Immigration boss confirms the Out-In visa run is dead

[ILOOKFORWORK]

Border-run businesses and mini-bus drivers soon out of work?

I doubt it. A few might be effected certainly; but the ones with good connections may only need to change a few things in order to find the loopholes and keep operating. After all, they're the ones that are paying a good percentage of immigration officers' salaries; although the actual money is coming from the foreigners to use those businesses.

[cyborgx]

“Lots of nationalities come to Thailand on tourist visas but they come to work. I really want them to do the right thing, not try to dodge around the law and evade taxes."

Isn't evasion of taxes, dodging laws and corruption what the Thai people (politicians, police, officials and businessmen alike) teach foreigners by example on a daily basis?

Thai citizens and officials - let's start with the man in the mirror, shall we?

And in addition: Does Thai law make it easy for companies to officially and properly employ greater numbers of foreign employees and thus "do the right thing" ? Answer: NO!

Does Thai law make it easy for foreigners to officially obtain workpermits, non-immigrant B visas so they can "do the right thing" ? Answer: NO!

Does Thailand want foreigners to work here at all? Answer: NO!

Is Thailand on a suicide mission? Answer: YES!

I agree on the first half of your rant (about corruption by example), but as far as making things easy to get work permits, all they are doing is trying to employ Thai Citizens first, which all countries endeavor to do, and is just common sense.

[John1thru10]

For example: on May 9, I returned (via Moscow, via Warsaw) to Bangkok, after being away from Thailand for SEVEN MONTHS. That's 7 months out, to make it clear again To my surprise, the official at border control grilled me in an extremely rude manner, as if I were surely up to no good, and apparently almost didn't let me in. I could have easily explained to her what my work is (well outside of Thailand), that I never (ever) try to work in Thailand, that I have a long history of paying rent and bills in a community that loves me. I don't even drink, for heavens sake. But she had no interest in hearing about that. Only kept asking 'what are you doing in Thailand!'. I could have explained easily about my work outside of Thailand, and if she had looked carefully could see that I'd been gone for a good while. An explanation and actual time outside of Thailand (and each year, for that matter), she had no interest in hearing about. It was as if suddenly I'd been purposely trying to do something wrong, simply because the political mood has changed, and that simply isn't the case.

When you entered on May 9th were you using a visa of any kind or the regular 30 day visa exemption ?

It was the 30 day exemption. I don't believe one would have a problem with a tr visa. However, what is never mentioned by officials when saying 'simply get the proper visa' is that such visas are flatly refused now, if one has several before. Even IF those visas are years apart. If an un-studious official simply sees them, they generally don't look closely at the dates, but just say 'you've had before'. I went to Warsaw to get a new tourist visa, at the advice of a Thai immigration official earlier, and was there for 7 months. But what was never explained, was that only a Polish resident could obtain a visa at the consulate in Warsaw - at least, that's what was explained to me after I'd traveled all the way there.

[Pralaad]

Border-run businesses and mini-bus drivers soon out of work?

I doubt it. A few might be effected certainly; but the ones with good connections may only need to change a few things in order to find the loopholes and keep operating. After all, they're the ones that are paying a good percentage of immigration officers' salaries; although the actual money is coming from the foreigners to use those businesses.

There are no loopholes and visa company's do not pay any money to immigration officers.

If they did, people would not have to queue up

[arch77778]

Can anyone tell me of another country from which people are doing Visa runs.

[ukrules]

Wonder if we'll see an exodus from Thailand. If so would they do an about face?

It will be too late by then. Once bitten twice shy springs to mind.

[notmyself]

Can anyone tell me of another country from which people are doing Visa runs.

NZ and Australia.

[Tony125]

TallGuyJohninBKK

On the other hand, back when I was a real tourist here before retiring, I'd sometimes make 3 or 4 visa-exempt entry trips per year just out of convenience vs going to get a tourist visa, and each time staying anywhere from a week to 3 weeks, always with hotel reservations in various places, of course. I'm assuming that kind of pattern ought to be OK under the newly announced enforcement. But who knows???

****I live in Thailand now on long term visa however I have a friend who has been coming over sometimes with me othertimes alone for 14 years and has faced trouble before when they had back to back rules. He was and does make a very good salary so was coming over to Thailand on visa exemt entry evrey couple of months from USA and then back to Thailand for 2--3 weeks . After third trip he was told he had been in and out 3 times within 6 months and although he was let in then would be refused entry again for 90 days so it didn't even make any difference that he was going all the way back to USA between visits. What is he supposed to do now? Get a 2 month tourist visa from Thai embassy or consulate in USA every time he plans a trip to Thailand even though he is only staying 2--3 weeks otherwise they will consider him using back to back visa exempt entries and ban him for life? Stupid , complicated rules that do not take in every situation just leave it to some guy at airport to determine whatever he wants.

