Just wanted to let anyone know (who might be interested).. IF you live in Bangkok and need to apply for a visa extension (retirement, marriage, ED, etc) you can now go to a website, fill out the T.M7 form, book what time you want your appointment, then get a printed receipt.
IMMIGRATION BUREAU Thailand
Now be prepared for that link to ONLY work in IE (although it works in my IE emulator dealy on Firefox), and also be prepared to take some time to fill out the 7 steps to get that T.M7 filled out so you can get their "Transaction Reference Number (TRN Code) and print it. A lot of the choices are ONLY in Thai, (especially your point of entry into Thailand), so have a thai reader handy when you're doing it.
When your day and time comes up, you show up at Thai Immigrations at the government complex on Chaengwattana Road with the necessary documentation and one photo. You don't even get a queue number but instead just go to the appropriate area and are served next!!
It certainly will cut down on time spent out there. Even though I went to Immigrations with an acquaintance today for a yearly extension of stay, because you hafta make the appointment two days early I haven't had a chance to try it yet.
In speaking to the Immigrations Officers I know out there, they said it does work. They also said not that many people use it yet. I pointed out that hardly anyone knows about it and even less people go to the Thai Immigrations website. I mentioned I'd seen it talked about on forum about Thailand and that I'd post it on other Thai related forums to get the word out for them. .
One other thing, today Immigrations was saying they're making a contingency plan to re-open Ladprao Soi 83 and Major Hollywood in Phrapradaeng (across the river) when the "whistle mob" takes the government buildings hostage out at Chaengwattana starting on Monday the 13th.
So next week, before you slog out to Chaengwattana, check and see if they've opened the alternate sites for accepting visa extension stuff or not.
Good Luck, just wanted people to know about it..