Udon Thani Thailand Forum - Udon Thani, Thailand

A friend from Udon Thani has reported that he went to Nong Khai immigration yesterday and was told that he could not use that office any more as the Udon Thani Immigration office, at the police station, is now open.

UdonExpat wrote:A friend from Udon has reported that he went to Nong Khai immigration yesterday and was told that he could not use that office any more as the Udon Thani office, at the police station, is now open.

Which Police Station in Udon?

I think my friend is in error.

I went to the police station today and found the office that will house the Immigration Police, but they are not open for business yet and could not provide a date that they will be up and operating.

Sorry for passing on info that isn't correct.

The office is near the NE corner of the police complex. At this time there is no English language signage to indicate the office. The easiest access will be off Posri Road on a short soi that leads into the police complex. The soi is lined with parked cars. The office is at the end of the soi. Today there was a large yellow shade umbrella in the front of the building. Parking will be minimal.

Just checked my email.

From my friend:

Hello again everybody,

This is a follow up to my email which I broadcast after request from Nong Khai Immigration Office yesterday.

Several people have since, yesterday and today, tried to locate this new Office at Udon Police Station (on Srisuk Road) without luck. Approached police officers at the station reject any knowledge of such office.

A little upset being used as a tool to obviously misinform my fellow foreigners I have today been in contact with both NKI and Udon Thani Police.

NKI have repeated following claim today (both in Thai and English):

There IS established a new Immigration Office at the Police Station in Udon Thani.
The office OPENED officially yesterday, SEPTEMBER 08, 2009.

Foreigners living in Udon Province MUST use this new office, they CAN NOT be serviced at NKI in the future.
A high ranking Police Officer at Udon Thani Police Station claims following today :

It is correct that a new Immigration Office IS GOING TO OPEN at Udon Thani Police Station in unknown future.

QUOTE: "We don't know when it will open. We haven't even received the desks yet". /QUOTE
My wife informed this Police Officer about NKI's statement - he just smiled. I requested him to call NKI and talk with them to get things clarified. He rejected this.

We then informed NKI about Udon Police's statement. They still stick to their claim. I asked them to call UP to get things clarified. This was neglected.

This is all I know. This is how I have been informed by respectively NKI and UP today. My suggestion is as follows: When you have to do your visa or 90 days thing next time call NKI first (in Thai) and get clarified where to go - to them or the obviously non-existing office at Udon Police Station.

The best to all of you,

So, fellow forumites, Chock Dee. Or chock someone, preferably not me.

A classic "This is Thailand" (TIT) ! One hand doesn't have a clue what the other is doing. Thailand can't possibly hope to climb out of a "third world" developing nation status. A huge bloated government bureacracy where people are paid to be incompetant and rewarded for not thinking critically. And they get defensive about Thailand being considered a joke in the international press. I have not nor will I ever invest a dime in Thailand. Sorry for the rant Gents,,, Cheers.

Many points raised in the above post are very similar to the goverments around the world.So no change there then

macduff wrote:Many points raised in the above post are very similar to the goverments around the world.So no change there then

Not similar to Britain, the Immigration Office in Croydon is well signposted for the asylum seekers who manage to con their way into the country, at the exits from East Croydon Station. Where the asylum seekers can sign up for generous welfare benefits, free health care, and jump to the top of the social housing list.

Agree Prenders, and there are also laws that protect those very same immigrants against racial & ethnic abuse and discrimination, though not the natives Brits!

Ok I gotthe same thing sort of thing in e-mails to include an interview with the cops at the main station, yes they office is there, but not even desks yet. Contact made same thing the office is in, per Nong Khai, me my ninety day comes up and the Udon office isn't open and Nong Khai won't handle the contact. I'm calling Bangkok and do as I'm directed. I see no other safe course. Fully document all that I have done to comply, with names if I can get them.

In the end this will probably be a benefit for us, we just got to get over the hurdle.

A little off the specific subject referenced by the OP, but still to do with Nong Khai immigration office.

I need to give some background.

Last year I got my retirement visa in Phuket because we were living in Phuket at the time. Since then we have moved to Udon and 3 months ago I did my reporting at Nong Khai for the first time. Some minor questioning as to why I was reporting in Nong Khai when my visa was issued in Phuket, but basically no problem after I explained we had moved.

However, on 1st September I went to Nong Khai to renew my retirement visa which is due to expire on 1st October. I had all the right documents (letter from bank, bank book, adequate cash for 3 months etc) but they took one look at the previous years visa issued by Phuket immigration office and told me I had to go back to Phuket and get them to "transfer" the visa to Nong Khai.

I pressed them a bit as to just what Phuket immigration would do and was advised I would fill in a form and Phuket would then put a stamp in my passport to show a transfer to Nong Khai.

