24hrs Reporting After Entering Thailand?

[jonnie4u]

hi, i just arrived in Thailand a few days back and not quite familiar wtih Thai laws .is there anything like reporting or registering with the police with 24hours after entering Thailand. the reason why i'm asking this is that some other countries do. pls let me know your thoughts.

[edwardandtubs]

hi, i just arrived in Thailand a few days back and not quite familiar wtih Thai laws .is there anything like reporting or registering with the police with 24hours after entering Thailand. the reason why i'm asking this is that some other countries do. pls let me know your thoughts.

What police state has such laws? Certainly not Thailand. The police stations would be a little crowded if all of Thailand's millions of tourists had to register at a police station, don't you think?

Edited May 15, 2008 by edwardandtubs

[NHJ]

<br />

hi, i just arrived in Thailand a few days back and not quite familiar wtih Thai laws .is there anything like reporting or registering with the police with 24hours after entering Thailand. the reason why i'm asking this is that some other countries do. pls let me know your thoughts.

<br /><br />What police state has such laws? Certainly not Thailand. The police stations would be a little crowded if all of Thailand's millions of tourists had to register at a police station, don't you think?<br />

<br /><br /><br />

in belgium the foreigner that arrives has to register his adress in the week he arrives.

i think there's nothing special to that, here in thailand they ask you that on the arrival card.

[abdulrahman]

in belgium the foreigner that arrives has to register his adress in the week he arrives.

haven't been in Belgium lately,many times earlier,but years ago.not too much to see there. If in a Hotel,the registering is theyr duty,if by friends,nobody gave a s***.

i think there's nothing special to that, here in thailand they ask you that on the arrival card.

And who do you think will be reading all the arrival cards,or control if they are correct?

Some people are really paranoid

[lopburi3]

Actually Thailand has that law. Fortunately it is not actively enforced in most cases. But all public accommodations are required to report foreigner presence and that is enforced; and why they need your passport details on registration.

[JAS21]

hi, i just arrived in Thailand a few days back and not quite familiar wtih Thai laws .is there anything like reporting or registering with the police with 24hours after entering Thailand. the reason why i'm asking this is that some other countries do. pls let me know your thoughts.

What police state has such laws? Certainly not Thailand. The police stations would be a little crowded if all of Thailand's millions of tourists had to register at a police station, don't you think?

China.

[apetley]

Are Hua Hin Immigration still fining people for not reporting there within two days of arrival?

[jumnien]

Didn't fine me. Others may have different stories. Of course, that's why to come to Thailand in the first place, isn't it? Surprises around every corner!

[Krub]

hi, i just arrived in Thailand a few days back and not quite familiar wtih Thai laws .is there anything like reporting or registering with the police with 24hours after entering Thailand. the reason why i'm asking this is that some other countries do. pls let me know your thoughts.

If you stay at a hotel or public accommodation, the owner is responsible to report your presence to the police.

If you stay in a private accommodation,again the owner is supposed to report you to the police.

Although I spend a lot of time out of Thailand, I had the owner of the house report me to the local cops once.

They fill a form and make a report both of which I got a copy.

It is always that dress that I use on my arrival form and on the 90 day reporting form when needed.

Any other 'movements' or stays (Bangkok in my rented condo or when with friends or trips abroad) go unreported to the local cops

[bdenner]

We put our address on the TM6 form at our point of entry so technically we have reported. Yes - No?

Surely that law only applies if one relocates.

[Krub]

We put our address on the TM6 form at our point of entry so technically we have reported. Yes - No?

Surely that law only applies if one relocates.

No, there is another form : TM 30.

This form is to be filled in and reported by the owner of the premises where the foreigner stays within 24h00

It says on the form to report to the local immigration in Bangkok, to the local immigration if outside of Bangkok or to the local cops if no immigration in area

[Marvo]

hi, i just arrived in Thailand a few days back and not quite familiar wtih Thai laws .is there anything like reporting or registering with the police with 24hours after entering Thailand. the reason why i'm asking this is that some other countries do. pls let me know your thoughts.

What police state has such laws? Certainly not Thailand. The police stations would be a little crowded if all of Thailand's millions of tourists had to register at a police station, don't you think?

According to section 37 and section 38 of the immigration act...

Sec 38 The house–master , the owner or the possessor of the residence , or the hotel manager

where the alien , receiving permission to stay temporary in the Kingdom has stayed , must notify the

competent official of the Immigration Office located in the same area with that house , dwelling place or

hotel, within 24 hours from the time of arrival of the alien concerned.

Section 37:3 states "The alien shall notify the police official of the local police station where such alien resides, within twenty–four hours from the time of arrival."

