Foreigners Required To Register At Local Police Station

[AA1]

I had a visit a couple of days ago from a young Policeman who informed (T/wife) every ferang in/or around Surin will be checked up on. I provided him with fingerprints and a photo after the 2 page Thai form was completed by him.

The blue ink has gone now and I hope that doesn't mean I will be deported

Dave

I confirm what you say. I and other expat friends around Sangkha (Surin) have all been visited or had to go to the local police station.

I was told that the reason for doing this - as another member mentioned - was for identification purposes should there be an accidental death. As well as the photo and fingerprints, he also asked me for:-

any personal indentification features in case of say death by fire by which relatives you confirm it's me

&

a 'fee' of B100 (which some refused!).

On the light hearted side, 1 friend refused to give his finger prints so to save face the policeman put friend's wife's finger prints on the form instead!!!

[DMasut]

Actually, if they deputised every bar girl in Thailand and made them immigration field agents, they could easily collect DNA samples as well...

WHAT?! But they do!!! You didn't know?!

[barryofthailand]

I think for the most part, this is being done so the local police can keep track on Foreigners living in villages, not cities. The reason being it is easy for a criminal to hide out in a village, so they are running background checks on Foreigners living in the boonies.

Barry

[ubonjoe]

I think for the most part, this is being done so the local police can keep track on Foreigners living in villages, not cities. The reason being it is easy for a criminal to hide out in a village, so they are running background checks on Foreigners living in the boonies.

Barry

I don't agree. A foreigner in a small village stands out like a sore thumb.

In the large cities where there are many more they would hardly be noticed.

Thinking they are doing background checks is stretching it a bit. Do you have any idea what the costs and how complicated it would be to do that.

[DMasut]

I just deleted a post that was way off topic and could be considered derogatory to some people.

BUT I LIKE THOSE POSTS.... They break up the monotony as well as make the rest of us 'normal' 'posters' look....well...more normal!

[moe666]

Try a little oil and sugar mixed.

[Pattaya46]

...

On the other side i have a international drivers license , value for 3 months only in Thailand if i am correct(?) , but because of the leaving the country every 3 months , it renew the value automatically i claim

Hi david555 ,

What you need is International Driving Permit (IDP), not License...

And it is not clear at all if this 3 months period restart when you make a visarun.

Some administration say that after 3 months in a country

you have to come back in your home country to renew its value...

In case of a big accident, surely your insurance will tell you if it's not valid

but as for now I realy don't know...

so I choosed to get a Thai Driving License

[cocopops]

Maybe it's a local initiative. So the local cops are equipped to sort it out if a body turns up.

[liloldspirut]

I've heard that you can do your 90 day report at a police station if no Immigration office was nearby.

Sorry. Heard wrong. You cannot.

When I was obtaining my 'O' Retirement Visa, in the explanation it did say that upon unavailability of a Immigration Office go to the closest Police Station. Are they wrong?

[animatic]

I suspect this has something to do with a recent report of 3 Austrailian murderers fleeing to Thailand,

and maybe some inter-nation quid pro quos for other baddies laying low here.

I don't think this is intended as a jingoist anti-foreigner action,

but I suspect they are looking for somebody or somebodies.

It could be as simple as a new guy in a top office asserting authority in an easy to do way.

Being seen to do SOMETHING. Rather typical that.

But I suspect someone is more actively being sought.

Still nothing happening here on Samui.

Which might be considered a hide in plain sight area.

Edited May 31, 2009 by animatic

[ubonjoe]

I've heard that you can do your 90 day report at a police station if no Immigration office was nearby.

Sorry. Heard wrong. You cannot.

When I was obtaining my 'O' Retirement Visa, in the explanation it did say that upon unavailability of a Immigration Office go to the closest Police Station. Are they wrong?

Info is wrong. You can only do 90 day reports at immigration.

In the immigration act the only report that can be done at the police station is one that reqiures you to report within 8 hours of arrival in a province (not enforced thankfully).

[wrecker]

The local "johnny English" is showing up every year in many rural communities, however I do not believe for one moment that taking your fingerprints is part of the exercise. Registering is one thing, but I would not easily leave my fingerprints behind, I probably would make a phone call to the embassy first. In most cases only the referenece to a phone call will make them change their mind.

[sabaijai]

Is this a police country???? we are the one that help you with economy as a turists, Please bring back Mr. Taksin........

FYI Thaksin, who publicly claimed he wanted only high-end tourists, whose interior minister refused to grant a single permanent residency permit the first two years they were in office, who stated 'The UN is not my father,' and who called his new party 'Thais Love Thais', was arguably the most nationalistic PM since Phibun Songkhram. The trend towards stricter immigration policy gained momentum during his administration.

[ubonjoe]

The local "johnny English" is showing up every year in many rural communities, however I do not believe for one moment that taking your fingerprints is part of the exercise. Registering is one thing, but I would not easily leave my fingerprints behind, I probably would make a phone call to the embassy first. In most cases only the referenece to a phone call will make them change their mind.

Why?