I was a bit worried that if I went to Phuket immigration, they wouldn't know what they needed to do, or wouldn't have the right forms etc etc, but was assured by the Nong Khai office that "all immigration offices have the same forms, no problem". So what else could I do, I exited the Nong Khai office and started to plan a trip south.

Well. it's 10 days later and two days ago I went to Phuket immigration office. You guessed it, they know nothing about "transferring" a retirement visa. "You go Nong Khai, no problem" was the only response. So I had no choice, yesterday I applied for my retirement visa at Phuket immigration after updating my bank letter and got it no problem.

Quite how I am going to do my three month reporting, I don't know. Depends on the attitude of the Nong Khai office I guess.

I suppose the above will only apply to those who are moving to Udon, or recently moved there, from other areas of Thailand, but if the Nong Khai attitude doesn't change, better be prepared for a trip back to where ever you have just come from!

Just guessing, but I wonder if the fact that a new immigration office is about to open in Udon (or has opened already if you believe Nong Khai immigration office), has pisxed off the people at Nong Khai because they feel rejected/passed over. And so the attitude is now to follow the letter of the law and deal with as few farang as possible by refusing to deal with anyone that they can pass off to alternative immigration offices. Shouldn't be true, but stranger things have happened.

Any way, just a heads up for those moving to Udon area from elsewhere.

wynnsiensheng, Although a little off topic, very interesting to me. I did my last visa renewal in Nong Khai, and my last 90 day in Kap Chong south of Surin, no questions ask, a very easy 5 minute process. We divide our time between Udon and Surin but wife owns a house in Surin so plan to do future renewals in Surin. Never heard of the hoops Nong Khai made you jump through but nice to know the possibilities.

Can someone tell me if this is an extension office that will open at the police station, similar to what we have had at AEK Hospital in the past, where the same officers come to Udon 2 days a week? Or is it a full time office with a new staff? Hopefully we can determine when this office will open and what the hours and days it will be in operation. I feel sorry for those who have gone to Nong Khai and perhaps waited to the full 10 day grace period for 90 day reporting and now are out of luck. Perhaps the Udon police can write a paper for this purpose. They are, after all, part of the same 'organization'.

I was at Chiang Khan Immigration yesterday and they told me to use Udon Thani next time, they will open at September 23 =D>

Answer wii Ning Khai be accomnidating I seriusly doubt ir. You don't have to\ appear on a 90 day you can mail it. Do a search on 90 day reporting you will find the nuts and bolts of how to do it.

Lets hope for bettter days in Udon, going to be a very busy office.

bumper wrote:Answer wii Ning Khai be accomnidating I seriusly doubt ir. You don't have to\ appear on a 90 day you can mail it.

It would seem if they are not accepting 90 day reporting in person, they would not do it by mail...??

Mine is due Sep 15. With a 7 day grace period, I do not make it until the Sept 23 opening day in Udon. Any suggestions?

EMS mail? Go to NK in person and try? Both?

i have to do a re entry permit next week. anybody got any advise please where to go. nong khai or to the office in udon thats not open. thanks malc

You could go to Vientiane before your reporting due date and have lunch.

Stop at the border and stock up on booze or whatever on your way back into Thailand.

Enter back into Thailand with a new 90 day period starting which hopefully will be sufficient for things to get straightened out in Udonthani before you have to report again.

If you are a gambleras well as an adventurer, you could check out of Thailand at Nong Khai and not actually cross into Laos (Do not pay $35 USD for Lao Visa) and try to enter back into Thailand. I'm not sure this would work out though.

The first suggestion will work - I've done essentially the same thing by going back to the USA. Be sure that you have a Re-Entry Permit before leaving Thailand or your life will become much more complicated.

Good Luck

Allen A Hale wrote: If you are a gambleras well as an adventurer, you could check out of Thailand at Nong Khai and not actually cross into Laos (Do not pay $35 USD for Lao Visa) and try to enter back into Thailand. I'm not sure this would work out though

A very poor suggestion. I am not sure that Udon Map exists for the purpose of giving punters advice on how to illegally circumvent the Thai immigration laws.

Jackspratt - I have sent you a PM on this matter

Allen

If the Thai Immigration officer saw that there was no Laos Visa & in & out stamp (not an easy thing to miss as the visa takes 1 whole passport page) then I am sure that time in the Thai Immigration office would result. The least action taken would be an insistance that the person goes over the bridge & into Laos - the maximum action is what ever they deem appropriate - including a red 'person not permitted in Thailand' stamp.
I know that they take the Laos stamps seriously on the Thai side - I was once in the queue behind someone who had not got a Laos exit stamp (something which is VERY easy to do) they refused them entry & told them to go back over on the bus & get the stamp!!!