Thai Immigration To Keep Close Track Of All Tourists

[petercool]

Who gives a sh...!! Overstay is a laugh. Met a Dutch guy last year living here since 1977. No Passport, no Visa, and never been asked for it on the street. Anyone of you have been stopped, if you're doing nothing wrong? In the two years I'm here, (first of all they never stopped me in the car, and when they would, the only thing they aske for is your drivers license) So????

Whether you have been stopped or not, the law says you must carry a copy of your passport and latest visa. If you ARE stopped at any time with no passport copy, no visa or an outdated one then you can be - as many are - arrested. It only takes an accident, a speeding ticket, stopped for any motor bike infringement, a random road check or anything where a legitimate request for ID is made by police and you are in deep trouble. So comments like yours are reckless and frankly juvenile. Since a credit card sized photocopy in plastic is sufficient and costs only about 30 baht to get at many photoshops, my advice is to play it safe now and not be sorry later.

Edited August 2, 2010 by petercool

[surangw]

maybe someone's kid needed a job, so they put them in charge of a new department

[astral]

I believe that is the requirement.

The missus and I have a home in Thailand and visit often, but I don't head straight for the imm or police to say.." Hi.. I,m here back home again".

I do however think that this is required.

When you enter the country, there is an address required on the back of the Entry Card. If you put your home address, you have fulfilled this obligation, perhaps.

You as the foreigner have fulfilled your duty,

but NOT the householder, your lady wife perhaps............

She must also report to a "compenent" official.

[SamritT]

For foreigners safety, why not suggest that all foreigners report to the police once every 24 hours. This is to make sure that they are safe, unhurt and not con or scam. If you have nothing to hide, you have nothing to fear about, do you?

[naiharn]

For foreigners safety, why not suggest that all foreigners report to the police once every 24 hours. This is to make sure that they are safe, unhurt and not con or scam. If you have nothing to hide, you have nothing to fear about, do you?

A few observations:

• having anything to do with Thailand's infamous police does not instil a feeling of safety in me: quite the opposite
• how precisely does reporting to police protect foreigners from cons and scams?
• I assume the tens of thousands of Thais in my own country running their numerous restaurants, newspapers, businesses, temples, etc are happy to report to the police here? After all, I wouldn't want them to be unsafe, and they all have nothing to hide, do they?
• after a few days of reporting to the police in your beloved country, I think most tourists will be so jack of it, they will quickly leave and look for another place more welcoming. So better quickly set up some way to fleece them at the airport as they flee. (I know of a well known duty-free shop which seems to have headed down this path :-) )

[elkangorito]

My comments in blue.

A few observations:

• having anything to do with Thailand's infamous police does not instil a feeling of safety in me: quite the opposite. I fully agree.
• how precisely does reporting to police protect foreigners from cons and scams? It doesn't.
• I assume the tens of thousands of Thais in my own country running their numerous restaurants, newspapers, businesses, temples, etc are happy to report to the police here? After all, I wouldn't want them to be unsafe, and they all have nothing to hide, do they? See my comment below.
• after a few days of reporting to the police in your beloved country, I think most tourists will be so jack of it, they will quickly leave and look for another place more welcoming. So better quickly set up some way to fleece them at the airport as they flee. (I know of a well known duty-free shop which seems to have headed down this path :-) ) It looks like that us expats are so desperate to stay away from our own countries, we tolerate the dictatorial efforts of the 'Thai Inquisition'.

I have Thai friends who live in Australia. One of them is now an Australian citizen & doesn't want to live in Thailand again (like the rest of the family). This person wants to use Thailand as an escape from Australia (holiday).

The parents of this person are also applying for Australian citizenship, which will take lots of money & a couple of years to accomplish.

At the moment, one Thai child & their mother live in Australia with appropriate visas. (The child who has citizenship does not count.) The outstanding child & the mother are not required to report anywhere. If they stay at a hotel, they are required to give passport info but the hotel doesn't have to immediately contact Australian Immigration.

