The Joke's on you as Surachate takes over immigration promising "No Tip" department

[sstuff3]

I'm guessing the "no tips" is related to the fact that people visiting from China and India have been placing 100 baht notes in their passports to make the entry process smoother.  I imagine there will be some push back from within as I'm sure that's been a big earner for a lot of IO's.

 

[vinegarbase]

1 hour ago, Jimbo1964 said:

Here an idea or three.

 

• Get rid of the re-entry visa, if you have a visa, that's all you need.
• Get rid of all the same paperwork you have to submit every time. Just submit updated info such as salary etc
• Do it online if renewing your visa and just send or take in your passport for stamping and have an express lane for that.

That way you can reduce the number of IO's needed, improve / speed up the process and stop wasting so much paper.

 

I second that heartily. Let's add to the list only having to report your address 1 TIME unless you have moved to a different location! What a waste of time it is to have to go to immigration every single time I leave the country and return tired from my travel only to have to rush the next day immediately with another stack of the same papers to turn in again. Or for example I take the wife to stay for a weekend at a hotel in another province only to return to have to report my address again within 24 hours. What a bunch of nonsense. I am dreaming of the day my business ventures don't require me to be in Thailand anymore I have to grit my teeth waiting in line to report my address for the 100th time for no reason.

[Andrew Dwyer]

21 minutes ago, newatthis said:

 
Wow, Ayutthaya....a visit. 
I feel rejected, unwanted and unloved after all these years.
Then again. could have something to do with the staff turnover that has happened over the last 18 months. 

Yup, I was surprised.
Seems like a new guy, has called my gf 5 times already and still can’t find the house [emoji23].
An arrogant type who although is asking for directions doesn’t seem to agree with the suggestions given, hence he hasn’t got here yet, been trying for an hour [emoji23]

Did my extension 2 weeks ago and noticed this new guy was getting a lot of stick from the fiery lady boss.

 

EDIT: just been now, looked at PP and Bank book and took a few photos . Done. See you next year.

[Ctkong]

1 hour ago, Jimbo1964 said:

Here an idea or three.

 

• Get rid of the re-entry visa, if you have a visa, that's all you need.
• Get rid of all the same paperwork you have to submit every time. Just submit updated info such as salary etc
• Do it online if renewing your visa and just send or take in your passport for stamping and have an express lane for that.

That way you can reduce the number of IO's needed, improve / speed up the process and stop wasting so much paper.

I thought they already have that.... it is called Elite visa. 

[hotchilli]

Can start with with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs charges... 

To send them a letter via EMS costs 36 baht from my home

return charge 200 baht ??

[kannot]

22 hours ago, webfact said:

create 1,000 new jobs in immigration to improve efficiency.

hilarious!!

[ReMarKable]

20 minutes ago, maxcorrigan said:

Yes for sure, but you are part of the problem albeit in a small way, giving tips, brown envelopes, back handers, etc. is just feeding the corruption that is endemic in LOS purely to make people do their jobs, residential proof is supposedly free but you have to pay everytime (at Jon Chien at least) with no hope of a receipt. 

I doubt not giving a tip. to improve friendliness, will make corruption go away.  Besides, I believe you can give up to 500 baht tip to government workers legally.

[kannot]

21 hours ago, webfact said:

Both also attended a merit making ceremony marking the occasion. 

no escape from the rammed  down your  throat nonsense here is there

[vinegarbase]

8 minutes ago, Ctkong said:

I thought they already have that.... it is called Elite visa. 

 

There is more than one visa category in Thailand. Not everyone uses the Elite visa. For example for people working in Thailand is it really necessary to do the same things over and over again countless times when nothing has changed? That's when you know your immigration system sucks bad when even a country like China doesn't require you to do these things. 

[kannot]

2 hours ago, Andrew Dwyer said:

Yup, waiting for my house visit right now ( booked after obtaining my extension 2 weeks ago ).

 Booked for 8am , called changing to 10am then again to 10.30 !!

Also asked my gf what visa I had , she replied O-A , he seemed not to understand what an O -A is !! then asked for passport number and if we are married?

All information he has at his fingertips !!

God only knows what he will ask/do when he visits.

Last time was just a photo with house number etc , but this guy seems like a newbie !!

dont worry for my first time they said we  lived too far away (42km) and they couldnt  afford  the petrol to come out to us...............theyve never been in 5 years

[kannot]

1 hour ago, Jimbo1964 said:

Here an idea or three.

 

• Get rid of the re-entry visa, if you have a visa, that's all you need.
• Get rid of all the same paperwork you have to submit every time. Just submit updated info such as salary etc
• Do it online if renewing your visa and just send or take in your passport for stamping and have an express lane for that.

That way you can reduce the number of IO's needed, improve / speed up the process and stop wasting so much paper.

Thailand really doesnt need  "your sort"????

[Andrew Dwyer]

2 minutes ago, kannot said:

dont worry for my first time they said we  lived too far away (42km) and they couldnt  afford  the petrol to come out to us...............theyve never been in 5 years

Just been now.

 

They came a year ago when I moved province and now after my first extension, hopefully that should be it !!

[lucjoker]

22 hours ago, thequietman said:

So, no more paying for cert of residence for licence and other things?

