The Military Council’s Consulate in Chiang Mai announced on March 18 that Myanmar citizens residing in Thailand must submit recommendations from their ward administrators and police stations in Myanmar to obtain embassy endorsements for visa and stay permit extensions. For those living in Chiang Mai, obtaining an embassy endorsement will require copies of recommendations from their ward and police station in Myanmar, along with the original TM 30 form showing their current address in Thailand.
The Chiang Mai Consulate has declared that they will no longer process any endorsements except for tourist visas and visa extension recommendations. However, according to a source close to the Myanmar Embassy in Bangkok, their office continues to provide endorsements for bank account openings and driver’s licenses, while also offering black and white copies of documents. Additionally, the Bangkok embassy does not require ward and police station recommendations for extensions. The Chiang Mai Military Council Consulate will only accept applications for notary and various embassy endorsements from Myanmar citizens who have long-term residence permits in Thailand, requiring original translated documents and color copies of all other documentation.
The Consulate has set a processing time of three days for regular embassy endorsements and up to 14 days for notary signatures. These restrictions will be implemented starting March 19, as announced by the Military Council’s Consulate in Chiang Mai. The office has specified that all documentation must be submitted with color photocopies, and only those with long-term residence permits in Thailand are eligible to apply for notary and other endorsement services.
A CDM officer residing in Bangkok has analyzed that these restrictions by the Military Council are deliberately targeting CDM staff and political activists who have fled to Thailand, making their situations more difficult. The requirement for ward and police station recommendations from Myanmar is particularly problematic for CDM staff and political activists, as it is virtually impossible for them to obtain such documents. This new policy appears to be a calculated move to create additional hardships for those who have opposed the military regime and sought refuge in Thailand.
