Immigration: Foreigners must now carry valid ID at all times, report within 24 hours

[carstenp]

 
 
is it just me or do others detect a "trend" here?
 

The trend I detect is many expats and tourist taking their dollars and baht to other countries to spend.
 
I understand making it difficult for the irresponsible, low life "overstayers" ans other schemers  to remain in Thailand.
 
Everyone will benefit from that. 
 
Making it difficult for responsible, expats and tourists who are very good for the Thai economy is just plain foolish! 
 
Nobody will benefit from that...except other countries.

What trend are you talking about... I can't see any trend here.

Thailand has decided they will not allow people to abuse the law. What wrong with that. It's only people there WAS abusing the law there has problems and this people want Thailand to get rid off.

Again people is crying and screaming like spoiled child's about this.

You are allowed to stay here if you follow the laws.

Get you a correct visa to stay here.
Have you income or money in the bank
Carry you ID



Then you won't have any problem and absolute not a trend

Enjoy you stay or lives here :)

[96tehtarp]

 

is it just me or do others detect a "trend" here?

 

you are not alone here my friend.

 

It definitely could be a trend.

 

The question is what would be the next step to confirm the trend?

 

For me it would be restriction on internal travel within Thailand for valid Aliens with valid visas and paperwork in order. I'm referring to the type of rules the GDR had where a permit was required for internal travel. One needed a permit to be in every specific area. FX if we are to be required to have a permit to visit a neighboring province; prior police clearance for travelling internally within the Kingdom.

 

So far I do not see a trend, but others have, and I'm watching closely.

[uptheos]

Mountains and Molehills spring to mind.

[user82374298374]

 

Sorry, you are right.  It is not every supermarket.  Most but not every.  Every Central mall has at least 1 print shop as do every Tesco Lotus & Big C.  However you are right, it is not every.  I apologise for my exaggeration.

 

There are no print shops in any supermarket in Bangkok, AFAICT.  I've asked Thais about this - they say that this is simply not the case in Bangkok.

 

Finding a print shop in the lower Sukhumvit area is a problem, as the ones which were located on Sukhumvit Soi 11 and Sukhumvit Soi 7 have been demolished in order to make way for unnecessary condo building construction.

 

AFAICT, there isn't one in Terminal 21. 

 

There may be one in CentralWorld or Siam Paragon.  I know there are several in MBK.  There are a couple in Fortune Town.  Maybe there's one in Big C Rajprasong, I don't know.

[BKKdreaming]

I assume this is a trial balloon for the HH area only now , but if they went to all this trouble to make a public event out of it , then there must be a bigger plan,

 

carrying an ID card is pretty normal all over the world , 

 

I do agree that knowing where you are at all times works well to keep the tourist numbers up to date ,

 

see how good it has worked in North Korea !

[NumbNut]

 

 

 

is it just me or do others detect a "trend" here?

 

 

If you mean the trend of Thai Visa posters producing an ear-splitting whining noise relentlessly, yes ... very noticeable, but hardly new.

 

                    

 

You should carry ID.   Pretty much always has been the case.

 

If you change address you should notify immigrations.  How often do people resident here change their address? If you're forever shifting your place of residence that may be a burden, but maybe people who constantly shift residences require greater checking on by the authorities.

 

Travel outside your province. If you live in Hua Hin and you go to Chiang Mai for a few days, your hotel or wherever you stay ought to have checked your passport and reported to Immigrations anyway as they have always been supposed to do. If you stay with the extended family for a few days, maybe more problematical, but also a good excuse to not visit that often.

 

'...but also a good excuse to not visit that often...'

 

Oh very, very well played, you're a scholar and a gentleman. I owe you a biccie! This is getting bookmarked AT THE TOP!

 

A thousand likes to you good sir!

[paddyjenkins]

 
 
is it just me or do others detect a "trend" here?
 

The trend I detect is many expats and tourist taking their dollars and baht to other countries to spend.
 
I understand making it difficult for the irresponsible, low life "overstayers" ans other schemers  to remain in Thailand.
 
