Foreigners in Thailand face fines and jail for overstaying as visa amnesty ends

[rosst]

On 9/21/2020 at 10:17 PM, genericptr said:

Given the absolute shambles tourism is currently in, I still can't believe they're going to send all these tourists home without even offering some alternative visa.

 

What's the explanation for this behavior?

Yes, how bizarre, on one hand they are trying to get foreign tourists and on the other hand they have 150,000 who are there and spending money and they want to kick them out. 

Makes you shake your head and laugh. 

 

 

[lkv]

1 minute ago, rosst said:

the other hand they have 150,000

These 150,000 are now running loose in Thailand, unmonitored.

 

The new arrivals will

 

- have to input 50K mininum into Thai economy via ASQ.

 

- have 100,000 usd covid insurance

 

- be monitored all the time via tracking app.

 

Big difference, these 150K currently endanger national security.

[Elizway]

I wonder what the insentive for this is. They could have easily made the extensions longer or indefinite until the pandemic is over. The only reason I see is if the tourists were being a fanacial burden on the state or a predicted one, but the way I see it, it's the opposite - bringing in foreign money from overseas. What am I missing here, seriously? 

[ukrules]

43 minutes ago, Elizway said:

I wonder what the insentive for this is. They could have easily made the extensions longer or indefinite until the pandemic is over. The only reason I see is if the tourists were being a fanacial burden on the state or a predicted one, but the way I see it, it's the opposite - bringing in foreign money from overseas. What am I missing here, seriously? 

They want us out, that's what you're missing.

[luckyluke]

9 minutes ago, ukrules said:

They want us out, that's what you're missing.

For one or another strange reason, not all of us. 

 

Still easy (no 65000 monthly transfer, no money in Thai bank) to get a "Retirement Visa" for all nationalities, except Americans, Australians, British. 

 

[Blumpie]

Wow, Thailand sure doesn't want expatriates anymore.  

[Straight8]

On 9/22/2020 at 12:31 AM, genericptr said:

But they're desperate for more tourists now. It's like we've spoiled past our expiration date or something.

Obviously they're not by the look of it. You're just hoping they are!

[micmichd]

30 minutes ago, Blumpie said:

Wow, Thailand sure doesn't want expatriates anymore.  

They want well-off retirees to contribute to their country. Which is understandable. 

[checkered flag]

8 hours ago, Trujillo said:

"Definitely would be better for Thailand for give extensions 1900thb every month for people who are still here and cannot go back, ..."

 

Why? And what do you mean by "cannot go back"? There are already provisions for those who are medically incapable of leaving by the 26th. Anyone who is physically able to leave should leave; if not, then they are gaming the system, clearly. 

 

The government has already bent the visa rules a number of times to (over)accommodate the foreign tourist. Remember, the average time for a "real" tourist to stay in country is about nine days. If you are an actual tourist, don't you have your life to get back to in your own country? And shouldn't a country go back to normal visa limits at some point? 

 

 If I were a tourist and was still here after...what? Four months or more of extra time on my 30 day/two week/week visa, I'd be feeling that I got a real windfall and at some time (this Saturday) it's time to get on with it. 

I don't understand all the kicking and screaming. Don't look a gift horse in the mouth. 

The problem is that their are different types of "tourists". Some are tourist that want to stay longer and they got a free 6 months, good for them. However, the majority it seems are not true tourist and are using whatever means possible to stay. They often do this by renewing or changing visas at the border and coming back on a ME visa. They don't or won't qualify financially and have been doing this for a long time. I view them as squatters that are hard to root out. With the borders closed they have lost their options and probably have no place to return to. It's sad for them because they were gaming the system and felt they were smarter than most.

As evidence the newspapers stated 150,000 might be stranded. I couldn't believe this because tourist areas are described as "ghost towns" so very few doing tourist things. I think it's possible that this group (not on long term visas) just blends with those with legitimate long term visas, so no one notices. 

Thailand continually stressed for this group to convert to long term visa, but many haven't for various reasons.

[micmichd]

10 hours ago, Ganesh108 said:

"Real tourists have a 10-20 day per year holiday, then they go back to work in their home countries."

 

Your experience and world view seem quite limited. I work about 6 months per year (in bits of 3 or 4 weeks in various countries), and 6 months I travel for pleasure. I know many people in similar situations.

 

 

If you can afford it... 

But then you either get pensions (above average) or you have assets. 

And then you qualify for a long-time visa in Thailand. 

[Elizway]

29 minutes ago, checkered flag said:

The problem is that their are different types of "tourists". Some are tourist that want to stay longer and they got a free 6 months, good for them. However, the majority it seems are not true tourist and are using whatever means possible to stay. They often do this by renewing or changing visas at the border and coming back on a ME visa. They don't or won't qualify financially and have been doing this for a long time. I view them as squatters that are hard to root out. With the borders closed they have lost their options and probably have no place to return to. It's sad for them because they were gaming the system and felt they were smarter than most.

