Bangkok Immigration - Avoid area today - expect traffic jams

[george 2,885]

Protest planned at Chaeng Wattana

BANGKOK: -- Bangkok protesters led by former Democrat MP Suthep Thaugsuban will today move from the Finance Ministry to the government offices complex on Chaeng Wattana road where the Thai Immigration Bureau amongst other departments are located.

Avoid the area at least today as it will be traffic congestions and possible security issues.

-- 2013-11-27

[webfact 52,315]

RT @RichardBarrow: If you have an appointment at Chaeng Wattana for your visa than you should go. But best delay if u can as traffic might be bad.

[Spare 323]

It is a fact that the government offices complex on Chaeng Wattana is very near the airport.

I hope my AirAsia flight is still flying.

[ubonjoe 37,574]

You should not have a problem but leave early because of extra traffic in area.

[tominbkk 3,630]

It is a fact that the government offices complex on Chaeng Wattana is very near the airport.

I hope my AirAsia flight is still flying.

As long as you are up on the expressway you should be fine.

[theoldgit 4,655]

It is a fact that the government offices complex on Chaeng Wattana is very near the airport, I hope my AirAsia flight is still flying.

By very near, it's about 10 Kms away, if you're travelling on the Expressway you should be fine.

[theoldgit 4,655]

This thread is about possible disruption at Chaeng Wattana nowhere else, please stick to the topic.

Further off topic posts removed.

[eppic 79]

I attempted to go to the Immigration Office to get my Non-Imm 'O" visa stamp (90 days), applied for two weeks ago and collection receipt dated for today. Traffic was a nightmare, and in the end the area was completely blocked by protesters and random vehicles, so after a couple of hours stuck in nasty traffic jams, I had to abandon my effort.

I then returned to my apartment in central BKK, where traffic close to my place adjacent to Ratchadamri BTS / Siam/ Central World was very quiet. Go figure.

Since I am here on a visa waiver, and need to fly out Saturday, this means I may be unable to get the visa stamp before departure, which I would assume means I will need to start the process all over again, resulting in lots of wasted time and of course added expense (visa fees, potential visa run, among others). Really bad luck on on my part, with a 27 November date to collect the visa, and with the building still occupied it doesn't look good for tomorrow either. Any ideas or recommendations appreciated. Hopefully no one else in the same position.

[webfact 52,315]

UPDATE

Protesters camped the night at Building B in the Chaeng Wattana Government Complex. Immigration is due to open. But that could change later. /RichardBarrow

[george 2,885]

RT @xylit_ch: Immigration Chaeng Watthana open, a kind of 'strange situation' as they let me in already @ 8am & officers wear no uniform

[george 2,885]

8:30am All quiet at the Government Complex on Chaeng Wattana. Immigration is open as normal (Pic @tum_satharakul)

https://twitter.com/tum_satharakul/status/405858886759903233/photo/1

[wirat69 1,399]

It is a fact that the government offices complex on Chaeng Wattana is very near the airport.

I hope my AirAsia flight is still flying.

almost as near as Ayutthaya and downtown Bangkok. Chaeng Wattana is a separate suburb sufficently distant not to hamper Don Mueang

[Gippy 16]

Did my 90 day report this morning. No problems at all. Done in 5 minutes and I came home with some free food and soy milk. Nothing to worry about. Parking is busier than normal but traffic on Changwattana was just fine.

[ubonjoe 37,574]

Removed a off topic post.

[eppic 79]

I can confirm that CW was a breeze this afternoon, both getting there (very light traffic) and inside the immigration office (light crowd). I got my Non-Imm "O" stamp (yes, it is possible in Thailand) without incident, then queued again for a multi re-entry permit, with very short waits all around.

There were protesters still camped in the middle of building B (not far from the immigration office), and a speech by the leader was ongoing, but the crowd was small enough to not cause any disruption. Big change from yesterday's madness.