Everyone will benefit from that. 
 
Making it difficult for responsible, expats and tourists who are very good for the Thai economy is just plain foolish! 
 
Nobody will benefit from that...except other countries.

What trend are you talking about... I can't see any trend here.

Thailand has decided they will not allow people to abuse the law. What wrong with that. It's only people there WAS abusing the law there has problems and this people want Thailand to get rid off.

Again people is crying and screaming like spoiled child's about this.

You are allowed to stay here if you follow the laws.

Get you a correct visa to stay here.
Have you income or money in the bank
Carry you ID



Then you won't have any problem and absolute not a trend

Enjoy you stay or lives here :)

The fact that you can't see a trend doesn't mean it's not there, you may just be a little bit blind or a little bit dumb.

Or Judging by the quality of your English, maybe you aren't sure what the word trend means? So I will tell you.

It means a general tendency of events to move in a particular direction. Got that? So, we've had crackdowns and tightening of the law in terms of back to back visa, tourist visas, illegal working, overstay rules and now the carrying of ID. So there is most certainly a trend in the direction of cracking down on foreigners. That, my friend, is abundantly clear. The questions are whether the methods employed are fair and constructive or just a kind of xenophobic knee jerk reaction and how far the trend will go.





Sent from my iPad using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

[Bernard Flint]

 

 

 

 
 
is it just me or do others detect a "trend" here?
 

The trend I detect is many expats and tourist taking their dollars and baht to other countries to spend.
 
I understand making it difficult for the irresponsible, low life "overstayers" ans other schemers  to remain in Thailand.
 
Everyone will benefit from that. 
 
Making it difficult for responsible, expats and tourists who are very good for the Thai economy is just plain foolish! 
 
Nobody will benefit from that...except other countries.

What trend are you talking about... I can't see any trend here.

Thailand has decided they will not allow people to abuse the law. What wrong with that. It's only people there WAS abusing the law there has problems and this people want Thailand to get rid off.

Again people is crying and screaming like spoiled child's about this.

You are allowed to stay here if you follow the laws.

Get you a correct visa to stay here.
Have you income or money in the bank
Carry you ID



Then you won't have any problem and absolute not a trend

Enjoy you stay or lives here

The fact that you can't see a trend doesn't mean it's not there, you may just be a little bit blind or a little bit dumb.

Or Judging by the quality of your English, maybe you aren't sure what the word trend means? So I will tell you.

It means a general tendency of events to move in a particular direction. Got that? So, we've had crackdowns and tightening of the law in terms of back to back visa, tourist visas, illegal working, overstay rules and now the carrying of ID. So there is most certainly a trend in the direction of cracking down on foreigners. That, my friend, is abundantly clear. The questions are whether the methods employed are fair and constructive or just a kind of xenophobic knee jerk reaction and how far the trend will go.





Sent from my iPad using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

 

Forgetting your rudeness to a fellow poster, this so called trend is not to crack down on non thais, its to crack down on illegal activity,and also no new rules, most are enforcing rules that have been here for ages

[Pattaya46]

So there is most certainly a trend in the direction of cracking down on foreigners.

I disagree. If there is a trend, it's towards everyone respecting all laws.
Thai people are concerned by all kind of crackdowns too. Certainly not foreigners only.

[brewsterbudgen]

 

So lets say a tourist arrives at Suvarnabhumi airport and gets a taxi into Bangkok for a couple of nights, the address they use on the arrival form is the hotel in Bangkok.
 
After a few nights in Bangkok they get a taxi to Hua Hin and check into a hotel for two or three weeks, the rest of their holiday.
 
Do they now need to go to immigration within 24/48 hours of arriving at their new hotel in Hua Hin and report that they have changed address or is this taken care of by the house master who operates the hotel ?

 
No, if you're staying at hotels it is their responsibility to file a report which they already do (online).

[Mario2008]

1 post removed.

 

We don't want to start a politcal discussion in the visa section.

