Crime Immigration Ramps Up Airport Security to Block ‘Grey Business’ Foreigners

[Georgealbert]

 

Picture courtesy of Daily News.

 

Airport immigration authorities in Thailand, particularly at Suvarnabhumi and Don Mueang airports, have stepped up surveillance and screening procedures to prevent foreign nationals associated with so-called “grey businesses” from entering the country via air travel. The move follows stricter land border controls now in effect.

 

In line with a government directive to tighten land border crossings, especially in Chanthaburi and Sa Kaeo provinces, the Royal Thai Army has authorised its 1st and 2nd Regional Armies to filter cross-border movements. The new land border measures have been in force since 7 June. Authorities now anticipate that individuals previously entering Thailand from Cambodia via land may attempt to use air travel instead.

 

Pol. Maj. Gen. Cherngron Rimphadee, Commander of Immigration Division 2, confirmed that airport immigration teams are fully aligned with the national security-focused policies set out by Pol. Gen. Kittirat Phanphet, Commissioner-General of the Royal Thai Police. Emphasis has been placed on preventing foreign nationals who misuse visa exemptions or who may be involved in illicit activities from gaining entry.

 

In particular, officials are watching for individuals engaged in call centre scams, online gambling or money laundering, many of whom allegedly operate illegal businesses in neighbouring countries and use Thailand as a base or transit hub. With land routes now closely monitored, such individuals may shift to air travel in an attempt to circumvent the new restrictions.

 

Immigration officers at Suvarnabhumi and Don Mueang airports have been instructed to intensify their observation and screening of high-risk foreign nationals. This includes travellers from neighbouring countries who frequently use visa exemptions improperly, known as “visa runs” or those linked to grey capital groups, some of whom may possess falsified or black-market passports to obscure their identities.

 

Maj. Gen. Cherngron further assured the public that these enhanced security measures will not impact legitimate tourists. He stressed that the strategy aims to welcome visitors who contribute positively to the Thai economy, while strictly barring those who pose a threat to national security.

 

The overarching directive follows the principle: “Good guys in, bad guys out.”

 

 

  Adapted by Asean Now from Daily News 2025-06-08

 

 

 

[JoePai]

Disappointed, room for a few more at the back

[blaze master]

Imagine if they stepped up to solve the brown envelope  business. 

[BangkokReady]

With so much going on, they really need distractions.

[blaze master]

Just now, BangkokReady said:

With so much going on, they really need distractions.

 

There will be a bag of cash left in the back of a taxi any day now. 

[GanDoonToonPet]

1 hour ago, Georgealbert said:

...screening procedures to prevent foreign nationals associated with so-called “grey businesses” from entering the country via air travel

 

Can't have them taking Thai jobs, can we. The biggest 'grey business' in Thailand is happening at the airports and now they've found another excuse to force people to use it.

 

The new Thailand. The land of self-entitlement to first-world standards and the gluttony of third-world corruption.

[Briggsy]

This is probably primarily aimed at the Chinese, but also Indians and Africans. 

 

It concerns me that this role is linked to Immigration and entry points. I do not have the confidence in their ability to make an evidence-based on-the-spot assessment of whether somebody is running or working in an unregistered or 'grey' business. Fair enough, if they catch them with a suitcase full of tools or a blacklisting pops up on the computer but otherwise it will just be guesswork based on the old "You stay too long" followed by a Section 3 (Suspected working without permission) denial of entry. This will then be followed by a 4500 Baht safe entry. 

[connda]

2 hours ago, Georgealbert said:

Airport immigration authorities in Thailand, particularly at Suvarnabhumi and Don Mueang airports, have stepped up surveillance and screening procedures to prevent foreign nationals associated with so-called “grey businesses” from entering the country via air travel.

You mean - "Digital Nomads?"

[Hunz Kittisak]

Grey businesses? Those listed are downright illegal. Why are they sugar coating it?

[NanLaew]

2 minutes ago, Hunz Kittisak said:

Grey businesses? Those listed are downright illegal. Why are they sugar coating it?

 

Vested interests, now shush...

[Caldera]

5 hours ago, Georgealbert said:

The overarching directive follows the principle: “Good guys in, bad guys out.”

 

They've been notoriously inept at telling those groups apart, even in glaringly obvious cases. This latest "crackdown" will be yet another failure.