[ovenman]

Can anyone tell me of another country from which people are doing Visa runs.

Indonesia, i.e. Bali.

Some people who live in Malaysia do it.

México.

India.

Edited May 13, 2014 by ovenman

[LivinLOS]

Just to be a bit contrarian here; as much as we all complain about Thai immigration, 90 day reporting, visa runs etc, compared to many of our home countries Thailand is pretty lenient. I'm American, can't see a Mexican being allowed to essentially live in the US by going back and forward over the border. Kinda think the same would apply to a North African trying to do the same into the EU. Now I know both of these examples are economic migrants, but you get my drift

The essential difference is there is something to protect in the west.. Arrivals get free medical, free access to schooling for children, free libraries, good roads, and most of all an open labor market they are not restricted from.. the process of deportation slow and easy to delay..

Secondly, while it might need some proof of assets to get an initial visa, once gained theres a clear (with appeals and legal assistance) process of naturalization.. Even free language classes and assistance.

My brothers wife went back, has made a few million baht in a couple of years, which she has sent out of the country.. and now holds a passport.. All in 4 or 5 years.

A very different situation to here.

[notmyself]

Border-run businesses and mini-bus drivers soon out of work?

I doubt it. A few might be effected certainly; but the ones with good connections may only need to change a few things in order to find the loopholes and keep operating. After all, they're the ones that are paying a good percentage of immigration officers' salaries; although the actual money is coming from the foreigners to use those businesses.

There are no loopholes and visa company's do not pay any money to immigration officers.

If they did, people would not have to queue up

I used to do the bounce to Malaysia to activate an entry on my tourist visa but now I just fly to do it. Many times I was the only one on the mini-bus who was doing it (13 people) all the rest were doing a visa exempt run.

[ukrules]

For example: on May 9, I returned (via Moscow, via Warsaw) to Bangkok, after being away from Thailand for SEVEN MONTHS. That's 7 months out, to make it clear again To my surprise, the official at border control grilled me in an extremely rude manner, as if I were surely up to no good, and apparently almost didn't let me in. I could have easily explained to her what my work is (well outside of Thailand), that I never (ever) try to work in Thailand, that I have a long history of paying rent and bills in a community that loves me. I don't even drink, for heavens sake. But she had no interest in hearing about that. Only kept asking 'what are you doing in Thailand!'. I could have explained easily about my work outside of Thailand, and if she had looked carefully could see that I'd been gone for a good while. An explanation and actual time outside of Thailand (and each year, for that matter), she had no interest in hearing about. It was as if suddenly I'd been purposely trying to do something wrong, simply because the political mood has changed, and that simply isn't the case.

When you entered on May 9th were you using a visa of any kind or the regular 30 day visa exemption ?

It was the 30 day exemption. I don't believe one would have a problem with a tr visa. However, what is never mentioned by officials when saying 'simply get the proper visa' is that such visas are flatly refused now, if one has several before. Even IF those visas are years apart. If an un-studious official simply sees them, they generally don't look closely at the dates, but just say 'you've had before'. I went to Warsaw to get a new tourist visa, at the advice of a Thai immigration official earlier, and was there for 7 months. But what was never explained, was that only a Polish resident could obtain a visa at the consulate in Warsaw - at least, that's what was explained to me after I'd traveled all the way there.

Interesting, I'm going back to the UK for a week at the end of June and I'm going to pick up a triple entry tourist visa from the Birmingham consulate whilst I'm there.

I've been living in Thailand for several years. During this time I've had various visas (passport more than half full in just a few years), I also did a one year Thai course which came with a visa. I found it required too much of my time so I didn't renew it. Since then I've done a couple of back to back overland entries after driving to the new Kanchanaburi Burma crossing and I'm currently on a tourist visa which I got from Phnom Penh.

It will be interesting to see how this develops. I'll return to Thailand in the first week of July and will be stamped in for 3 months with my 30 day extension which will take me up until about the beginning of October.

I suspect the real problems will surface in August and a clearer picture of what's really going on won't emerge until around September.

I predict there will be lots of problems and this will affect way more people than it's originally intended. I don't trust the tourist visa option at all now and will be actively looking into moving elsewhere in Asia.

