Immigration Reaffirms Warning to Foreigners Involved in Protests

[Jonathan Fairfield]

Immigration Reaffirms Warning to Foreigners Involved in Protests

Bangkok:-- As the political unrest in Bangkok and throughout Thailand continues, the Immigration Bureau has once again issued a warning advising against any form of involvement in the protests by foreign nationals.

This latest warning, pictured above, comes on the back of the recent deportation threat to prominent Thai-Indian business tycoon, Satit Sehgal who was widely pictured with taking part in the protests, as well as being pictured with PDRC leader, Suthep Thaugsuban.

The Immigration Bureau first issued warnings to foreign nationals about their participation in protests back in December 2013, as shown below, stating that it is not only dangerous to take part in protests but also illegal and could result in deportation.

-- 2014-02-07

Source: bangkok.immigration.go.th/

[seajae]

welcome to our country, you are welcome to spend all your money, use it to build up a business, live here for the rest of your life, marry a thai person but you are not allowed to have an opinion different from ours.

[TexasRanger]

If you are prepared to risk deportation go ahead. Never had sympathy for protesters of any kind who disrupt peoples lives and business.

[MaiChai]

Shows that you have no rights as a foreigner in Thailand, no matter how long you have lived here.

[55Jay]

Government is defanged, so they must flex their muscles on the only group they have any leverage on. Expats, tourists and unsympathetic foreign media.

[greg71]

Voicing of opinion has nothing to do with this law.Its a Thai problem so let Thais figure it out for themselves i say .Or denounce your citizenship to whatever country and become a Thai .One must remember that Suthep is quoted as saying he doesnt care for the opinion of westerners .

[tomross46]

I have been asked many times to join protest. Every time I say NO WAY. There are to many Kojacks and to many Kodak s. I love His Majesty, but I will stay away from Politicians.

[chiang mai]

You/we (westerners) represent less than 0.3% of the population, you get to live here, eat inexpensive food, pay almost no tax, enjoy a warm climate and have frequent sex with beautiful women, what do you want next, voting privileges! Quit whinging.

[jackr]

I wonder if the Immigration Bureau would like to extend this warning to include Thai citizens living in normal countries?

I, for one, will not be joining any protest, not because of this warning but because despite whoever replaces the inherently bent Shins, nothing will change.

[Scamper]

If this is an effort to boost the tourism industry, perhaps it is best to go back to the corny slogans. You are not going to entice the West - where emergency decrees are a completely unknown experience - with cautions about free expression. The irony is that Chalerm - and let's face it, this emergency decree is really only about Chalerm - hasn't had the slightest success in apprehending anybody, even if they are entertainers that sing and tap-dance on a PDRC stage. He has been unable to stop such brazen displays of nation-threatening anarchy. So he's setting his sights on foreigners. When the deportation of foreigners becomes the sole prized spoils of a domestic emergency decree, all you do is encourage people to go back and dust off their edition of Alice in Wonderland to see if there's been a chapter they somehow missed.

Edited February 7, 2014 by Scamper

[kotsak]

And the question what is "Hi-Park" still remains..

[Red Snake]

You better watch out
You better not cry
You better not pout
I'm telling you why
CMPO is coming to town

He's making a list,

Checking it twice;
Gonna find out who's naughty or nice.
CMPO is coming to town

He sees you when you're sleeping
He knows when you're awake
He knows if you've been bad or good
So be good for goodness sake

[darrendsd]

welcome to our country, you are welcome to spend all your money, use it to build up a business, live here for the rest of your life, marry a thai person but you are not allowed to have an opinion different from ours.

They are not saying you can't have a opinion they are saying don't get involved in the protests, it's quite simple really

[jackr]

Or denounce your citizenship to whatever country and become a Thai

You reckon having citizenship would stop them throwing you out, do ya? Doesn't that Indian have a passport? You could have citizenship, a Thai passport, have lived here 50 years and would still not be 'Thai'. It's all about your face.

[darrendsd]

Shows that you have no rights as a foreigner in Thailand, no matter how long you have lived here.

Why should we have rights? You have hit the nail on the head, we are foreigners

I wish the UK government would take this stance with foreigners instead of changing everything to suit them and stuff the rest of the population

[theslime]

If you are prepared to risk deportation go ahead. Never had sympathy for protesters of any kind who disrupt peoples lives and business.