In the event of a problem, the simple 'narrowing down' of things & media coverage, quickly seem to get to the root of the problem. This requires good police work...something that Thailand doesn't have.

Thailand does not have the infrastructure, money, talent or professionalism to carry out anything that requires detail or correctness. Therefore, Thailand needs to drop this idiotic exercise & spend the money elsewhere....like getting rid of all the old wowsers in the Ministry of Culture (for a start).

[naiharn]

My comments in blue.

A few observations:

• having anything to do with Thailand's infamous police does not instil a feeling of safety in me: quite the opposite. I fully agree.
• how precisely does reporting to police protect foreigners from cons and scams? It doesn't.
• I assume the tens of thousands of Thais in my own country running their numerous restaurants, newspapers, businesses, temples, etc are happy to report to the police here? After all, I wouldn't want them to be unsafe, and they all have nothing to hide, do they? See my comment below.
• after a few days of reporting to the police in your beloved country, I think most tourists will be so jack of it, they will quickly leave and look for another place more welcoming. So better quickly set up some way to fleece them at the airport as they flee. (I know of a well known duty-free shop which seems to have headed down this path :-) ) It looks like that us expats are so desperate to stay away from our own countries, we tolerate the dictatorial efforts of the 'Thai Inquisition'.

I have Thai friends who live in Australia. One of them is now an Australian citizen & doesn't want to live in Thailand again (like the rest of the family). This person wants to use Thailand as an escape from Australia (holiday).

The parents of this person are also applying for Australian citizenship, which will take lots of money

Why will it take lots of money? Are they doing something illegal?

Once a foreigner (or 'alien' in endearing Thai terminology) has PR (Permanent Residence) and lived in Australia for 2 or 3 years, citizenship can be obtained easily, and any fees are minimal.

& a couple of years to accomplish.

At the moment, one Thai child & their mother live in Australia with appropriate visas. (The child who has citizenship does not count.) The outstanding child & the mother are not required to report anywhere. If they stay at a hotel, they are required to give passport

Just a quick comment: I have stayed at hotels all over Australia and have never been asked for my passport.

info but the hotel doesn't have to immediately contact Australian Immigration.

In the event of a problem, the simple 'narrowing down' of things & media coverage, quickly seem to get to the root of the problem. This requires good police work...something that Thailand doesn't have.

Thailand does not have the infrastructure, money, talent or professionalism to carry out anything that requires detail or correctness. Therefore, Thailand needs to drop this idiotic exercise & spend the money elsewhere....like getting rid of all the old wowsers in the Ministry of Culture (for a start).

[whybother]

My comments in blue.

A few observations:

• having anything to do with Thailand's infamous police does not instil a feeling of safety in me: quite the opposite. I fully agree.
• how precisely does reporting to police protect foreigners from cons and scams? It doesn't.
• I assume the tens of thousands of Thais in my own country running their numerous restaurants, newspapers, businesses, temples, etc are happy to report to the police here? After all, I wouldn't want them to be unsafe, and they all have nothing to hide, do they? See my comment below.
• after a few days of reporting to the police in your beloved country, I think most tourists will be so jack of it, they will quickly leave and look for another place more welcoming. So better quickly set up some way to fleece them at the airport as they flee. (I know of a well known duty-free shop which seems to have headed down this path :-) ) It looks like that us expats are so desperate to stay away from our own countries, we tolerate the dictatorial efforts of the 'Thai Inquisition'.

I have Thai friends who live in Australia. One of them is now an Australian citizen & doesn't want to live in Thailand again (like the rest of the family). This person wants to use Thailand as an escape from Australia (holiday).

The parents of this person are also applying for Australian citizenship, which will take lots of money & a couple of years to accomplish.

At the moment, one Thai child & their mother live in Australia with appropriate visas. (The child who has citizenship does not count.) The outstanding child & the mother are not required to report anywhere. If they stay at a hotel, they are required to give passport info but the hotel doesn't have to immediately contact Australian Immigration.

