“People who normally would go to the Patong branch are coming here instead, and this is adding to our normal workload, so the downstairs area is now a little crowded,” Pol Col Sunchai Chokkajaykij, Superintendent of the Phuket Immigration Office, told The Phuket News today (Feb 26).
The downstairs office at the two-story building in Phuket Town specifically handles procedures for short-term visitors, such as re-entry stamps, 90-day reporting and submitting accommodation references, while foreigners on long-term visits are now processed separately on the upper floor.
“I understand waiting in line can be very frustrating, but we are doing our best. Workers will fix the transformer today (Feb 26) and over the weekend. By Monday, the Patong Office will be open and it will help reduce the long lines here in Phuket Town,” Col Sunchai said.
Col Sunchai also urged foreigners to help the queues move faster by having all their documents ready when arriving at the Immigration office.
“Usually, procedures for short-term visitors only take 10 to 15 minutes, while one-year visa applications, for example, can take up to 30 minutes,” he said.