More than 100,000 foreigners staying illegally in Thailand

[bangkokfanatic]

Lets see all the greedy little piggy's sniffing out their share, so much for stopping corruption.

If the police and immigration did their job maybe the number of illegal overstays would be lower

Yep... you can see exactly the type they mean running their gaggle of girls (who they've flown in from overseas) between Soi 3 and 11 on Sukhumvit Road on any late evening - just across from the Police box. And if I can recognise the same faces month in, month out, then so can the cops... and those dudes certainly don't even look Asian to me. And as for the same Russian hookers who hang in that area... give me a break, they can't not be noticed by the cops...

This reads as a simplistic, evasive smear campaign. ..... As with all farang in the Land of Smiles 98% are of positive benefit to the Kingdom, 1% are neutral, and 1% a problem (a small problem, in the overall scheme of things). .....

Pick the Sukhumvit area for a clean-up - It would be interesting to know how many Nigerians are in jail in Thailand for drug offences... and they are plentiful in that area. Even one of them dealing drugs hand-in-hand with Police protection is too many.

Seems like a very high estimate to me. However if true, the Immigration and BIB should

work together to "round up these criminals".

... And deport & ban forever...

But as for the 500THB how stupid is that? Just look at the decline in Bali tourism. Oddly enough Thailand has benefited. The Indonesians milked tourists so much with entry & exit costs that tourists started to feel ripped off and look elsewhere. Numbers are way down...

[Cantankerous]

Abolish the pathetic 20,000 baht limit on the overstay fine, introduce 500 baht per day for every day of illegal overstay, regardless how long. Can't pay the fine on exit, jail them for each day of overstay and block from entering the kingdom again.

[55Jay]

Honestly, Thailand is a joke for me now and feel sorry for those living there to have to put up with such c**p straight in the face. It's a beuatiful place but unfortunately ruled by a bunch of short-sighted and complete idiots exploiting not only their own people but foreigners and treating them like dumbs.

I wish all people around the world could see the truth about Thailand. So called "The land of smiles" which can easily turn into very aggresive beast in particular on the east side of the country where conflicts occur prettty much on a daily basis & they keep quiet about it. I avoid Thailand these days as much as possible to teach those greedy and cheeky bastards a lesson and stop sponsoring this bullh*t*ng of others.

So, what was your idea about LOS before you came?

[sirchai]

Similar to a visa fee in Laos.-

[WarProfiteer]

First rule of govt... overstate the problem and ask for drastic measures to be taken.

[biplanebluey]

500 baht per tourist,

Lets see all the greedy little piggy's sniffing out their share, so much for stopping corruption.

If the police and immigration did their job maybe the number of illegal overstays would be lower

Can't blame them really---- its so nice here

[mtimmu]

), is to give a 90-day Visa-On-Arrival ! alt=rolleyes.gif>

...yeah, like it was some years ago...

[Rimbuman]

Quality Tourists? I couldn't bother reading all the posts, so maybe someone else mentioned it already. As long as they don't handle their garbage problems the'll lose.

A lot of the new customers (Quality tourists) will be only onetime visitors because of this, Thailand is a big garbage can and the troubling fact is "they (the Thai) know it".

Every time a so called higher official visits somewhere the route is deep cleaned and manicured, once the parade is over things are back as usual.

Unfortunately this beautiful country is being abused and ill handled by the Thai them selves and makes this country as said before a garbage can. So any higher official in any form thinkable makes them nothing more than a higher ruler over a garbage can.

Moderators I'm sorry if I am off track but I feel this is related.

[tingtongteesood]

If they implement this ridiculous extra fee then I am certain more people will stay illegally...

[espinoza]

If they want to avoid the trash-tourists they have to name them. 10 pound/ 500 baht / 100 nok / 15 USD will not stop any overstayer.

[vegasphl]

500 Baht....phew, I thought they were going to put me into the poor house. I already pay 1200 Baht for visa to come in to Thailand. The thai government should concentrate on putting politicians, jet ski owners and people like them in PRISON.....not harrasing Farang who SPEND Baht inside thailand. They really should get their heads out of the sand.

[NeverSure]

What's a quality tourist?

Not me. I can't afford the extra 500 baht so I'm out. That raises the quality of the average tourist by about 25%.

JHC. If they want to levy an extra small tax, levy it. Just don't glob on all of the BS about the different reasons for it, always changing daily, when we all know the real reason and that it won't go to pay for what they say it will.