In the event of a problem, the simple 'narrowing down' of things & media coverage, quickly seem to get to the root of the problem. This requires good police work...something that Thailand doesn't have.

Thailand does not have the infrastructure, money, talent or professionalism to carry out anything that requires detail or correctness. Therefore, Thailand needs to drop this idiotic exercise & spend the money elsewhere....like getting rid of all the old wowsers in the Ministry of Culture (for a start).

Thais go to Australia because they like the lifestyle. Aussies come to Thailand because they like the lifestyle. What has citizenship got to do with this?

Thailand already have this reporting in place. 60% of hotels are already doing it.

And as you say, "This requires good police work...something that Thailand doesn't have." - based on this statement, it's obvious that this process is required, isn't it?

[Payboy]

The best solution would be to put a RFID tag on every tourist on arrival.

Edited August 4, 2010 by Payboy

[virtualtraveller]

Don't forget, unmentioned here but part of the same rule, is that any person having a foreigner as a guest in their house needs to inform the authorities within 24 hours. So, when your rellies come by you should give immigration a call otherwise risk a 10,000 baht fine. Another one of those lesser applied rules that some dodgy guy in uniform can use to extort money from the uninformed.

[bkkjames]

Don't forget, unmentioned here but part of the same rule, is that any person having a foreigner as a guest in their house needs to inform the authorities within 24 hours. So, when your rellies come by you should give immigration a call otherwise risk a 10,000 baht fine. Another one of those lesser applied rules that some dodgy guy in uniform can use to extort money from the uninformed.

Will this also apply to the short time hotels? 

[SamritT]

The best solution would be to put a RFID tag on every tourist on arrival. <img src='http://static.thaivisa.com/forum/public/style_emoticons/default/smile.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='' />

Not a bad idea DirtyOldMan

[electau]

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).

And of all the persons (eg tourists) that visit Thailand how many comply with paras 2, 3 and 4?

Those regulations were brought in many years ago when Communism was the threat to the security of Thailand.

The problem is that they have never been repealed or amended over the years to suit current conditions and the changes to technology.

Before the 1970s there would have been very few tourists in Thailand compared with today.　

　

　

Edited August 4, 2010 by electau

[Payboy]

The best solution would be to put a RFID tag on every tourist on arrival. <img src='http://static.thaivisa.com/forum/public/style_emoticons/default/smile.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='' />

Not a bad idea DirtyOldMan

Do you think it is time to invest in RFID companies?

[electau]

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.

Not in common law countries. And hotels do not report this information. Yes ID may well be asked for , passport, or drivers licence, credit card etc along with your name and home address.

Australia, New Zealand, UK, Canada and US are examples of common law countries.

Edited August 4, 2010 by electau

[chantorn]

The best solution would be to put a RFID tag on every tourist on arrival. <img src='http://static.thaivisa.com/forum/public/style_emoticons/default/smile.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='' />

Not a bad idea DirtyOldMan

Do you think it is time to invest in RFID companies?

What about finger print, blood and urine sample taken from all foreign arrivals? Just in case they are here to plant bomb or shoplift at KingPower?

I know that only an ultra small percentage are bad foreigners, by why take the chances? Better save than sorry.

Edited August 4, 2010 by chantorn

[electau]

I spend a lot of time travelling around the provinces and use small hotels and big hotels, when we arrive the Thai wife signs us in

I have never been asked to register or give any detail taken about me in 4 years

And with the few times one was asked they only wanted the passport number, name of passport holder and

nationality of holder when checking in. No copy of passport was ever taken.

If my wife checked in for us I am never asked for my passport or passport information.

Edited August 5, 2010 by electau

[wolf5370]

I've just reread the regulation. It actually says that one has to find THE competent official not 'a' competent official.

