Thai Immigration Cracks Down On Hotels

[webfact]

Rogue Hotels not reporting Guest Lists to be prosecuted
By Staff Reporter



BANGKOK: -- Immigration police around the nation have voices the concern that many hotels and guest houses regularly forget to report their guest lists daily, as is required by law, meaning that the authorities are less able to trace tourists and other travelers around the nation in cases of emergencies.

Now in Bangkok, Police will be working with hoteliers to make sure that daily reporting becomes the norm, and in other major tourist regions Immigration police will be insisting on the same.

Apart from making it easier to trace travelers in the case of emergencies, there is also the matter of Hotel tax, which is calculated monthly and due to be paid to the authorities by the tenth of every month.

Those taxes, collected by the hotels from each occupant are thought, in may cases, not to be reaching the authorities at all as record keeping becomes lax. [more...]

Full story: http://www.pattaya103.com/hotel-report-guest-police/

--Pattaya 103 FM 2013-02-27

[alstaxi]

What a feel good story this is, the bib, worried about tracing travelers, good work boys

.How about doing some tracing in Dubai?

[OzMick]

Travellers' welfare - my butt. The real concern is tax dodging, and at the rate the country is being plundered at the moment, it needs all it can get.

[kingstonkid]

Me thinks this is more about the money than it is about looking after us poor Farang.

Edited February 27, 2013 by kingstonkid

[DocN]

What a feel good story this is, the bib, worried about tracing travelers, good work boys

.How about doing some tracing in Dubai?

Some just can't stop themselves!

[MaxLee]

So is the tourist police practically tell travelers: "Excuse me, ladies and gentlemen, but before you enter our country OFFICIALLY, we need to take you to immigration registration again, in order to officially approve your Tourist Visas, that you applied for from your Thai embassy at your country, and if your hotel has BY ANY ACCIDENT FORGOTTEN REGISTER YOU.... we must ask you to leave the country.... So sollyyyyyy, Fallangggggg...."

[angsta]

What a feel good story this is, the bib, worried about tracing travelers, good work boys

.How about doing some tracing in Dubai?

Some what in where?

[alant]

is it the hotels not reporting or the authorities with out the resources to process the paperwork? After listening to the interview with the head of Chiang Mai immigration I would guess the latter.

[Thai at Heart]

Processing this much paper its basically impossible.

[ezzra]

You'd think they can do all that by simply starting from the momet the tourist is

entering Thailand at the airport or other entry points, why wait for the hotels

to forward lists of guests? and what about people entering the kingdom and

do not go to a hotel?? like, Duh...

[webfact]

Immigration promises crackdown on hotels
By Coconuts Bangkok


A slew of unregistered tourists on Khaosan Road.

BANGKOK: -- Thai immigration police have promised to crack down on hotel owners who don’t notify law enforcement officials of foreign guests staying at their facilities.

Citing a little-known edict that demands hotel owners keep police abreast of foreign guests, Pol Maj Gen Kritsada Surachetpong said on Tuesday that Bangkok’s immigration police would be on the lookout for hotel and guesthouse owners who weren’t following the letter of the law.

According to Kritsada, the law requires hotel and guesthouse owners to tell police within 24 hours of a guest’s arrival. [more...]

Full story: http://www.coconutsbangkok.com/news/immigration-promises-crackdown-on-hotels/

-- Coconuts Bangkok 2013-02-27

[Buchholz]

What a feel good story this is, the bib, worried about tracing travelers, good work boys

.

Actually, Immigration Dept.'s Police Major-General Kritsada stressed the recent crackdown was to enable tracking of dubious characters impersonating legitimate tourists as well as finding those that have committed crimes in Thailand and who are trying to escape from police.

.

Edited February 27, 2013 by Buchholz

[Buchholz]

is it the hotels not reporting or the authorities with out the resources to process the paperwork? After listening to the interview with the head of Chiang Mai immigration I would guess the latter.

