Pattaya Immigration superintendent reveals on-line visa application services coming soon

PATTAYA: -- On-line visa extensions are one of the services offered by the new Pattaya Immigration headquarters, which has just opened in extensive new premises on Beach Road.

Pol Col Itthipol Ithisarnronachai, superintendent of Pattaya Immigration, on January 10 opened the new headquarters building to reporters, inviting them on a tour of the premises and describing future plans for the service.

He said that under the policies of Pol Lt Gen Suwatt Damrongsrisakol, commander of Immigration Police, the intention is to develop the Pattaya facility as a model immigration control point. Pattaya is one of 15 centers and a prime industrial and tourism gateway that needed to be both an effective control center and to present a favorable image of Thailand to visitors.

Pattaya’s original Immigration headquarters were set up at the time when American servicemen were coming to Pattaya on R&R leave, which required more police to look after the locals and tourists, so the Thai Royal Police sent down officers to offer visa services. In 1985 the Royal Thai Police recognized the growth of Pattaya and provided a budget to build accommodation, the first of its kind in Thailand. That was at a time when Pattaya wasn’t as developed as it is today.

The old premises eventually became too small, and unsuitable for providing services to foreigner visitors even though modern services were provided using IT, cue tickets and information over the internet. There was insufficient parking, and no room for expansion. Land and buildings were donated at a new location and the move to new premises took effect from December 6.

The new premises have ample parking space and the service has a 30 million baht budget provided mostly by the private sector, with Pattaya City Council providing a 1 million baht budget for a conference room. Solar cells are being used under the government energy saving policy and a Japanese company has supplied a 1 million baht budget for this. The old premises are being utilized as a lock-up and staff residences.

“We will be the first immigration center to offer on-line visa extension applications where the applicant will submit the application over the internet,” said Pol Col Itthipol. “Immigration police will check the information overnight and be ready to extend the applicant’s visa the next day. This will take only 10 minutes as we already have the information needed.”

Service by officials will be improved under an internal campaign designed to make visitors using the headquarters leave with a good impression.
“I feel proud the facility has been built. It is the property of everyone, accepted by everyone and we will serve everyone and everyone will trust Pattaya Immigration Police,” said the superintendent.

Pol Col Itthipol showed reporters around the conference room, offices and service booths, and pointed out the forms where people can express their opinions or submit complaints and suggestions to improve services even further.
The new headquarters is located at Beach Road. For further details call 0 38252 750-1.

--Pattaya Mail 2006-01-20

via www.thaivisa.com

Having just read the artical this morning in I believe the Pattaya Mail about the new Pattaya Imigration office, it reported the new headquarters on Beach Road. This is untrue, the new headquarters is located off Jomtien Beach road on Soi 5 ( about 200m down Soi # 5 ) I arrived at 15:30 hrs, completed the aplication form, paid my 1,900 baht, handed in my passport with all documents and told to return in 30 minutes. 30 minutes later i was off with passport in hand, visa extention completed.
The improvement made to the extention process has been unbelievable. Hats off to the Pattaya Imigration Office for the great service and efficency.