THE competent official of the local immigration office, so apparently each office has just exactly one competent official. I still think that's highly unlikely. Do they wear a special uniform?

No there's only the one - he does round

[Payboy]

What about finger print, blood and urine sample taken from all foreign arrivals? Just in case they are here to plant bomb or shoplift at KingPower?

I know that only an ultra small percentage are bad foreigners, by why take the chances? Better save than sorry.

Somehow, I can't imagine pooyai's kids collecting urine samples from dirty foreigners. So I guess, it must be a "clean" process like RFID.

[aegdawson]

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!

Actually someone I know, just yesterday, was denied a tourist visa extension because their address was a private house, and the house head had not logged a TM30 with immigration. A 2000THB fine was requested by immigration before they would process their extension.

The resulting outcome was that the person refused to pay the fine and instead left the country early.

[animatic]

The best solution would be to put a RFID tag on every tourist on arrival. <img src='http://static.thaivisa.com/forum/public/style_emoticons/default/smile.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='' />

Not a bad idea DirtyOldMan

Do you think it is time to invest in RFID companies?

What about finger print, blood and urine sample taken from all foreign arrivals? Just in case they are here to plant bomb or shoplift at KingPower?

I know that only an ultra small percentage are bad foreigners, by why take the chances? Better save than sorry.

You left out the DNA mouthswab, with 230% value added, mandatory processing and filing fee.

Yes this is another in the series of new Ministerial heads sending someone into the rule book

to look about and find something he can 'look effective' making a grand pronouncement about.

The RFID tagging would of course have to be sub-cutaneous.

Take the shot in the arm or leave Thailand. Might as well make it GPS traceable too

Asked my local head of immigration about this, and about it applying to Non-Im B and O visa holders

who own residences and companies. etc, going to Bangkok getting reported at a hotel, over a weekend stay,

but not reporting into Immigration on returning home... Computer limbo;.... yes no? A problem; yes no?

He looked about, hemmed and hawed, said all was OK, looked at a rule book, almost picked up the phone,

and then wrote down a phone number, for his' private phone',

and said call back when I had a Thai speaker in front of a computer.

Did that, and his own # was wrong...

Save face, get the farang out of the office, questions unanswered, end of problem.

TIT He was quite friendly any way.

Edited August 5, 2010 by animatic

[jayboy]

You left out the DNA mouthswab, with 230% value added, mandatory processing and filing fee.

Yes this is another in the series of new Ministerial heads sending someone into the rule book

to look about and find something he can 'look effective' making a grand pronouncement about.

The RFID tagging would of course have to be sub-cutaneous.

Take the shot in the arm or leave Thailand. Might as well make it GPS traceable too

Asked my local head of immigration about this, and about it applying to Non-Im B and O visa holders

who own residences and companies. etc, going to Bangkok getting reported at a hotel, over a weekend stay,

but not reporting into Immigration on returning home... Computer limbo;.... yes no? A problem; yes no?

He looked about, hemmed and hawed, said all was OK, looked at a rule book, almost picked up the phone,

and then wrote down a phone number, for his' private phone',

and said call back when I had a Thai speaker in front of a computer.

Did that, and his own # was wrong...

Save face, get the farang out of the office, questions unanswered, end of problem.

TIT He was quite friendly any way.

Isn't there a subtext in all this with a link back perhaps to those crazy foreigners active in the red disturbances which might have brought a longstanding position to a head? Aren't the Thai authorities quite within their rights to crack down on the vast army of expatriates, mostly rather low grade, abusing a very liberal visa system.A tourist should be a tourist and not living more or less permanently in the country.Businessmen have proper visas and work permits.Permanent residents are permanent residents.For the rest a much more critical supervision by the Thai authorities is very understandable.The whole visa run process for example is a racket designed to frustrate the spirit if not the letter of Thai immigration law.I'm guessing some very senior Thais are absolutely fed up with this army of visa runners, very few of them desirable visitors anyway (and some of the outright criminals) as Thailand attempts to move its image upmarket.Basically then if you don't have a work permit or PR then you're a tourist and only under very exceptional circumstances would you stay more than a few weeks a year.Personally I would also end the so called retirement visa or at least introduce a proper wealth check (say net annual income of at least US$ 100,000 and/or assets of US$1,000,000.

