If local farmers had to deal with CM Imm they would protest out front. Block the road with tractors, dump farm waste in the car park. Will CM expats do this? No . People are paying up and many feel its worth it and are not too fussed. 

       Just my opinion but i don't think CM imm is so inefficient or bumbling that they came to work one monday morning and found they had a lucrative business built on top of legit state owned immigration office. What do detectives say "follow the money" or something like that. Who benefits from these 6000 baht agent fees? who collects that money? When you think that way it does make sense out of the CM Immigration situation.

      

Considering there must be thousands of Farlangs using immigration each year many now paying thousands of bahts in agency fees over and above the set government fees, then I would guess this could be a multi billion baht business. All that you have mentioned is probably what everything knows and is thinking, but are afraid to ask outright. Who here has the guts to visit immigration, confront whoever is in charge and ask; can you explain to me what the hell is going on please? And so it remains cloaked in mystery and all we can do is try and guess.

 

As you say if a Thai farmer or any other Thais had to deal with IMM they would be protesting out front of the building. But in situations when Thais are being used and abused by a system, even they are given a hard time and rarely win against a higher authority. I watch such events on the Thai news all the time and quite often they are fighting a hopeless battle.

 

I can`t explain why all the other immigration regional departments can still run a service that accommodates everyone except Chiang Mai. What about Pattaya, Phuket and Bangkok? They must be dealing with a vast larger amount of customers then in Chiang Mai, so how do they manage? Even trying to make a guess makes my head spin.

 

 

 

 

Edited September 12, 2016 by cyberfarang

[MadMac]

https://surveyplanet.com/57d67ebe82024cac2d7aeaef

[balo]

Sorry someone mentioning 1900 baht for a 90 day report ?  Is that something new?  I never pay anything in Chonburi , will be my first time in CM soon. I have a visa based on retirement. 

 

 

[moe666]

On ‎9‎/‎10‎/‎2016 at 11:34 PM, Chiengmaijoe said:

 

My first coffee.

At some point this problem needs to be high-lighted. It is not far off from being impossible to get a new visa without using an agent. As far as I know this problem is unique to Chiang Mai and at some point it has to break completely. That's why I asked the question.

Now that we have queue sitters getting there the day before at 10.30pm , it isn't far off that even they will become unfeasible, so where does that leave us? It isn't that long ago that people got there at opening time, and some of us can remember going in the afternoon because it was quieter. In a relatively short time it has come to getting there 10hrs before they even open!! 

I hate even waiting in a queue at a supermarket check-out so I ended up biting the bullet and paying an agent. Maybe somebody needs to take a stand to highlight this problem, and since I'm too busy, maybe you'd like to be the guinea pig!!

I hate to tell you but it has been a while since you could just show up at immigration when they opened and get served. Even when we went to airport office it was a 5amQ to get in