PHUKET (NNT) - In a major win for Phuket’s acclaimed crime-free project, over 1,000 foreigners have been apprehended for overstaying their visas, thanks to the collaborative efforts of the Phuket Immigration Office and 800 accommodation providers on the resort island. 

 

Phuket officials said this achievement comes as the result of crime-free measures implemented by businesses, enabling them to promptly inform the police about any suspicious activities involving foreign guests.

 

Phuket Immigration Chief Pol Col Thanet Sukchai said the number of foreign guests registered at accommodations in Phuket over the past two months exceeded the number of foreign tourists who arrived in the same period by over 20%.

 

This significant discrepancy prompted an investigation, leading to the identification and capture of numerous visa overstayers.

 

The implementation of a new database played a crucial role in the success of this initiative, allowing the police to track down a missing foreigner recently.

 

From May 1 to May 25, Immigration Police conducted raids on 1,550 targeted locations across Phuket, resulting in the arrest of 11 individuals who had overstayed their visas and an additional four people who had entered Thailand illegally.

 

According to the Immigration Bureau’s Information Technology Center, a total of 1,050 foreigners were found to have overstayed their visas.

 

Among them, 391 individuals were not staying at their reported accommodations, and 228 had already departed Thailand. Furthermore, 331 tourists had submitted requests to extend their visas, while 109 were reported to have passed away.

 

One individual was identified as a bedridden patient, and another had obtained Thai citizenship.

 

 

Source: https://thainews.prd.go.th/en/news/detail/TCATG230601113049103

 

by Krajangwit Johjit

 

-- © Copyright NNT 2023-06-01

 

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Visa crackdown in Phuket: Over 1,000 foreigners nabbed for overstaying

by Mitch Connor

 

Photo via Freepik

 

A crime-free initiative in Phuket has seen significant success, with over 1,000 foreigners caught for overstaying their visas.

 

This achievement is credited to the collaboration between the Phuket Immigration Office and 800 accommodation providers on the island, who have adopted crime-free measures that enable them to report any suspicious activities involving their foreign guests.

 

Phuket’s immigration chief, Thanet Sukchai, revealed that the number of foreign guests registered at accommodations in Phuket in the past two months was over 20% higher than the number of foreign tourists who had arrived during that time. He also mentioned that the new database had recently assisted the police in locating a missing foreigner.

 

Between May 1 and 25, Immigration Police conducted raids at 1,550 targeted locations in Phuket, resulting in the arrest of 11 foreigners who had overstayed their visas and four others who had entered Thailand illegally.

 

The Immigration Bureau’s Information Technology Centre reported that 1,050 foreigners overstayed their visas, with 391 not staying at their registered accommodations, and 228 have already left the country.

 

Out of the visa overstayers, 331 tourists applied for visa extensions, 109 were reported dead, one was bedridden, and another had obtained Thai citizenship. Legal action is being taken against only nine overstayers, according to Thanet Sukchai.

 

Full story: https://thethaiger.com/news/national/phuket-crime-free-project-finds-1000-foreigners-overstaying-visas

 

-- © Copyright Thaiger 2023-06-01

 

- Cigna offers a range of visa-compliant plans that meet the minimum requirement of medical treatment, including COVID-19, up to THB 3m. For more information on all expat health insurance plans click here.

 

The most versatile and flexible rental investment and holiday home solution in Thailand - click for more information.

Gonna be standing room only in IDC.

2 minutes ago, Denim said:

Gonna be standing room only in IDC.

They say that sitting is the new smoking.

Where are they keeping them all?

Looking deeper into the numbers, just 15 people were “nabbed” for overstay.

 

the rest were not at their reported accommodation, or had already left, or had visa applications pending, and, 109 had died! So no nabbing those 109 unfortunate souls.

 

the headline is just ridiculous and bears no correlation to the actual facts reported.

Phuket = little China.

32 minutes ago, ChipButty said:

Where are they keeping them all?

What all 9 of them......

47 minutes ago, webfact said:

Legal action is being taken against only nine overstayers,

 

1 minute ago, wensiensheng said:

Looking deeper into the numbers, just 15 people were “nabbed” for overstay.

 

the rest were not at their reported accommodation, or had already left, or had visa applications pending, and, 109 had died! So no nabbing those 109 unfortunate souls.

 

the headline is just ridiculous and bears no correlation to the actual facts reported.

It's absurd. Makes no sense at all. 11 people arrested and yet the headline would have us think over 1000 have been place in immigration detention.

