Phuket Blue Tree Immigration Office Closes Indefinitely Due to Staff Shortages

The immigration office at Blue Tree Phuket has closed indefinitely because of staff shortages, forcing foreign residents and visitors to use the main immigration office in Phuket Town, where the number of visitors has increased significantly.

The closure took effect on October 19, with officers reassigned to the main office. As a result, the workload at Service Counter 101 has roughly doubled.

Phuket Immigration Superintendent Police Colonel Khemchat Wattananapakasem said two officers had retired while another had begun police training, leaving the department short of personnel to maintain services across its branches.

Blue Tree Phuket initially announced the closure as a temporary measure linked to renovation work. However, Khemchat explained that the main reason was a lack of staff, and no reopening date has been confirmed.

Phuket Immigration has approximately 60 personnel in total, which the superintendent described as insufficient to meet the province’s workload.

Previously, both the Blue Tree and Patong branches operated with two officers each. However, the Patong office serves three to four times as many visitors, depending on the day.

Visa rule changes add pressure

The main Phuket Town office has also seen increased demand following Thailand’s reduction of the visa-exemption period from 60 days to 30 days, effective September 15.

Khemchat said travellers entering under the revised rules were now applying for extensions alongside visitors who had previously received the 60-day visa-exemption period, adding to the workload.

Eligible travellers can apply for an extension of up to 30 additional days, subject to approval by immigration authorities.

Khemchat said he had requested additional personnel from central headquarters. The Blue Tree branch could reopen if enough officers became available.

He added that the department could immediately put another 20 officers to work and was gathering data on daily visitor numbers to assess staffing requirements.

Drive-through service discontinued

Separately, the drive-through service at the main Phuket Immigration office in Phuket Town has been permanently discontinued following complaints about traffic congestion. Some complaints were submitted to the Office of the Prime Minister.

Khemchat said the service had originally been introduced to make immigration procedures more convenient for foreigners. However, authorities also had to consider the impact on local residents.

He stressed that immigration services should not interfere with the daily lives of the surrounding community.

Foreigners who previously visited the Blue Tree branch must now go to the main Phuket Town office for procedures requiring an in-person visit. Residence certificates can be collected at Room 101, while some immigration services remain available online.