[animatic]

You left out the DNA mouthswab, with 230% value added, mandatory processing and filing fee.

Yes this is another in the series of new Ministerial heads sending someone into the rule book

to look about and find something he can 'look effective' making a grand pronouncement about.

The RFID tagging would of course have to be sub-cutaneous.

Take the shot in the arm or leave Thailand. Might as well make it GPS traceable too

Asked my local head of immigration about this, and about it applying to Non-Im B and O visa holders

who own residences and companies. etc, going to Bangkok getting reported at a hotel, over a weekend stay,

but not reporting into Immigration on returning home... Computer limbo;.... yes no? A problem; yes no?

He looked about, hemmed and hawed, said all was OK, looked at a rule book, almost picked up the phone,

and then wrote down a phone number, for his' private phone',

and said call back when I had a Thai speaker in front of a computer.

Did that, and his own # was wrong...

Save face, get the farang out of the office, questions unanswered, end of problem.

TIT He was quite friendly any way.

Isn't there a subtext in all this with a link back perhaps to those crazy foreigners active in the red disturbances which might have brought a longstanding position to a head? Aren't the Thai authorities quite within their rights to crack down on the vast army of expatriates, mostly rather low grade, abusing a very liberal visa system.A tourist should be a tourist and not living more or less permanently in the country.Businessmen have proper visas and work permits.Permanent residents are permanent residents.For the rest a much more critical supervision by the Thai authorities is very understandable.The whole visa run process for example is a racket designed to frustrate the spirit if not the letter of Thai immigration law.I'm guessing some very senior Thais are absolutely fed up with this army of visa runners, very few of them desirable visitors anyway (and some of the outright criminals) as Thailand attempts to move its image upmarket.Basically then if you don't have a work permit or PR then you're a tourist and only under very exceptional circumstances would you stay more than a few weeks a year.Personally I would also end the so called retirement visa or at least introduce a proper wealth check (say net annual income of at least US$ 100,000 and/or assets of US$1,000,000.

Wow, sounds so suspiciously like Goebbels talking about undesirables and keeping close tabs on them.

I'm guessing some...

Irony abounds. Edited August 5, 2010 by animatic

[JimGant]

Actually someone I know, just yesterday, was denied a tourist visa extension because their address was a private house, and the house head had not logged a TM30 with immigration. A 2000THB fine [the option is between 2000 to 10000 baht per person] was requested by immigration before they would process their extension.

Not an isolated case. Chiang Mai Immigration, awhile back, was enforcing the TM30 rule against home-owner wives whose husbands were applying for one-year extensions. Obviously, per the above quote, several situations can trigger Immigration's interest in TM30 compliance. However, if Uncle Fred never plans to extend his tourist visa during his stay with us, I can see no reason why the wife should ever bother with a TM30 for him -- at least from a "getting caught" standpoint. Having said that, I guess there is a remote possibility, since he put our address on his landing card, that TM6 and TM30 info could be married-up...... Still, not enough of a possibility to waste a trip to Immigration.

Instructions for filling out the TM30 (from the Thai Immigration website):

Please fill in all requested information according to the foreign national's passport, as often arriving passengers do not fill in the correct data on the arrival card. The form can be typed or handwritten in clear block letters. Leave a space between name, middle name, and surname.

* If the passport number is preceded or followed by a letter, fill in the letter too.

* Write the arrival card number (TM. 6) in the respective field. The arrival card is stapled into the passport. Both letters and numbers of the arrival card number must be filled in.

* Arrival date means the date of arrival in Thailand. Date of accommodation must be filled in on the front page of the notification sheet.

