Passport issuance service resumed

BANGKOK, March 18 (TNA) - The Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs' Department of Consular Affairs has resumed its passport issuance service at the central government complex on Chaeng Watthana Road in Bangkok. The service had been earlier blocked by anti-government protesters. Passport seekers, meanwhile, queued up at the government complex from about 3am on Tuesday and officials started to hand out queue cards at 7:30am. A deputy director-general of the department told journalists that his department can initially issue 350 passports daily there, but it will later increase the capacity to 500 passports a day. Passport issuance has also been resumed in provincial areas, while the service has been provided as well at the department's branch offices in Bangkok, namely those in Pin Klao and Bangna areas, where they have not been blocked by anti-government protesters. (TNA)