[gejohesch]

6 hours ago, Georgealbert said:

Maj. Gen. Cherngron further assured the public that these enhanced security measures will not impact legitimate tourists. He stressed that the strategy aims to welcome visitors who contribute positively to the Thai economy, while strictly barring those who pose a threat to national security.

 

I like reading this, but in practice, will there not be a more suspicious approach in general by immigration officers, having a negative impact on genuine visitors?

 

Maybe a naive question.....

[Peabody]

9 hours ago, Georgealbert said:

In particular, officials are watching for individuals engaged in call centre scams, online gambling or money laundering,

How do they identify these people?

[Daves not here]

Fascism. 

[freedomnow]

Visa-exempt visa-running a thing of the past over next 10 years I guess...to point people to paid visas where they will do what they will do regardless of paid visa.

[redwood1]

15 hours ago, Briggsy said:

This is probably primarily aimed at the Chinese, but also Indians and Africans. 

 

It concerns me that this role is linked to Immigration and entry points. I do not have the confidence in their ability to make an evidence-based on-the-spot assessment of whether somebody is running or working in an unregistered or 'grey' business. Fair enough, if they catch them with a suitcase full of tools or a blacklisting pops up on the computer but otherwise it will just be guesswork based on the old "You stay too long" followed by a Section 3 (Suspected working without permission) denial of entry. This will then be followed by a 4500 Baht safe entry. 

 

Sir the answer is simple......Immigration will just look for the name tag that all scammers wear when they enter Thailand..

 

 

 

 

[Patong2021]

16 hours ago, GanDoonToonPet said:

 

Can't have them taking Thai jobs, can we. The biggest 'grey business' in Thailand is happening at the airports and now they've found another excuse to force people to use it.

 

The new Thailand. The land of self-entitlement to first-world standards and the gluttony of third-world corruption.

 

What is the grey business at the airport?

[Patong2021]

8 hours ago, Peabody said:

How do they identify these people?

 

Many of them are known to the authorities. There may be insufficient evidence to obtain a conviction but they can be blocked from entering. Examples are people who are named in investigations or who have been detained previously.

[ukrules]

If they reject all visa runners from Cambodia through the airports then there's going to be mayhem as I have a feeling there's quite a few.
 

[hotchilli]

On 6/8/2025 at 7:23 AM, Georgealbert said:

Airport immigration authorities in Thailand, particularly at Suvarnabhumi and Don Mueang airports, have stepped up surveillance and screening procedures to prevent foreign nationals associated with so-called “grey businesses” from entering the country via air travel. The move follows stricter land border controls now in effect.

And how exactly do they know what tourists entering Thailand intentions are?

[Itsreasonable]

Visa runs are necessary from time to time because changes to visa type force you to leave the country. Is the idea return to home country and apply gonna get expensive and fast. Less and less long term expats another economic hit for the country!

[JCauto]

On 6/8/2025 at 7:57 AM, blaze master said:

Imagine if they stepped up to solve the brown envelope  business. 

Well, that's the only way it's going to happen. 

 

In your imagination. 

[mikeymike100]

22 hours ago, Briggsy said:

This is probably primarily aimed at the Chinese, but also Indians and Africans. 

 

It concerns me that this role is linked to Immigration and entry points. I do not have the confidence in their ability to make an evidence-based on-the-spot assessment of whether somebody is running or working in an unregistered or 'grey' business. Fair enough, if they catch them with a suitcase full of tools or a blacklisting pops up on the computer but otherwise it will just be guesswork based on the old "You stay too long" followed by a Section 3 (Suspected working without permission) denial of entry. This will then be followed by a 4500 Baht safe entry. 

Maybe you are correct, but don't the immigration staff have something like an 'intelligence' division, that collates information on potential suspects?  ... Just a thought!

[blaze master]

Just now, JCauto said:

Well, that's the only way it's going to happen. 

 

In your imagination. 

 

A boy can dream. 

[mikeymike100]

14 minutes ago, hotchilli said:

And how exactly do they know what tourists entering Thailand intentions are?

They could ask???

[hotchilli]

2 minutes ago, mikeymike100 said:

They could ask???

I'm here for the temples, experience culture and also want to try Phad Thai, followed by mango and sticky rice, to fulfill my bucket list.