The embassy would tell you to do it.

[liloldspirut]

I've heard that you can do your 90 day report at a police station if no Immigration office was nearby.

Sorry. Heard wrong. You cannot.

When I was obtaining my 'O' Retirement Visa, in the explanation it did say that upon unavailability of a Immigration Office go to the closest Police Station. Are they wrong?

Info is wrong. You can only do 90 day reports at immigration.

In the immigration act the only report that can be done at the police station is one that reqiures you to report within 8 hours of arrival in a province (not enforced thankfully).

Since this info seem incorrect, I went to the Royal Thai Embassy in Washington DC and found the page on 'O-A' Visas. I believe them since they are the Issuers of this Visas. Not only can you report to the local Police station but you can mail it in to the local Immigration Office. see address web: http://www.thaiembdc.org/consular/visa/Non-Imglong.aspx. Maybe UBon is deferent than the rest of the country.

[liloldspirut]

Is this a police country???? we are the one that help you with economy as a turists, Please bring back Mr. Taksin........

FYI Thaksin, who publicly claimed he wanted only high-end tourists, whose interior minister refused to grant a single permanent residency permit the first two years they were in office, who stated 'The UN is not my father,' and who called his new party 'Thais Love Thais', was arguably the most nationalistic PM since Phibun Songkhram. The trend towards stricter immigration policy gained momentum during his administration.

Believe me when I say Thaksin's TRT Party is not the only nationalistic group in this Country.

[lopburi3]

Since this info seem incorrect, I went to the Royal Thai Embassy in Washington DC

The Embassy issues the visa - they have nothing to do with internal Immigration matters and unfortunalely do not often know the rules. They do not provide the correct information on extension of stay on that page either.

The report is done to Police - but only to Immigration Police. And it can be (must be now) done at the local office of the Immigration Police.

The mail reporting was originally allowed to Bangkok but now Bangkok is not supporting those outside of the local Bangkok and adjacent province areas. So web site is out of date - just as the Bangkok Immigration web site is out of date. Keeping websites current is often not a top priority here (but that is not unique to Thailand).

Edited May 31, 2009 by lopburi3

[auserb]

Actually, all foreigners should be registered with the local police. It's law that the head of the house should notify the police when a foreigner stays there.

Most foreigners stay in hotels/apartments and the landlords should register them.

Not sure if reporting your address to immigration nullifies or complies this law or not.

what a bleeding crap.

Is this a police country???? we are the one that help you with economy as a turists, Please bring back Mr. Taksin........

Thaksin back, holy gosh U wanna WAR ??

In Holland one of the largest cities (Rotterdam) has a Moroccan mayor, I suggest here it's about time for the much-needed foreigners to get their own own representatives in the gov...

Just back from few refreshing days in Gods fertile Philippines, above the immigration boots is written 'VISITORS' while above Thai immigration boots there's written 'FOREIGNERS'

Feel the subtle difference ?

how on earth can you compare Philipines with Thailand, GEEEEEEEE

[sassienie]

This happened to me on the 10th March in Doi Lor, Chiang Mai:

I was out shopping. When I arrived home my wife informed me that the local police had visited my home, some in plain clothes.

The plain clothes policemen asked some questions about me, left a form to fill in and requested that after I had completed the form, to either take to the local police station or the police will visit me again and collect the form.

We also discovered that the police had asked local people if they know of the addresses of other Farangs in the area.

All the questions on the form were in Thai and answers were expected to be written in Thai, so I asked my wife to assist me with the form.

Questions on the form included:

Width of forehead, colour of skin, size of nose, size of ears, any distinguishing marks on body, body size, pitch of voice, height, hobbies, occupation, passport details, telephone number, plus a photo of myself.

My wife and I decided to take the completed form to the police station. Once there the policeman that previously visited my home took us into his office for an interview. He could speak passable English and explained that in Chiang Mai there has been a substantial increase in crime against Farangs, such as theft, murders, muggings and vehicle theft. He said that the police are now going to keep a regular watch and contact with Farangs in my area, (near Chom Thong) not only for my own protection but also as a deterrent to curb drug dealing and crime especially since there has been a large increase in the amount of Burmese moving into the area. He also described the situation that due to the economic crisis, many Thai people are becoming desperate to acquire money and Farangs are obvious targets for resentment and crime.

The policeman concluded by giving us advice on how to secure our home and gave his contact details if we required help from them.

Although the policeman was at all times courteous, friendly and polite, he did show me, without my asking, the personal details of other Farangs in the area that had submitting their forms, as if suggesting because I am a Farang, that I should know all the other Farangs in my area. I explained that I do not know them, but the policeman still described their details to me on the forms.

[ubonjoe]

Since this info seem incorrect, I went to the Royal Thai Embassy in Washington DC and found the page on 'O-A' Visas. I believe them since they are the Issuers of this Visas. Not only can you report to the local Police station but you can mail it in to the local Immigration Office. see address web: http://www.thaiembdc.org/consular/visa/Non-Imglong.aspx. Maybe UBon is deferent than the rest of the country.

