Thailand's foreign businesses balk at stricter immigration tracking

[webfact]

Thailand's foreign businesses balk at stricter immigration tracking

Onerous TM30 rule threatens smooth operations with no clear security upside

DOMINIC FAULDER, Nikkei Asian Review associate editor

 

 

BANGKOK -- The organization representing the foreign business community in Thailand has broken its silence on a decision by the country's Immigration Bureau to fully apply an onerous immigration law that dates back to 1979.

 

For months, foreigners working and residing in Thailand have been venting about dramatically increased immigration reporting requirements under a regulation known as TM30. But it was not until late last week that the Joint Foreign Chambers of Commerce of Thailand (JFCCT) issued a statement on the urgent need for a rethink. The umbrella body also sent a letter of "concerns and recommendations" to Interior Minister Anupong Paochinda.

 

"Ease of doing business is a hallmark of any nation's attractiveness for trade, investment and tourism," said Stanley Kang, the JFCCT's Taiwanese chairman. "TM30 is undoing those good achievements. Our neighbors do not have this continuous tracking requirement."

 

 

Full story: https://asia.nikkei.com/Economy/Thailand-s-foreign-businesses-balk-at-stricter-immigration-tracking

 

-- NIKKEI ASIAN REVIEW 2019-09-06

 

[mercman24]

i have said this until i am blue in the face, do they think any terrorist or one up to no good would be staying in a hotel, ? no of course not, they would be staying in a safe house with friends. stupidity at its best,and now the busines world has come to say how silly this TM 30 thing is, as they say, they dont get hounded in other countries.

[3421abc]

I am sure on the Malaysian insurgents in the south will be filling their TM30 ????

[jonclark]

8 minutes ago, mercman24 said:

i have said this until i am blue in the face, do they think any terrorist or one up to no good would be staying in a hotel, ? no of course not, they would be staying in a safe house with friends. stupidity at its best,and now the busines world has come to say how silly this TM 30 thing is, as they say, they dont get hounded in other countries.

 Are you suggesting that neither a terrorist nor wanted criminal would self-disclose their location to immigration on their TM30 as required by law? Now that really isn't playing by the rules is it?

 

 

[gunderhill]

Great, keep  up the pressure on the mindless nonsense, idiots  who brought this "back in" well done jfcct now come on  EMBASSIES show us what you've  got?

Edited September 6, 2019 by gunderhill

[Biikqth]

I suspect that the government will hold the line until a large company, such as a motor vehicle manufacturer, says that it is relocating from Thailand because the restrictions are impacting on the happiness of its expat employees and causing them to want to leave Thailand.

[BTB1977]

That Norwegian guy on the run, that killed the man from the UK will be caught when he does the TM 30 report.  See who's laughing than about the importance of the TM 30.

[Jacob Ree Smog]

Oh my, I've been hearing a lot about this TM30 hoo-ha over the last few months. Can't say I've ever done one nor plan to do one in the future. I'm predicting that in six months time or so this nonsense shall be dropped completely due to pressures from business and local Thai people losing money. None of my fellow peers have every filled one out either. It all seems a tad silly in this day and age.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

48 minutes ago, webfact said:

Joint Foreign Chambers of Commerce of Thailand (JFCCT) issued a statement on the urgent need for a rethink.

 

If you read down to the end of Kang's public statement on TM30, after all the nice flowery language, I believe he ultimately said in closing that the TM30 requirement ought to be abolished!

 

[RichardColeman]

Quite funny to think that a travelling farang business person could spend more time doing daily tm30 reporting than actual work for their company !

[Bob12345]

1 hour ago, BTB1977 said:

That Norwegian guy on the run, that killed the man from the UK will be caught when he does the TM 30 report.  See who's laughing than about the importance of the TM 30.

All laughing aside, the tm30 requirement does make it difficult for a person like that to find a place to stay. He cant stay in hotels or guest houses so that either leaves dodgy places, houses of friends (would you let a murderer in?), or the streets. 

[spermwhale]

Maybe if foreign companies speak up and threaten to pull up their tents the Thai government will listen. Money is the only thing that matters for the Thai government and if enough companies squawk and threaten to go to Communist Vietnam or Cambodia, the government will rethink its approach. 

 

[madmitch]

12 minutes ago, Bob12345 said:

All laughing aside, the tm30 requirement does make it difficult for a person like that to find a place to stay. He cant stay in hotels or guest houses so that either leaves dodgy places, houses of friends (would you let a murderer in?), or the streets. 

It is not difficult to find a guesthouse/Airbnb etc that does not report to Immigration

[lust]

This is an archaic law on par of a 1939 law of like 5 men can not cross the street together while walking their cattle. 

[dhind1]

1 hour ago, Jacob Ree Smog said:

Oh my, I've been hearing a lot about this TM30 hoo-ha over the last few months. Can't say I've ever done one nor plan to do one in the future. I'm predicting that in six months time or so this nonsense shall be dropped completely due to pressures from business and local Thai people losing money. None of my fellow peers have every filled one out either. It all seems a tad silly in this day and age.

Sorry my friend, as soon as you try to do a 90 day report and or renew your visa, they will be requesting your TM30. If your particular immigration office is not requesting this then you are definitely lucky and I would not expect it to last long.

 

 

[outsider]

2 hours ago, Biikqth said:

I suspect that the government will hold the line until a large company, such as a motor vehicle manufacturer, says that it is relocating from Thailand because the restrictions are impacting on the happiness of its expat employees and causing them to want to leave Thailand.

 

True, that might make them have a serious rethink. But what I think they WILL do, if it comes to that, is to give exemptions to people from, say the auto industry, or people employed by companies that fall under certain 'exemptions'. TiT

Edited September 6, 2019 by outsider

[moe666]

All the people who are complaining about the TM30 will leave nd this little exercise will have done its job and they will stop enforcing it back to the good old days. 

