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Video: TM30: Thailand’s controversial immigration laws and their consequences - FCCT event


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Video: TM30: Thailand’s controversial immigration laws and their consequences - FCCT event

 

 

Immigration answering questions from 33 minutes

 

Recent regulatory changes and stricter enforcement of Thai immigration rules have led to the tightening of foreigners’ residential reporting requirements and crackdowns on retirement and other visa types.

 

Particularly bewildering for the foreign community is the controversial TM30 form, officially described as a means for “effective monitoring, so foreign criminals are less likely to choose Thailand as a place to hide out.” The TM30, according to the Immigration Bureau of Thailand, takes immigration tracking “beyond the airport or land border and to the residence of each individual.”

 

The form is also used as “a means of providing information on tourism,” the bureau has noted. This applies to all foreigners, tourists and residents, but imposes particularly onerous obligations on residents to inform landlords when they leave the city to travel elsewhere in or out of Thailand, and requires landlords to report their absence.

 

A panel of Thai and foreign experts and commentators examine the enforcement of immigration rules, government policies and concerns, and recent shifts in official procedures and attitudes. They attempt to clarify the TM30 reporting process, analyse its impact and discuss the future of this unpopular law.

 

The speakers are:

• Pol. Maj. Gen. Patipat Suban Na Ayudhya, Commander of Immigration Division 1

• Pol. Maj. Teerapong Jaiareerob, Inspector of Sub-Division 2, Immigration Division 1

• Pol.Col. Thatchapong Sarawannangkul, Superintendent of Sub-Division 2, Immigration Division 1

• Penrurk Phetmani, immigration lawyer with Tilleke and Gibbins International

• Chris Larkin, director of the Australian Chamber of Commerce and a member of AustCham’s Advocacy subcommittee where he works on customs alliance and immigration issues

• Sebastian Brousseau, lawyer and managing director of Isaan Lawyers, specialist in immigration issues and leading member of advocacy group reform-thai-immigration.com

• Richard Barrow, blogger and long-time Bangkok resident

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15 minutes ago, SammyT said:

Pretty much just here to see the ranting of angry expats. My TM30 reporting takes up a few hours each year. It's not ideal, but it is what it is. 

PM me  instead  I can rant with you for  hours......flight isn't for another 5  hours and the EVA  lounge is dead.

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This reminds me of when I first visited the USSR in 1984.  I flew into Moscow, took a night train to Kiev and then returned to Moscow on another night train.  When I checked into a Moscow hotel the desk went nuts trying to figure out how I was on my third night in the USSR without having been registered anywhere.

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10 minutes ago, Soi Dog said:

This reminds me of when I first visited the USSR in 1984.  I flew into Moscow, took a night train to Kiev and then returned to Moscow on another night train.  When I checked into a Moscow hotel the desk went nuts trying to figure out how I was on my third night in the USSR without having been registered anywhere.

 

Last week I was told that the idea of TM30 originates from Russia. They have or had something very similar which required foreigners to report whenever they stayed somewhere other than their registered address overnight. 

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Anyone who says the petition hasn't achieved anything, this is a lot of affected people and immigration in one room talking about TM30.

It wouldn't have happened without the petition.

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49:15...the App Developer didn`t test the App themselves....but weeeee did it = we saw it`s a mess, but we are Thai and can`t loose our face.

 

And from 1:20:33 to 1:26...another perfect example Thailand has NO CLUE/INTEREST to change anything. The answer by the IO is 100%BS. Stuff like that gets me angry, as the guys basically says in a polite way to his own citizen : Shut up, we do it our own way and how you even dare to criticize. 

 

Enough said:) 

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3 minutes ago, Jonathan Fairfield said:

 

Last week I was told that the idea of TM30 originates from Russia. They have or had something very similar which required foreigners to report whenever they stayed somewhere other than their registered address overnight. 

I guess the current "tightening of the screws" is based on what is going on in China, same-same as it were.....