.

Bangkok Immigration boss says it is the former.

.

Edited February 27, 2013 by Buchholz

[jreidy]

How about all the Farangs that holiday in Condo blocks and villas?

Many condo owners in Jomtien, Pratumnak, Naklua & Pattaya, for instance, rent their condo's...Many purchase multiple condo's for this purpose.

Some are held in Foreign name others under Company name.

Most visitors go unreported..

[cup-O-coffee]

"Rogue Police Stations not reporting Foreign Prisoners should be prosecuted"

Edited February 27, 2013 by cup-O-coffee

[Buchholz]

By Coconuts Bangkok

A slew of unregistered tourists on Khaosan Road.

.

Is that the proper collective noun for tourists?

I thought it was either a gaggle or a herd.

.

Edited February 27, 2013 by Buchholz

[PoorSucker]

You'd think they can do all that by simply starting from the momet the tourist is

entering Thailand at the airport or other entry points, why wait for the hotels

to forward lists of guests? and what about people entering the kingdom and

do not go to a hotel?? like, Duh...

How about all the Farangs that holiday in Condo blocks and villas?

Many condo owners in Jomtien, Pratumnak, Naklua & Pattaya, for instance, rent their condo's...Many purchase multiple condo's for this purpose.

Some are held in Foreign name others under Company name.

Most visitors go unreported..

Actually private house owners must report to immigrations or the local police if a foreigner stays there within 24 hrs.

Download form here.

http://www.immigration.go.th/nov2004/download/tm30.doc

[grantbkk]

According to TAT there are millions of visitors arriving every month and immigration is going to keep track of hotel guests daily using a call in method or online government website. As April 1st approaches we are going to be inundated with stories like this. Last weeks evil Furby expose certainly is in the running for the award for "Minister with the Most Meaningless Press Release" but others are still going to try to top it.

The newspaper publication we are forbidden to mention says they now have 10 to 20 hotels and guesthouses reporting now with more expected in the future, indicating immigration may have an uphill battle to secure compliance. Today's article also refers to "tourists who are actually criminals in disguise". Perhaps the expat community could help if we were told what type of disguises these criminals are using and maybe a phone number we can call to report suspicious people we suspect are in disguise.

[Buchholz]

How about all the Farangs that holiday in Condo blocks and villas?

Many condo owners in Jomtien, Pratumnak, Naklua & Pattaya, for instance, rent their condo's...Many purchase multiple condo's for this purpose.

Some are held in Foreign name others under Company name.

Most visitors go unreported..

.

You'd think they can do all that by simply starting from the moment the tourist is

entering Thailand at the airport or other entry points, why wait for the hotels

to forward lists of guests? and what about people entering the kingdom and

do not go to a hotel?? like, Duh...

Actually private house owners must report to immigrations or the local police if a foreigner stays there within 24 hrs.

.

The last century called and they still want you to comply:

Notification Form for House Master, Owner, or the Possessor of The Residence Where Aliens Have Stay (TM.30)

http://immigration.go.th/nov2004/download/tm30.doc

.

Edited February 27, 2013 by Buchholz

[Eddythekid]

This is a load BS, even the form that we must fill in (TM.30) doesn't make any sense, the 1 part is a list of all occupants names, but the second part has only room for 1 traveller, half of the 2nd sheet is filled in by immigration ripped off and given back, it should then be given to that tourist to place in their passport (similar to the 90 day reporting) My wife has challenged this many times but they won't back down insisting it is right, yet everytime we hand 1 in the officer fills in and stamps the 2nd part differently to the last, this second part is what is required if you then want to attempt to get a licence/car in your name (I know it's different/easy when living in a private house, but more and more foreigners are asking us to register them just to get a licence). Large hotels do not do this, they simply pay a large back-hander every month/year for the problem to go away, and this is the issue here, they want the backhanders from the little guys. 5yrs ago immigration started a section on their website allowing GHs to register their occupants online, it still isn't finished 5yrs later, at least in Udon Thani/Nong khai it isn't. This would make it far too easy for us GH owners not to break the rules, result -no fines and no tea money.

