August 29 - heavy new penalties await visa overstays: Thai Immigration

[Hardy99]

Please, falang. Only money is accepted. YOU are not. 

 

Good News..

[Kirbicus]

What if your on a non im  multi o based on marriage and don't deal with immigration?

 

go to your local Police station with colour copies and get stamped there before you laminate them?

 

 

[jpduggan]

In before the 29 pages of "but my case is different than the hundreds of others asking about the same thing with the same details as me" posts that are sure to follow.

 

Of those 70k over-stayers last year (and 30k so far this year) I wonder how many are for over-stays of less than 2-3 days ? TAT claims 26.7 million tourist arrivals in 2013, so 70,000 over-stayers would represent about .0026% of that total (a quarter of 1% of the total). Doesn't seem quite the massive problem requiring draconian measures as it sounded before.

    If you read the article correctly you will notice that the 70,000 were ''charged'' last year and not that they overstayed. You are reading the 30,000 part correctly and they're the overstayers for this year including Cambodians, Burnese,Laotians, Chinese,Koreans And Falang.

[Hardy99]

 

oneday, on 31 Jul 2014 - 08:42, said:

This country is becoming a police state.  Carrying a passport at all times for an EXPAT is ridiculous especially since many of us have real Thai driver's licenses which are just as good as a passport.  It is definitely time to head home.

 

 

How can they check if you have an overstay issue if you show your DL?

 

 

Ooohh I like it... a short call to Immigration will do it - they all work with IT now... :-)

[Estrada]

 

oneday, on 31 Jul 2014 - 08:42, said:

This country is becoming a police state.  Carrying a passport at all times for an EXPAT is ridiculous especially since many of us have real Thai driver's licenses which are just as good as a passport.  It is definitely time to head home.

 

 

How can they check if you have an overstay issue if you show your DL?

 

One would hope that they can check the passport number on your Thai Driving licence with their overstay data base.

[PiPiFFS]

So just when are the new laws going to kick in ? I thought from reading the countless other threads that it hasn't been agreed as yet and as soon as it is agreed it will take a few months to get on the statute books and actually become law ? The dates just keep changing on a daily basis. Not good for those trying to get out before the deadline.

[jeanpierre]

 

this country is getting more ridicules by the day
 
He added that starting from August 29, foreigners who failed to produce their passports would be fined up to Bt20,000 and jailed for up to two years.
 
 
 
 
 

can see this working out well after it got pick pocketed the night before because some idiot said we have to carry passport at all times [facepalm]

 

 

you can ask for gun permit to protect your pasport!!
 

[rickirs]

So on the one hand the Foreign Ministry is requested to allow Chinese nationals to enter Thailand WITHOUT A VISA as if they were diplomats or government officials. This request is made in consideration of the large number of Chinese visitors to Thailand. But on the other hand Immigration is being asked for approval to provide harsher penanlties against foreigners in Thailand ON A VISA for overstays. A bit confusing to me.

 

 

[Hardy99]

What if your on a non im  multi o based on marriage and don't deal with immigration?

 

go to your local Police station with colour copies and get stamped there before you laminate them?

 

 

 

Everybody deals with Immigration - as far as I know every non "O" has to handle the 90 days show up at Immigration.

Leaving the Country and come back is the same Immigration who handles your passport and Arrival - departure Card.. :-)  

[GAZZPA]

What happens if you have sent your passport away to get a visa for another country and then you get stopped by the police and they want to fine you? Any leniency or do you still get a hefty fine ?

nope, cough up 20k or prison for 2 years.. Welcome to Thailand.

[chrisinth]

<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

 

im actually looking forward to tomorrows press release as this is getting more stupid by the day...I can feel a huge clarification (U TURN) about to arrive

 

Yep, I'm with you on that.

 

A good start for them would be to clarify the 20,000 baht fine & 2 years jail time. Logic would say that this is not directed at the normal tourist on the street but at someone (possibly on overstay already) refusing to show their passport when asked for it.

 

However, the initial reports, as seen for all the new enforcements and changes over the last couple of months, don't define circumstances when the penalties will be enforced.

 

Leading to mass hysteria and speculation among certain groups..........................

[Bernard Flint]

 

In before the 29 pages of "but my case is different than the hundreds of others asking about the same thing with the same details as me" posts that are sure to follow.

 

Of those 70k over-stayers last year (and 30k so far this year) I wonder how many are for over-stays of less than 2-3 days ? TAT claims 26.7 million tourist arrivals in 2013, so 70,000 over-stayers would represent about .0026% of that total (a quarter of 1% of the total). Doesn't seem quite the massive problem requiring draconian measures as it sounded before.