[guru]

 

 

Sorry, you are right.  It is not every supermarket.  Most but not every.  Every Central mall has at least 1 print shop as do every Tesco Lotus & Big C.  However you are right, it is not every.  I apologise for my exaggeration.

 

There are no print shops in any supermarket in Bangkok, AFAICT.  I've asked Thais about this - they say that this is simply not the case in Bangkok.

 

Finding a print shop in the lower Sukhumvit area is a problem, as the ones which were located on Sukhumvit Soi 11 and Sukhumvit Soi 7 have been demolished in order to make way for unnecessary condo building construction.

 

AFAICT, there isn't one in Terminal 21. 

 

There may be one in CentralWorld or Siam Paragon.  I know there are several in MBK.  There are a couple in Fortune Town.  Maybe there's one in Big C Rajprasong, I don't know.

 

Theres one on the corner of Sukhumvit soi 11/1 and one downstairs in wave place (home pro) at ploenchit BTS

[thaitakeaway]

 

Great news for the cops down between Sukhumvit 22 and Asoke. Now they are no longer limited to smokers, they can pretty much bother any foreigner.

 

"... But for Pickpockets everywhere, rejoice!  Your day has come because on of the most marketable items around, that does not fit in a wallet ... is yours for the taking!

 

Happy days for you!"

Any aspiring medical entrepreneurs into cosmetic surgery on ThaiVisa?

We need a new bodily orifice that will hold an original passport, stat.

Seals completely so it's invisible and waterproof for use while swimming or taking a massage or indulging in other pursuits.

 

My PP is now looking decidedly old and tattered after stuffing it in my shorts pocket every day for a month. Yes, only a month. Pity you long termers, and I'll be joining you one day.

 

[JDGRUEN]

For the purist in the TVF forum... I doubt that few who have posted here on this topic thread have a big problem with carrying one of the valid forms of ID... There may be a few but in the great minority.  

 

The requirement for reporting if one is gone from an address previously registered  (out of the province is it?  - for 24 or 48 hours is it? ) is ridiculous.   And people have a perfect right to say so.  

 

Yes - it is the Thai law - old laws but that doesn't make is a sensible or good law.  Reviving this law (even if only in Hua HIn) is stupid on the part of the authorities.  Yes - they have the right revive this old law - if that is what they are in fact doing - few are disputing that...

 

What you purists cannot see is that few came here to live in an East German restrictive atmosphere.  And yes - we can leave - but some of you guys just do not get the point.  In doing some of this nutty stuff the Thais are just shooting themselves in the foot.   News like this becomes rumors and in a age of the Internet and Satellite TV - news (rumors) travel fast - and they cannot be stopped just because someone says - Just shut up and obey).   

 

And - Yes if what is going on in Hua Hin becomes national policy - we expats and tourists will have to follow the law.  But that doesn't make it right nor justified and we don't have to shut up just because some of you are such prime and proper little obedient boys and girls. 

 

Lots of old - out dated laws could be revived in countries around the world - but should they?

 

And people are justified in thinking that the new level of enforcement of an old law will spread from Hua Hin to the rest of Thailand.   Why?  Because there has recently been a situation where it did.  The new level of enforcement of 'outs and ins' at the Malaysian Border - was first thought to be an anomaly - but NO ... it was a trial balloon.  it will be done at the Airports on August 12... and at all the rest of land border checkpoints too.  Therefore, it is quite logical to begin to think what Immigration just announced in Hua Hin is exactly the same kind of trial balloon as the Malaysian border example... 

[samran]

I carry my Australian Drivers Licence - based on what I've seen on the roads here, it shouldnt be too hard to get a Thai Drivers Licence, I assume I can pick one up at Big C for 2K baht or so ?

Wouldn't the Malaysians give you one?

[louse1953]

 
 
"Hua Hin Immigration is from today also enforcing the requirements that you and your landlord (condominium owner, house owner etc) must report to Immigration within 24 hours of moving in to a new address. On your arrival card you already reported your place of stay, and if that changes you need to visit Immigration and report your new address."
 
