ALL Immigration offices around Thailand will open on Thursday and Friday this week to prevent the extra long Songkran holiday break from throwing the visa system into confusion.
The Superintendent of Phuket Immigration, Police Colonel Chanatpol Yongbunjerd, said today that the 10-day closure of government offices would not apply to Immigration offices.
People whose visas are due to be extended late this week will need to get their passports stamped as planned, either on border runs or at Immigration centres.
Colonel Chanatpol said that some expats were left in tears when they arrived at Phuket Immigration on April 10 to find the doors unexpectedly closed.
Those expats will be treated leniently because of the unexpected closure, but they must present themselves at Immigration offices on Thursday.
Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva declared April 10 a last-minute government holiday as a way of reducing the impact of red shirt protesters, who were then swarming towards Pattaya.
Next day, Saturday April 11, the protesters shut down the 16-nation Asean summit.
As the red shirts first gridlocked Bangkok then retreated, two more government office holidays were declared at the end of Songkran, Thursday April 16 and Friday April 17.
That carried the already extended Songkran break over into a weekend, making for an unusual 10-day holiday, when official departments of every kind are expected to stay closed.
As well as causing a backlog and large queues when doors reopen around the country on Monday April 20, the surge in official holidays brought confusion for expats making visa runs from Phuket, Bangkok and other destinations within Thailand.
The extra holidays could have meant that someone whose visa expired on April 10 and was due for legitimate extension within Thailand on that day may have had 10 extra days, free of charge.
But the decision for Immigration offices to open on Thursday and Friday this week means those whose visas need to be extended between April 10 and April 16 should be in the queue on Thursday morning.
Those who wait until Monday, April 20, to present themselves will be asked to pay an overstay fee.
''It becomes difficult for everyone when extra days of official holiday are suddenly declared,'' Colonel Chanatpol said.
''By telling people today that Immigration offices will be open on Thursday and Friday, we hope to prevent more tears.
''Phuket has many tourists and expat residents who come in good faith to have a visa renewed, and have suddenly found their well-intentioned plans disrupted.
''Everyone makes plans to extend their visas close to the expiry date, so you can be sure that scores of expats are now out there, wondering what to do.
''Those whose visas expire before or on Thursday or on Friday need to be at Immigration offices on those days.''
The government announcement of the extension of the Songkran holiday for civil servants for two more days, Thursday and Friday, came today.
Government spokesman Panithan Wattanayagorn said state enterprises, financial institutions and private firms could make their own decision on whether to extend the holiday beyond Wednesday.
The Superintendent of Phuket Immigration, Police Colonel Chanatpol Yongbunjerd, said today that the 10-day closure of government offices would not apply to Immigration offices.
People whose visas are due to be extended late this week will need to get their passports stamped as planned, either on border runs or at Immigration centres.
Colonel Chanatpol said that some expats were left in tears when they arrived at Phuket Immigration on April 10 to find the doors unexpectedly closed.
Those expats will be treated leniently because of the unexpected closure, but they must present themselves at Immigration offices on Thursday.
Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva declared April 10 a last-minute government holiday as a way of reducing the impact of red shirt protesters, who were then swarming towards Pattaya.
Next day, Saturday April 11, the protesters shut down the 16-nation Asean summit.
As the red shirts first gridlocked Bangkok then retreated, two more government office holidays were declared at the end of Songkran, Thursday April 16 and Friday April 17.
That carried the already extended Songkran break over into a weekend, making for an unusual 10-day holiday, when official departments of every kind are expected to stay closed.
As well as causing a backlog and large queues when doors reopen around the country on Monday April 20, the surge in official holidays brought confusion for expats making visa runs from Phuket, Bangkok and other destinations within Thailand.
The extra holidays could have meant that someone whose visa expired on April 10 and was due for legitimate extension within Thailand on that day may have had 10 extra days, free of charge.
But the decision for Immigration offices to open on Thursday and Friday this week means those whose visas need to be extended between April 10 and April 16 should be in the queue on Thursday morning.
Those who wait until Monday, April 20, to present themselves will be asked to pay an overstay fee.
''It becomes difficult for everyone when extra days of official holiday are suddenly declared,'' Colonel Chanatpol said.
''By telling people today that Immigration offices will be open on Thursday and Friday, we hope to prevent more tears.
''Phuket has many tourists and expat residents who come in good faith to have a visa renewed, and have suddenly found their well-intentioned plans disrupted.
''Everyone makes plans to extend their visas close to the expiry date, so you can be sure that scores of expats are now out there, wondering what to do.
''Those whose visas expire before or on Thursday or on Friday need to be at Immigration offices on those days.''
The government announcement of the extension of the Songkran holiday for civil servants for two more days, Thursday and Friday, came today.
Government spokesman Panithan Wattanayagorn said state enterprises, financial institutions and private firms could make their own decision on whether to extend the holiday beyond Wednesday.
What about work permit extensions? Are Ministry of Labour offices open also?
Editor: The Labour office is closed today and tomorrow. As a result of our telephone call, officials checked and called back to say those with work permits that expire during the extra holiday break will be treated leniently on Monday.
Posted by Anonymous on April 16, 2009 09:20