Thai Immigration To Keep Close Track Of All Tourists

[george]

Tourists to face closer monitoring

BANGKOK: -- The Immigration Bureau will start a new campaign next month to keep track of the whereabouts

of all tourists by enforcing reporting requirements of hotels, resorts and guesthouses.

Bureau chief Wuthi Liptapallop said managers failing to comply will face arrest and fines of up to 10,000 baht

per tourist if they do not fulfil their obligations.

Read more: http://www.bangkokpost.com/business/tourism/188875/tourists-to-face-closer-monitoring

[marquess]

Just another Big Brother exercise, there is no way that they are protecting Foreign Nationals by updating the various ambassadors. Besides nearly all farang are classified as tourists even if they have been living here for 30 years. Still I wouldn't worry about it too much as it when it comes to organisation and effective management and enforcing the law, these are hardly strong suits here! Still it will probably be just another thing used to hassle foreigners!

[soihok]

Two ways to look at this really, in your favour if you need to be contacted or some problem arises.

If you have nothing to hide and are not in hiding then theres nothing much to worry about.

The responsibility will fall on hotels etc.,

[dumpling]

Reading between the lines .... why are they now enforcing this old rule ?

Maybe they are expecting something bad to befall tourist , two bombings last week both of which were in areas popular with tourist are they expecting an increase in such incidents thus needing better records for identification purposes.

Also many people who holiday here do so as they like the freedom and ease of running around to what ever part of the country their whims take them having to register your stay and duration of stay at hotels detracts from this.

[soihok]

The freedom of touring around will not be affected, we are required to fill a form out for any check in to a hotel etc. anyway.

It will just put more pressure on the hotels to inform the authorities.

Whether it will be enforced remains to be seen, perhaps someone will be made an example of.

[bifftastic]

Also many people who holiday here do so as they like the freedom and ease of running around to what ever part of the country their whims take them having to register your stay and duration of stay at hotels detracts from this.

well, not really, every time you check in at a hotel the form you fill out is supposed to go to immigration, maybe they send them off and maybe they don't, but it hardly detracts from your freedom as you fill the form in anyway.

[DocHolliday]

Why this big fuss? I wonder what's it all about. Reporting tourists is standard 'law' for hotels in most western countries. It's nothing new.

[Pib]

Oh no, there is a need to keep track of all the these sneaky tourists! If a tourist stays in a hotel in Bangkok for a few days and then another hotel in Pattaya for a few days and then a hotel in Chiang Mai for a few days, it's very important that the government know this. I'm sure you could check with immigration at any given hour and they could quickly pull up in their database system exactly where that tourist is right now (giggle, giggle).

After thinking for a few minutes I can't think of any valid reasons for such close tracking, but I'm sure they are some...let me form a commission to figure out (dream up) some valid reasons and I'll reported back in three years.

Maybe immigration could issue out free GPS-enabled cell phones to tourists for general tracking...and the phones would come with unlimited daily hours as long as the tourist called into an immigration call center every 24 hours to report their specific location and, in turn, get another 24 hours of free calls. What you think?

[dumpling]

Also many people who holiday here do so as they like the freedom and ease of running around to what ever part of the country their whims take them having to register your stay and duration of stay at hotels detracts from this.

well, not really, every time you check in at a hotel the form you fill out is supposed to go to immigration, maybe they send them off and maybe they don't, but it hardly detracts from your freedom as you fill the form in anyway.

o.k I retract the second part of my comment but my first thought is more important.

[siampolee]

A fine way to encourage tourism is it not ?

Reminds me of the system in Russia years ago when you had to show all your documents when travelling and booking into hotels, one couldn't fart without a permit then..

So nice to see the Thai tourist industry regress backwards even more by enforcing old outdated antiquated rules. In this electronic age our movements can be monitored without all the resurrected rigmarole.

People use credit cards, they have entry visa's a multitude of other transactions all electronically recorded, they do not need to be made to jump through hoops at their accommodation at the behest of some power crazed 2 baht uncivil servant in the Ministry of Tourism.

Hello Thailand this is the 21st century yet you still want to drive the nails into the coffin of tourism one of your or so you say most vital industries.

A time machine running in reverse is exactly what the Thai uncivil service is.

[screamingeagle]

One question.... Why??????? So they know where to go when they need tea money!!!!

[LuckyLew]

A fine way to encourage tourism is it not ?