After the officer in charge has verified the information on the notification sheet (TM. 30), he accepts the notification and hands over the lower part of the form to the person making the notification. This part must be kept for further checking.

Presumably, once you're here long-stay, and doing 90-day reporting, doing any more TM30's is not required....

Also, I can't recall if the Chiang Mai situation involved the wives of first-time applicants -- or whether renewal applicants were also getting caught up in the "no TM30 on file" drill...

Astral, what were your particulars?

Astral said:

My wife has been fined for not reporting my arrival,

so could the up country cousins when you visit.

[bkkjames]

Me thinks Jayboy better be careful what his wishes for.

Get rid of the riff raff and all you have is the folks in good standing who will be getting the short end of every stick. then again, f-it, they can afford it anyway. 

[wolf5370]

You left out the DNA mouthswab, with 230% value added, mandatory processing and filing fee.

Yes this is another in the series of new Ministerial heads sending someone into the rule book

to look about and find something he can 'look effective' making a grand pronouncement about.

The RFID tagging would of course have to be sub-cutaneous.

Take the shot in the arm or leave Thailand. Might as well make it GPS traceable too

Asked my local head of immigration about this, and about it applying to Non-Im B and O visa holders

who own residences and companies. etc, going to Bangkok getting reported at a hotel, over a weekend stay,

but not reporting into Immigration on returning home... Computer limbo;.... yes no? A problem; yes no?

He looked about, hemmed and hawed, said all was OK, looked at a rule book, almost picked up the phone,

and then wrote down a phone number, for his' private phone',

and said call back when I had a Thai speaker in front of a computer.

Did that, and his own # was wrong...

Save face, get the farang out of the office, questions unanswered, end of problem.

TIT He was quite friendly any way.

Isn't there a subtext in all this with a link back perhaps to those crazy foreigners active in the red disturbances which might have brought a longstanding position to a head? Aren't the Thai authorities quite within their rights to crack down on the vast army of expatriates, mostly rather low grade, abusing a very liberal visa system.A tourist should be a tourist and not living more or less permanently in the country.Businessmen have proper visas and work permits.Permanent residents are permanent residents.For the rest a much more critical supervision by the Thai authorities is very understandable.The whole visa run process for example is a racket designed to frustrate the spirit if not the letter of Thai immigration law.I'm guessing some very senior Thais are absolutely fed up with this army of visa runners, very few of them desirable visitors anyway (and some of the outright criminals) as Thailand attempts to move its image upmarket.Basically then if you don't have a work permit or PR then you're a tourist and only under very exceptional circumstances would you stay more than a few weeks a year.Personally I would also end the so called retirement visa or at least introduce a proper wealth check (say net annual income of at least US$ 100,000 and/or assets of US$1,000,000.

Any your numbers come from where? Pie in the sky? Its supposed to be about the ability to afford to live in the ountry without recourse to public funds, and anyone can live here in this manner on the listed requirements as they currently stand. Retirees are goos news as they bring in foreign cash, feed domestic companies and services, can not work and often marry people that outlive them and thus the wealth stays in the country even without the farang. If anything, they shoul make it easier for visa renewals of all people here as expats as this brings in money, is not related to work in most cases (that's the work permit's job) and spend it here - there are no entitlements to visa holders to public funds, so its a win win really - heck we can't even compete with business or investments due to legal limitations. It merely stupidity, fear, general need for scapegoatism and the possible personal loss of back handers that stops trhis happening and becoming a foreign currency earning tool.

[wolf5370]

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!

Actually someone I know, just yesterday, was denied a tourist visa extension because their address was a private house, and the house head had not logged a TM30 with immigration. A 2000THB fine was requested by immigration before they would process their extension.

The resulting outcome was that the person refused to pay the fine and instead left the country early.

Sounds like a shakedown - surely if the onnus is ont the house owner to report it, and the tourist isn't the owner, then they are no more responsible than they would be if a hotel they stayed at didn't pay their taxes.

