Bangkok Immigrations--my experience
Last week I went to the new Bangkok Immigrations office out on Chaeng Watthana. First took MRT to Station Chatuchok but BTS to Mor Chit works just as well. Take a taxi going north, those parked along the road know where it is now. At first there were some reports of drivers not knowing where the new immigrations office was located. Taxi meter came to 100B.
If your adventurous and have the time you can also get there by commuter train from Hulalamphong to station Lasksi and take a motocy for 20B to Immigrations. Immigrations in Thai is Samnakngaan truat khon khaw muang even too much for Thais to say, short version, Soo Tor Mor.
The entrance resembles an airport. There are several government offices in the huge building, Immigrations is on the ground floor. Pretty much the same procedures, ask for the forms, fill them out and take a number.
I had three things to do, 90 day report, visa extension and reentry permit. I did the 90 day first and that took all of 5 minutes. Next, the visa extension, the ticket listed 13 people in line before me. The wait was about 20 min and then about 15 min to pay, check and stamp all the papers. They had some additional forms I had to fill out. There looked like 10-to 15 desks set up just for the Non-Imm O visas.
They wanted :
1. Copy of passport picture page
2. Copy of original Visa, last extension stamp, last entry stamp, and TM card.
3. Income letter from Embassy (original)
4 . Completed Visa Extension form, two sides, one photo attached.
I had and they did not want:
1. A bank letter confirming I have a Thai bank account
2. Copy of bankbooks
3 Copy of an ATM card
I then moved over to the reentry permit section and waited about 30 min for my number to come up. Turned in the form, another picture attached and 3, 800B fee for a multiple entry stamp. About 10 min latter it was ready.
I had arrived at 9:30 and was done before noon. At noon they shut down till 1pm. 1pm is not a good time to arrive. Total time about 2 hours! At the old place this all generally took all day.
In the basement of this building there's a mini shopping mall with banks, a food court, coffee shops and some restaurants. There a photo and copy shop in the mall. There is a taxi and motocy stand at the exit. I had lunch at the food court, pretty good.
The only flaw I can see in this new place is the toilet is located outside the immigration area and you have to exit and then reenter through security to get back.
I have been told, no personal experience, and have read on Thai Visa that the One Stop Service Center at Chamchuree Square is no longer allowing non-imm visa holders to do 90 day reports. http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/90-Day...e-t345647.html
I'm not sure if anyone ever mentioned this but on this board, the visa extension can not be longer than the validity of your passport. If your passport expires in say 6 months the extension is only good for 6 months rather than a year. I was lucky, mine expires just a week short of my passport expire date. I don't know how it works for other countries but you can get a new passport one year before the expire date at the US Embassy. Also, it's required to have six months on your passport to enter any forien country, so expats should as a rule get a new one at least 6 months before it expires. I guess then, for a short time, I'll have to carry two passports, my old one with the reentry and extension stamps and my new one? The US Embassy told me it takes two weeks give or take a few days to get a new passport.