Quite logical, seeing the build up of the powers to be.

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Just now, keith101 said:

I have the yellow residence book does my wife still need to do a TM30 after I return from a golf tour in Pattaya ?

Yes, there are no exemptions for TM30 reports, only varying levels of enforcement at different offices. You are required to have a TM30 put in, whether your local office will check is another issue.

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25 minutes ago, SammyT said:

Pretty much just here to see the ranting of angry expats. My TM30 reporting takes up a few hours each year. It's not ideal, but it is what it is. 

For you, but for the bed hopping Casanovas, it is a serious issue.  You cannot spend the night at any number of your girl friends places.  Suppose camping is a big no no.  Back packers waiting flights at the airport are out of luck.  It is dimwitted thinking by xenophobe who refuse to learn from others.  Again, Thailand is showing it is special in not a good way.  China has similar laws, but not as stringent as Thailand.  I was a little late registering my China apartment, and the lady police officer just laughed and said "It is okay, relax".  Thai immigration could probably take a few pointers from their Chinese counter parts on how to treat foreigners nicely.  Yes the absurdity is mind blowing.  I know. 

 

After years of being bullied by the green team, the FCCT is finally allowed to hold debates.  Baby steps

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Got to give credit to the French Canadian lawyer. @1.26:30 he calls out the general and his subordinates who have basically been refusing to answer the questions and just saying "the law is the law and must be complied with."  He asks why wasn't it the case for 40 years and brings up other instances of non-enforced laws. And reply? None. Passed things off to a comment from the Australian Chamber of Commerce who quickly moved to praise immigration for making things "so much easier." BTW, why no American representative at this forum?  UK, Canada, Australia. No Americans.

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I seem to remember years ago the police in france used to go around all the hotels at night and collect copies of the registration cards- no one ever seemed to have a problem with that, I don't know if it still happens- one would think it is computerised if they do. Reporting is hardly a drama unless you make one out of it. 

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Just now, Psimbo said:

I seem to remember years ago the police in france used to go around all the hotels at night and collect copies of the registration cards- no one ever seemed to have a problem with that, I don't know if it still happens- one would think it is computerised if they do. Reporting is hardly a drama unless you make one out of it. 

no need to apologize for the xenophobic actions of the thai officials...

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The TM reminds me of my trip to Burma in 84. Besides inventorying everything of value in my bag (official exchange rate absurdly low, all official money had to be accounted for); everyone sold Johnny Walker & 555 cigs to taxi drivers for "real fun money", putting my video equipment in storage (1 week visa days...), tourists also had some form had to be filled out on where we stayed, how much paid, etc to be taken to local police for stamp. 

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32 minutes ago, keith101 said:

I have the yellow residence book does my wife still need to do a TM30 after I return from a golf tour in Pattaya ?

If she for some reason get any ideas that you 'befriended' your caddie, a TM30 report would be a minor issue.

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considering the TM30 is in place for reasons of national security,

considering the number one threat to Thailand's national security are Thai persons,

 

=> why not extend TM30 to Thai people, requiring them to register all the same as soon as they spend more than 24 hours away from their registered home?

 

you would see how quickly this nonsense will get scrapped.

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Interesting. At the end the general says he's already met with the Indians about this last week and the Chinese a month ago. Finally getting around to farangs now. Nice to know we're at the bottom of the totem pole, I guess.

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50 minutes ago, Soi Dog said:

This reminds me of when I first visited the USSR in 1984.  I flew into Moscow, took a night train to Kiev and then returned to Moscow on another night train.  When I checked into a Moscow hotel the desk went nuts trying to figure out how I was on my third night in the USSR without having been registered anywhere.

That was in the good old days when commodore 64 revlutionized the world, but those days are all gone … 

 

Unfortunately this will sooner or later be the New reality and with that in mind then it's better to embrace the TM30 as long as it lasts … :thumbsup:

 

https://www.nowtheendbegins.com/human-implantable-microchip-tracking-devices-stay/

 

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