Criminal History

[kewllover]

14 years ago in the wrong place at the wrong time I did something stupid involving a burglary ( I was only 18 and stupid ) anyway I was convicted and sent to prison for 3 - 5 years. I got out finished parole about 8 years ago. I got my degree and am now principle in a technology firm. My question is this, will I get denied access to Thailand or surrounding areas because of my conviction? I just got my passport and want to book a long deserved vacation in the area. Are there any special hoops to jump through or do they not even care? Are there time limits or anything that anyone can recommend that I do or talk to? Just want to come for a few weeks and then go home.

Thanks for the help!

[lopburi3]

Can you? Maybe. Below is the law, which seems to allow exceptions, see sub para 6:

  As a general rule, any foreigner seeking entry into the Kingdom of Thailand for business, investment, study, medical treatment, mass media, religion, employment and other purposes is required to apply for a visa from a Thai Embassy or Consulate-General. To do so, a foreigner must possess a valid passport or travel document that is recognized by the Royal Thai Government and comply with the conditions set forth in the Immigration Act B.E.2522 (1979) and its related provisions.

              Foreigners who fall into any of the following categories are prohibited to enter the Kingdom.

        (1) Having no genuine and valid passport or document used in lieu of passport; or having a genuine and valid passport or document used in lieu of passport without visaing by the Royal Thai Embassies or Consulates in foreign countries; or from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, except if a visa is not required for certain types of aliens in special instances.

    Visaing and visa exemption will be under the terms and conditions as provided in the Ministerial Regulations.

(2) Having no appropriate means of living following entrance into the Kingdom.

(3) Having entered into the Kingdom to take occupation as a labourer, or to take employment by using physical energy without skills or training , or to work in violation of the Alien Work Permit Law.

(4) Being mentally unstable or having any of the diseases as prescribed in the Ministerial Regulations.

(5) Having not yet been vaccinated against smallpox or inoculated or undergone any other medical treatment for protection against disease and having refused to have such vaccinations administered by the Immigration Doctor.

(6) Having been imprisoned by the judgement of the Thai Court; or by a lawful injunction; or by the judgement of the Court of foreign country, except when the penalty is for petty offense or negligence or is provided for as an exception in the Ministerial Regulations.

(7) Having behavior which would indicate possible danger to the Public or likelihood of being nuisance or constituting any violence to the peace or safety of the public or to the security of the public or to the security of the nation, or being under warrant of arrest by competent officials of foreign governments.

(8) Reason to believe that entrance into the Kingdom was for the purpose of being involved in prostitution, the trading of women of children, drug smuggling, or other types of smuggling which are contrary to the public morality.

(9) Having no money or bond as prescribed by the Minister under Section 14 of the Immigration Act B.E. 2522 .

(10) Being a person prohibited by the Minister under Section 16 of the Immigration Act B.E. 2522.

(11) Being deported by either the Government of Thailand that of or other foreign countries; or the right of stay in the Kingdom or in foreign countries having been revoked; or having been sent out of the Kingdom by competent officials at the expense of the Government of Thailand unless the Minister shall consider exemption on an individual special case basis.

                The examination and diagnosis of disease of a physical or mental nature, including protective operations as against disease, shall be conducted by the Immigration Doctor.

                Information on location and contact number of the Thai Embassy and Consulate-General abroad could be obtained from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Department of Consular Affairs, Visas and Travel Documents Division, 123 Chaengwattana Road, Bangkok 10210, Tel. (662) 981-7171 ext. 3201-2, 3204-5 or direct line 575-1062-4, Fax. (662) 575-1066 ,  E-mail : [email protected]

 

[dr_Pat_Pong]

Can you?  Maybe.  Below is the law, which seems to allow exceptions, see sub para 6:

  As a general rule, any foreigner seeking entry into the Kingdom of Thailand for business, investment, study, medical treatment, mass media, religion, employment and other purposes is required to apply for a visa from a Thai Embassy or Consulate-General. To do so, a foreigner must possess a valid passport or travel document that is recognized by the Royal Thai Government and comply with the conditions set forth in the Immigration Act B.E.2522 (1979) and its related provisions.

              Foreigners who fall into any of the following categories are prohibited to enter the Kingdom.

         (1) Having no genuine and valid passport or document used in lieu of passport; or having a genuine and valid passport or document used in lieu of passport without visaing by the Royal Thai Embassies or Consulates in foreign countries; or from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, except if a visa is not required for certain types of aliens in special instances.

    Visaing and visa exemption will be under the terms and conditions as provided in the Ministerial Regulations.

(2) Having no appropriate means of living following entrance into the Kingdom.

(3) Having entered into the Kingdom to take occupation as a labourer, or to take employment by using physical energy without skills or training , or to work in violation of the Alien Work Permit Law.

(4) Being mentally unstable or having any of the diseases as prescribed in the Ministerial Regulations.

(5) Having not yet been vaccinated against smallpox or inoculated or undergone any other medical treatment for protection against disease and having refused to have such vaccinations administered by the Immigration Doctor.

