The Blue Tree immigration office in Phuket has closed indefinitely due to staff shortages, with foreigners now being directed to the increasingly crowded main immigration office in Phuket Town.
The closure took effect on Monday, October 19, with officers reassigned to the main office, where visitor numbers at Service Counter 101 have roughly doubled.
Phuket Immigration Superintendent Police Colonel Khemchat Wattananapakasem told The Phuket News that two officers had retired and another had entered police training, leaving the department struggling to maintain services across its branches.
The closure was initially announced by Blue Tree Phuket, which described it as temporary and attributed it to renovations. However, Khemchat explained that staffing shortages were the main reason, with no date confirmed for reopening.
Phuket Immigration currently has around 60 personnel, a number Khemchat described as insufficient for the province’s workload.
He explained that the Blue Tree and Patong branches previously operated with two officers each, although Patong handles three to four times as many visitors, depending on the day.
The main office has also experienced increased demand following Thailand’s reduction of the visa-exemption period from 60 to 30 days, which took effect on September 15.
Khemchat said foreigners entering under the new rules were now applying for extensions alongside visitors who had received the previous 60-day allowance, adding to the pressure on immigration services.
Under the revised rules, eligible travellers can apply for an extension of up to another 30 days, subject to immigration approval.
Khemchat said he had requested additional officers from central headquarters and would consider reopening Blue Tree if sufficient personnel became available.
He added that Phuket Immigration could immediately put another 20 officers to work and was collecting data on daily visitor numbers to help determine staffing needs.
Meanwhile, the drive-through service at Phuket Immigration’s main office in Phuket Town has been permanently discontinued following complaints about traffic congestion, including complaints submitted to the Office of the Prime Minister.
Khemchat said the service was originally intended to make immigration procedures more convenient for foreigners, but the department also needed to consider the impact on residents.
He stressed that immigration services should not disrupt the daily lives of the surrounding community.
Foreigners who previously used the Blue Tree immigration office must now visit the main Phuket Town office for services requiring an in-person visit. Residence certificates can be collected at Room 101, while certain immigration procedures remain available online.
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