As evidence the newspapers stated 150,000 might be stranded. I couldn't believe this because tourist areas are described as "ghost towns" so very few doing tourist things. I think it's possible that this group (not on long term visas) just blends with those with legitimate long term visas, so no one notices. 

Thailand continually stressed for this group to convert to long term visa, but many haven't for various reasons.

Regardless, unless they are taking local jobs or straining government funds...why kick them out? Even if Thailand is literally only making 1 bht a day from them, that's still a "gain". Why opt out of a gain? 

[checkered flag]

4 minutes ago, micmichd said:

If you can afford it... 

But then you either get pensions (above average) or you have assets. 

And then you qualify for a long-time visa in Thailand. 

If you can't afford it, then it's best to stay home. Thailand wants those who contribute and isn't looking for those who need help. I assume home is in the UK where you can get a council flat, free healthcare and other assistance. Thailand is more like you get what you pay for, with no free lunch. Although Thais make less the country doesn't need more poor people, but want those who contribute. 

Sorry for being harsh but Thailand is no longer a destination to flee to to live cheaply.

BTW the required financials for retirement or married visas are very low compared to most countries.

[checkered flag]

1 minute ago, Elizway said:

Regardless, unless they are taking local jobs or straining government funds...why kick them out? Even if Thailand is literally only making 1 bht a day from them, that's still a "gain". Why opt out of a gain? 

OMG you want Thailand to become a nanny state for poor foreigners. This is a real opportunity for TI and MFA to clean up a mess (border visa scams) that's been going on for years and make the system clean. 

We'll probably get new You Tube videos now on beating the system.

Unfortunately many don't listen and could be caught in over stays, which could be ugly.

[Virt]

Why don't Thailand just make a 1 or 5 year visa. 12,000 baht for a year or 5 year 50,000 baht

 

End this crazy visa nightmare. 

 

Edited September 23, 2020 by Virt

[checkered flag]

2 hours ago, ukrules said:

They want us out, that's what you're missing.

Some are OK and safe, some aren't because they've been gaming the systems. Not too hard to figure out.

[checkered flag]

2 minutes ago, Virt said:

Why don't Thailand just make a 1 or 5 year visa. 12,000 baht for a year or 5 year 50,000 baht

 

End this crazy visa nightmare. 

 

Normally i

Where are you from? No country would do this unless you changed baht to US dollars.

[checkered flag]

3 hours ago, lkv said:

These 150,000 are now running loose in Thailand, unmonitored.

 

The new arrivals will

 

- have to input 50K mininum into Thai economy via ASQ.

 

- have 100,000 usd covid insurance

 

- be monitored all the time via tracking app.

 

Big difference, these 150K currently endanger national security.

What I read is that TI will start rounding them up and know their phone numbers and addresses. Why do you think that their is a paddy wagon parked at immigration? 

 

 

 

 

 

[Shey420]

14 minutes ago, Virt said:

Why don't Thailand just make a 1 or 5 year visa. 12,000 baht for a year or 5 year 50,000 baht

 

End this crazy visa nightmare. 

 

The problem with alot of these plans people trying to get back in come up with they think in terms of benefiting themselves instead of the country. $400 a year for a one year visa is a joke.. The five year elite visa is already $16,000.

[Elizway]

27 minutes ago, checkered flag said:

OMG you want Thailand to become a nanny state for poor foreigners. This is a real opportunity for TI and MFA to clean up a mess (border visa scams) that's been going on for years and make the system clean. 

We'll probably get new You Tube videos now on beating the system.

Unfortunately many don't listen and could be caught in over stays, which could be ugly.

How exactly does deporting 150,000 tourists help in the cleanup process? 

[ThailandRyan]

3 hours ago, Elizway said:

I wonder what the insentive for this is. They could have easily made the extensions longer or indefinite until the pandemic is over. The only reason I see is if the tourists were being a fanacial burden on the state or a predicted one, but the way I see it, it's the opposite - bringing in foreign money from overseas. What am I missing here, seriously? 

Your missing everything apparently.  This government is illogical, would you really have expected more.  They have been trying to tighten Visa's for years, and now have the perfect scapegoat called Covid 19 to get everyone here who is long-term on an extension of stay or a Visa that fits what they perceive it should be.  Tourist Visa's have never been issued in country, only from outside.  Extensions of those can be done in country, but there are parameters that must be met.  Life is not a free ride like some who have used loopholes in the past are finding out.  Good luck trying to wrap your head around the Thai Governments axels on this issue.

[Mr Meeseeks]

1 hour ago, micmichd said:

They want well-off retirees to contribute to their country. Which is understandable. 

