Phuket Immigration closes Blue Tree branch indefinitely amid staff shortages

Phuket Immigration has closed its Blue Tree service branch indefinitely because of staff shortages, with the officers reassigned to the main office in Phuket Town.

The closure took effect on 19 October 2026. Phuket Immigration Superintendent Pol Col Khemchat Wattananapakasem said visitor numbers at Service Counter 101 had roughly doubled since the reassignment, adding pressure to an already overcrowded office.

An announcement posted by Blue Tree Phuket described the closure as temporary and attributed it to renovation work. It directed people to the Phuket Town office, where residence certificates can be collected at Room 101. However, Pol Col Khemchat said the branch had been affected by staffing losses: two officers had retired and another had entered police officer training.

Phuket Immigration has about 60 personnel across its operations, which Pol Col Khemchat described as insufficient for the province. The Blue Tree and Patong branches previously had two officers each, but Patong handles three to four times as many visitors as Blue Tree, depending on the day.

The main office is also dealing with increased demand after Thailand reduced the visa-exemption stay period from 60 days to 30 days. Foreigners seeking extensions under the new rules are arriving alongside those who entered under the previous 60-day allowance, he said.

Pol Col Khemchat said he had requested additional personnel from central headquarters and would consider reopening Blue Tree if more officers were assigned. He said an additional 20 personnel could be put to work immediately, while the office is collecting daily visitor data from each location to help determine staffing allocations.

He said there was no intention to close the branch permanently and that reopening would depend on securing additional staff.

Drive-through service permanently scrapped

Pol Col Khemchat also confirmed that the drive-through service at the Phuket Town immigration office has been permanently discontinued. He said the decision followed complaints about traffic congestion, including complaints submitted to the Office of the Prime Minister.

He said the service had been introduced to make immigration procedures more convenient for foreigners, but that the effect on local residents also had to be considered.

Online channels remain available for procedures that can be completed digitally, although some transactions still require in-person visits. Pol Col Khemchat said the office was seeking to improve efficiency while ensuring documents were checked accurately.