Reminds me of the system in Russia years ago when you had to show all your documents when travelling and booking into hotels, one couldn't fart without a permit then..

So nice to see the Thai tourist industry regress backwards even more by enforcing old outdated antiquated rules. In this electronic age our movements can be monitored without all the resurrected rigmarole.

People use credit cards, they have entry visa's a multitude of other transactions all electronically recorded, they do not need to be made to jump through hoops at their accommodation at the behest of some power crazed 2 baht uncivil servant in the Ministry of Tourism.

Hello Thailand this is the 21st century yet you still want to drive the nails into the coffin of tourism one of your or so you say most vital industries.

A time machine running in reverse is exactly what the Thai uncivil service is.

How will this affect tourism?

It is up to the hotels to report info. to authorities and has zero to do with tourism

Unless you read about this rule being enforced you will not even kn ow about the rule,

nor will you know if the rule is being followed by the hotels or whoever else

[bdenner]

How boring, just another bi annual event by the Immigration Dept.

[jayjay0]

I thought the states and Canada were paranoid. Tougher than hel---l to get my Thai wife in there but at least when it happens they won't be monitoring her every move..

Wonder what they will do with tourists visiting there relatives and staying in there home.

[bristolgeoff]

i thought it was always the case that hotels etc reported the tourist to police

[soihok]

How boring, just another bi annual event by the Immigration Dept.

Agree

[siampolee]

LuckyLew.

The matter is in the public domain and travel agents abroad will be informed about it, hence travellers will avoid Thailand, I speak from past and indeed current experience as I have shares in our business in the U.K. which includes a travel agents and the feedback from clients is not positive concerning Thailand.

I've lived and worked here for twenty years and every now and again some mindless 2 baht moron resurrects the old rules so as to enable a little more squeezing and wringing out of money from those responsible for record keeping and ways on how to avoid it.

Edited August 1, 2010 by siampolee

[bifftastic]

Also many people who holiday here do so as they like the freedom and ease of running around to what ever part of the country their whims take them having to register your stay and duration of stay at hotels detracts from this.

well, not really, every time you check in at a hotel the form you fill out is supposed to go to immigration, maybe they send them off and maybe they don't, but it hardly detracts from your freedom as you fill the form in anyway.

o.k I retract the second part of my comment but my first thought is more important.

well i didn't comment on that part, but if you think it's more important then I will.

let me get it straight first though ok? You think that the immigration police think that tourists are going to be subjected to violence and killed, so, in order to be able to identify their bodies, they want the hotels to adhere to the existing legislation regarding the reporting of foreigners staying with them?

I think you smoke too much weed.

[dumpling]

Also many people who holiday here do so as they like the freedom and ease of running around to what ever part of the country their whims take them having to register your stay and duration of stay at hotels detracts from this.

well, not really, every time you check in at a hotel the form you fill out is supposed to go to immigration, maybe they send them off and maybe they don't, but it hardly detracts from your freedom as you fill the form in anyway.

o.k I retract the second part of my comment but my first thought is more important.

well i didn't comment on that part, but if you think it's more important then I will.

let me get it straight first though ok? You think that the immigration police think that tourists are going to be subjected to violence and killed, so, in order to be able to identify their bodies, they want the hotels to adhere to the existing legislation regarding the reporting of foreigners staying with them?

I think you smoke too much weed.

It was a valid thought and a comment asking others their opinion and the article did state the problems they had identifying victims of the tsunami , there is no need to get so personal this is forum and an area to discuss ideas and thoughts, referring to me as a drug user I find offensive.

Civility in all things please.

[whybother]

The thing that surprises me is that they actually have a computer system that manages all of this information - and that 60% of all hotels (and other places) already report the information.

Also, there must be thousands of little hotels and guest houses that don't have much in the way of internet access or computer knowledge to be able to report the information every day.

Edited August 1, 2010 by whybother

[bifftastic]

I think you smoke too much weed.

It was a valid thought and a comment asking others their opinion and the article did state the problems they had identifying victims of the tsunami , there is no need to get so personal this is forum and an area to discuss ideas and thoughts, referring to me as a drug user I find offensive.

Civility in all things please.

Ok I apologise, didn't mean to offend you. I was just going off your avatar that you find it offensive when your avatar is passing everyone a joint is surprising, but I will repeat, I'm sorry for that.

