Foreign patients no longer need to meet the officers of the Immigration Bureau for visa extensions, thanks to the launch of an online immigration service at Bangkok International Hospital.

Bangkok Hospital Medical Centre and the Immigration Bureau yesterday launched the debut of the country's first online immigration service, allowing its foreign clients to apply for visa extensions via a teleconference system.

The Immigration Bureau earlier opened an immigration counter at Bangkok International Hospital to provide visa extension services, and has now developed an e-immigration service to accommodate foreign patients.

Pol Lt-General Suwat Tumrongsiskul, commissioner of the Immigration Bureau, revealed that in the past foreigners had to apply for visa extensions by themselves at the bureau. But with advanced technology, they can now present themselves at the hospital and be interviewed on the spot.

Moreover, he said the bureau was developing software to provide an online visa application service, while joining Kasikornbank for an online payment for the visa extensions of foreign patients. The bureau expects to launch these services this year.

Bangkok Hospital Medical Centre CEO Dr Chatree Duangnet said the hospital had earlier adopted a tele-medicine system for its medical service, and then developed the e-immigration service for clients.

At the initial stage, the online immigration service will be restricted to foreign patients of the hospital, but it plans to provide the same for patients' relatives in the near future.

The visa types that can be processed are tourist visa, visa on arrival, transit visa, phor 30, and entry without visa.

Clients present themselves in front of the VDO conference camera to allow the immigration officer to verify their identity with their passports. All necessary documents are delivered in advance to the bureau for signing and stamping.

Chatree said Bangkok International Hospital targeted that foreign clients would generate 45 per cent of revenue this year, compared to 25 per cent two years ago and 40 per cent last year.

Besides expatriates living in Thailand, there is a growing clientele from the Middle East, Asean and Europe.

Patcharee Lueng-uthai

The Nation