[niggle]

Hua Hin imimigration ( believe here is the only one) requires that all foreigners on any visa other than a tourist visa must report to immigration within 24 hours of arival back in Thailand

Failure to do so fine 800 baht

[lopburi3]

I have not seen any recent report that Hua Hin is currently doing this - and believe they only did it before when people asked for certificate of residence.

[george]

Here is a link to the form TM 28:

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?au...amp;showfile=15

[astral]

According to section 37 and section 38 of the immigration act...

Sec 38 The house–master , the owner or the possessor of the residence , or the hotel manager

where the alien , receiving permission to stay temporary in the Kingdom has stayed , must notify the

competent official of the Immigration Office located in the same area with that house , dwelling place or

hotel, within 24 hours from the time of arrival of the alien concerned.

Section 37:3 states "The alien shall notify the police official of the local police station where such alien resides, within twenty–four hours from the time of arrival."

True, but Section 37 rarely enforced, except in Hua Hin.

My wife has been fined under Section 38 for not reporting my arrival.

She was not amused.

[kriswillems]

My Thai wife got fined 800 baht for not reporting within 24 hours after I arrived in our house.

We were fined at the moment we were asking for a residence certificate (for opening a bank account).

I think the immigration officers saw the 800 baht fine as a kind of compensation for typing the residence letter on their antique typewriter.

It is of course an absurd rule that when enforced would lead to enormous amounts of people waiting in the immigration offices.

Immigration doesn't want to enforce this rule, they just use it to squeeze some extra baht out of the farang needing a favour/service of them.

The fact that you already have to fill in where you stay on your arrival card, shows the stupidity of this rule.

Anyway, welcome to Thailand

Edited May 16, 2008 by kriswillems

[Jingthing]

When I have a farang friend visit me in my condo, am I supposed to report it? What form? Any probability of having a problem if I don't report? Why not just ask my friend to put down a hotel on their arrival form, then no trace?

[kriswillems]

If your friend sleeps in your condo and you're the owner you should go to immigration within 24 hours after his arrival. But as said before this rule is not enforced unless your friend would need a favour of immigration. At that moment you (not your friend) might get fined.

Edited May 16, 2008 by kriswillems

[Jingthing]

If your friend sleeps in your condo and you're the owner you should go to immigration within 24 hours after his arrival. But as said before this rule is not enforced unless your friend would need a favour of immigration. At that moment you (not your friend) might get fined.

Supposing I was going to comply with this rule, would I need a copy of his passport and entry stamp?

[lopburi3]

You need the information from his passport/departure card as you provide at a hotel.

The form is TM30

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?au...amp;showfile=16

[astral]

If your friend sleeps in your condo and you're the owner you should go to immigration within 24 hours after his arrival. But as said before this rule is not enforced unless your friend would need a favour of immigration. At that moment you (not your friend) might get fined.

Supposing I was going to comply with this rule, would I need a copy of his passport and entry stamp?

The copies would be a good idea, but simply the passport number, arrival card number and date of arrival should be sufficient.

That is all the hotels write down.

If the friend already gave your address on arrival at the airport he/she will not be liable for a fine,

however if he/she stayed somewhere else first, then they will also be liable for a fine.

IME it is not a problem, unless you bring the matter to the attention of Immigration.

I have left and returned home many times and there had never been any problem,

but like another poster I needed a letter confirming my address and a new officious lady

immigration officer felt that we had broken the law. She also wanted to fine me for not reporting

every 90 days.......... I had not been in the country for 90 days on that trip!!

I had to ask to see her superior before she caved in on that one.

[Maestro]

I see a divergence between Section 37(3) of the Immigration Act, which requires notification to the local police station, and the current practice which requires notification to the immigration bureau:

– address notification upon arrival to immigration officer with arrival card TM.6

– notification of change address to immigration office with TM.28

On the other hand, it may be Section 37(2) that refers to the notification to immigration, which would mean that the requirement of notification to the local police according to Section 37(3) – hardly ever implemented except some months ago by Hua Hin immigration as a money-grabbing scheme – is in addition to the notification to immigration.

It would be interesting to see what the relevant “regulations prescribed by the Director General” say.

Section 37 : An alien having received a temporary entry permit into the Kingdom must comply with the

following :

1. Shall not engage in the occupation or temporary or employment unless authorized by the

Director General. or competent official deputized by the Director General . If , in any case , there is a law

concerning alien employment provided hereafter , the granting of work privileges must comply with the

law concerned.

2. Shall stay at the place as indicated to the competent official. Where there is proper reason

that he cannot stay at the place as indicated to the competent official, he shall notify the competent official

of the change in residence , within 24 hours from the time of removing to said place.

