Illegal Immigrants?

[GuestHouse]

There are large numbers of foreigners living in Thailand, many working, who are entering the country on tourist visas and renewing these on the oft mentioned ‘Visa Run’. Quite a number are doing so repeatedly over several years.

Clearly they are not tourists; we might therefore assume they are not eligible for any of the other visa options that would entitle them to live in Thailand without the inconvenience and, one might presume, uncertainty of the visa run. They are obviously not tourists and therefore making a false declaration in order to enter Thailand.

So, are these people ‘Illegal Immigrants’?

If they are illegal immigrants, would it be reasonable to expel them?

If you do not agree they are illegal immigrants, what would your thoughts be, were foreigners to live in your country under the same such circumstances?

[konangrit]

I feel that if they are not working in the country that they are staying in on a tourist visa, then they are indeed tourists. The Thai government would have no need to expell these people as they must leave of their own accord every 3 months. It is at the immigration officers discretion whether or not they are allowed back into the country, and Thai embassies do not have to grant anymore visas.

Personally I would welcome anybody who wishes to stay in my own country on a tourist visa who is not working and is spending their cash here. This would be extremely helpful to the economy. In fact, I can see no downsides to this, as these people have no rights for any state benefits whatsoever.

[dr_Pat_Pong]

I feel that if they are not working in the country that they are staying in on a tourist visa, then they are indeed tourists. The Thai government would have no need to expell these people as they must leave of their own accord every 3 months. It is at the immigration officers discretion whether or not they are allowed back into the country, and Thai embassies do not have to grant anymore visas.

Personally I would welcome anybody who wishes to stay in my own country on a tourist visa who is not working and is spending their cash here. This would be extremely helpful to the economy. In fact, I can see no downsides to this, as these people have no rights for any state benefits whatsoever.

Most of 'em have no visa's at all. They walk across the border every 30 days, Most wouldn't have the wherewithall to meet funding requirements for any long term visa. It is a conflict in term to call a long term de facto resident a tourist.

[maerim]

We have one or two in the U.K.

One of them from the sub continent and a bogus asylum seeker claiming benifits fraudulently walked into the doctors surgery with a parrot on his head.

The doctor said what seems to be the problem?

The parrot said "Well it started out as an abscess on the bottom of my foot..."

[Limbo]

It seems not to be within the spirit of the existing Thai immigration laws.

But a fact is that they not all can be brought together under the same denominator.

I am happy that the Immigration officers have a certain space to judge individual cases. And they do, as far as I know, in a much appropriate way.

Bulgarians can freely travel to the Netherlands. Thai nationals need a visa. Are all Bulgarians nice people without criminal intentions? Are all Thai nationals suspected of possible bad intentions?

I wished sometimes that the Dutch laws were less strict and that Dutch immigration officers had some of the authority Thai officers have.

The risc of arbitrary decisions by individual officers is one thing, the more than average involvement of Bulgarians in criminal activities another. No system is perfect, it is made and applied by humans.

No, my dear Bulgarian reader, I didn't mean you!

To be at least fifty years of age and in a good financial situation gives you the right to apply for a one year retirement visa. But that doesn't implicate respect for Thai society and culture. As can be observed!

[dr_Pat_Pong]

We have one or two in the U.K.

One of them from the sub continent and a bogus asylum seeker claiming benifits fraudulently walked into the doctors surgery with a parrot on his head.

The doctor said what seems to be the problem?

The parrot said "Well it started out as an abscess on the bottom of my foot..."

Only 1 or 2 Maerim ? Mind you, there's space since you packed up that lot and sent 'em to the antipodes

[maerim]

No, my dear Bulgarian reader, I didn't mean you!

One Bulgarian ? Don't say much for our Bulgarian friends travelling does it?

As to illegal immigrants here in Thailand, one thing, Guest house they are not illegal immigrants as they have current visas even if only for 30 days.

The more shall we say, interestingly and differently dressed varieties not really my cup of tea but so what?

There are none round where I live and when I do see them I regard it a bit like middle class Victorians on a Sunday afternoon when they used to nip down to the Bethlehem hospital to relieve the boredom and visit the mad just before high tea.

I don't have to keep them on the other hand ( here we go again) in the U.K. I and other taxpayers have to provide for them now this I do object to.

Guesthouse while we are on the subject of immigration you say you are an immigrant to the U.K., allow me to say you have assimilated yourself in the culture of the U.K. remarkably well.

You have not stopped moaning yet, just ask any Australian how can you tell when a jet from the U.K. has landed?

They will rell you that the whining is still audible even when the engines have been turned off.

Still look on the bright side, another 15 generations or so you just might ( no guarantees though) be accepted.

[NedKelly]

But whos laughing now Dr PP.........??

[Yohan]

Does anybody know, how many times you might enter on 30 days visafree status?

As far as I heard, 6 times, makes a half year....but where do they stay the other 6 months?