[JRG23]

2 hours ago, mercman24 said:

i have said this until i am blue in the face, do they think any terrorist or one up to no good would be staying in a hotel, ? no of course not, they would be staying in a safe house with friends. stupidity at its best,and now the busines world has come to say how silly this TM 30 thing is, as they say, they dont get hounded in other countries.

Please don't believe the trope about terrorists. It has nothing to do with it. That is just what immigration is saying when anyone asks. That is what they are told to say. I have even heard them saying 'it is for your safety'!! LOL.

 

The true reason is a high-level mistrust/dislike of foreigners and requirements within the country to promote 'Thainess'. Thainess is a way to control masses, and outside influence is not good. It is called xenophobia. 

[Jacob Ree Smog]

4 minutes ago, dhind1 said:

Sorry my friend, as soon as you try to do a 90 day report and or renew your visa, they will be requesting your TM30. If your particular immigration office is not requesting this then you are definitely lucky and I would not expect it to last long.

 

 

As a matter of fact I just did my 90 day report last week. No mention of TM30, I was in and out the office in 20 minutes. Piece of cake. 

[fusion58]

2 hours ago, mercman24 said:

i have said this until i am blue in the face, do they think any terrorist or one up to no good would be staying in a hotel, ? no of course not, they would be staying in a safe house with friends. stupidity at its best,and now the busines world has come to say how silly this TM 30 thing is, as they say, they dont get hounded in other countries.

Furthermore, if this is really about terrorism, then why wait for four years after the worst terrorist attack in Thailand's history to implement the law?

[soalbundy]

1 hour ago, Jacob Ree Smog said:

Oh my, I've been hearing a lot about this TM30 hoo-ha over the last few months. Can't say I've ever done one nor plan to do one in the future. I'm predicting that in six months time or so this nonsense shall be dropped completely due to pressures from business and local Thai people losing money. None of my fellow peers have every filled one out either. It all seems a tad silly in this day and age.

The next news will be, TM30 is dropped for business people but the old farts who have lived here with their families for donkey's years without causing trouble will have to comply with TM30.

[soalbundy]

3 minutes ago, Jacob Ree Smog said:

As a matter of fact I just did my 90 day report last week. No mention of TM30, I was in and out the office in 20 minutes. Piece of cake. 

same here, my IO doesn't want the bother.

[fusion58]

6 hours ago, gunderhill said:

Great, keep  up the pressure on the mindless nonsense, idiots  who brought this "back in" well done jfcct now come on  EMBASSIES show us what you've  got?

That'd be nice, but most of our embassies already demonstrated how few <deleted> they give about their citizens when they decided to discontinue income letters.

[ThaiBunny]

4 hours ago, fusion58 said:

That'd be nice, but most of our embassies already demonstrated how few <deleted> they give about their citizens when they decided to discontinue income letters.

All three of them

[yellowboat]

2 hours ago, webfact said:

"Ease of doing business is a hallmark of any nation's attractiveness for trade, investment and tourism," said Stanley Kang, the JFCCT's Taiwanese chairman. "TM30 is undoing those good achievements. Our neighbors do not have this continuous tracking requirement."

Thailand has never been easy, but TM30 makes it all that much worse.  

[bluesofa]

2 hours ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

If you read down to the end of Kang's public statement on TM30, after all the nice flowery language, I believe he ultimately said in closing that the TM30 requirement ought to be abolished!

Not sure about Kang, but what was said at the end:

"TM30 has now attracted attention at the highest levels," Eric Brand, chair of the JFCCT tourism committee, told Nikkei. "We are confident that TM30 will be abandoned soon."

 

There's a foreigner using the word 'abandoned', whereas the Thai way to do it is to 'stop enforcing it'.

The only sure way to get rid of it forever would be if the rule was rescinded from the rule book. We know that's a very un-Thai thing to happen, as in a few years time immigration can start 'enforcing' it again.

[Cadbury]

2 hours ago, webfact said:

Thailand's foreign businesses balk at stricter immigration tracking

Nothing can be changed now. Total Intransigence will ensure no loss of face.

[Bantex]

46 minutes ago, dhind1 said:

Sorry my friend, as soon as you try to do a 90 day report and or renew your visa, they will be requesting your TM30. If your particular immigration office is not requesting this then you are definitely lucky and I would not expect it to last long.

 

 

My Thai wife took my first TM30 to the local immigration office last week and it was dealt with quickly and receipt issued within a couple of minutes. As she was leaving she was told not to fill in any more TM30’s for me but to just phone them instead on my return as needed as they know who I am and that I have a Thai family and I don’t work. My local IO also thinks the TM30 will be dropped soon as they can see no benefit to it.

[justin case]

i'm sure tm30 helps doing business

 

fill some pockets and the lambo's, porches & ferraris are already on pre-order for the high-up's

[Chiang Mai Bill]

Is the Thai public data infrastructure is capable of compiling the TM30 reports that, once entered on to a central database by personnel in police stations all over the country, will be compiled together, processed into a huge database broken down into area, then city, towns, villages, alphabetically -- taking into account the names of peoples of different nationalities -- then searched for the names of any undesirables and overstayers? 

 

Of course, the data will have to be updated on a daily basis adding to it, taking off those 'tee-em-thirtyers' who have moved from their hotel/apartment/residence and who 'may' be re-entered when they move to another address to ensure not too many duplicates are entered! Of course, the expiry dates of visas will be interlinked with Immigration's database to ensure farangs have left the kingdom (or not!)! Phew!

 

Seems they have a very sophisticated bit of software here !  Very!