3. Shall notify the police official of the local police station where such alien resides, within twenty

– four hours from the time of arrival. In the case of change in residence in which new residence is not

located the same area with the former police stations , such alien must notify the police official of the

police station for that area within twenty – four hours from the time of arrival.

4. If the alien travels to any province and will stay there longer than twenty – four hours , such

alien must notify the police official of the police station for that area within forty – eight hours from the time

of arrival.

5. If the alien stays in the Kingdom longer than ninety days, such alien must notify the

competent official at the Immigration Division , in writing , concerning his place of stay , as soon as

possible upon expiration of ninety days. The alien is required to do so every ninety days. Where there is

an Immigration Office , the alien may notify a competent Immigration Official of that office.

The provision of ( 3 ) and ( 4 ) shall not apply to any cases under Section 34 by any conditions as

prescribed by the Director General.

In making notification under this Section , the alien may make notification in person or send a

letter of notification to the competent official , in accordance with the regulations prescribed by the

Director General .

--

Maestro

[Marvo]

Went to Hua Hin Immigration this week (already had done the 24 hr check-in a couple of months ago, where I was reminded that if I hadn't, it would have been an 800 Baht fine for me!) Went there to get a letter showing residence address as I was buying a motorcycle this week and taking my motorcycle "driving?" test next week. The very pleasant lady (the one who tried to sell me a house last year) told me I needed TWO original letters, both with photo's stuck on them (which I didn't have with me).

Nipped next door for the photos - (150 Baht), plus the two letters - (600 Baht). Total 750 Baht. OK, "if I must" I thought. Bought the new bike today and they didn't even ask for the letter proving address . Got to do a visa run next week so it'll be back to "check in" and see my "old mates" at Hua Hin immigration again

Edit: forgot the bit about the house last year!

Edited May 16, 2008 by Marvo

[Lite Beer]

Went to Hua Hin Immigration this week (already had done the 24 hr check-in a couple of months ago, where I was reminded that if I hadn't, it would have been an 800 Baht fine for me!) Went there to get a letter showing residence address as I was buying a motorcycle this week and taking my motorcycle "driving?" test next week. The very pleasant lady told me I needed TWO original letters, both with photo's stuck on them (which I didn't have with me).

Nipped next door for the photos - (150 Baht), plus the two letters - (600 Baht). Total 750 Baht. OK, "if I must" I thought. Bought the new bike today and they didn't even ask for the letter proving address . Got to do a visa run next week so it'll be back to "check in" and see my "old mates" at Hua Hin immigration again

Why not ask for a re fund as the letters should be FREE

[Maestro]

Went to Hua Hin Immigration this week (already had done the 24 hr check-in a couple of months ago, where I was reminded that if I hadn't, it would have been an 800 Baht fine for me!)

There’s something wrong about this scam operated by Hua Hin immigration office. The report within 24 hours according to Section 37(3) must be made to the local police station, not to the immigration office. And if you did go to the local police station they would not know how to handle it. Somebody should call the immigration office's bluff.

--

Maestro

[Marvo]

Went to Hua Hin Immigration this week (already had done the 24 hr check-in a couple of months ago, where I was reminded that if I hadn't, it would have been an 800 Baht fine for me!)

There's something wrong about this scam operated by Hua Hin immigration office. The report within 24 hours according to Section 37(3) must be made to the local police station, not to the immigration office. And if you did go to the local police station they would not know how to handle it. Somebody should call the immigration office's bluff.

--

Maestro

I would like to know exactly what the status of Imigration office is in Thailand. Does it in fact have "police station" status for the purpose of the law?

[Maestro]

It is my understanding that Immigration is one of many divisions of the Toyal Thai Police, at the top of which is the Police Director General. In this sense, an immigration officer is a police officer just like the police officer operating the traffic lights at an intersection.

The website of the Royal Thai Police seems to be in Thai only but there is some information on Wikipedia about it.

This webpage on the site of the the Royal Thai Police appears to give a list of the police divisions, with the immigration police the 7th line from the bottom.

--

Maestro

[Marvo]

This webpage on the site of the the Royal Thai Police appears to give a list of the police divisions, with the immigration police the 7th line from the bottom.

--

Maestro

Ahhhhhhhhh, that would seem to make many things make sense!

Hua Hin immigration would seem to have decided to push themselves in the roll of immigration POLICE and therefore, as far as the immigration act goes, allow you to substite "local police station" for "Hua Hin immigration office".... and then require you to report there within 24hrs of arrival in the province.

[Briggsy]

Immigration Offices unlike local police stations are closed at the weekend, are they not?

So you must not arrive back in Thailand on a Friday evening or Saturday (if you get your extension at Hua Hin immigration).