Government Complex

📍 Location of Government Complex 🚘 Directions to Government Complex

About Government Complex

The Government Complex Building 2, located in the heart of Bangkok, is an impressive structure that houses the Immigration Office among other government departments. The scale of the building is quite surprising, with its vast expanse and numerous offices. The Immigration Officers stationed here are known for their friendly and helpful demeanor, making the process of obtaining Entry Certification a smooth one. However, it's worth noting that the offices in this building take an hour lunch break from 12:00 to 13:00, during which everyone must vacate the premises.

During this break, visitors can explore the building, which is akin to a day market. There are numerous vendors selling a variety of items, from food and drinks to souvenirs and living supplies. It's a bustling hub of activity, with more than a hundred vendors to browse through. However, this place is primarily frequented by Thai people who work nearby and come here for shopping. There are also rented spaces that often host food and clothes exhibitions.

Foreigners, on the other hand, visit the Government Complex for official purposes such as applying for 90-day reporting, None O visa, Married Viva, retirement visa, and so on. The Department of Consular Affairs, which is responsible for certifying documents and issuing passports for Thais, is located in a building just five minutes away. However, if you're a foreign tourist, there's little reason to visit this place unless you have official business to attend to.

For those who need to extend their 30-day visa, the Government Complex is the place to go. The process is straightforward: take the BTS to Victory Monument, find bus #166 with the Government Complex route plate, and you'll reach Building B in about 30-35 minutes. Once there, you can take a queue number and fill out the form TM-7. The same bus can be taken for the return journey.

The process of getting a 30-day tourist visa extension involves heading to Division 1, grabbing an application, and getting a queue number. You will need your passport, a passport photo, a signed photocopy of your passport info page, a signed photocopy of your tourist visa, a signed photocopy of your TM-6 departure card, and 1900 THB. After meeting with the immigration officer, your paperwork and payment will be collected, and you'll be asked to wait in the seating area until it is processed. If you've forgotten your copies, there are at least three places in the basement where you can get photocopies for 2 baht. If you're hungry, there are plenty of food options, including a food court.

However, it's important to note that this is not a tourist attraction. It's a place where people come to renew their visas and other official documents. The doors open at 8:30 am, and some people arrive as early as 7 am to queue. It's also worth noting that the Government Complex is about 45 minutes outside of downtown Bangkok and houses most of the government's ministries, in addition to the police headquarters, army headquarters, etc. As such, unless you're an expat needing to renew your visa, there's little reason to visit this place as a tourist. The taxi ride can be quite long, and the waiting time can be extensive. This is a government complex of many buildings housing internal government agencies, and it's not designed for tourists.