[Pralaad]

Border-run businesses and mini-bus drivers soon out of work?

I doubt it. A few might be effected certainly; but the ones with good connections may only need to change a few things in order to find the loopholes and keep operating. After all, they're the ones that are paying a good percentage of immigration officers' salaries; although the actual money is coming from the foreigners to use those businesses.

There are no loopholes and visa company's do not pay any money to immigration officers.

If they did, people would not have to queue up

I used to do the bounce to Malaysia to activate an entry on my tourist visa but now I just fly to do it. Many times I was the only one on the mini-bus who was doing it (13 people) all the rest were doing a visa exempt run.

And all queued up in line at Thai immigration both ways, in and out. Because visa run does not pay immigration officers.

If they did, passports would have been collected, stamped and returned while all of you had lunch

And this use to be the way about 12 years ago before the first crack down. I recall, many times, you did not even have to go on the bus, just leave your passport, and visa run sends staff once or twice per week to the border

[ovenman]

I suspect the real problems will surface in August and a clearer picture of what's really going on won't emerge until around September.

I predict there will be lots of problems and this will affect way more people than it's originally intended. I don't trust the tourist visa option at all now and will be actively looking into moving elsewhere in Asia.

I suspect the real problems will surface when entry to Thailand by air becomes an issue on 13 August. I can't picture that a check-in agent to BA in Birmingham is going to be all that happy trying to foresee what some Thai immigrations official halfway around the world is going to make of some passenger's passport that contains a number of Thai entry stamps. Or how about a new passport, a situation in which the passenger's "Thailand history" is all on the Thai immigrations computer and cannot be sussed out in advance.

[djvolak]

I hope they have more luck with the finger scanners than the had here in Cambodia.

They started scanning a couple of years ago. All 10 fingers of tourists that hardly speak any English, by guys that hardly speak a word of English. Huge frustration, much shouting, enormous queues.

Result: the scanners are still there but haven't been used for a year

then Thailand can get a good deal on those...

[cyborgx]

i AGREE 100%. Now lets look at the other side of the coin. What are you proposing to do to help the married foreigners with children and who are resident in Thailand but are not skilled in the few areas of employment on offer to foreigners. Rather people who have different qualifications and are unemployable here? Would it be such a chore for you to cease this relentless policy of alienating these people from society. I would say second class citizen however we are not even afforded that accolade. Under these circumstances would it be to much to ask to relax the rules and let these people work, if only for their sanity. A marriage permit relaxing the rules of specific employment, i.e working on line from home legitimately. Driving instructors, hmmm now theirs a thought! Some of us have actually learned to communicate in Thai and many jobs would not pose a problem. If it was not for the fact every time i have a game of golf, i play crap apart from the last hole where i cream it and have to go back to get that same feeling i would have been out of here years ago.

I certainly agree that Driving Instruction should be a special category open to foreigners, but that aside, you have to ask yourself what Visa was you on that got you here long enough to get married and have children? If that was mostly Tourist Visa's then you have your own answer. Getting the incorrect Visas in the past has left you in a position that you most likely would not have been in, if you had been previous Tourist Visas. If you were only working here for a short time, you should perhaps have made better plans that creating a family in a foreign country to which you only had limited legal access to. If you were working over a long period, then you could have applied for residency or even citizenship. If you bought property you could perhaps get an Investment Visa..... There are a whole lot of Visas that could apply to you. It's a bit late to start doing the work AFTER you have a wife and kids here, but better late than never.

Bottom line is that Thailand just like most other countries, do not want poor immigrants illegally entering and staying/overstaying in their country, taking jobs from Thai people, or living in the country without enough income to support themselves, and becoming another one of the unemployed/illegally employed/criminals that are all undesirable in any country. Yes you can argue that some very low paid jobs done by undesirables are quietly condoned, but in general they are just doing the same as all countries endeavor to do, which is employ their own citizens, and prevent the build up of unemployed immigrants hiding in their country.

I don't mean to sound too harsh, but the reality is, the laws are there for a reason, the Visa types are different with different requirements for a reason. The fact that loopholes, laziness or corruption has allowed Non-Thais to live in Thailand long term on Tourist Visas, has just been lucky for those who in reality should not have been living in Thailand on those visas. People that have amassed long term commitments in Thailand should either get the appropriate Visa, or should have made better plans than relying on masquerading as a Tourist for the rest of their lives......

[notmyself]

And all queued up in line at Thai immigration both ways, in and out. Because visa run does not pay immigration officers.