(6) Having been imprisoned by the judgement of the Thai Court; or by a lawful injunction; or by the judgement of the Court of foreign country, except when the penalty is for petty offense or negligence or is provided for as an exception in the Ministerial Regulations.

(7) Having behavior which would indicate possible danger to the Public or likelihood of being nuisance or constituting any violence to the peace or safety of the public or to the security of the public or to the security of the nation, or being under warrant of arrest by competent officials of foreign governments.

(8) Reason to believe that entrance into the Kingdom was for the purpose of being involved in prostitution, the trading of women of children, drug smuggling, or other types of smuggling which are contrary to the public morality.

(9) Having no money or bond as prescribed by the Minister under Section 14 of the Immigration Act B.E. 2522 .

(10) Being a person prohibited by the Minister under Section 16 of the Immigration Act B.E. 2522.

(11) Being deported by either the Government of Thailand that of or other foreign countries; or the right of stay in the Kingdom or in foreign countries having been revoked; or having been sent out of the Kingdom by competent officials at the expense of the Government of Thailand unless the Minister shall consider exemption on an individual special case basis.

                 The examination and diagnosis of disease of a physical or mental nature, including protective operations as against disease, shall be conducted by the Immigration Doctor.

                 Information on location and contact number of the Thai Embassy and Consulate-General abroad could be obtained from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Department of Consular Affairs, Visas and Travel Documents Division, 123 Chaengwattana Road, Bangkok 10210, Tel. (662) 981-7171 ext. 3201-2, 3204-5 or direct line 575-1062-4, Fax. (662) 575-1066 ,  E-mail : [email protected]

 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Except in the case of O-A there are never any checks done prior to visa issuance. One would have to have international notoriety to come to anyattention by the immigration officers.

[astral]

According to the Guardian, most of them do!!

[Jockstar]

If they stopped crims coming here then Pattaya would a totally different place.

[chuchok]

Before sept. 11, I believe there was very little information sharing between countries /crims, unless they were really bad buggers.

I know that the the NZ customs computer system could only "talk" to Aussie customs.I also know that when people made out visas from NZ to USA they had to state if they were ever convicted of a crime...many people were refused visas because they were honest when they filled out the forms.Other people who were also convicted of crimes said no on the forms and were duly granted their visas.ie: The USA had no way of knowing.

The Scouse should will be able to tell you exactly if information for relativly petty crimes will hurt you.

I would think that you would be ok though.

[fiveyears]

Pattaya, welcomes you. Join the club...

[Thetyim]

Sorry something not quite right here.

You have not mentioned first offence but make it sound like it.

Did you really get 3 to 5 for a burgulary on a first offence ?

[dr_Pat_Pong]

According to the Guardian, most of them do!! 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Now that's a credible argument

[ozzydom]

3-5 yrs. for burglary as a first offence, unlikely unless he hails from Saudi Arabia.

[dr_Pat_Pong]

He well might have lost his head

[Rinrada]

What did you nick?.......the Crown Jewels or sum-fink

Anyway dont think you will have any problems as a tourist getting into LOS.

[dr_Pat_Pong]

What did you nick?.......the Crown Jewels or sum-fink

Anyway dont think you will have any problems as a tourist getting into LOS.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

[Thetyim]

What did you nick?.......the Crown Jewels or sum-fink

Maybe the words Mat & Brinks would ring a bell

[thaiflyer1]

Think he's been nicked again.............

[devildog683]

i'm sure if you got money, they'll let you in

[the scouser]

Just don't tell them and the chances are they'll never know.

I don't know about Thailand but in the UK there's the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act which stipulates that after a certain period of time most offences are considered "spent"; i.e. you don't have to declare them, and should the Thai authorities bother checking with their UK counterparts no "spent" conviction would be disclosed.

Scouse.

[bkk_mike]

Isn't the obvious thing to apply for a tourist visa. If it's granted, they'll have done, as a minimum, the checks that immigration would do via their terminals at the airport.

[dr_Pat_Pong]

Think  he's  been  nicked  again.............  

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Crime doesn't pay but the hours are good

[kewllover]

Sorry something not quite right here.

You have not mentioned first offence but make it sound like it.

Did you really get 3 to 5 for a burgulary on a first offence ?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I did, the item burglarized were several paintings involving several hundreds of thousands of dollars. So the amount elevated the first offence severity.

[IsaanAlex]

did, the item burglarized were several paintings involving several hundreds of thousands of dollars. So the amount elevated the first offence severity.

See; that's what happens when you just dive into serious crime.

You should start out by nicking inconsequential things as a wee lad, before graduating into breakinging into cars to steal stereos-then auto theft.

If you got caught, you learn. If you haven't by 18 or so, then you know you've got a natural ability and are set to lift expensive paintings.

IA

PS. You won't have a problem if you don't say anything; welcome to Thailand.

[dr_Pat_Pong]

Pattaya sounds the ideal place to settle. He won't be lonely there. The area boasts hosts of like minded people Join the club/s

[Thetyim]

OK. I think you have had enough stick from us now.

Personally I think you will get a visa no problem.