Pattaya Police Launch City-Wide Search Targeting Foreigners on Overstay

[jacko45k]

12 minutes ago, Bangkok Barry said:

The fact that you haven't been asked isn't the problem. The fact that there are people who have come to Thailand at high expense to relax and HAVE been harassed for absolutely no reason at all is the problem. And the authorities have promised more of the same. Maybe TAT can promote it as part of the charm and excitement of their time in the Land of Smiles.

I do not see many reports of tourists being hassled in Pattaua. If you have no past experiences that is fair enough. The reality is they will have a bit of a money collecting exercise, and then it will all go quiet as they have their holiday too! It is simply making a few waves.

[skorp13]

It's usually the tourists that you hear or read about getting into fights with Thai's, causing problems, and crashing motorbikes without insurance. Expats, especially overstayers usually are pretty calm and know how to get along but yeah, get rid of those pesky dirty overstayers out spending money where you are looking for them like Walking St and soi 6 LOL

[mikebell]

12 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

50 law enforcement officers swept across Pattaya City

I didn't know Pattaya had fifty cops; I never see them.

[stoner]

go get em boys. cast out the evil doers. 

[kennw]

2 hours ago, jacko45k said:

Well I grasp how they might spot foreigners working, but not migrant workers at 10.30pm, nor how Overstayers would be apparent in a town full of drinking revelers! Hope we don't end up on that old chestnut of carrying passports, some nitwit will be on here telling us of carrying a laminated credit sized copy yet again!!!!!

They already said phot of entry page on your phone is OK 

[Jiggo]

Just the Police doing a show of force and a photo opportunity, then back to the station for noodles..... 

[Old Croc]

Nobody should ever be dragged back to a police station just because they can't produce their PP, or a facsimile on a phone. 

Elsewhere, technology has been available for decades to remotely search a data base for visa details. Cherry picking is also considered an infringement of people's rights in most places.

 

Compelling people to carry a valuable document with them at all times encourages crime. Theft of a passport in a crowded social area is a real crime.

[nigelforbes]

I very much doubt that in practice, Immi officers will start demanding to see passports of foreigners on the street or in bars etc. Perhaps if they have cause to suspect that somebody is up to mischief or if they have other information about them that's fine but otherwise it will create such negative press that it wouldn't be worthwhile. What percentage of people carry their passports would you guess? And what percentage of people have irregularities with their visa would you guess? My guess is that for every 100 people checked, they may find one person, or thereabouts.

[BangkokReady]

2 hours ago, nigelforbes said:

Of all the hundreds of things they could do to deter crime, they pick the highest profile, least useful, most interesting one.

I don't think it's to deter crime.  I think it's aimed at making foreigners look bad.

[Polaky]

I simply cannot understand why they don't sit on a computer to weed out overstayers, they have the arrival date and visa expire date, computer should tell them if it's been extended,they know where they are , a flashing  red overstay alert should pop up on the screen for anyone on overstay by one day, they would catch thousands and not resort to hassling legal holiday makers.

[Liverpool Lou]

5 hours ago, harleyclarkey said:

An organisation rotten to the core and they spend their days chasing some lonely foreign tourists who stay on a little more than they should. 

Do your job....

"Pattaya Police and immigration launched a city-wide search yesterday targeting foreigners on overstay or who might have been involved in illegal activities."

An orgnisation called the RTP and the Immigration Bureau...they were doing their job.

[Liverpool Lou]

4 hours ago, hioctane said:

That truck must have been full. I don't know anyone that brings their passport out to the clubs.

Did anyone have to produce their physical passport?

[Liverpool Lou]

4 hours ago, BritScot said:

How to bring in tourism.  I can only imagine the shakedown of armed brown shirt mafia has on a tourist and their words of wisdom to any and all in their home country.  

In your words of wisdom, who was "shaken down" and for how much?

[shackleton]

The Immigration police here can't win do something positive and people complain don't do anything and people still complain 

As guests here let them do what they consider best for their Country 

[Liverpool Lou]

2 hours ago, nigelforbes said:

I've never been asked for mine where producing my Thai DL didn't suffice.

Me neither, in 29 years.

