New Immigration Chief Allows 90-Day Reporting by Mail

Visith Pinpawong Pattaya Times newspaper and website 15.02.2011 06:38

New Immigration Chief Pol. Col. Chusak Panutumpon agreed with Drew Noyes to allow 90-day reporting by mail.

According to the Pattaya Times, of today, foreigners who were issued their six-month or one-year visas by the Chonburi Immigration Bureau no longer have to go to the immigration office to report in person every 90 days.

Visa holders wishing to stay legally in Thailand more than 90 days and hold valid visas now have two other choices. The first choice is to sign a Power of Attorney form and let someone else submit the form.

The second and easiest choice to report is by mailing the “Form for Alien to Notify of Staying Longer than 90 Days,” form TM. 47 to the immigration office before the due date of reporting which is 90 days after the last entry into Thailand and is stamped in the passport.

Police Colonel Chusak Panutumpon, age 50, is the new Chief of Chonburi Immigration located in Pattaya on Jomtien Soi 5.   On his second day in office the new chief, as is customary, was introduced to the Pattaya Times newspaper Publisher, Drew Noyes and Editor Wanrapa Boonsu to clarify his role and discuss his objectives for his new assignment in Pattaya and ask for suggestions.

Most recently Pol. Col. Chusak was the Chief of Immigration for the Ubon Rachathani station for three years.  Last year Pol. Col. Chusak was awarded a trophy for his excellent work in developing his immigration police station into becoming a citizen-friendly police station. His trophy was granted by the Royal Thai Police Chief Police General Wichian Potphosri. Now his goal is to make the improving Chonburi station even more accommodating to foreign residents and tourists.

In Thai, the new Chief said, “I am very happy to meet you both. My goal is to find solutions to improve customer service and improved ways to operate this busy immigration office and I would like your help.”

The new Immigration Chief told 14-year Pattaya resident, American Drew Noyes and his Thai wife “Kung” who is from Ubon Rachathani that on his first day the office was open until 7 pm because of all of the foreigners needing services and he was amazed at the number of foreigners his staff deals with per day. At his last posting as Chief in Ubon Rachathani there were only about 1,000 foreigners - mostly married to Thais – and some tourists his office serviced.

Drew Noyes, who also owns PAPPA Co., Ltd. Legal and Visas Services, suggested that many of the foreigners go to Immigration simply to say they are still in Thailand by submitting a mandatory 90-day notification form to an officer and having it processed while they wait.

The expat continued to explain that most foreigners are troubled to go to the office in Jomtien because it is far from central Pattaya and the Immigration officers are overwhelmed with the crowded waiting area every day and sometimes understandably become annoyed by being overworked.

Drew Noyes said this situation is a burden to all and a solution would greatly improve the service to those having to submit the form, the foreigners waiting for visas or extensions of stay while lightening the work load of the new chief’s officers.

The two new friends worked to find a solution to the mandatory 90-day reporting situation by using the internet to get the form and the Thai Post Office to send the form to the Immigration Office.

“All foreigners, regardless of the number of days or months remaining on their visas, must appear to complete the 90-Day form 90 days after their most recent entry into the kingdom and this is unnecessary if it can be done by mail,” stated Drew Noyes, who with his company PAPPA Co., Ltd. has helped more than 4,000 foreigners with legal and visas problems and was the founding chairman of both Pattaya Expat clubs and the Optimist International Club of Thailand and also sits on the American Chamber of Commerce (AMCHAM) law board in Bangkok.

Drew Noyes suggested that registration on the internet had been proposed last year was one solution, but since there was no system approved yet, the chief could approve submission of the 90-day reporting form by mail. This would also be easier than having to appear at the Immigration Office in person or send someone to notify immigration the foreigner is still in Thailand, Drew Noyes added in his conversation with the new Chief.

The seasoned Chief immediately called for the officer-in-charge of 90-Day reporting and asked him, “How many foreigners come here each month only to submit the 90-day reporting form?”

“Between 4,000 to 6,000 foreigners come here just for this reporting, sir,” was the reply.

Drew suggested that the form could be uploaded to the www.Pattaya-Times.com website with instructions. The foreigners who get their visa from his immigration office could mail the 90-day reporting form.

Pol. Col. Chusak agreed to the request and now allows the form to be copied and mailed to his office. The two men shook hands and were delighted with their agreement as it benefits both the foreigners and the overworked immigration officers.

Now the new, approved alternative process for 90-day report of stay, TM. 47is as follows:

1). Download the TM. 47 Form for Alien to Notify of Staying Longer than 90 Days at http://pattaya-times.com/a6847-90-day-immigration-reporting-form-by-mail or use a form obtained from any Thailand Immigration office.

2). Completed the form in block print letters making sure it is easy to read and sign it on the “Signature” line. No photo necessary, but copy your passport photo page and the passport page with the most recent entry stamp.

3). Put the form and passport copies in a regular business envelope

4). Simply affix a 5 baht Thailand Post Office stamp onto the envelope and mail it before your 90-day reporting is due.

5). Mail it to: Chonburi Immigration, 74/265 Moo 12, Nongprue, Banglamung, Chonburi 20260.

Complete instructions and the ability to complete the form online are available on the Pattaya Times website.

If anyone would like to submit their 90-day reporting by using a Power of Attorney form and having another person go to immigration to submit the form on their behalf a form can be obtained from PAPPA Co., Ltd. 448/21 Moo 12 Nongprue, Banglamung, Chonburi, or by requesting by email to Drew@PattayaLawyers.com.

Pol. Col. Chusak is not new to Pattaya as he was formerly a Royal Thai Police officer serving at the Pattaya Police station on Soi 9 holding the rank of Inspector before he was transferred and began serving as a Royal Thai Police Immigration Bureau officer serving duty on the border of Cambodia and then the border of Laos.

Click www.immigration.go.th/nov2004/download/tm47.doc to download the above form to your computer.

Complete the form by filling out where the form was written, the day, month and year follow by printing your name and surname in block letters. Fill out your nationality and tick which type of visa you have (tourist or non-immigrant). Put in the day, month, and year that you entered Thailand and how (plane, car, etc.). Then put in your passport number and the arrival card number. Finally fill out your current address then sign your signature.

You do not need to attach a photo.

Write this address on the envelop along with a 5 baht stamp:

Chonburi Immigration

75/265 M.12 Nongprue Banglamung Chonburi 20260

or in Thai

ตรวจคนเข้าเมืองชลบุรี

75/265 หมู่12 ตำลบหนองปรือ

อำเภอบางละมุง จังหวัดชลบุรี 20260

ที่ ตช 0029.43 (2)/.

On the other side of the envelop write the return address (your address).