[NeverSure]

Quality Tourists?

The government has pushed figures up and its growing. This year already 3.2 million Chinese. Arrivals to touch 25 million and the aim to keep growing till we reach 50 million. Infrastructure can't handle it.

What has the 500 baht levy to do with quality tourists?

Are those in charge knowing what they talk about? Or perhaps the do not listen to the likes as PATA and others....

Quality tourists???

All of the quality tourists are in Pattaya and Phuket.

You can recognize them by their hairy chests, tattoos, Speedos, white socks and black shoes.

[fabianfred]

Nobody here said 100.000 European / American / Australian foreigners I dare say it will be mostly people from neighboring countries.

Agreed. Many of whom are brought over by Thai mafia/gangs (with Govt connections I would assume) to work illiegally here. They'll just add the 500 Baht to the 'debt' these migrant workers have to work off.

There are probably more than a million people here from Burma. Some are still in refugee camps and some have work permits and are 'registered'. I think most fled the evil government in Burma who kill, rape, destroy and commit genocide against them....Shan, karen, Kachin, Mon, ...all the minorities suffer there....and so do even the actual Burman peoples too. Also some from Laos escape their communist governments persecution. But even these from Burma are pretty much left alone to work as they can, even though they get asked for hand-outs from the police often. I meet many when I go for 90 days reporting. They still seem to be tolerated more than we are...and are allowed to work...

[fabianfred]

Excellent!

500THB would clearly sort out the "Quality" tourists from those em who only have 275thb?

That would be 2 extra LEO's in soi 6 to assist with the thai economy and flood prevention...

three leos .

Is that true? ...500 Baht for three bottles of beer? ...or is that because of the location they are sold.

As a non-drinker I always thought those who waste their money, health and minds on drink are crazy...now I know it.

[nonsequitur]

... discussions between officials from the Ministry of Public Health, the Ministry of Tourism and Sports, and the Royal Thai Police, who had all agreed on the idea, want to use the 500 Baht fee scheme to help attract ‘quality’ tourists to Thailand and tackle the problem of foreigners staying in the country illegally

soooo... everbody with 500 Baht in his pocket on entering the LOS is a quality tourist??? Will I get the 500 Baht back on leaving the LOS and this will encourage tourists not to overstay???

wish those officials would listen to their on BS...

At least they have turned it into something positive...

Do they mean quality sex tourists?

[stephenterry]

we not have many customer; we not make money - we must raise prices mentality...

[loogkreung]

Tourism brought in almost $30b (8% of Thai GDP) last year, so this is a very risky move for Thailand. If I had, say, a family of five and had to pay ฿2,500 just to enter the country, I would probably go elsewhere. As usual, it's not going to stop the kind of tourist Thailand wants to be rid of, but will line the pockets of the corrupt officials, we already know so much about.

[little mary sunshine]

If the TAT really wants to attract a higher class of tourist; may I suggest you

clean this Country up. As much as I enjoy living in Thailand, when you

arrive at the airport you are really impressed, unti you drive 2 klm away. The

City of BKK is filthy. Would it kill people to take a little pride in their property

and use a pressure washer to clean up some of the mold and dirt on the

buildings. I live in Jomtien, I love living close to the ocean, but you can't

go in the water, it is so filthy, the dumpsters along Beach Road are filthy,

they stink and the ground beneath them is a just as disguesting. Upper

class tourist will stay in their 4,5 Star resorts and never venture out to

the local busineses because of this UNHEALTHY state of thing

If there is a Minister OF Health, First choose to clean up this nasty,unhealth

problem with the garbage, Encourage people to wash and paint their property

and you will see Big Spenders will arrive in Thailand.....and come again and

again but not until these PROBLEMS are solved.

[hhiser]

'Nuff Said

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9THwnQg-vEw

[Spare]

Farang don't mind the 500 Baht because typical bar fine is a lot higher, and they still goes back to be fined every night.

[FarangTalk]

Cambodia Cambodia ! ! . . . bye Thailand . . New Asia and the future is in Cambodia . . Welcome !

You're not wrong. The Cambodian expat community is thriving, mostly the Thai overspill; cheaper booze (especially premium stuff like single malt and decent wines and that includes a far better selection than is available in Thailand), easier to live there (one year visa on application no problem), no 90 day reporting, visa runs or money in the bank, can own 100% of your own business, people speak better English, great selection of bars and places to eat and so on.