What I mean is, it's a little 'conspiracy theory' don't you think? I mean not everything is 'big brother watching over us all' it's just cops realising they haven't been chasing up their paperwork and telling the hotels/guesthouses that they'll fine them if they don't hand it all in. You did mention the possibility of violence with regard to the recent bombings and said that you thought this 'new move' by immigration was related. I think that's not the case and you're reading too much into it.

Edited August 1, 2010 by bifftastic

[soihok]

Dumpling.... the weed remark was linked to your avatar. Made in jest.

I thought it was funny actually.....

[MCos]

I take a different point of view. I believe it's a way to give employment to more people. Look at that bloody great building out at Chaing Wattana they have to fill up to justify it's existence. I reckon the basement was constructed to store all the paperwork such as airport departure forms and the shitloads of paperwork necessary for a work permit application, which they dare not chuck out. In the meantime they rent it out to retailers.

[monty]

Actually they are pretty lenient at the moment. The following is the law they will be enforcing (section 38, chapter 4 of the Immigration Act, B.E. 2522:

Section 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 of that dwelling place or hotel, within 24

hours from the time of arrival of the alien concerned. If there is no Immigration

Office located in that area , the local police official for that area must be notified.

If they so wish, they could enforce all the following, where the onus is on the foreigner to do the reporting as well. Section 37, chapter 4:

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

Director General . If , in any case , there is a law concerning alien employment

provided hereafter , the granting of work privileges must comply with

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

competent official, he shall notify the competent official of the change

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

3. Shall notify the police official of the local police station

alien resides, within twenty – four hours from the time of arrival. In the

change in residence in which new residence is not located the same area

former police stations , such alien must notify the police official of the

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

twenty – four hours , such alien must notify the police official of the police

for that area within forty – eight hours from the time of arrival.

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

alien must notify the competent official at the Immigration Division , in

concerning his place of stay , as soon as possible upon expiration of ninety

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.

In making notification under this Section , the alien may make

notification in person or send a letter of notification to the competent official

accordance with the regulations prescribed by the Director General .

Of which currently only point 5 is being enforced (90 day address reporting).

[jybkk]

The thing that surprises me is that they actually have a computer system that manages all of this information - and that 60% of all hotels (and other places) already report the information.

Also, there must be thousands of little hotels and guest houses that don't have much in the way of internet access or computer knowledge to be able to report the information every day.

I hardly believe it too. Their whole immigration system looks still very far from being effectively computerized. For example, I'm always wondering about the amount of passport copies I hand while in Thailand.. Do they have some kind of huge warehouse filled with the millions of passport copies they accumulate every year?

As for this mandatory reporting... well, that was supposed to be like that already. So my guess is that it's just the usual "crackdown show" trying to pretend they actually do something.

Maybe it's also an additional source of revenue for some cops: see how they insist on the 10,000THB fine for the hotel... hmmmm

I believe it won't change anything for the tourists here. It might be an additional pain for the hotel though.

*edit: spelling

Edited August 1, 2010 by jybkk

[bifftastic]

Dumpling.... the weed remark was linked to your avatar. Made in jest.

I thought it was funny actually.....

It was meant to be in jest, obviously upset him though, which wasn't my intention.

[RKASA]

I think they just require better record keeping and want to enforce that, they are not going to report your check in the minute you get there. They may need to see the record when looking for a missing person or track down the prior movements of a suspect of a crime. Its the same at any motel across America.

Police - often - will also scan motel parking lots and run every plate number in the lot looking for stolen cars or numbers reported in association with a recent crime. 1000's of suspects and missing persons are located this way.

We used to scan the parking lots of local bars for the plate numbers of reported overdue boaters, because over half could be found there.

[antony77]

Help please. I rent out a room to an ex-pat. Can I register him with immigration on line?

[apetley]

I hope that this is not seen as too dumb a question.

I am here on a multi entry non-0.

On entry I fill in my address details on the arrival card.

Is my Thai wife also responsible for telling the local Immigration Office of my presence at our home within 24 hours of each entry?

[bifftastic]

I hope that this is not seen as too dumb a question.

I am here on a multi entry non-0.

On entry I fill in my address details on the arrival card.

Is my Thai wife also responsible for telling the local Immigration Office of my presence at our home within 24 hours of each entry?

If you want to stick to the letter of the law then i think the answer is yes. After the initial reporting then I think, if you're staying 'long-term' then the 90 day reporting you do covers it