BANGKOK, 6 February 2014 The Department of Consular Affairs has announced that its online passport system will be up and running again next week while a temporary office will be opened at the Queen Sirikit National Convention Center to accept more passport applications.
Following the People’s Democratic Reform Committee (PDRC)’s permission for officials of the Department of Consular Affairs to access the passport office on Chaeng Wattana Road, the department made known that a team of technicians would be sent in tomorrow to fix the online passport application system, which had been down since the office was taken siege by protesters. Afterwards, a test run is to be conducted until February 9.
Once the system is operational again, the department will be able to provide passport services throughout the country, except at the Chaeng Wattana branch, the Government Complex branch, the Ministry of Labor branch, the Surat Thani branch and the Phuket branch. As a result, up to 7,000 passports will be issued on a daily basis, as opposed to the current rate of 3,650 passports, equivalent to 85% of the department’s full capacity.
Moreover, in addition to the Bangna and the Pinklao offices, a temporary passport center will be set up at the Queen Sirikit National Convention Center from February 10 onwards to serve passport applicants within Bangkok and its vicinities. It is expected to be able to accommodate up to 600 applications each day.
Since the department cannot yet resume its full services due to the ongoing protests, cooperation is being sought from passport applicants who are not traveling anytime soon to open way for those in urgent need to receive the services first.
