Immigration officers told to increase screening of foreigners in Thailand

[webfact]

 

Foreigners in Thailand can expect increased scrutiny from the authorities in the wake of several high-profile criminal cases. Khaosod English reports that police have been issued new instructions to strictly enforce immigration laws.

 

Following two separate assault cases involving Swiss nationals, and the more recent case of two New Zealanders allegedly assaulting a Phuket police officer, the authorities are promising to ‘get tough’.

 

Roy Ingpairoj, deputy chief of the Royal Thai Police, has issued instructions to the Commissioner of Immigration calling for increased scrutiny of foreigners in Thailand. In particular, the authorities are targeting those who have entered the kingdom illegally and who have ulterior motives for being here.

 

Newly-issued instructions include…

• All foreigners entering and leaving the kingdom to be strictly screened. Enhanced screening will also apply to those seeking extensions of stay, visa stamps, and any change in visa status.

 

• All crimes committed by foreigners to be investigated and prosecuted, including violations of the Immigration Act, the Alien Employment Act, the Entertainment Places Act, illegal business operations, nominee arrangements where Thai nationals own shares or real estate on behalf of foreigners to avoid legal compliance.

 

Full story: PhuketGO 2024-03-19

 

- Discover how Cigna Insurance can protect you with a range of visa-compliant plans that meet the minimum requirement of medical treatment. For more information on expat health insurance click here.

 

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[reefsurfah]

Rightfully so, need all these bad foreigners out.  Clean up the place already.🧹

[Korat Kiwi]

Well it was on the cards.  I'm not particularly worried.  Don't break the law so what's to worry about? 

 

I'm sure there will be some additional inconveniences come extension of stay time, but that's nothing new. 

[DaLa]

Although the extra scrutiny could affect me as a retired and hopefully permanent fixture here, I welcome this. I left the UK partly because of the *hit hole it was deteriorating  into; behave in Thailand and you can have a great life.

[John Drake]

Happy I don't do my extension until late August. People doing it over the next few weeks better step lightly. No exasperation, no loud rants, no questionable gestures.

[Enoon]

Illegal entries and "ulterior motives"

 

 A bit too late to start screening people after  they have entered illegally.......and pointless.   Just throw them out and ban them if you like.

 

Potentially every visitor may have an "ulterior motive".

 

How do you screen them........scapolomine/lie detector test, on entry, at the airport for VE visitors?

 

"All crimes committed by foreigners to be investigated and prosecuted, including violations of the Immigration Act, the Alien Employment Act, the Entertainment Places Act, illegal business operations, nominee arrangements where Thai nationals own shares or real estate on behalf of foreigners to avoid legal compliance."

 

Previous policy was to ignore crimes by foreigners?

 

It would be a better idea for Thailand to clean up its act and desist from being a magnet for crooks, scum and lowlife.

 

Have your leaders, authorities and state employees stop blatantly acting like crooks, scum and lowlife (in doing so passing on that example to the rest of the population) and you might get that "better class" of visitors that remain your eternal wet-dream.

 

It is your reality, not your absurd, hubristic, deluded self-image, that brings the worst possible types....don't blame the flies for swarming to the sewer.

 

 

 

[Rampant Rabbit]

coming soon  money in the bank  for visas quadrupled!!

[Rampant Rabbit]

2 minutes ago, Enoon said:

How do you screen them.

Stern look!!

[2long]

So, to translate the headline 'IMMIGRATION COPS TOLD TO DO WHAT THEY SHOULD BE DOING ANYWAY'

[zakalwe]

Translation: Stare extra hard at those farangs.

[blowin]

I can vouch the islands of Samui, Phangan and Tao especially the latter two are the Wild West . Anybody that lives or knows the last two islands people work, crime etc and basically do as they like. Send a crack team there and clean up the islands please.

[couchpotato]

58 minutes ago, webfact said:

Immigration officers told to increase screening of foreigners in Thailand

 

Foreigners in Thailand can expect increased scrutiny from the authorities in the wake of several high-profile criminal cases. Khaosod English reports that police have been issued new instructions to strictly enforce immigration laws.

 

Following two separate assault cases involving Swiss nationals, and the more recent case of two New Zealanders allegedly assaulting a Phuket police officer, the authorities are promising to ‘get tough’.

 

Roy Ingpairoj, deputy chief of the Royal Thai Police, has issued instructions to the Commissioner of Immigration calling for increased scrutiny of foreigners in Thailand. In particular, the authorities are targeting those who have entered the kingdom illegally and who have ulterior motives for being here.

 

Newly-issued instructions include…

• All foreigners entering and leaving the kingdom to be strictly screened. Enhanced screening will also apply to those seeking extensions of stay, visa stamps, and any change in visa status.