A list of requirements that we can refer to when getting our paperwork ready

The removal of the expression "new rule, new rule"

Knowledge of the exact requirements needed for proof of income by the officers

 

I will not hold my breadth. Neither should you and neither should Big Joke.

 

Same shit, different boss.

 "No Tip" signs ?

will the signs be turned to us ? or to the imm. officers?

 

[connda]

22 hours ago, webfact said:

He also said he would create 1,000 new jobs in immigration to improve efficiency. 

 

If he truly wants to 'improve efficiency, perhaps he can travel to Chiang Mai, dress up like a retire farang, and experience first-hand what it's like to attempt to do something as simple as apply for a yearly extension.  
During Big Joke's tenure, let's see if Chiang Mai remains the big joke of the Thai immigration system. 

[worgeordie]

53 minutes ago, The Deerhunter said:

I understand the queuing problem as you describe it in C.M and have no difficulty in believing it is true.  So many have related their experience. However, many people seem to allege (on this forum) that it it is caused by a possibly unique situation other than simple shortage of staff.   Perhaps he will fix what those brave enough to say (presuming they are correct),  is the real problem there.

Yes its a "unique situation", that pushes people to use agents,

if they don't want to start queing in middle of the night in hope

of getting a number,to be seen that day,pay and everything is

done quickly and without fuss.

regards worgeordie

[bluesofa]

4 minutes ago, connda said:

 

If he truly wants to 'improve efficiency, perhaps he can travel to Chiang Mai, dress up like a retire farang, and experience first-hand what it's like to attempt to do something as simple as apply for a yearly extension.  
During Big Joke's tenure, let's see if Chiang Mai remains the big joke of the Thai immigration system. 

I've been reading on TVF about the ongoing problems in Chiang Mai for a long time now.

As we know, it's often only when it hits the press or social media do the police bother to do anything about it.

 

Perhaps if one of the Thai TV channels could be persuaded to film the queue in the early hours of the morning and everything underhand happening outside, would something then happen?

Just a suggestion.

 

[vinegarbase]

2 minutes ago, bluesofa said:

I've been reading on TVF about the ongoing problems in Chiang Mai for a long time now.

As we know, it's often only when it hits the press or social media do the police bother to do anything about it.

 

Perhaps if one of the Thai TV channels could be persuaded to film the queue in the early hours of the morning and everything underhand happening outside, would something then happen?

Just a suggestion.

 

 

Excellent idea. Someone should film this mess and submit it to Thai news. That really is the only way the will react if it causes a 'loss of face' to the public. 

[The Deerhunter]

7 minutes ago, worgeordie said:

Yes its a "unique situation", that pushes people to use agents,

if they don't want to start queing in middle of the night in hope

of getting a number,to be seen that day,pay and everything is

done quickly and without fuss.

regards worgeordie

Yes.  But who are the owners of the main agency?

[natway09]

One month from now he will begin to understand the magnitude of the position he has accepted.

In some ways this move by the RTP bosses at the top is very smart as he will apart from keeping the 

Immigration staff poor have nothing to do with the billions of Baht siphoned out of the 

community on a regular basis by mainstream corruption.

Business as usual

[Scouse123]

Watch this space as Thai Visa and the newspapers are devoting a lot of coverage to our new resident superhero,....... Big Joke!

 

Let's wait for the new visa and immigration " Crackdown " on all corruption. Good guys in, bad guys......carry on regardless!

 

I am disappointed, I haven't heard the expression for days!

 

I really think they believe their own bullcrap!

[namatjira]

The tea money tap is too big to turn off, that would impact on his employees.......different story when he’s working on Nigerians and fraudsters........

[Scouse123]

Guys,

 

A Thai visa member earlier in this thread somewhere mentioned Sakon Nakhon and the giant sign about reporting the matter if you are asked for money/bribes etc with a hotline number. I do recall this sign, it was on the left as you enter the building on the wall.

 

They have since remodelled and the desks are now on the right side as opposed to the left or they were on my most recent visit.

 

If you are on an annual renewal for a retirement extension, you will be sent from ' pillar to post ' and back again until you yourself suggest, " oiling the wheels " to speed matters up.

 

I have seen people there as soon as the office opens and no sign of movement with their extension in the afternoon, when I have gone back after lunch to collect mine, ready and waiting. In the meantime, having dropped off my passport in the morning, I have been shopping, gone to Makro, had lunch etc.

 

I have been a victim before travelling some 1.5 hours to this office only to be sent away, (another 1.5 hours back home),  and told to come back tomorrow! This leads to another 3-hour round trip.

 

I have been, in the past, sent away because it was ' nearly lunch ' ( 10.50 am), too busy, ( two in the office) paperwork not in order ( it was ) bank letter not up to date (bank letter was from previous day). and on and on it goes.

 

 A couple of years ago, I decided enough was enough and succumbed to it, ' the system '

 

There will be the critics on here that say I am/have encouraged tea money. They are probably right, but I found it a battle I couldn't win. However, Big Joke is here now and I am sure he has the answers!

[Derek B]

First job on the list is to make the Chinese go through Thai immigration entry process whilst still in China then they will not clogg up Thai International Airport arrivals. Of course that won't help with departures I guess.