Phuket Immigration Crackdown: Four Foreign Nationals Arrested

[webfact]

 

Immigration officers in Phuket have detained four foreign nationals for overstaying their visas. This action is part of a wider crackdown aimed at ensuring compliance with visa regulations on the popular tourist island.

 

The individuals arrested include two Egyptians, a Pakistani, and a Russian. Specific details are as follows:

 

- **Mr. Mohamed El-Sayed**, an Egyptian national, was found to be in the country on a visa overstay of 1,898 days.

- **Mr. Zubair Ahmed**, a Pakistani citizen, had overstayed by 1,734 days.

- **Mr. Haitham Khalil**, another Egyptian, was discovered to have overstayed his visa by 234 days.

- **Mr. Dmitrii Ivanov**, a Russian, had an overstay period of 413 days.

 

The arrests took place on Tuesday, July 2nd, and were part of an ongoing effort by Phuket's Immigration Office to curb the issue of illegal stays within the island. Immigration authorities emphasised that all four men are now facing charges related to their extended and unlawful stays in Thailand.

 

Further complicating the situation, the Phuket Immigration Office has issued a stringent warning to accommodation providers. These businesses are legally required to report the presence of foreign nationals living on their premises within a 24-hour window.

 

Failure to do so will attract significant legal repercussions. This rule is enforceable under Thailand's Immigration Act and is aimed at ensuring that all foreign visitors are properly documented and monitored.

 

This move comes amid growing concerns surrounding security and legal compliance on Phuket, a premier destination for international tourists. It is believed that tighter immigration controls will enhance the safety and public order of the area.

 

While the arrests highlight ongoing challenges, they also reflect a commitment by local authorities to uphold the country's immigration laws rigorously. Both local residents and tourists have expressed mixed reactions, with some applauding the enforcement and others calling for more accessible visa extension processes.

 

Further updates on this case and implications for visa policy in Phuket are expected in the coming weeks.

 

Picture courtesy: ศูนย์ข้อมูลภูเก็ต Phuket Info Center

 

-- 2024-07-04

 

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[RT555]

I preferred the year 2000...when most of this rubbish never knew Thailand existed. 

[Gottfrid]

23 minutes ago, RT555 said:

I preferred the year 2000...when most of this rubbish never knew Thailand existed. 

Surely! However, the social media and other media outlets have more visibly show the need for stricter control. They were here before, but we can see them more open today, and there are a lot of criminals moving to Thailand as they think it a free zone for them. 

A person that have nothing to hide and take care of visa and permission to stay have nothing to worry about.

[stoner]

35 minutes ago, RT555 said:

I preferred the year 2000...when most of this rubbish never knew Thailand existed. 

 

you sound like a racist. 

[hotchilli]

3 hours ago, webfact said:

Immigration officers in Phuket have detained four foreign nationals for overstaying their visas. This action is part of a wider crackdown aimed at ensuring compliance with visa regulations on the popular tourist island.

All these crackdowns make me crack-up  

[watchcat]

3 hours ago, webfact said:

This rule is enforceable under Thailand's Immigration Act and is aimed at ensuring that all foreign visitors are properly documented and monitored.

 

The aiming could be better....

[Presnock]

3 hours ago, webfact said:

 

Immigration officers in Phuket have detained four foreign nationals for overstaying their visas. This action is part of a wider crackdown aimed at ensuring compliance with visa regulations on the popular tourist island.

 

The individuals arrested include two Egyptians, a Pakistani, and a Russian. Specific details are as follows:

 

- **Mr. Mohamed El-Sayed**, an Egyptian national, was found to be in the country on a visa overstay of 1,898 days.

- **Mr. Zubair Ahmed**, a Pakistani citizen, had overstayed by 1,734 days.

- **Mr. Haitham Khalil**, another Egyptian, was discovered to have overstayed his visa by 234 days.

- **Mr. Dmitrii Ivanov**, a Russian, had an overstay period of 413 days.

 

The arrests took place on Tuesday, July 2nd, and were part of an ongoing effort by Phuket's Immigration Office to curb the issue of illegal stays within the island. Immigration authorities emphasised that all four men are now facing charges related to their extended and unlawful stays in Thailand.

 

Further complicating the situation, the Phuket Immigration Office has issued a stringent warning to accommodation providers. These businesses are legally required to report the presence of foreign nationals living on their premises within a 24-hour window.

 

Failure to do so will attract significant legal repercussions. This rule is enforceable under Thailand's Immigration Act and is aimed at ensuring that all foreign visitors are properly documented and monitored.

 

This move comes amid growing concerns surrounding security and legal compliance on Phuket, a premier destination for international tourists. It is believed that tighter immigration controls will enhance the safety and public order of the area.

 

While the arrests highlight ongoing challenges, they also reflect a commitment by local authorities to uphold the country's immigration laws rigorously. Both local residents and tourists have expressed mixed reactions, with some applauding the enforcement and others calling for more accessible visa extension processes.

 

Further updates on this case and implications for visa policy in Phuket are expected in the coming weeks.

 

Picture courtesy: ศูนย์ข้อมูลภูเก็ต Phuket Info Center

 

-- 2024-07-04

 

Get our Daily Newsletter - Click HERE to subscribe

Seems to me that this is a perfect example of the Immigration Bureau mismanagement of the TM.30 requirements.  As stated in this article on the arrests of the 4 foreign overstayers, it is reported that the immigration office in Phuket has "issued a stringent warning to accommodation providers" while many immigration offices may do the same, it seems we only hear about the expats who have to pay a fine

for not filing a TM.30 or landlords that fail to provide necessary documents if they refuse to do the TM.30 themselves as required.  These landlords we never hear were fined or anything else but many expats have seeminly had immigration problems for not filing a (landlord) required TM.30.  Just saying...good luck to all.

