Immigration Officials Enforce Foreign-registration Measures

[Rimmer]

Pattaya, Phuket, and Chiang Mai:

Immigration Officials Enforce Foreign-Registration Measures

Because of the new nationwide clamp down on the registration of entrants to the country, the Pattaya Immigration Office, in accordance with Immigration Act 2522, is reinforcing its message to all who accommodate foreign tourists in any way that they must notify Immigration of any ‘aliens’ they have staying with them or face prosecution.

PATTAYA: -- The Immigration authorities are getting tough as regards registering any foreigners who may be staying in hospitality accommodation. The National Immigration Police Commander, Police Lieutenant General Wut Lippataphanlop, notified all immigration offices, particularly those in Pattaya, Phuket, and Chiang Mai, three of the most popular tourist venues, of the immediate re-implementation of the Immigration Act 2522, as of March 1. One of the reasons for stricter implementations of this act is to readily identify and track down foreign criminals.

Under the provisions of this act, specifically Sections 38 and 77, all those who run apartments, guesthouses, condominiums, or hotels that accommodate foreigners are required by law to notify the Immigration Office within 24 hours, and every successive 90-day periods thereafter, of any newcomers to their establishments. Those who fail to comply initially face fines of between Bt800-8,000, at the rate of Bt200 per day.

This tightening up operation is being run from the regional Transnational Crime Information Centre of Chonburi under Police Colonel Athitsawat Kamonrat, Chonburi Immigration Police Superintendent. The Deputy Police Superintendent of Chonburi Immigration recently conducted a personal sweep of Pattaya and Sriracha for offenders and found 10 guesthouses, with bars down stairs and rental rooms upstairs, that were contravening the law. They will likely face prosecution.

The specific Immigration Act had previously not been strictly enforced and its provisions were not generally well known. Accordingly, Immigration officials reiterated that hotel operators who contravene the regulations will be fined a maximum Bt8,000 if they are apprehended, or Bt4,000 if they report themselves voluntarily to the Immigration Office. For guesthouse operators, the same applies, but the fines are Bt1,600 and Bt800, respectively.

Pattaya Police Superintendent, Police Colonel Nanthawut Suwanla-ong, said he fully supports the new enforcement measures and is ready to assist in any way. A representative of Pattaya’s hospitality industry, Mr. Nathaphong Wongdoa, also declared his support for the new measures and said that he appreciated how the act’s implementation would help in the apprehension of foreign criminals.

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2010-03-11

[Maestro]

For details of the cited sections 38 and 77 of the Immigration Act, see here:

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/post-a84562-...Act-EN.pdf.html

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Maestro