Sorry, what I said was intended to agree with you.

The change of enforcement seems to me to be the only option Thailand had because of outside pressure. It was not enforced before because it was pretty much unenforceable but Thailand had to be seen to be doing something, anything at all. This was their choice perhaps because there is no functioning government to make new rules so no other option.

[tigermonkey]

Just curious as to what are the visa running tourists doing in Thailand? Are they just living here on a foreign income or working illegally?

I am one of these persons. I work offshore in Africa Europe and Asia. I work 5 or 6 weeks on, 5 or 6 weeks off, and I fly in and out on VOA (visa on arrival). I have been doing this for years. Usually I need to do a visa run, but then a week after the visa run I am off to work, for example in Africa, for 6 weeks. I have never worked here, and I never will. I own a condo and all the other things one would expect a guy on a good salary to own. And I am feeling very very vulnerable ..... I am not married, no kids, but she might get popped a question tonight. What the <deleted> I am gonna do now? If we had 6 months warning on this I could have made an exit strategy ..... even 6 weeks would have been better

Nothing has been mentioned by Immigration about Visa on Arrival changes. What country is your passport from, that you need to do a Visa on Arrival ? Where do you do your visa run for Visa on Arrival ? There are a limited number of entry points where you can do Visa on Arrival, unless you do your visa run by airplane.

[BudRight]

I think like many countries people should have the correct Visas. This is not strange but normal practice. Fingerprinting is an excellent idea anywhere, not just airports but ID Card, banks etc.

I don't want to be god damn finger printed just to visit somewhere. I know everyone hates freedom and privacy these days but I still value mine.

Stop acting like everything is normal, it's not &lt;deleted&gt; normal!

[ukrules]

I hope they have more luck with the finger scanners than the had here in Cambodia.

They started scanning a couple of years ago. All 10 fingers of tourists that hardly speak any English, by guys that hardly speak a word of English. Huge frustration, much shouting, enormous queues.

Result: the scanners are still there but haven't been used for a year

then Thailand can get a good deal on those...

They scanned both mine and my girlfriends fingerprints in Phnom Penh when I was there last month. We had both been previously so only had to do one hand.

[gk10002000]

One of the main reasons I go to Thailand a lot is because it is so easy paperwork wise. I never know when my work contracts end so I usually at the last minute just jet off to Thailand, get my 30 day on arrival stamp and enjoy my holiday. Four times over the last ten years I have visited I extended my stay and made a land border visa run. A few years ago when they knocked it down from 30 days to just 15 days, I no longer extended my stays as it was a hassle for just 15 more days. last year they let G-7 country citizens get 30 days again so that was nice. But I never used the border runs for anything more than holiday extension. I chuckle when I read the article and how they are complaining about the Russians abusing the system. They seem to forget a few years ago when Russia got that special permission to contiue to get 30 days when doing a land crossing while most other countries only got 15.

My fear now is that the one time a year when i take a casual vacation and decided to extend it, I run into some border guards having a bad day, and I get refused admittance back to Thailand! Worst would be getting blacklisted if they get Draconian.

[Pattaya Pat]

Personally im an offshore worker I work 28days on/off rotation. On my off time I live with my gf & child(Thai) in a rented property. I have always been coming in on the 30 non visa entry. As I don't see what I do as a "visa run" because im out of the country every 2nd month. I'm wondering how this will effect me & the many more like me who have been doing this for years... as i dont work in the country ok i dont pay tax but I spend a considerable amount of money in the country(again like many in my situation) thus building the economy. Will I need to get a visa & if so what kind of visa does some1 get in my current situation?? Any help is much appreciated. Thanks

I am also in the same boat and would be interested to know the outcome. I fly back tomorrow and hoping they let me in

Will look into getting the family visa this time around too.

Same here and my company pays for the airfare to Bangkok from wherever I am in the world the day I leave - no chance to get a visa because there are no consulates if there are any then there is no time to do it.

Just been to the Caribbean a few month - no Thaj Consulate anywhere.

Sick and tired of being looked at like criminal because have so many stamps in my passport we are too young for retirement and still work abroad have family/ partners here and have to listen to this crab from some corrupt official who has payed his way to the top like most of them.

I have never committed a crime in my life and gave supported a large family here for many years.

I have spent at least 20 million Baht in this country over the years - and now I might be turned away at the border if J try to return from work?

I have had enough of this!

It sounds like you are having a breakdown!