[ChipButty]

27 minutes ago, Presnock said:

Seems to me that this is a perfect example of the Immigration Bureau mismanagement of the TM.30 requirements.  As stated in this article on the arrests of the 4 foreign overstayers, it is reported that the immigration office in Phuket has "issued a stringent warning to accommodation providers" while many immigration offices may do the same, it seems we only hear about the expats who have to pay a fine

for not filing a TM.30 or landlords that fail to provide necessary documents if they refuse to do the TM.30 themselves as required.  These landlords we never hear were fined or anything else but many expats have seeminly had immigration problems for not filing a (landlord) required TM.30.  Just saying...good luck to all.

I have seen Thai landlords get fined, as much as 10,000 Baht 

[Presnock]

41 minutes ago, ChipButty said:

I have seen Thai landlords get fined, as much as 10,000 Baht 

WOW!  First time on this forum or anywhere else that I have seen this happen.  Thanks for advising me that sometimes immigration does get it right!  But too many times to count plus my own experience with landlords to get them to actually do the TM.30 even though it is online for them easily in my opinion.  I have offered but then the landlords won't give me a copy of the necessary documents to do it myself.

[jippytum]

Should have an extra fine for wearing elephant pants

[ChipButty]

A couple of weeks back they were trawling the area of Rawai, there is a block of condo's across the road from the end of my soi which is known for Russians staying there, at the moment judging by the amount of lights on at night not many there, the immigration turned up team handed, it seems they went away empty handed,

One day a car pulled up just past my house and a guy got out with his jacket on "Immigration" on the back, he walked down looking between the houses, not really looking at the houses, walked back past our house to the next house again looking at empty land, as he came back he stood on his phone for a while, then drove off, Strange

[Luuk Chaai]

Russians are slacking off .    only scored 25% on this one

[Luuk Chaai]

there on a freaking island ...   close the road and  how difficult is it to do sweep and check everyones visa ?

 

 on a visa overstay of 1,898 days.

 had overstayed by 1,734 days.

 overstayed his visa by 234 days.

an overstay period of 413 days.

 

[Dr. Zorg]

Yep. The year Y2k. No 90 days reporting. No TM 30.

 

[Old Croc]

59 minutes ago, Luuk Chaai said:

there on a freaking island ...   close the road and  how difficult is it to do sweep and check everyones visa ?

Phuket's land mass is 9x larger than New York's Manhattan Island, and with temporary workers and visitors, it is estimated to have over a million people at any given time. 

NY has a massive illegal Immigrant problem; it should be easy to close off a few bridges and tunnels and do a sweep of visas in Manhattan borough!

[mokwit]

In another report it was mentioned that property owners were fined for not filing TM30 for them. maybe this is where Imm should be pedantic about TM30's - with the property owner not the extension holder. Get out of the office and start kicking some tyres. If they had done that people would not be able to rack up overstays.

Edited July 4 by mokwit

[mokwit]

4 hours ago, Presnock said:

Seems to me that this is a perfect example of the Immigration Bureau mismanagement of the TM.30 requirements.  As stated in this article on the arrests of the 4 foreign overstayers, it is reported that the immigration office in Phuket has "issued a stringent warning to accommodation providers" while many immigration offices may do the same, it seems we only hear about the expats who have to pay a fine

for not filing a TM.30 or landlords that fail to provide necessary documents if they refuse to do the TM.30 themselves as required.  These landlords we never hear were fined or anything else but many expats have seeminly had immigration problems for not filing a (landlord) required TM.30.  Just saying...good luck to all.

Maybe if they enforced it more with landlords there might be less of these overstayers that worry them so much. Law says property owner must file - enforce the law.

 

[NativeBob]

nominal rental contract with TM30 filled and submitted in BKK is 30K/year. Problem solved

[Baz Erckens]

5 hours ago, RT555 said:

I preferred the year 2000...when most of this rubbish never knew Thailand existed. 

This was the pre Internet, Social Media, Smartphone era, which in hindsight was just delightful.

[Presnock]

40 minutes ago, mokwit said:

Maybe if they enforced it more with landlords there might be less of these overstayers that worry them so much. Law says property owner must file - enforce the law.

 

totally agree!

[digger70]

8 hours ago, webfact said:

Thailand's Immigration Act and is aimed at ensuring that all foreign visitors are properly documented and monitored.

Well now why doesn't IMM  go and Check All the Foreigners where they live  when they come to Thailand .

Then after say every 3 Months go visit and  check to make sure that they stay/Live at the Address  they provided when they came here .

That would help everyone and we wouldn't have to do the 90 day Cr@p.   

[watchcat]

On 7/3/2024 at 8:57 PM, webfact said:

Immigration officers in Phuket have detained four foreign nationals for overstaying their visas.

 

On 7/3/2024 at 8:57 PM, webfact said:

The individuals arrested include two Egyptians, a Pakistani, and a Russian. Specific details are as follows:

 

- **Mr. Mohamed El-Sayed**, an Egyptian national, was found to be in the country on a visa overstay of 1,898 days.

- **Mr. Zubair Ahmed**, a Pakistani citizen, had overstayed by 1,734 days.

- **Mr. Haitham Khalil**, another Egyptian, was discovered to have overstayed his visa by 234 days.

- **Mr. Dmitrii Ivanov**, a Russian, had an overstay period of 413 days.

 

These individuals obviously have no money for extending their visa, send them to IDC until they get money for transport to their home country.

[Deserted]

I bet they all looked shady, and that's what got them caught.