Here is what section 37 of the immigration act says. There is no higher rule than this.

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.

[liloldspirut]

Since this info seem incorrect, I went to the Royal Thai Embassy in Washington DC

The Embassy issues the visa - they have nothing to do with internal Immigration matters and unfortunalely do not often know the rules. They do not provide the correct information on extension of stay on that page either.

The report is done to Police - but only to Immigration Police. And it can be (must be now) done at the local office of the Immigration Police.

The mail reporting was originally allowed to Bangkok but now Bangkok is not supporting those outside of the local Bangkok and adjacent province areas. So web site is out of date - just as the Bangkok Immigration web site is out of date. Keeping websites current is often not a top priority here (but that is not unique to Thailand).

Well I guess the rules are made as we go along since everyone has its interpretation. So pick your methodology and go for it. I have spoken to Immigrations in Hua Hin and Surin and others and they semm to not want to inconvenient the 'Foreigner' to a 200 KM or more trip. Is this part of the 'Land of Smiles"?

[Mario2008]

Actualy section 35 of the immigration act states this:

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 .

So the rules allow for notification by mail.

[Padrino]

if you have nothing to hide then why be bothered, at least it keeps a track of riff raff, it also makes it easier for western police to trace sexpests and other criminals living here. I would quite like to speak with the local bobby and have a cup of tea, maybe he would let me get a picture holding his gun I wish this would happen in the UK , then we might not have the problem of not knowing where the 6 million illegal immigrants are.

I have recently renewed my stay in BKK and there has been no knock on the door yet.

[Shuguk]

wonder when we get the gps tracking device - a mobile phone

isn't that far from it anymore anyway!

You are correct. Here in the UK phone network O2 has `Favourite Place` where I can make free phone calls from a nominated postcode. A small area indeed. And, of course, all phone calls are logged.

Shug

[selftaopath]

Another case of, "Dance Monkey!"

Perhaps the ONLY constant in LOS (Lack of Sanctions).

[venturalaw]

I live way out of town.

The police know me well because my wife is the village head person. (man). That is why she got a call instead of a visit.

I even got letters from them last year that were requested by immigation when I put in for my extension.

Some immigration offices do request that they check to see if you are living together. Immigration gave us a letter to deliver and then to take the police letter back instead of waiting for the mail to go both ways.

You are suppost to report to the police within 8 hours according to the immigration act. The other reports mentioned are to immigration not the police.

I have met the chief before and he told me clearly this came from above. I don't think it has a thing to do with immigration.

I don't think it's anything to get excited over.

I justed posted this topic so if you get a request to report you will have a heads up about what it might be about.

And it's appreciated. Thank you.

[wernerfreitag]

Not so nice , but....

Living in Germany everybody has to register his permanent or temporary address at the town office.

If I remember right , I had to register my address when I used to live in the U.S.

They take fingerprints now in many countries at immigration.

The point is , what is behind this action , if there is anything at all ? Otherwise , it makes no sense to complain. Nothing we can do about it.

[OJAS]

if you have nothing to hide then why be bothered, at least it keeps a track of riff raff, it also makes it easier for western police to trace sexpests and other criminals living here. I would quite like to speak with the local bobby and have a cup of tea, maybe he would let me get a picture holding his gun I wish this would happen in the UK , then we might not have the problem of not knowing where the 6 million illegal immigrants are.

I have recently renewed my stay in BKK and there has been no knock on the door yet.

Are not identity cards supposed to flush out illegal immigrants? It is a complete mystery to me as to why so many of our compatriots seem to have their heads buried in the sand about the value of introducing such cards in the UK – when they have long been compulsory not only in Thailand but, nearer to home, in practically every country on mainland Europe.

Back on topic, I wonder whether all this might simply be to do with what I understand to be the legal obligation on the Thai police to notify a foreigner's death to their Embassy. My local plod here in Rayong Province have yet to ask me for any information about myself, and I am now awaiting with eager anticipation their 3am knock on my front door for this purpose..

Edited May 31, 2009 by OJAS

[asiawatcher]

I remember there was recently a thread in the Chinag Mai forum about this done in the area.

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/Police-Taggi...hl=police+check

9 years in 'see-um' and never heard of it yet! Could be big brother on the rise but he missed the 1984 deadline! Poor George.

[poldebol]

Is this a police country???? we are the one that help you with economy as a turists, Please bring back Mr. Taksin........

FYI Thaksin, who publicly claimed he wanted only high-end tourists, whose interior minister refused to grant a single permanent residency permit the first two years they were in office, who stated 'The UN is not my father,' and who called his new party 'Thais Love Thais', was arguably the most nationalistic PM since Phibun Songkhram. The trend towards stricter immigration policy gained momentum during his administration.

Believe me when I say Thaksin's TRT Party is not the only nationalistic group in this Country.

To all the people who use the argument that they come here to help the Thai economy/ the poor people in Thailand, etc. etc. and expect something in return: if you really believe this, please go back where you came from, I believe your mother has made fresh cookies.