[tigermonkey]

I suspect the real problems will surface in August and a clearer picture of what's really going on won't emerge until around September.

I predict there will be lots of problems and this will affect way more people than it's originally intended. I don't trust the tourist visa option at all now and will be actively looking into moving elsewhere in Asia.

I suspect the real problems will surface when entry to Thailand by air becomes an issue on 13 August. I can't picture that a check-in agent to BA in Birmingham is going to be all that happy trying to foresee what some Thai immigrations official halfway around the world is going to make of some passenger's passport that contains a number of Thai entry stamps. Or how about a new passport, a situation in which the passenger's "Thailand history" is all on the Thai immigrations computer and cannot be sussed out in advance.

At that point it becomes a nightmare, since the airline can theoretically be made to return the passenger to place of origin at their cost. Then the debate can begin as to whether the check-in agent should have denied the passenger. This has absolutely no hope of working.

Edited May 13, 2014 by tigermonkey

[max72]

Can anyone tell me of another country from which people are doing Visa runs.

everywhere. From China to Costa Rica to Nicaragua. Everywhere.

[VeggieBurger]

All this talk over visa runs. It seems they are spending to much time on people doing runs when they should be working on updating how the visas work. The internet is a thing now-a-days. What kind of visa would a person need if they run or work at a US based company. Lets say this person works from home and stays in Thailand. They are not talking any thai jobs. So are they a tourist? or are they working in thailand and need a work visa for a non-thai company?

You say rather glibly that you would not be taking a job from a Thai citizen. There are many US companies that subcontract work in Thailand either through Thai-based US subsidiaries or independent Thai companies. Did you ever notice the number of Thai names when booting Adobe Acrobat or Photoshop?

Yes I can say it would not be taking a thai job. Unless you are implying that any foreign job over the internet is a potentially lost job for a thai person

[Pattaya Pat]

i AGREE 100%. Now lets look at the other side of the coin. What are you proposing to do to help the married foreigners with children and who are resident in Thailand but are not skilled in the few areas of employment on offer to foreigners. Rather people who have different qualifications and are unemployable here? Would it be such a chore for you to cease this relentless policy of alienating these people from society. I would say second class citizen however we are not even afforded that accolade. Under these circumstances would it be to much to ask to relax the rules and let these people work, if only for their sanity. A marriage permit relaxing the rules of specific employment, i.e working on line from home legitimately. Driving instructors, hmmm now theirs a thought! Some of us have actually learned to communicate in Thai and many jobs would not pose a problem. If it was not for the fact every time i have a game of golf, i play crap apart from the last hole where i cream it and have to go back to get that same feeling i would have been out of here years ago.

I certainly agree that Driving Instruction should be a special category open to foreigners, but that aside, you have to ask yourself what Visa was you on that got you here long enough to get married and have children? If that was mostly Tourist Visa's then you have your own answer. Getting the incorrect Visas in the past has left you in a position that you most likely would not have been in, if you had been previous Tourist Visas. If you were only working here for a short time, you should perhaps have made better plans that creating a family in a foreign country to which you only had limited legal access to. If you were working over a long period, then you could have applied for residency or even citizenship. If you bought property you could perhaps get an Investment Visa..... There are a whole lot of Visas that could apply to you. It's a bit late to start doing the work AFTER you have a wife and kids here, but better late than never.

Bottom line is that Thailand just like most other countries, do not want poor immigrants illegally entering and staying/overstaying in their country, taking jobs from Thai people, or living in the country without enough income to support themselves, and becoming another one of the unemployed/illegally employed/criminals that are all undesirable in any country. Yes you can argue that some very low paid jobs done by undesirables are quietly condoned, but in general they are just doing the same as all countries endeavor to do, which is employ their own citizens, and prevent the build up of unemployed immigrants hiding in their country.

I don't mean to sound too harsh, but the reality is, the laws are there for a reason, the Visa types are different with different requirements for a reason. The fact that loopholes, laziness or corruption has allowed Non-Thais to live in Thailand long term on Tourist Visas, has just been lucky for those who in reality should not have been living in Thailand on those visas. People that have amassed long term commitments in Thailand should either get the appropriate Visa, or should have made better plans than relying on masquerading as a Tourist for the rest of their lives......

Your last sentence describes my situation, but I'm not offended, I actually agree. I am here with 2 young children, still with the Mother but haven't got around to getting married yet purely out of laziness.

*tells self to get my arse in gear*

[ukrules]

I suspect the real problems will surface in August and a clearer picture of what's really going on won't emerge until around September.