 

• All crimes committed by foreigners to be investigated and prosecuted, including violations of the Immigration Act, the Alien Employment Act, the Entertainment Places Act, illegal business operations, nominee arrangements where Thai nationals own shares or real estate on behalf of foreigners to avoid legal compliance.

 

Full story: PhuketGO 2024-03-19

 

- Discover how Cigna Insurance can protect you with a range of visa-compliant plans that meet the minimum requirement of medical treatment. For more information on expat health insurance click here.

 

Get our Daily Newsletter - Click HERE to subscribe
 

About time...but is it only hollow words. Guess we'll see.

[Letseng]

42 minutes ago, Korat Kiwi said:

Well it was on the cards.  I'm not particularly worried.  Don't break the law so what's to worry about? 

 

I'm sure there will be some additional inconveniences come extension of stay time, but that's nothing new. 

Once yr ext. of stay willfully comes under the heading  "why be difficult if it can be impossible" you may see the issue less relaxed.

[richard_smith237]

1 hour ago, webfact said:

Newly-issued instructions include…

• All foreigners entering and leaving the kingdom to be strictly screened. Enhanced screening will also apply to those seeking extensions of stay, visa stamps, and any change in visa status.

 

Which is a typical and stupid generalised knee-jerk reaction IMO.

 

What exactly is enhanced screening ???...    

 

The phrase means nothing...     How are Immigration officers going to Screen us in any 'enhanced manner' more than they do so already ?

 

What more can immigration officers check for when we enter ?

 

 

1 hour ago, webfact said:

• All crimes committed by foreigners to be investigated and prosecuted, including violations of the Immigration Act, the Alien Employment Act, the Entertainment Places Act, illegal business operations, nominee arrangements where Thai nationals own shares or real estate on behalf of foreigners to avoid legal compliance.

 

Fair enough...  I hope the BiB target all criminals, not just those committed by foreigners. 

 

I hope this doesn't mean a free-for-all for a freshly empowered police force... 

 

Are we are going to be subject to pi$$ing on the side of the street when taking a walk down Sukhumvit road ?

 

 

 

 

[JackGats]

25 minutes ago, blowin said:

I can vouch the islands of Samui, Phangan and Tao especially the latter two are the Wild West . Anybody that lives or knows the last two islands people work, crime etc and basically do as they like. Send a crack team there and clean up the islands please.

You mean clean up the plastic.

[RandolphGB]

They should start with Pattaya and some of the big shots there who think the laws don't apply to them 'because it's Pattaya'. 

[Bangkok Barry]

1 hour ago, Korat Kiwi said:

I'm sure there will be some additional inconveniences come extension of stay time, but that's nothing new. 

 

Last April I had that when a new boss took over at Kalasin after the last one was removed for corruption. No doubt they will need to be reassured again with an interview and house visit to where I live with my wife of 33 years.

[bkk6060]

1 hour ago, webfact said:

where Thai nationals own shares or real estate on behalf of foreigners to avoid legal compliance.

Good luck to all the "I own a home here" folks. 

[Bangkok Barry]

44 minutes ago, Enoon said:

It would be a better idea for Thailand to clean up its act and desist from being a magnet for crooks, scum and lowlife.

 

Exactly my thoughts. Thailand attracts a lot of scum, yet the authorities never seem to wonder why that might be.

[lexxy]

There goes the dry aged steak and 12 wines i was planning to bring in

[AAArdvark]

45 minutes ago, Rampant Rabbit said:

Stern look!!

Exactly

[thai006]

Time to clean up this country 

[Photoguy21]

Never broke the law anywhere so I am not worried.

[Jingthing]

And yet mysteriously they never go after agents ...

[DPKANKAN]

59 minutes ago, John Drake said:

Happy I don't do my extension until late August. People doing it over the next few weeks better step lightly. No exasperation, no loud rants, no questionable gestures.

Did my renewal on 13th. One more year sorted!!!!🕺🕺🕺🏌‍♂️🏌‍♂️🏌‍♂️🏄🏄🏄

[1happykamper]

Well this seems like a great excuse for Thai.. in general.. to be even more discriminatory towards those "dirty foreigners" ! 

 

Oh geez 

[AAArdvark]

47 minutes ago, Rampant Rabbit said:

coming soon  money in the bank  for visas quadrupled!!

Yes and then only rich a-holes will be allowed in and not the everyday average a-holes. 

[John Drake]

Just now, AAArdvark said:

Yes and then only rich a-holes will be allowed in and not the everyday average a-holes. 

 

Like the Swiss doctor kicker

[mran66]

Same old, same old

[Cabradelmar]

Bluster for the media to publish to create the illusion something might change. Because it won't. Unfortunately. "Tourist" dollars are king in this Kingdom.