Many workers from Europe are seasonal workers, for example for construction sites, in winter jobless, you are good off to work hard 6 or 7 months, then require jobless money and wait during winter in Thailand. If you are single this is a fine solution.

I met one American, who has a little retirement allowance, not even USD 500 monthly (military related) and no savings at all...this means 3 months Thailand in Songkhla, then 3 months in Malaysia in Perlis a short trip over the border, then again 3 months in Thailand....

He told me, maximum 6 times = 6 months...

Do they really stay on visa-run for all 12 months, or do they stay somewhere else too?

Johann

[dr_Pat_Pong]

Does anybody know, how many times you might enter on 30 days visafree status?

As far as I heard, 6 times, makes a half year....but where do they stay the other 6 months?

Many workers from Europe are seasonal workers, for example for construction sites, in winter jobless, you are good off to work hard 6 or 7 months, then require jobless money and wait during winter in Thailand. If you are single this is a fine solution.

I met one American, who has a little retirement allowance, not even USD 500 monthly (military related) and no savings at all...this means 3 months Thailand in Songkhla, then 3 months in Malaysia in Perlis a short trip over the border, then again 3 months in Thailand....

He told me, maximum 6 times = 6 months...

Do they really stay on visa-run for all 12 months, or do they stay somewhere else too?

Johann

Some have stayed on 30 day permits for years and years. Crossing a border every month would be a bit like self flagellation.

[dr_Pat_Pong]

But whos laughing now Dr PP.........??

Not the ' To and Froms ' stuck in that miserable land of theirs, where soapdodgin' is a way of life Ned. It was their lot that swung your namesake on that fateful 11 November 1880

[maerim]

Some have stayed on 30 day permits for years and years. Crossing a border every month would be a bit like self flagellation.

As for self flagellation it is if you don't have any friends to help.

As to crossing the border every 30 days some of the places I have seen in the U.K. I would not be surprised if people from there would rather have the hassle of doing it once a fortnight rather than live in those dumps.

I know people here who have been doing it for years and have kids here on 30 days visa runs, not for me but there you go.

As to having plenty of room in the U.K. to welcome these poor benighted asylum seekers in my view when Elizabeth Fry of chocolate fame captained the prison liners to Oz it would have been better to leave the convicts in the U.K. (punishment enough ) and ship all the decent people out to Oz.

Then where would you be? Hah

[Up2U]

We have one or two in the U.K.

One of them from the sub continent and a bogus asylum seeker claiming benifits fraudulently walked into the doctors surgery with a parrot on his head.

The doctor said what seems to be the problem?

The parrot said "Well it started out as an abscess on the bottom of my foot..."

One or two?? you forgot the six zeros, mate!

But I like the rest of the post

[maerim]

One or two?? you forgot the six zeros, mate

In my "usual" way I was being politically correct as you can't be too careful even here.

The thought police are everywhere, but the pisser is that you are paying their wages.

Have a nice day ( even thought you are being watched).

[samran]

It seems not to be within the spirit of the existing Thai immigration laws.

But a fact is that they not all can be brought together under the same denominator.

I am happy that the Immigration officers have a certain space to judge individual cases. And they do, as far as I know, in a much appropriate way.

Bulgarians can freely travel to the Netherlands. Thai nationals need a visa. Are all Bulgarians nice people without criminal intentions? Are all Thai nationals suspected of possible bad intentions?

I wished sometimes that the Dutch laws were less strict and that Dutch immigration officers had some of the authority Thai officers have.

The risc of arbitrary decisions by individual officers is one thing, the more than average involvement of Bulgarians in criminal activities another. No system is perfect, it is made and applied by humans.

No, my dear Bulgarian reader, I didn't mean you!

To be at least fifty years of age and in a good financial situation gives you the right to apply for a one year retirement visa. But that doesn't implicate respect for Thai society and culture. As can be observed!

great post.

I actually wished that Thai immigration would apply their rules with a bit of certainty. I reckon it would help alot of people on this board know where they stand, and then take the appropriate steps to become legal, if they are eligible.

I am personally a bit uneasy with people staying on consecutive 30 day visas purely because it makes a mockery of the whole need for immigration policy and immigration law. It also does not give Thailand a chance to properly vet those who are actually staying long term, which is something many other western countries insist on. On the other hand though, I doubt if Thai immigration is sufficently resourced to handle such an undertaking. Swings and roundabouts.

Got to say I like the dutch immigration people though, best I've ever met. Upon arrival in the Netherlands, when I said I only wanted to stay for a week, I was given a disaproving look by the officer. Then he smiled and said, "Only a week, why don't you want to stay longer in my country, one week is not enough!"

[maerim]

Then he smiled and said, "Only a week, why don't you want to stay longer in my country, one week is not enough!"

Samran, you must admit that the coffee shops in Amsterdam are a bit different to the " coffee shops" in Thailand.

I usually had to be dragged out of them so I could catch my plane..

the coffee was that good.