I predict there will be lots of problems and this will affect way more people than it's originally intended. I don't trust the tourist visa option at all now and will be actively looking into moving elsewhere in Asia.

I suspect the real problems will surface when entry to Thailand by air becomes an issue on 13 August. I can't picture that a check-in agent to BA in Birmingham is going to be all that happy trying to foresee what some Thai immigrations official halfway around the world is going to make of some passenger's passport that contains a number of Thai entry stamps. Or how about a new passport, a situation in which the passenger's "Thailand history" is all on the Thai immigrations computer and cannot be sussed out in advance.

At that point it becomes a nightmare, since the airline can theoretically be made to return the passenger to place of origin at their cost. Then the debate can begin as to whether the check-in agent should have denied the passenger. This has absolutely no hope of working.

A good point, if a passenger is refused entry due to them having an incorrect visa there's often a hefty fine which is the equivalent of several thousand US Dollars for the airline to pay from what I've read in the past.

This will infuriate all of the airlines which still operate flights into BKK.

I have noticed that the number of flights to / from Europe have been dropping steadily over the past few years to such levels that it's now not really possible to get overnight flights in both directions regardless of which airline you fly with. I'm sure this will only get worse.

[ovenman]

I suspect the real problems will surface in August and a clearer picture of what's really going on won't emerge until around September.

I predict there will be lots of problems and this will affect way more people than it's originally intended. I don't trust the tourist visa option at all now and will be actively looking into moving elsewhere in Asia.

I suspect the real problems will surface when entry to Thailand by air becomes an issue on 13 August. I can't picture that a check-in agent to BA in Birmingham is going to be all that happy trying to foresee what some Thai immigrations official halfway around the world is going to make of some passenger's passport that contains a number of Thai entry stamps. Or how about a new passport, a situation in which the passenger's "Thailand history" is all on the Thai immigrations computer and cannot be sussed out in advance.

At that point it becomes a nightmare, since the airline can theoretically be made to return the passenger to place of origin at their cost. Then the debate can begin as to whether the check-in agent should have denied the passenger. This has absolutely no hope of working.

The occasional case is something that the airline will write off. Their insurance probably even covers it. Daily occurrences with several passengers per flight is something that the airlines won't tolerate for very long. Can't picture the big guys like BA, Air France, Emirates, etc., putting up with it. And potentially an even bigger problem for the likes of AirAsia given the number of flights/passengers they run through Thailand daily.

[alangc]

This may be interesting: I live and work in Cambodia, own a condo in Bangkok and most months drive my Cambodian car down through Poipet. Usually only for a couple of days shopping but occasionally a week at Jomtien. I am scheduled to go in next week so it will be interesting to see how they react.

On the comment re Cambodian fingerprint machines at borders, they are indeed being used on a regulat basis as I witness every time I go through. However if the person entering Cambodia is doing so for more that the first time and the passport details and computer stored photo match up then the immigration officer usually does not take fingerprints or occasionally only the four fingers of the right hand. Seems sensible to me and I find the officers polite and helpfull except to the beer can hugging, unshaven, flip flop wearing types who reek of stale booze and dont appear to have bathed for a month. I dont blame them!!

[cyborgx]

It never ceases to amaze me how many foreigners rush to take the side of throw the baby out with the bath water Thai immigration police policies. In my view, it's a pathetic variation of the Stockholm Syndrome. You are not as superior as you think. Perhaps you think you are a "credit to the farang kind" but you might be surprised how you are REALLY viewed here. Tomorrow it might be you caught up in some roughshod enforcement, and you might lose a lot!

Of course no problem with going after people based on actual proven crimes who get due process and defense and the chance to recover any property they might have here ...

But this isn't that. People with common sense and respect for HUMAN RIGHTS should be freaked out.

Your first paragraph, seems to both put down Thai Immigration, as well as Farangs that have no problem with the enforcement of people getting appropriate Visas, and why you bring Stockholm Syndrome into it is just unfathomable....... Just because we bother to get the correct Visa's and don't get affected when people are found out to not be Tourists as they are posing as, doesn't mean that we are some kind of delusion. In fact the opposite is true. We accept that we are living in a country that is not our own (unless you have gone to the trouble of getting citizenship), and follow the immigration laws.

You on the other hand seem to think that your "HUMAN RIGHTS" make it acceptable for you to lie to the Thai Immigration about the reason for your stay in Thailand, and berate the country for tightening up its own very sensible and quite normal Visa controls.