 
......kind of a hassle for those on a tour of Thailand?
 
 

 
It is basically the end of the tour and most tourism.
If you touring around Thailand and sleep every night in a different location your holiday will be spending almost all your time in inmigration offices.

Are you that nieve,to believe that what you state above is true.Hotels fill in form as usual.If you have friends all over the country and stay with them every night i suppose you are technically breaking the law,but i have been doing this for decades and have never been in a Immi office and will continue to do so.As far as tourists go,they wouldnt have a clue about this regulation,but seeing they mostly stay at hotels they will remain clueless and tourism will not miss a beat.

[JDGRUEN]

 

 

Great news for the cops down between Sukhumvit 22 and Asoke. Now they are no longer limited to smokers, they can pretty much bother any foreigner.

 

"... But for Pickpockets everywhere, rejoice!  Your day has come because on of the most marketable items around, that does not fit in a wallet ... is yours for the taking!

 

Happy days for you!"

Any aspiring medical entrepreneurs into cosmetic surgery on ThaiVisa?

We need a new bodily orifice that will hold an original passport, stat.

Seals completely so it's invisible and waterproof for use while swimming or taking a massage or indulging in other pursuits.

 

My PP is now looking decidedly old and tattered after stuffing it in my shorts pocket every day for a month. Yes, only a month. Pity you long termers, and I'll be joining you one day.

 

 

 

Technology already here - RFID implant... step up folks - and get yours... hold out your arm please - right one... Thank You -- now that didn't hurt much did it? 

[louse1953]

UK driving licence has a photo, surely this can be used as photo ID?

The Poms use it as they drive around the country sans International licence and the cops accept it.

[JLCrab]

If you want to speak out and prevent the Kingdom from shooting itself in the foot, go to Immigration HQ and look for this:

 

[OJAS]

 

 

 

UK driving licence has a photo, surely this can be used as photo ID?

 
It could, but question does your UK Driving License have your passport number on it ? I think that Immigration wants that so they can check your Immigration Status.

 

Does aThai driving licence have your passport number on it?

 

 
Yes, but it doesn't give your visa status or indicate whether you are in Thailand legally.

 

But presumably the BIB would be equipped with whizzo gadgets which would enable them to check this electronically by tapping the passport number into it - just as immigration officers worldwide are presumably able to when swiping your passport photopage at entry/exit points?

 

Personally I would have no problem with carrying a suitably certified copy of my passport around with me should this requirement ever see the light of day nationally. For me this would be far safer than having to cart the original around with me (I don't have a Thai driving licence). However the question might then arise as to whether banks, hospitals and other non-police/military organisations who regularly demand to see my passport for ID purposes would be prepared to accept a certified copy in lieu of the original.

Edited July 30, 2014 by OJAS

[yougivemebaby]

Another money making scheme. Why don't they fine the same they would Thai people. I'm guessing it would be a max 400 baht. 

[ZAKY]

Carrying a photo ID is ok provided our country ID card is accepted. but for the original passport its quite risky !
Regarding the reports for change of address this is an extra burden putting on visitors immigration authority after having been so tolerant is going too fast now. Every body knows that most tourists move from one place to another during their trip in Thailand so if they will have to report each time their place of residence, all their time will be spent at immigration.


Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

[Adeeos]

"Sawadee krup tourist, and how long were you planning on staying in Thailand?,,,, OH 22 days... in that case, please deposit $6000 baht, X 22, into the immigrations persons hand, turn around, and return from where ever you came from, You may be able to actually return on the same flight you arrived on,, Thank you for visiting Thailand,,"

[96tehtarp]

...What you purists cannot see is that few came here to live in an East German restrictive atmosphere.  And yes - we can leave - but some of you guys just do not get the point.  <snip>

 

We are no where near GDR conditions yet. The situation could change quickly.

 

Carrying ID is a fairly normal requirement in every country and only selectively enforced.

 

The 24 hour registration rule doesn't affect tourists. The hotels will do it hopefully on-line. A home-stay is a different story.

