There is a new immigration office opened at Phayao, where the police station used to be, at the end of the High Street.  Said to b only temporary until a new office is built at Mae Chai.

Beware, they appear to be new and short of money and expertise.

I did a 90 report there last week:  took ages as the officer kept referring to instructions as to how to do this.

He made several attempts to prove that I had overstayed, and missed the last 90 report, (I was out of the country.)  Then added up the days since my last arrival wrongly to again try to fine me for a late report, (I was actually 2 days early!)  Then finally demanded 2000Baht "to help him" before he would return my passport.  Payment went into a plastic box full of money, and he refused any receipt.  Another Farang at the next desk was also charged an unknown sum o help pay for the rubber stamp needed to stamp his passport!  Is this the new approach by immigration?

I have previously been to Bangkok and Chiang Rai immigration and never before been asked for any money except the visa fee.  I paid up as I will soon need to extend my retirement visa and did not want any trouble with that.

often i read about these situations   but rarely read any followups

 

 

as to how the  so said  discrepancies  are resolved  ie  official complaints procedures  etc

I suggest that instead of handing over the money, a call should be made to the government helpline (1111) or to the helpline of the Immigration Bureau (1178)

 

An immigration official can get away with this type of corruption only if people dealing with him meekly pay up instead of standing their ground.

 

Alternatively, if one wants to be more subtle, one can print out the following on a piece of paper and hand it to the official instead of money:
 

Quote

 

Criminal Code, B.E. 2499 (1956)

Section 148

Whoever, to be the official, by a wrongful exercise of one's functions, to coerce or to induce any person to
deliver or to procure the property or any other benefit for oneself or other person, shall be imprisoned as from five years
to twenty years or to life imprisonment, and fined as from two thousand Baht to forty thousand Baht, or both.

 

ให้ใช้ประมวลกฎหมายอาญา พ.ศ. ๒๔๙๙

มาตรา ๑๘๔

ผู้ใดเพื่อจะช่วยผู้อื่นมิให้ต้องรับโทษ หรือให้รับโทษน้อยลง ทำให้
เสียหาย ทำลาย ซ่อนเร้น เอาไปเสีย หรือทำให้สูญหายหรือไร้ประโยชน์ซึ่งพยานหลักฐานในการ
กระทำความผิด ต้องระวางโทษจำคุกไม่เกินห้าปี หรือปรับไม่เกินหนึ่งหมื่นบาท หรือทั้งจำทั้ง
ปรับ

 

 

Sources:

Criminal Code, B.E. 2499 (1956)

ให้ใช้ประมวลกฎหมายอาญา พ.ศ. ๒๔๙๙

I have been there 3 times. Once for a TM30 and 2  90 day reports. There was no mention of extra payments. I did my last 90 day report on 02/02/17 and it was finished within 10 minutes.  There is also a thread running in the Chiang Rai forum.

... see related post:

 

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/923603-immigration-to-open-an-office-in-phayao/#comment-11698565