[aegdawson]

I've just reread the regulation. It actually says that one has to find THE competent official not 'a' competent official.

THE competent official of the local immigration office, so apparently each office has just exactly one competent official. I still think that's highly unlikely. Do they wear a special uniform?

No there's only the one - he does round

At immigration look for ref: staff code1178

Rgds

AD

Edited August 5, 2010 by aegdawson

[SamritT]

Criminal should remains in jail, and not party in Pattaya.

[jayboy]

You left out the DNA mouthswab, with 230% value added, mandatory processing and filing fee.

Yes this is another in the series of new Ministerial heads sending someone into the rule book

to look about and find something he can 'look effective' making a grand pronouncement about.

The RFID tagging would of course have to be sub-cutaneous.

Take the shot in the arm or leave Thailand. Might as well make it GPS traceable too

Asked my local head of immigration about this, and about it applying to Non-Im B and O visa holders

who own residences and companies. etc, going to Bangkok getting reported at a hotel, over a weekend stay,

but not reporting into Immigration on returning home... Computer limbo;.... yes no? A problem; yes no?

He looked about, hemmed and hawed, said all was OK, looked at a rule book, almost picked up the phone,

and then wrote down a phone number, for his' private phone',

and said call back when I had a Thai speaker in front of a computer.

Did that, and his own # was wrong...

Save face, get the farang out of the office, questions unanswered, end of problem.

TIT He was quite friendly any way.

Isn't there a subtext in all this with a link back perhaps to those crazy foreigners active in the red disturbances which might have brought a longstanding position to a head? Aren't the Thai authorities quite within their rights to crack down on the vast army of expatriates, mostly rather low grade, abusing a very liberal visa system.A tourist should be a tourist and not living more or less permanently in the country.Businessmen have proper visas and work permits.Permanent residents are permanent residents.For the rest a much more critical supervision by the Thai authorities is very understandable.The whole visa run process for example is a racket designed to frustrate the spirit if not the letter of Thai immigration law.I'm guessing some very senior Thais are absolutely fed up with this army of visa runners, very few of them desirable visitors anyway (and some of the outright criminals) as Thailand attempts to move its image upmarket.Basically then if you don't have a work permit or PR then you're a tourist and only under very exceptional circumstances would you stay more than a few weeks a year.Personally I would also end the so called retirement visa or at least introduce a proper wealth check (say net annual income of at least US$ 100,000 and/or assets of US$1,000,000.

Any your numbers come from where? Pie in the sky? Its supposed to be about the ability to afford to live in the ountry without recourse to public funds, and anyone can live here in this manner on the listed requirements as they currently stand. Retirees are goos news as they bring in foreign cash, feed domestic companies and services, can not work and often marry people that outlive them and thus the wealth stays in the country even without the farang. If anything, they shoul make it easier for visa renewals of all people here as expats as this brings in money, is not related to work in most cases (that's the work permit's job) and spend it here - there are no entitlements to visa holders to public funds, so its a win win really - heck we can't even compete with business or investments due to legal limitations. It merely stupidity, fear, general need for scapegoatism and the possible personal loss of back handers that stops trhis happening and becoming a foreign currency earning tool.

Well at least you didn't compare me to Goebbels (I guess one or two are a bit sensitive about their dodgy immigration status status).

I don't disagree with you on principle about a retiree programme but as mentioned earlier I think the focus should be on high net worth individuals, most of whom would only be here for a few months a year to escape the Winter.I disagree you on the worth of most existing retirees.Obviously not all by any means but many are frankly contributing very little.The country can certain do without most of them.Talking to Thai friends in the upper bureaucracy I am quite sure there is a strong wish to move the country's tourist industry up market.A good start would be to crack down hard on the vast numbers who abuse (by which I mean the spirit as much as the letter) the country's liberal immigration laws.THe intention of Thai Immigration to monitor closely these "tourists" is a very good start.