[Liverpool Lou]

1 hour ago, Bangkok Barry said:

And they'll all go home and tell their family and friends how they were harassed and passports demanded while having a quiet drink.

And they'll all go home and tell their family and friends how they were harassed and passports demanded while having a quiet drink in a <deleted> bar!

 

"...harassed and passports demanded..."

Is asking for a copy or photo of their passport "harassing and demanding"?

[Liverpool Lou]

1 hour ago, Bangkok Barry said:

The fact that there are people who have come to Thailand at high expense to relax and HAVE been harassed

The thing is that is not "a fact", no one was harassed, they were asked politely to show their passports.

[Liverpool Lou]

42 minutes ago, Old Croc said:

Compelling people to carry a valuable document with them at all times encourages crime.

No one has compelled anyone to do that and no one been compelled to have do that

[Liverpool Lou]

18 minutes ago, shackleton said:

The Immigration police here can't win do something positive and people complain don't do anything and people still complain 

Most AN posters think that's a forum rule!

[redwood1]

Arrest these overstaying criminals .....

 

One day overstay- One life  sentence....

One hundred days overstay-One hundred life sentences..

Edited April 7, 2023 by redwood1

[Antiparovian]

 investigating all the "Visa Agents" would be a better starting point. 

[Bangkok Barry]

1 hour ago, kennw said:

They already said phot of entry page on your phone is OK 

Like, every tourist that visits Thailand and is treated as a potential criminal knows that. Whereas when they are at home they can go out and enjoy a beer without being stopped by the police.

[nickmondo]

4 hours ago, Red Phoenix said:

When Immigration would order misbehaving foreigners with a Non Imm O Visa/extension for reason of retirement, to present themselves at the Imm Office with their passport and updated Bank Pass-book, the carnage would be immense.  Because all those that made use of a 'fixer' agent would not be able to prove that they keep the required funds on their personal Bank-account, which makes their Permit to stay invalid.

Imo Immigration will be extremely reluctant to do the above as it would make Pattaya a ghost-town when all those would be deported that made use of a 'fixer' agent to avoid parking the funds on their personal bank-account. But it would be an easy way to get rid of foreigners that are causing trouble at night venues or elsewhere.

what a great idea it would be for them to spot check all the Retirement Extension retirees here.  Go to their houses, make them show their bank book, or online banking.  Then we can get rid of the low life that should not be here anyway. 

[Bangkok Barry]

1 hour ago, shackleton said:

The Immigration police here can't win do something positive and people complain don't do anything and people still complain 

As guests here let them do what they consider best for their Country 

Interesting way to treat their 'guests', don't you think? You know, treat them as potential criminals.

[Bangkok Barry]

Published by a well-respected and widely read blogger in Australia:
https://www.gourmetontheroad.com/2023/04/heading-for-few-drinks-on-night-out.html

 

I like to help him spread the word.

[Andrew65]

4 hours ago, jacko45k said:

You have to put it in perspective... I have been here many years and NEVER been asked to present my passport outside by the police. (Unless you include when driving near north border). 

Likewise, and I lived there for 20 years.

[ozimoron]

4 hours ago, Dexxter said:

Here is another example of many why I would NEVER consider living long term in Thailand.

The vast majority of those checked werelikely tourists. The long term stayers would not even have been aware this happened.

[ozimoron]

I guess the Russian clubs didn't do well last night.

[Olmate]

9 minutes ago, Bangkok Barry said:

Published by a well-respected and widely read blogger in Australia:
https://www.gourmetontheroad.com/2023/04/heading-for-few-drinks-on-night-out.html

 

I like to help him spread the word.

Well read Tassy wine snob.? Really in the know.! 

[Bangkok Barry]

20 minutes ago, Olmate said:

32 minutes ago, Bangkok Barry said:

Published by a well-respected and widely read blogger in Australia:
https://www.gourmetontheroad.com/2023/04/heading-for-few-drinks-on-night-out.html

 

I like to help him spread the word.

Expand  

Well read Tassy wine snob.? Really in the know.! 

I've known him for around 40 years, longer than you have no doubt, and I'm sure that neither he nor I give a rat's fart what you think. It has absolutely no relevance to this thread.

Edited April 7, 2023 by Bangkok Barry