Immigration proposes much harsher penalties for failing to report foreigners staying in Thailand

[pmh2009]

1 hour ago, Pravda said:

 

You own a condo, right?

 

You like reporting yourself?

you already do that on the 90 day notification dude!!!

[Mavideol]

1 hour ago, z42 said:

I understand the need for border security, but treating all foreign visitors as potential criminals whose whereabouts need to be confirmed under threat of arrest simply isn't the way forward.

 

This initiative is hardly likely to be welcomed by any side, be it the tourists or the tourism operators / hoteliers.

 

Thailand needs less buraecracy, not more

maybe they are working on a better way of getting more and fatter envelopes

[Greenside]

Poorly thought through proposals announced prematurely, badly drafted laws with patchy enforcement, officials granted wide discretion partly to get around the poor drafting, but also to facilitate corruption which disguises the low wages that would be unworkable without it.

 

How is it that grown ups with even a low grade education can't recognise the problems?

 

[essox essox]

1 hour ago, jonclark said:

What I do not understand is that in most countries a visa / or extension is permission to stay in that country period - you do not need to go running around telling people where you are. It is just a massive invasion of privacy. 

 

For such a peaceful country Thailand has huge paranoia about the threat from foreigners. 

This is why they bought some submarines long time ago!!!

[mokwit]

10 minutes ago, KhunKenAP said:

By the way is Thai Immigration part of the Thai Government??????

Seems they operate independently and do whatever they like no matter how damaging it is to Thailand.

It is part of the RTP and no ministry has direct oversight on RTP - this was mooted recently but there was a lot of pushback for some reason.

[marcusb]

My province is extremely strict about the TM30s.  Go out of town one night have to come back and report. Change of visa, come back and report.  Twice they have scared the hell out of the poor lady renting me my house,  She will not rent to a foreigner again. 

 My friend moved into a townhouse owned by a nice old army general. Later another farang friend rented another unit. The general asked my friends if they knew anymore foreigners for another unit as he was quite happy renting to foreigners, rent on time, no parties, no hassle. Then immi started getting strict about the TM30s, he had to go down to immi a few times to straighten things out. He has now said he will never rent to farang again. 

 This fear of renting to foreigners will increase with increased fines and rules. Soon it will be like Burma or China where we will only be able to stay in certified places. 

  Sidenote: I went to immi on a Monday morning told them I have been to Laos and came back with a new NonB. They said the landlord MUST come in and redo the TM30 as I had a change of status. At 1:00 pm I had frantic calls from the landlord to meet at immi. I go there straighten things out. They are going to fine her 1600 Baht. Then immigration looks at me and says, its not really her fault it is my fault so I should pay. I disagreed and also told them I was back in the city 5:00PM on Sunday, I reported on Monday so there should be no fine. It was dropped. The fine is supposed to be for the homeowner but I can see in many cases it will be farang who pays.  Its a pretty messed up system. 

[ThaiBunny]

2 minutes ago, marcusb said:

My province is extremely strict about the TM30s.  

Which province is that?

[gusincebu]

1. The easiest thing to do is to apply online.  The property owner will apply for a username and password that will allow them to login easily and register any guests or tenants that are staying on the property.  The biggest drawback is that the online system is still very temperamental and it’s often the case that once applied they will not receive their login credentials. If you’re using the online system, it’s important that you receive a confirmation of the registration. (Online Site is down – Currently there is no answer as to when it will be back up and running)
 
So the online reporting system is not even working properly?? What a big Joke !

So how do you get the part of the TM30 form ( the receipt I guess you could call it ) that you keep in your passport .
My landlord brought it back to me , I stapled in the back section.
Immigration officer usually visually checks it when I do a 90 day report.
I guess that only applies to people who have ongoing contact with the immigration office.

Sent from my Mi A2 Lite using Tapatalk

[madmen]

2 hours ago, ThaiBunny said:

Given that AirBNB is theoretically illegal in Thailand, I wonder how many AirBNB hosts report overnight or longer-term guests

Nonsense. 

[JimSaints]

No wonder hundreds of expats leave Thailand every month and very few new arrives - soon mandatory health insurance and other harsh measures will come

[Individual One]

So i live in Nakhon Pathom but also own a beach house near Cha Am. Or should i say, the wife does.  Is she supposed to be reporting my sojourns at the beach house to immigration?  Assuming "yes" which office?  Cha Am or Nakhon Pathom?  And then reporting back when i return home?  BTW, I go to the beach house about once a week to do routine maintenance, etc.  The wildlife would soon take over, otherwise.  

[simon43]

I would go to chaeng Wattana and finger all the staff,...

 

Good Heavens!!  Will that include the men as well?? ????

[Vacuum]

57 minutes ago, Youlike said:

Thanks, i'll tell her to take a day off and go there but it's far away.

You can do it for her. Signed copy of blue book and Id card should do it. No need for her to take a day off.

[holy cow cm]

1 hour ago, KittenKong said:

I have no problem with this as long as they only fine the owners/operators of the properties, and not the hapless tourist who probably doesnt even know that someone was supposed to register him.

Oh Really? Just go to one of your friend or family homes somewhere and stay a night or 2 or 3 and get caught by some cop who knows the rules and bends them. As when you leave your home of stay you are now tourist out of your safe zone. And I do not think it will be so easy peezy as they say in article but will encompassing all foreigners.. 

 

It will literally become a witch hunt.

[madmen]

53 minutes ago, holy cow cm said:

Oh Really? Just go to one of your friend or family homes somewhere and stay a night or 2 or 3 and get caught by some cop who knows the rules and bends them. As when you leave your home of stay you are now tourist out of your safe zone. And I do not think it will be so easy peezy as they say in article but will encompassing all foreigners.. 