 

A GDR situation would be confirmed when foreigners are being stopped at random and asked for "Your Papers Please." This is happening frequently now, but only in border areas where their are known to be large numbers of illegal Aliens. 

 

Where will all this end? 

[uptheos]

 

 

Great news for the cops down between Sukhumvit 22 and Asoke. Now they are no longer limited to smokers, they can pretty much bother any foreigner.

 

"... But for Pickpockets everywhere, rejoice!  Your day has come because on of the most marketable items around, that does not fit in a wallet ... is yours for the taking!

 

Happy days for you!"

 

My PP is now looking decidedly old and tattered after stuffing it in my shorts pocket every day for a month. Yes, only a month. Pity you long termers, and I'll be joining you one day.

 

 

 

Ah, but people in the know have it cracked, you're quite obviously not in the know.

 

I'll let you in.

Colour photocopy front page and extension page on reverse, reduced to wallet size and laminated.

Looks professional, not like your crumpled up piece of paper.

 

Now, aren't you happy to have learned something this morning? 

[bkkjames]

 

...What you purists cannot see is that few came here to live in an East German restrictive atmosphere.  And yes - we can leave - but some of you guys just do not get the point.  <snip>

 

We are no where near GDR conditions yet. The situation could change quickly.

 

Carrying ID is a fairly normal requirement in every country and only selectively enforced.

 

The 24 hour registration rule doesn't affect tourists. The hotels will do it hopefully on-line. A home-stay is a different story.

 

A GDR situation would be confirmed when foreigners are being stopped at random and asked for "Your Papers Please." This is happening frequently now, but only in border areas where their are known to be large numbers of illegal Aliens. 

 

Where will all this end? 

 

 

I hear that real tourists will have to wear matching baseball caps and follow a leader carrying a brightly coloured flag...

[terryp]

i find it interesting that HH was chosen?, possibly due to high retirement visas (does this give an indication of future events)...also very few Asian tourists in HH

 

 

Would have been more telling and interesting if Pattaya was the first place chosen as the trail.....for me it stinks, I remember E/W Berlin and this is going very close to how it was there

[Pattaya46]

Carrying a photo ID is ok provided our country ID card is accepted.

How could a Thai officer know if it's some legit ID card
and not just a fake football club member card?

A passport is a passport. It's official and they know about them. Edited July 30, 2014 by Pattaya46

[farang000999]

 

 

 

is it just me or do others detect a "trend" here?

 

The trend I detect is many expats and tourist taking their dollars and baht to other countries to spend.

 

I understand making it difficult for the irresponsible, low life "overstayers" ans other schemers  to remain in Thailand.

 

Everyone will benefit from that. 

 

Making it difficult for responsible, expats and tourists who are very good for the Thai economy is just plain foolish! 

 

Nobody will benefit from that...except other countries.

 

not having to see so many ugly farang dragging around last nights catch will benefit us all.

 

[96tehtarp]

 

 

...What you purists cannot see is that few came here to live in an East German restrictive atmosphere.  And yes - we can leave - but some of you guys just do not get the point.  <snip>

 

We are no where near GDR conditions yet. The situation could change quickly.

 

Carrying ID is a fairly normal requirement in every country and only selectively enforced.

 

The 24 hour registration rule doesn't affect tourists. The hotels will do it hopefully on-line. A home-stay is a different story.

 

A GDR situation would be confirmed when foreigners are being stopped at random and asked for "Your Papers Please." This is happening frequently now, but only in border areas where their are known to be large numbers of illegal Aliens. 

 

Where will all this end? 

 

 

I hear that real tourists will have to wear matching baseball caps and follow a leader carrying a brightly coloured flag...

 

That would be a GDR scenario confirmation. All tours must be organized group tours by authorized government sanctioned agents and must at all times be accompanied by a government tour guide. This would be of course to ensure a higher quality of tourism and a superior quality of tourists.

 

I don't see anything like that happening. Stranger things have happened though.

 

I am waiting to see what the next pregnant idea floated will be. There's sure to be more.