The Jomtien headquarters of Chonburi provincial immigration had its busiest day Tuesday since the pre-covid era. At times, the queue extended into the street with more than a thousand recently-arrived tourists in total. All immigration offices had been closed over the weekend and for the public holiday on Monday December 5.
The reintroduction of charter flights from Russia to Rayong airport (U-tapao) has boosted numbers to Pattaya as well as new and expanded international routes to the main airports in Bangkok. Most new customers were seeking to register their local address (form TM 30) or to apply for extensions of stay. There is also a big increase in the number of applications for Thai driving licences. An immigration-issued certificate confirming a local address is part of the process.
Jessataporn Bunnag, owner of the international law and visa services office next to Immigration said, “The festive season looks like being a bumper time for Pattaya tourism as there is an increase in all aspects of immigration including long stay options such as the Elite visa.” He added that there were now daily visa run departures from Jomtien immigration to the Cambodian border to replace the three- times weekly service. He stressed it was necessary to book in advance and not to turn up at the border unescorted or without prior registration.
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