 

It will literally become a witch hunt.

Who does this? Its not even worth mentioning

Edited March 26, 2019 by metisdead
Please do not modify someone else's post in your quoted reply, either with font or color changes or wording.

[sqwakvfr]

I think planing a dog type microchip in the neck would solve all problems.  Of course the foreigner would have to pay for installation, tracking and removal of the chip.  This would be win win for all.  

[poohy]

1 hour ago, sunnyboy2018 said:

 

How do they fine the condo owner who is in Moscow?

Thats their problem NOT the tourists

[toofarnorth]

8 minutes ago, simon43 said:

 

 

 

Good Heavens!!  Will that include the men as well?? ????

Yes prev. 3 . I was waiting 'til the end and I think there must be a form somewhere , re fingering  Imm. staff . No form you could get collared . There may be a form for that too.

[ThaiBunny]

20 minutes ago, madmen said:

Nonsense. 

http://www.khaosodenglish.com/featured/2018/06/24/thai-law-case-closed-on-airbnb-heres-why-it-wont-matter/

 

I did say "theoretically"

[smedly]

1 hour ago, Briggsy said:

Here is what will happen.

 

Foreigner : I would like to extend my tourist / non-imm visa.

Immigration : You go TM30 desk first.

Foreigner : (at TM 30 desk) I would like to extend my tourist / non-imm visa.

TM30 desk : Where is owner condo? (angrily).

Foreigner : He lives in Bangkok / abroad / 400 kms away / He is at work.

TM30 desk : He must come. Give me phone number. (phones landlord in Bangkok)

TM30 desk : (To foreigner) You pay 10,000 Baht.

Foreigner : Nothing to do with me.

TM30 desk : No pay, no extension. Up to you.

 

here's a better one

 

Foreigner on holiday to owner/manager of accommodation - did you report my location to immigration 

 

Owner/manager - yes (but didn't)

 

It should not be the responsibility of the visitor on holiday to do anything for one very simple reason, They cannot be expected to know about such a thing let alone know how to comply. Only the owner/manager should be held responsible, it must be 100% clear who the law applies too and not some murky grey area were it is unclear and confused

 

It seems to me based on recent events and rule changes within Thai Immigration that someone (or a team) in the bureau coming up with these new rules is lacking the education and/or intellect for that activity

 

 

[PREM-R]

[onera1961]

2 hours ago, gmac said:

What about those on retirement extensions living with their wives who have been told there is no need to report on TM30 each time they leave the province/country as long as their home address remains the same?

I am not sure what 12-point changes they are proposing. But TM30 reporting should be confined to only hotels and rental units. Condo owners and people staying with wives should report once unless the address changes and then they notify address changes along with new TM30s. 

 

Eliminate 90-day reporting or make it fool proof online system. No more manual submissions. 

 

Streamline a uniform process in all IO offices and don't ask unnecessary documents. If possible, make the application online and one simple interview for the final stamp in person or through some body with an approved  doctors letter.

 

Dreaming .......

[freedomnow]

What is lenient about having to report with 24-48 hours in Chiang Mai anyway ? Never had to do this before and now it has to be done, so it's just another money maker for the boys by bumping up fines...no rules/no penalties...more rules they have more ways to tip people upside down.

Seems they have taken their cue from USA and UK both hardline on immigrants last 2+ years.

 

Someone promote this BJ asap to a bigger dog position. Total headache for the expat community in LoS.

[INV]

2 hours ago, Briggsy said:

Here is what will happen.

 

Foreigner : I would like to extend my tourist / non-imm visa.

Immigration : You go TM30 desk first.

Foreigner : (at TM 30 desk) I would like to extend my tourist / non-imm visa.

TM30 desk : Where is owner condo? (angrily).

Foreigner : He lives in Bangkok / abroad / 400 kms away / He is at work.

TM30 desk : He must come. Give me phone number. (phones landlord in Bangkok)

TM30 desk : (To foreigner) You pay 10,000 Baht.

Foreigner : Nothing to do with me.

TM30 desk : No pay, no extension. Up to you.

 

This is exactly how it will play out 

[lust]

7 minutes ago, INV said:

This is exactly how it will play out 

This is exactly how it already played out for me. Don’t pay don’t get extension.

[BritManToo]

2 hours ago, webfact said:

n addition stiffer penalties are promised for airlines and individuals who permit individuals to board planes and enter Thailand without onward tickets - he was referencing the case of the Saudi woman who fled her country because of an enforced marriage.

Which is strange as she was grabbed while waiting for her connecting flight to Australia, not intending to spend any time at any address in Thailand. Theses guys are beyond stupid.

Edited March 26, 2019 by BritManToo

[Scott]

Off-topic post removed.

 

[jethro69]

I would say camping is out of the list then, or can you see to handle over your passport to a Park-Ranger and registering you, oh no wait, there will be an immigration officer at every camping ground through the country.

Probably the common overnight buses are no longer a option too for tourists, unless the tour operators comply with the rules. Just wonder if they have to update the TM30 paperwork every time when entering a new province?

It might be better to handle out GPS receivers you get around your ankle, at least you have a nice white skin strap to show your friends back home after a 2 week beach holiday.

[jonclark]

I have just seen the new immigration stamp and it looks like a yellow star.

 

Maybe that is what the new railway is for, to transport us to our final destinations. 

[RJRS1301]

2 hours ago, moe666 said:

Please tourist do not have a clue their where abouts is reported to immigration when the move about the country. It may make it harder to rent a apartment as the landlord will want nothing to do with it

I rented a condo, six months lease, neither the condo owner nor the juristic person ( manager) knew I had to be reported as living there, had to get signature from condo owner in another city and then report back, only found out by accident that I had to report. Many other farang living there unaware as well.