Negatives are; poorer infrastructure (terrible and dangerous roads, much worse than Thailand if you can believe that), poor public transport, higher crime rate than Thailand (my friend caught a woman in his house the other night robbing his valuables), woefully under-developed amenities, expensive property, similar property ownership laws to Thailand, much dirtier than most other places (the garbage mountains in Phnom Penh before collection have to be seen to be believed, flooding is also common after heavy rain), extreme poverty in many areas of the communities, no street food scene (there is street food but nothing to compare to Thailand), lack of quality Thai food restaurants (a big negative for me, others may not mind, and I have been to so called 'good' Khmer restaurants and there is no comparison), lack of entertainment other than bars/pubs (lack of cinemas, bowling alleys etc although that is changing, their first proper cinema complex opened this year in Phnom Penh), international travel is more difficult and thus more expensive, living in the countryside would be prohibitive due to poor roads and infrastructure.

I've been a frequent visitor to Cambodia for over 15 years and love the place but still prefer to remain living in Thailand. However, I will be in PP over the weekend if anyone fancies a beer or five with oilfield trash.

[jpeg]

Any updates on the 6000 Thais who've gone AWOL in Japan since the bilaterally agreed free visa on arrival was introduced?

[jpeg]

Cambodia Cambodia ! ! . . . bye Thailand . . New Asia and the future is in Cambodia . . Welcome !

You're not wrong. The Cambodian expat community is thriving, mostly the Thai overspill; cheaper booze (especially premium stuff like single malt and decent wines and that includes a far better selection than is available in Thailand), easier to live there (one year visa on application no problem), no 90 day reporting, visa runs or money in the bank, can own 100% of your own business, people speak better English, great selection of bars and places to eat and so on.

Negatives are; poorer infrastructure (terrible and dangerous roads, much worse than Thailand if you can believe that), poor public transport, higher crime rate than Thailand (my friend caught a woman in his house the other night robbing his valuables), woefully under-developed amenities, expensive property, similar property ownership laws to Thailand, much dirtier than most other places (the garbage mountains in Phnom Penh before collection have to be seen to be believed, flooding is also common after heavy rain), extreme poverty in many areas of the communities, no street food scene (there is street food but nothing to compare to Thailand), lack of quality Thai food restaurants (a big negative for me, others may not mind, and I have been to so called 'good' Khmer restaurants and there is no comparison), lack of entertainment other than bars/pubs (lack of cinemas, bowling alleys etc although that is changing, their first proper cinema complex opened this year in Phnom Penh), international travel is more difficult and thus more expensive, living in the countryside would be prohibitive due to poor roads and infrastructure.

I've been a frequent visitor to Cambodia for over 15 years and love the place but still prefer to remain living in Thailand. However, I will be in PP over the weekend if anyone fancies a beer or five with oilfield trash.

The negatives you cite are all right here on Phuket - The World Class International Holiday Destination. Allegedly

[KonKorat]

Nice one Thailand,charged the millions of honest visitors who do the right thing,How about charging a larger fine,say 10,000 bahts for the ones that get caught & make them pay!!

[GirlDrinkDrunk]

is 500 baht really such a hardship? it far cheaper than laos and on par with cambodia and vietnam if i recall.

[GirlDrinkDrunk]

is 500 baht really such a hardship? it far cheaper than laos and on par with cambodia and vietnam if i recall.

[zydeco]

Next step? Pay toilets for farangs.

[hawker9000]

is 500 baht really such a hardship? it far cheaper than laos and on par with cambodia and vietnam if i recall.

Whoosh! Talk about going out of one's way to miss a point..

[connda]

More than 100,000 foreigners staying illegally in Thailand

My my...If this was the United States, staying in Thailand illegally would be the quickest way to obtain citizenship!!!. Expats would be flooding immigration demanding a path to citizenship for expats here illegally, they'd lobby parliament to let those entering Thailand illegal the ability to stay and suck off the teat of Mother Thailand's social welfare program, and they would be chaining themselves to the deportation buses to keep their fellow expats from being transported to either the airport of the detention center.

Of course, it also would be politically incorrect to call them illegals. You would have to use a more compassionate, sensitive term like undocumented. Perhaps they are here to do work that no other Thai wants to do. So come on, get with the liberal agenda. No more saying illegal -- it's now politically correct to say 'undocumented expats'!