Phuket: Foreign reporting meeting attracts low turnout

[webfact]

Phuket: Foreign reporting meeting attracts low turnout
Naraporn Tuarob


Police Colonel Jirapat Pohchanapant, Superintendent of Kathu Police Station

PHUKET: -- Phuket police yesterday (July 11) again stressed the importance for hotels, resorts, and other accommodation providers, including owners of villas for rent, to report details of foreigners staying with them.

Kathu Police held a meeting yesterday in collaboration with Phuket Immigration Police to try and promote the importance of the law and the reasons behind it, but only 24 accommodation owners on the island attended the meeting.

Immigration Police Captain Angkarn Yasanop explained the importance of the law, which requires the owner of a residence or hotel manager with foreign guests staying must report to the local Immigration Office within 24 hours.

This includes owners of private homes when they have foreign friends or relatives staying with them, whether they pay for accommodation or not.

Capt Angkarn explained to the audience that owners of hotels, guesthouses and rented houses played a “key role” to help. If accommodation owners were caught not reporting guests, they may be fined B8,000 per unreported guest.

“Problems occur when police need to find someone who has a criminal record, and we can’t find them. Also, when people go missing, we don’t know where to look.

“When guests arrive, please be the eye on behalf of the police,” Capt Angkarn told those at the meeting.

“To register, log on to www.immigration.go.th and click on accommodation information. The officer will approve your registration and send you a user name and email address to your email account. You can then use these details to log on to www.phuketimmigration.go.th," he said.

“You can also send a form via the post, but I suggest people use the internet because it is easier and quicker. Informing Immigration must be done within 24 hours after the guest checks in.”

Homeowners were only required to fill out a form once a guest arrives. For example, if a guest arrives and stays for a week continuously, only one form is required. However, if they leave the accommodation provider then return again, another form is required.

Accommodation owners should check the foreigner’s passport photo matches the person’s face, because sometimes there are issues with a person using a fake passport, Capt Angkarn said. Also required in the reporting form is the type and number of the visa, their arrival date to Thailand, the issue date and expiry date of the visa, and the number of entries to the country available (single or multiple).

In the meeting, Police Colonel Jirapat Pohchanapant, Superintendent of Kathu Police Station, also mentioned the continued crackdown on drugs across the island.

“We have invited the owners of pubs, bars and restaurants in Patong to meet with us regularly, and they were advised to do regular urine tests on their staff members to check for drugs. We want to ask for their help to make Patong a “white zone” for drugs (drug-free).

Listed in Capt Angkarn’s Powerpoint presentation were details of foreign countries and the visas that were required to visit Thailand.

Cap Angkarn said visa on arrivals made things difficult for the authorities, because there were no screenings from the embassy or other authorities. “Sometimes the details for the international warrant database are not updated fast, or countries are not required to share such information and it’s not linked together,” he said.

Source: http://www.thephuketnews.com/phuket-foreign-reporting-meeting-attracts-low-turnout-40807.php


-- Phuket News 2013-07-12

[laurentbkk]

what about those things we fill up when check in in a hotel ? They ask your passport No etc ..... No idea how it works in other countries , except in Russia , they take photocopy of the entry card and god knows what they do with it ... probably sent to FSB ....

[BeforeTigers]

What the hell is this nonsense?

TO ALL HOTEL OWNERS:
I will not stay at a hotel that I believe is going to report me to the police.
I'm fairly confident that most westerners will feel the same way.

I have nothing to hide. It's the principal of the thing.

[stevenl]

What the hell is this nonsense?

TO ALL HOTEL OWNERS:

I will not stay at a hotel that I believe is going to report me to the police.

I'm fairly confident that most westerners will feel the same way.

I have nothing to hide. It's the principal of the thing.

That means you can not stay anywhere in Thailand. For years and years already there has been this reporting, they are just trying to streamline it.

[JetsetBkk]

This includes owners of private homes when they have foreign friends or relatives staying with them, whether they pay for accommodation or not.

When I go up-country and stay in a girlfriend's parents' house, I never bother to report.

I am so bad. Lock me up.

[bunta71]

I say again, they should assign an immigration cop to each visitor and they will stay together every minute of the foreigners stay. All foreigners shall be considered as criminals at all times. Kinda like they do already. The welcome mat disappeared many years ago.

[bangkokheat]

can you imagine filling out the form, taking it to police, taking the form back because a piece of info is incorrect, doing to form again and hope police accept it

[phuketsub]

He just wants to be seen as doing his job.

The law is unenforceable, especially since so many of "accommodation establishments" in Phuket are unregistered to begin with.

Still, like many of the other unenforceable laws on the books, it still holds open the possibility for a big payday if they ever decide to have a 'crackdown'...

[PaulHamon]

What the hell is this nonsense?

TO ALL HOTEL OWNERS:

I will not stay at a hotel that I believe is going to report me to the police.

I'm fairly confident that most westerners will feel the same way.

I have nothing to hide. It's the principal of the thing.

hotels have been doing it here, forever....

[Bagwan]

“When guests arrive, please be the eye on behalf of the police,” Capt Angkarn told those at the meeting.

Another step towards a police state. The general population reporting on each other. All farangs who accomodate visiting friends and relatives beware. Do the BS thing just in case a neighbour informs on you.

If somebody has a criminal record how did they get a visa?

Edited July 12, 2013 by Bagwan

[NamKangMan]

Can you be registered at more than one residence, at the same time?

[khunken]

What is it about Phuket that this particular issue gets touted time & time again? It just doesn't get the same degree of repetition anywhere else in Thailand.