You come from a land of milk and honey, where all is given and there is no reason to protest. I dont have Sympathy for people who have no Sympathy.

[jackr]

You/we (westerners) represent less than 0.3% of the population, you get to live here, eat inexpensive food, pay almost no tax, enjoy a warm climate and have frequent sex with beautiful women, what do you want next, voting privileges! Quit whinging.

Oh yes, that's right, we're all 'honoured guests' aren't we.

[virtualtraveller]

Although in theory immigration can, willy-nilly, decide to throw you out, it has to be justified and if you can afford a lawyer I reckon you should be able to challenge this. Watch Sathit do so. Otherwise it's discriminatory, It would make an excellent article in the international press if a bunch of long stay foreigners here were thrown out because they happen to be at Asok when the protests were going on. Just silly, fascist!

[chiang mai]

You/we (westerners) represent less than 0.3% of the population, you get to live here, eat inexpensive food, pay almost no tax, enjoy a warm climate and have frequent sex with beautiful women, what do you want next, voting privileges! Quit whinging.

Oh yes, that's right, we're all 'honoured guests' aren't we.

Correct.

[Gone]

It makes perfect sense to me. Unless you have changed your citizenship to Thai (which some here in TV have done) then you are just a visitor in the country even after 20 years. You have no right to be involved in Thai politics etc. You can only HOPE for what you would like to see happen but to actually JOIN rallies and protests is just plain STUPID.

I for one love living here and just hope everything turns out good for the Thai people which then would make our lifes better as well.

GOOD WARNING I THINK !!!

[jollyman]

You really should keep your head down,have another beer, its not your problem!

[thomash]

You also have to be certified crazy to get involved with politics here as a foreigner.

[Kilgore Trout]

If you are prepared to risk deportation go ahead. Never had sympathy for protesters of any kind who disrupt peoples lives and business.

You come from a land of milk and honey, where all is given and there is no reason to protest. I dont have Sympathy for people who have no Sympathy.

That is nonsense. Poor Thais have it better than people living in poverty in the US. At least they don't risk being shot while walking to school.

Just read an article today in my home paper about a 15 year old boy who was shot 3 times in the head and torso with a shotgun after answering "what?" when two gangbangers pulled up and shouted a gang slogan at him.

[Costas2008]

jollyman, on 07 Feb 2014 - 12:40, said:

You really should keep your head down,have another beer, its not your problem!

Because, as an old Mongolian proverb says:

He who goes to protests, gets deported.

[Kalbo]

You/we (westerners) represent less than 0.3% of the population, you get to live here, eat inexpensive food, pay almost no tax, enjoy a warm climate and have frequent sex with beautiful women, what do you want next, voting privileges! Quit whinging.

You really have no bloody idea, do you ? The amount of tax I pay monthly is far in excess of the average Thai annual salary.

[Kilgore Trout]

You/we (westerners) represent less than 0.3% of the population, you get to live here, eat inexpensive food, pay almost no tax, enjoy a warm climate and have frequent sex with beautiful women, what do you want next, voting privileges! Quit whinging.

Oh yes, that's right, we're all 'honoured guests' aren't we.

Correct.

Then I'm sure you would agree that these foreigner students protesting in the USA have no right either.

http://rt.com/usa/students-protest-exchange-hersheys/

[h90]

And the question what is "Hi-Park" still remains..

It must be a park for the Hi-So

[chiang mai]

PAY ALMOST NO TAX AND HAVE FREQUENT SEX WITH BEAUTIFUL WOMEN?

You/we (westerners) represent less than 0.3% of the population, you get to live here, eat inexpensive food, pay almost no tax, enjoy a warm climate and have frequent sex with beautiful women, what do you want next, voting privileges! Quit whinging.

Speak for yourself!!

OK, dogs then?

[chooka]

How many tourists read the Thai immigration website or are they handing out pamphlets with arrival cards.

[chooka]

PAY ALMOST NO TAX AND HAVE FREQUENT SEX WITH BEAUTIFUL WOMEN?

You/we (westerners) represent less than 0.3% of the population, you get to live here, eat inexpensive food, pay almost no tax, enjoy a warm climate and have frequent sex with beautiful women, what do you want next, voting privileges! Quit whinging.

Speak for yourself!!

OK, dogs then?

I'm married so the frequent sex bit doesn't apply.