[Buchholz]

According to TAT there are millions of visitors arriving every month and immigration is going to keep track of hotel guests daily using a call in method or online government website.

.

To be fair, Bangkok Immigrations offered two other options for reporting visitors in order to comply with the law.

You can also bring the TM30 forms in person (during office hours) to their Chaeng Wattana headquarters or you can send the TM30 forms by registered mail (at sender's expense) to Immigrations.

.

Edited February 27, 2013 by Buchholz

[zappalot]

just a few months ago there was a crackdown on illegal hotels.

now the remaining are facing enforcement of bureaucratic laws to make them pay more taxes make sure the thai government can inform tourists personally and by name in case of an emergency...

ridiculous country...

[Thai at Heart]

This is a load BS, even the form that we must fill in (TM.30) doesn't make any sense, the 1 part is a list of all occupants names, but the second part has only room for 1 traveller, half of the 2nd sheet is filled in by immigration ripped off and given back, it should then be given to that tourist to place in their passport (similar to the 90 day reporting) My wife has challenged this many times but they won't back down insisting it is right, yet everytime we hand 1 in the officer fills in and stamps the 2nd part differently to the last, this second part is what is required if you then want to attempt to get a licence/car in your name (I know it's different/easy when living in a private house, but more and more foreigners are asking us to register them just to get a licence). Large hotels do not do this, they simply pay a large back-hander every month/year for the problem to go away, and this is the issue here, they want the backhanders from the little guys. 5yrs ago immigration started a section on their website allowing GHs to register their occupants online, it still isn't finished 5yrs later, at least in Udon Thani/Nong khai it isn't. This would make it far too easy for us GH owners not to break the rules, result -no fines and no tea money.

This is achieved in China by attempting to push foreigners to stay in designated hotels by license. There is virtually no way to enforce this in Thailand. The amount of paper is enormous. The only way is computerisation but you end up with gazzilions of pieces of usless info. Of course, it could also be that the local governments are getting sick and tired about people opening up hotels and the taxes being underpaid, in which case you would have to register all the Thai's.

[writeshack]

When will some TV posters realise it's not just about farangs. Many, many foreigners who cannot be classed as farang also visit and stay in Thailand.

[davidst01]

this is obviously all about the lost tax money. They cant expect hotel owners to comply if the system is incompetent.

[uptheos]

Most countries in SEA are making an attempt to do away with draconian laws.

[Pib]

Immigration promises crackdown on hotels...

Promises, promises....I'm sure the hotel operators are shaking in their flip-flops.

[overherebc]

By Coconuts Bangkok

A slew of unregistered tourists on Khaosan Road.

.

Is that the proper collective noun for tourists?

I thought it was either a gaggle or a herd.

.

In Pattaya it's known as a 'rash'

[richard10365]

I think if I have a responsibility to go to immigration to keep my status in Thailand legal, go to the DMV in order to drive legally, and a host of other things required by Thai law in order to not break the law, then I think it is not much to ask hotel owners to do their part in keeping society running smoothly. There is a reason, other than making money, that laws are made. If we lived in a world without laws then society would be in chaos. Thailand, like every other country is not perfect but I'm glad to see they are looking ways to keep others, besides myself, in check.

[TackyToo]

What a feel good story this is, the bib, worried about tracing travelers, good work boys

.

Actually, Immigration Dept.'s Police Major-General Kritsada stressed the recent crackdown was to enable tracking of dubious characters impersonating legitimate tourists as well as finding those that have committed crimes in Thailand and who are trying to escape from police.

.

Maybe it’s because the BIB can’t tell the difference between the “African Entrepreneurs” on a Business

Visa around Soi 3 and a 60 something westerner retiree