Except retirees are not allowed to return under current circumstances. 

 

They don't want foreigners here, period. 

 

If we have a good reason to be here they will tolerate us, but that's it. That's the reality. 

[ThailandRyan]

44 minutes ago, Elizway said:

Regardless, unless they are taking local jobs or straining government funds...why kick them out? Even if Thailand is literally only making 1 bht a day from them, that's still a "gain". Why opt out of a gain? 

Opt-out of a gain really?  Think about that again, and then tell me that if those who have been so disenfranchised as you have so eloquently put it by not taking local jobs or straining government funds, put the money in the bank, and qualified for one type of Visa or another, or if over 50 were granted a retirement Visa or an extension of stay, or even bought a TE Visa would not be putting forth the same money or equivalent they are supposedly spending now, but without a benefit to Immigration and really to the country as a whole.  Then also please explain how and why they should be treated any differently than those that do the right thing consistently year in and year out.

[Mr Meeseeks]

48 minutes ago, Elizway said:

Regardless, unless they are taking local jobs or straining government funds...why kick them out? Even if Thailand is literally only making 1 bht a day from them, that's still a "gain". Why opt out of a gain? 

You are still not getting it. 

 

They do not want foreigners here especially at the moment. 

 

There's no mystery or confusion. Quite simple really. 

[ThailandRyan]

39 minutes ago, Virt said:

Why don't Thailand just make a 1 or 5 year visa. 12,000 baht for a year or 5 year 50,000 baht

 

End this crazy visa nightmare. 

 

They have a 5 year Visa, it is called the TE Visa, but runs 500,000 THB.

[ThailandRyan]

26 minutes ago, Elizway said:

How exactly does deporting 150,000 tourists help in the cleanup process? 

They are not being deported unless they are arrested, can you at least get that straight.  By having them leave the Government here is ensuring that people come in on the right type of Visa they are required to have and not a loop hole riddled system that it has been in the past, even though they allowed it to happen because of corruption.  I ran in and out every 90 days once upon a time and now am having to move to an extension of stay because of the way my O-A visa was being used by myself in order to keep it alive can not be done anymore.  Might be time to think about what it takes to stay long-term here or if not able to work it out it might be time to move on to another country that makes its easy.  It is not an easy and free ride here anymore.  I do have empathy for these folks that have to leave because they fell outside of the parameters in law to stay and Covid has created hardships, but it seriously is not the Thai Governments problem that folks can not qualify for another type of Visa or extension.

Edited September 23, 2020 by ThailandRyan

[Mr Meeseeks]

5 minutes ago, ThailandRyan said:

They have a 5 year Visa, it is called the TE Visa, but runs 500,000 THB.

A mate of mine just bought one before the pandemic. Now has lost his job offshore due to COVID-19 and is stranded in Thailand with no income.

 

No visa issues but now no income. 

 

So it cuts both ways. 

[ThailandRyan]

1 minute ago, Mr Meeseeks said:

A mate of mine just bought one before the pandemic. Now has lost his job offshore due to COVID-19 and is stranded in Thailand with no income.

 

No visa issues but now no income. 

 

So it cuts both ways. 

Absolutely correct, and I feel very bad for anyone who has a true financial crisis because of what Covid has wrought.   Sometimes planning and Time just do not go hand in hand.  I had to close my business in the US and lay off my investigators because of canceled contracts and no work, luckily I had a positive cash flow and they all had plenty of savings along with the severance pay I gave them.

[Mr Meeseeks]

2 minutes ago, ThailandRyan said:

They are not being deported unless they are arrested, can you at least get that straight.  By having them leave the Government here is ensuring that people come in on the right type of Visa they are required to have and not a loop hole riddles system that it has been in the past, even though they allowed it to happen because of corruption.  I ran in and out every 90 days once upon a time and now am having to move to an extension of stay because of the way my O-A visa was being used to keep it alive can not be done anymore.  Might be time to think about what it takes to stay long-term here or if not able to work it out it might be time to move on to another country that makes its easy.  It is not an easy and free ride here anymore.  I do have empathy for these folks that have to leave because they fell outside of the parameters in law to stay and Covid has created hardships, but it seriously is not the Thai Governments problem that folks can not qualify for another type of Visa or extension.

It has been getting progressively more difficult for the last 15 years, unsurprisingly since the military took over in 2005. The winds of change started blowing under Thaksin but this is ultimately what you get when people in brown and green uniforms run countries. 

[bkk_bwana]

Most of the 150k or whatever the number is are not real 'tourists'. Most of all the real tourists have gone. Nearly all the people who are left here are long stay people who are here on a tourist visa. 

[rgrdns]

"In the case of a foreigner surrendering to authorities"

 

Hands up high...????