It would be interesting to see a breakdown by nationality. How many of them are young Russians avoiding Putin's draft but running out of legal options to stay in Thailand? How many are Chinese crims operating dodgy schemes intended to defraud their fellow countrymen? I doubt that many of them are Westerners, but I'd like to see the data to prove or disprove that assumption.

2 minutes ago, bogs smith said:

Phuket = little China.

Little Russia!

109 overstayed dead???

Just now, Guderian said:

It would be interesting to see a breakdown by nationality. How many of them are young Russians avoiding Putin's draft but running out of legal options to stay in Thailand? How many are Chinese crims operating dodgy schemes intended to defraud their fellow countrymen? I doubt that many of them are Westerners, but I'd like to see the data to prove or disprove that assumption.

Was thinking the same regarding Russians given they are far and away the main tourists coming to Phuket.

1 minute ago, ikke1959 said:

109 overstayed dead???

Surely these corpses wouldn't have overstayed unnoticed?

Wonder what the regular arrests numbered for all other non visa related violations.

1 minute ago, Guderian said:

It would be interesting to see a breakdown by nationality. How many of them are young Russians avoiding Putin's draft but running out of legal options to stay in Thailand? How many are Chinese crims operating dodgy schemes intended to defraud their fellow countrymen? I doubt that many of them are Westerners, but I'd like to see the data to prove or disprove that assumption.

Make up a fanciful spreadsheet detailing a breakdown of your choosing - it'll have as much or more validity as do these presented 'facts'

109 passed away? Is this within the last two months or did I misread this word salad. Did a ten year write the presentation or is something lost in translation.

Nab redefined.

3 minutes ago, Guderian said:

It would be interesting to see a breakdown by nationality. How many of them are young Russians avoiding Putin's draft but running out of legal options to stay in Thailand? How many are Chinese crims operating dodgy schemes intended to defraud their fellow countrymen? I doubt that many of them are Westerners, but I'd like to see the data to prove or disprove that assumption.

And Ukrainians. They dragging them off the streets as young as 16. 

it would be helpful if the bib actually spent their budget on something useful, like fighting serious crimes in Phuket which are mostly committed by locals.

 

Overstaying your visa is not a serious crime.

A mishmash of information if ever there was ... least of all defining what a foreigner actually is ... my money is mainly illegal foreign workers. 

Yet anothe totally bs article.

 

"Among them, 391 individuals were not staying at their reported accommodations, and 228 had already departed Thailand. Furthermore, 331 tourists had submitted requests to extend their visas, while 109 were reported to have passed away."

 

This list totals 1059. 109 died already? Ye gods, the mind boggles. 228 already left? So what are they doing in the overstayers database? 331 are in the process of extending their visas, and 391 weren't staying where they said they were. That is meaningless in terms of overstay. Just how old and accurate is their data?

 

So, out of this total, only 9 were singled out for prosecution based on overstay. So can we rewrite this hysterical headline to reflect that?

Start pulling RussianDraft Dodgers be more than 9 being naughty and overstayers.

Well done, don’t stop…….

14 minutes ago, wensiensheng said:

Looking deeper into the numbers, just 15 people were “nabbed” for overstay.

 

the rest were not at their reported accommodation, or had already left, or had visa applications pending, and, 109 had died! So no nabbing those 109 unfortunate souls.

 

the headline is just ridiculous and bears no correlation to the actual facts reported.

????

13 minutes ago, bogs smith said:

Phuket = little China.

Phuket = little Russia

It should of said nabbed 15 out of 1,000 + possibles… 555

9 minutes ago, Bim Smith said:

109 passed away? Is this within the last two months or did I misread this word salad. Did a ten year write the presentation or is something lost in translation.

They decided not to extend their visa or leave before they died, what criminal energy. Any Maoists within these ranks or may we not talk about those for fear of ambassador's reprimand ? Will the plod receive an extra chest ribbon for this extremely dangerous and patriotic action ?

16 minutes ago, Spock said:

It's absurd. Makes no sense at all. 11 people arrested and yet the headline would have us think over 1000 have been place in immigration detention.

Unfortunately, there are some situations in Thailand where criticism is not allowed  - and I'm not just talking about "Lese Majeste"!!!

1 hour ago, Denim said:

Gonna be standing room only in IDC.

Not really.

 

1 hour ago, webfact said:

Legal action is being taken against only nine overstayers, according to Thanet Sukchai.