Bangkok airport: No foreigners on overstay - even at the long stay car park!

[josephbloggs]

17 hours ago, Patanawet said:

What a wonderful sight to greet visitors to the country.

Yes, immigration officials and security officers at an airport - must be such a shock to see.  Don't think I've ever seen that in an airport before.

[josephbloggs]

23 hours ago, keith101 said:

Why would you be looking for overstayers at the airport complete waste of time .

Seeing as 99% of overstayers will have to pass through the airport to leave then isn't that a good place to look for them??

[RJRS1301]

2 minutes ago, josephbloggs said:

Seeing as 99% of overstayers will have to pass through the airport to leave then isn't that a good place to look for them??

They would be found at check-in and when doing passport control anyway

[josephbloggs]

1 hour ago, rwill said:

They were checking people arriving at the airport to leave Thailand.  Not the ones entering the country. 

Exactly.  Amazing how so many people on here (who accuse the Thais of being stupid) failed to understand that point.

[bluesofa]

9 minutes ago, josephbloggs said:

1 hour ago, rwill said:

They were checking people arriving at the airport to leave Thailand.  Not the ones entering the country. 

Exactly.  Amazing how so many people on here (who accuse the Thais of being stupid) failed to understand that point.

And when they left the country, they would be caught at the immigration counter - they can't avoid it.

So what was the point of the photo-op again?

 

[josephbloggs]

3 minutes ago, bluesofa said:

And when they left the country, they would be caught at the immigration counter - they can't avoid it.

So what was the point of the photo-op again?

 

I agree the lining up for photos does look ridiculous, but it does serve a purpose of sorts if you think about it (not that many on here do think about it, they just immediately make patronising and snide comments).

 

As part of a crackdown on overstayers it makes sense.  If you are caught on overstay you are detained, fined and deported, quite rightfully.  If you make it to the airport you get away with it and just pay a fine and leave.  This big show and accompanying publicity sends the message that the easy way out is not so easy anymore as you could well get caught at the airport before getting to immigration.  Overstaying is not being tolerated any more.

 

Why there is the inconsistency in policy between getting caught before departure immigration, and the simple fine at departure immigration is another question.  

[bluesofa]

8 minutes ago, josephbloggs said:

I agree the lining up for photos does look ridiculous, but it does serve a purpose of sorts if you think about it (not that many on here do think about it, they just immediately make patronising and snide comments).

 

As part of a crackdown on overstayers it makes sense.  If you are caught on overstay you are detained, fined and deported, quite rightfully.  If you make it to the airport you get away with it and just pay a fine and leave.  This big show and accompanying publicity sends the message that the easy way out is not so easy anymore as you could well get caught at the airport before getting to immigration.  Overstaying is not being tolerated any more.

 

Why there is the inconsistency in policy between getting caught before departure immigration, and the simple fine at departure immigration is another question.  

The message it sends is far from clear (to me) regarding the difference between being caught (or in this particular case 'intercepted' when departing) and departing.

Your post has stated the difference clearly, but the article hasn't done that at all. It's just caused ridicule by not being clear, especially as they caught no one either.

If immigration want to get a message across, then they need to try harder by saying clearly what they are trying to do.

[chainarong]

The way its all panning out they will be able to reduce their employment targets by fifty percent due to the lack of foreigners arriving in the Land of Smiles.

[Thaidream]

2 hours ago, bluesofa said:

The message it sends is far from clear (to me) regarding the difference between being caught (or in this particular case 'intercepted' when departing) and departing.

Your post has stated the difference clearly, but the article hasn't done that at all. It's just caused ridicule by not being clear, especially as they caught no one either.

If immigration want to get a message across, then they need to try harder by saying clearly what they are trying to do.

A very bad message is sent out to the foreign public regarding the photo's and what was done. When you have a contingent like this in your main international terminal- it flashes the no welcome sign.

 

If a person had overstayed by a few days out of ignorance or even illness and was caught out by this group- they would not just be fined but subject to blacklist during the deportation process and to what end.  What's next- send the police and army to  the hospitals that cater to foreigners; how about movie theatres  or  churches.  US Immigration has been doing just that and even they have realized and been told this is over the top and have stropped.

 

If a person in Thailand has an overstay they want to clear- shall they now hide in the bathroom or stay in the car park or another place hidden from view till the last minute?

 

There is a reason for the 90 day no blacklisting  rule as it is not considered a long enough overstay to elicit a blacklist.  the problem is when 'caught' the blacklist enters into the picture.

 

The numbers of foreign Western tourists is going down year by year due to such invasive actions and will continue to do so. There are much better, less intrusive ways to stem overstays than this ridiculous exercise.

[sanemax]

3 hours ago, josephbloggs said:

Seeing as 99% of overstayers will have to pass through the airport to leave then isn't that a good place to look for them??

They would be trying to leave anyway , though instead of getting on a flight and paying the overstay fine , they would be getting arrested and put in IDC , blacklisted and missing their flight 

[Don Chance]

2 hours ago, sanemax said:

They would be trying to leave anyway , though instead of getting on a flight and paying the overstay fine , they would be getting arrested and put in IDC , blacklisted and missing their flight 

They want to scare the sh!t out of any farang who is overstaying.

I heard they are pulling over buses headed for the borders too and checking passports.

[bbbbooboo]

Thai logic= oxymoron?

[tlandtday]

On 7/1/2019 at 8:59 AM, keith101 said:

Why would you be looking for overstayers at the airport complete waste of time .

to make press and intimidate...

[tlandtday]

42 minutes ago, Don Chance said:

They want to scare the sh!t out of any farang who is overstaying.

I heard they are pulling over buses headed for the borders too and checking passports.

they have always done this near the borders... nothing new

[Cake Monster]

A warming sight to greet any unaware Traveller who has just alighted from a 14 Hour flight, on the start of their Vacation.

 

[Fairynuff]

And they didn’t even have the sense to lie about it and say they caught thousands

[bluesofa]

6 minutes ago, Fairynuff said:

And they didn’t even have the sense to lie about it and say they caught thousands

The reign of King BJ has come to an end.

[Fairynuff]

7 minutes ago, bluesofa said:

The reign of King BJ has come to an end.

Completely weird and irrelevant response! But I’m sure YOU know what you mean

[bluesofa]

1 minute ago, Fairynuff said:

Completely weird and irrelevant response! But I’m sure YOU know what you mean

I most certainly do, and I am unanimous in that Captain Peacock.

[Fairynuff]

8 minutes ago, bluesofa said:

I most certainly do, and I am unanimous in that Captain Peacock.

I really think you should stop taking your meds with alcohol 

[bluesofa]

Just now, Fairynuff said:

I really think you should stop taking your meds with alcohol 

But they were both prescribed by my doctor. The bottle says: Surgical Alcohol.

[Fairynuff]

20 minutes ago, bluesofa said:

But they were both prescribed by my doctor. The bottle says: Surgical Alcohol.

Use it to clean your windows too, you’ll get a clearer view

[tabarin]

I wonder how they found out about my idea to overstay on the long term car park with a rental car that has GPS, while being near broke, at the airport.
Me starts to think it is better for my health to stop reading these articles and news, it lowers my intelligence and behaviour + makes me feel brain dead.

Edited July 9, 2019 by tabarin