Very Strange Story about Hua Hin Immigration Office

[chelsea]

Just came across this article about the HH Immigration office.
http://www.huahintoday.net/index.php?ac ... ws&id=1356
It makes strange reading to me, especially the last paragraph where the immigration officer interviewed seems to be not agreeing to how "relevant authorities" handle people his office find working with no permits, and are allowed to continue living and working there.

It may go a long way to explain why a lot of you are having grief renewing visas etc there and having to comply with the 24hr reporting.

Perhaps the officer in question has taken it on his own back to enforce the years old law so as he knows who is coming and going in town.

In Australia the Immigration Office has all the say on what they do if they find overstayers or people working on tourist visas. Once they catch you you are on the next plane out of the country. Is nothing to do with police or anything else once all checks have been made.

It seems strange to me that the Thai Immigration people do not have the same powers.

Could be an idea to check with the officer quoted in the article and see if he has any comments to make.

[Jockey]

What a terrible piece of journalism. Very badly written and all over the place. It seemed to be an excuse to report in vague terms that some people are bribing "authorities" to allow them to continue to work. Big wow! Some people living in Hua Hin are bitter and twisted just like that article.

[Randy Cornhole]

Bad English I got bored very quickley.....

[Sabai Jai]

As usual, difficult to know what the Officer in question was alluding to...but impossible to understand what the 'Reporter' was on about.

SJ

[Wanderlust]

This is somewhat typical of Hua Hin Today - the 'interview' was obviously done in Thai, and this is an extremely bad translation, and the bit about people working without visas, I suspect, does not come from the immigration officer at all, but is the opinion of the journalist, a term I use very loosely. If this 'article' was intended to assist foreigners by passing on information from the immigration office, it fails miserably!

[buksida]

As stated above that publication has never been known for its quality or journalistic standards, the majority of reports in it are simply pandering to the authorities who support the owner of it.

The article tells us nothing new. The Singkhon pass has been ready for years on the Thai side but nothing on the Burmese, the idea that visas can be renewed within Thailand is interesting though.

[klikster]

I did a run to Dan Singkorn yesterday .. 90 day reporting for a retirement visa. I go there for any number of reasons. It's quiet, the people are a bit friendlier than I have normally found at other immigration offices, it's close to the little market at the Burmese border. I've done my annual renewal there twice. Last time, I was their only customer .. so front of the line!

During part of the conversation, the staff reminded me that it might be more convenient for me to report at the Hua Hin office.

I made a face, frowned and said something to the effect that a lot of people say the Hua Hin office is a bit odd. I got a few knowing smiles and the assurance that I was more than welcome at SingKorn.

They also explained something I hadn't realized. The window for reporting (maybe only their office?) is 14 days .. 7 before and 7 after the renewal date.

[lomuamart]

The 7 day rule is nationwide:
http://www.immigration.go.th/nov2004/en ... age=90days
I'm not sure if I'd chance it at HH as they seem to have some strange rules of their own. Has anyone reported 7 days late and not been fined?