Is it all about the Russians or another flavour-of-the-month nationality supposedly taking work away from tour guides & the tuktuk mafia?

Are these BIB spokesmen speaking for their source of income mob?

[stevenl]

Can you be registered at more than one residence, at the same time?

I'm sure you can, nobody will ever check these lists, unless they are looking for you.

[Andre0720]

For example, double entry visas for 60 days do not require police checks.

So if embassies and immigration do not require such a check, then what would police services do with the information of a police record?

Edited July 12, 2013 by Andre0720

[timewilltell]

I don't believe this is anything to do with keeping track of criminals. Whether you get a visa on arrival or not you have to go through the immigration computers which I am sure are linked to the database of wanted people. This is just another stupid rule to provide a way for police to collect tea money as and when they please. Really is a nonsense as anyone not wanting to be found is not going to be giving anyone a copy of his passport with his real name on. So everyone reporting properly has most likely nothing to hide but who wants all the hassle.

Next they will be passing the information to the tax office so they can pop around and tax the foreign owners the property tax. It stinks.

[EQ San]

Thais don't need to be reported?

No criminals among Thais?

Pointing foreigners as a source of crime is pathetic and insulting.

Photos and fingerprints (soon come) taken on arrival and departure aren't enough.. Now they need a record of each move!

First they want to keep records of everybody, and soon they will ask us to put a sign on our shirts, or cars...

[EQ San]

Look like we are not welcome anymore... You feel it from the arrogance of certain Thais, increasing everyday.

Look like they don't need us anymore..(?) sure ?

[NamKangMan]

Can you be registered at more than one residence, at the same time?

I'm sure you can, nobody will ever check these lists, unless they are looking for you.

That's pretty much what I thought.

What wrong with all the guys with wives/girlfriends up north, who visit, registering for a year, and also registering in Phuket? I can't see the problem.

If it's all a tax grab - your wife/girlfriend, or her family, can state you pay nothing, or a nominal amount of rent, so nil, or very little, tax to pay.

Edited July 12, 2013 by NamKangMan

[Equalizer]

Help to make Patong a “white zone” for drugs Grand master Mel srpings to mind!!!!!

[bander]

What the hell is this nonsense?

TO ALL HOTEL OWNERS:

I will not stay at a hotel that I believe is going to report me to the police.

I'm fairly confident that most westerners will feel the same way.

I have nothing to hide. It's the principal of the thing.

That means you can not stay anywhere in Thailand. For years and years already there has been this reporting, they are just trying to streamline it.

Wrong, I have stayed in Thailand 12 years, my wife always show her ID card at hotels when we arrive, nobody ever ask to see my passport

Edited July 12, 2013 by bander

[bander]

Look like we are not welcome anymore... You feel it from the arrogance of certain Thais, increasing everyday.

Look like they don't need us anymore..(?) sure ?

We are not welcome and never was, all they want is our money, just transfer your money to your wife or GF and everybody is happy :-)

[kirk0233]

What the hell is this nonsense?

TO ALL HOTEL OWNERS:

I will not stay at a hotel that I believe is going to report me to the police.

I'm fairly confident that most westerners will feel the same way.

I have nothing to hide. It's the principal of the thing.

That means you can not stay anywhere in Thailand. For years and years already there has been this reporting, they are just trying to streamline it.

Wrong, I have stayed in Thailand 12 years, my wife always show her ID card at hotels when we arrive, nobody ever ask to see my passport

I show my Thai driver's license No need for a passport

[DiNiro]

Hotels keep 2 sets of books and under report the number of guests.

[ccarbaugh]

Why don't those pesky farangs just wear

an "Ankle-GPS" when they come to Thailand.

Then, we would be able to locate them 24/7.

[Shot]

This includes owners of private homes when they have foreign friends or relatives staying with them, whether they pay for accommodation or not.

When I go up-country and stay in a girlfriend's parents' house, I never bother to report.

I am so bad. Lock me up.

My MIL doesn’t have a FAX, copy machine or a phone. Come to think of it, her refrigerator has been un-plugged for years.

[Torrens54]

what about those things we fill up when check in in a hotel ? They ask your passport No etc ..... No idea how it works in other countries , except in Russia , they take photocopy of the entry card and god knows what they do with it ... probably sent to FSB ....

More likely to the CIA.

[maanoi]

Seems to always be the phuket police going on about this. Is this just some local phuket policy or nation wide?

Sent from my GT-I9300 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[deecee10]

The poor turnout by the local hotel owners etc. shows how seriously this issue isn't being taken.

Waste of time.

Information would become out of date daily.

[ableguy]

What the hell is this nonsense?

TO ALL HOTEL OWNERS:

I will not stay at a hotel that I believe is going to report me to the police.

I'm fairly confident that most westerners will feel the same way.

I have nothing to hide. It's the principal of the thing.

my friend its the law, your principal has no bearing on the matter

[jpeg]

What the hell is this nonsense?

TO ALL HOTEL OWNERS:

I will not stay at a hotel that I believe is going to report me to the police.

I'm fairly confident that most westerners will feel the same way.

I have nothing to hide. It's the principal of the thing.

That means you can not stay anywhere in Thailand. For years and years already there has been this reporting, they are just trying to streamline it.

Wrong, I have stayed in Thailand 12 years, my wife always show her ID card at hotels when we arrive, nobody ever ask to see my passport

So, the only time you've ever stayed in a hotel here, over the past TWELVE YEARS, is with your wife ? You really should learn to be more independent ...

Edited July 12, 2013 by jpeg