 

i was one ..had a 2 day over stay due to plane delay over technical problems (plane was not even in thailand)

 

You didnt stay over 90 days. The foreigners are to blame for this, not immigration/ thai government. Tougher lasws due to non thais, thinking its clever to overstay,and most overstayers are doing other illegal things, its obvious. you are genuine so lets have the criminals telling us why they have overstayed for years.

[Hardy99]

So just when are the new laws going to kick in ? I thought from reading the countless other threads that it hasn't been agreed as yet and as soon as it is agreed it will take a few months to get on the statute books and actually become law ? The dates just keep changing on a daily basis. Not good for those trying to get out before the deadline.

 

oohh the times with statute books and Need time to become law are the past..

[wrgf]

It does say 70715 were "charged with" overstay. I presume this means were apprehended and taken to court rather than those who went and handled their overstay at the airport where there are no charges filed. There were may more obviously that went to the airport and settled. Also reading the forums (as Immigration do) one gets the impression there are obviously a significant number with large overstays that have not been apprehended. 

 

 

[spectrumisgreen]

this country is getting more ridicules by the day

 

He added that starting from August 29, foreigners who failed to produce their passports would be fined up to Bt20,000 and jailed for up to two years.

 

 

 

 

 

I don't think getting (yourself!) banned by overstaying more than 90 days is a ridiculous threat or ruling.. hanging about for 3 months plus (or for any other period, really!) without any valid visa in ANY country is your own lookout, surely, not those who enforce the rule!! However, enforcing a 20,000 Bt and up to 2 years prison-time just for not having your passport on you IS just silly!.. how does owing 20000 baht, or £400 approx, even start to equate with 2 years in jail??? Pretty sure Human Rights agencies and Foreign Embassy's will be jumping on this if their subjects are locked away for a couple of years for not having their passport with them... 

[Bernard Flint]

<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

 

im actually looking forward to tomorrows press release as this is getting more stupid by the day...I can feel a huge clarification (U TURN) about to arrive

 

Yep, I'm with you on that.

 

A good start for them would be to clarify the 20,000 baht fine & 2 years jail time. Logic would say that this is not directed at the normal tourist on the street but at someone (possibly on overstay already) refusing to show their passport when asked for it.

 

However, the initial reports, as seen for all the new enforcements and changes over the last couple of months, don't define circumstances when the penalties will be enforced.

 

Leading to mass hysteria and speculation among certain groups..........................

Does it matter, whether 20,000 or 2,000, does it matter whether 2 years in jail or 2 months????. the long stay overstayers deserve everything they get,and i dont care if you are married with kids here, you are criminals.

[iamariva1957]

Carry my passport? Really?Every day no matter where I might be going to visit? Get it stolen? Then what?I have a US Passport Card as well as the usual Passport Book. That I like to carry with me along with a color copy of my passport pic page and one of the Entry Card with entry stamp (with date) all very clear and readable. My question is this...will this be good enough you think?

 

But to ask us all to carry a Passport all the dam time is silly. Too many folks out there loosing them in street crime and hotel theft. The local Plod could care less about that and never do a dam thing and only one's embassy/consulate can get you a new one (in a week or so!). So what do you do in the mean time while you are waiting? Go home?On Emergency Travel Documents?

 

As far as the overstay issue.... Overstays can be avoided if one has a calender. Unless you have a medical issue, legal issues, etc there should not be a problem leaving and coming back in within the time constraint that you got when you arrived. Seems simple enough to me. That is a parameter that every country has. So get the right Visa and follow the rules in a country that is not yours. 

 

But the Passport issue is one that is a concern for me. It is nuts! I also agree that I would love to see the plans that someone must have for that new prison they will have to build!

[terryp]

just a suggestion that no doubt will be ignored;

 

 

How about checking the FACTS of such important news release before posting them on TV

 

 

if it is NOT a 20 grand fine WITH 2 years in clink for not Producing your passport (on the street or within a day or two)  .....then DONT Publish the Nation article that says it........or at least add a disclaimer of whet it could possibly be referring to

 

MANY on TV are not native English speaking , hence so much panic and confusion

[Bernard Flint]

It does say 70715 were "charged with" overstay. I presume this means were apprehended and taken to court rather than those who went and handled their overstay at the airport where there are no charges filed. There were may more obviously that went to the airport and settled. Also reading the forums (as Immigration do) one gets the impression there are obviously a significant number with large overstays that have not been apprehended. 

 

 

To me, it doesnt matter if these figures are 100% accurate,the whole reason this law has been tightened up on, is because everybody knows that many more will overstay for long periods due to enforcing the law re tourist visa give aways.

 

How many were planning on overstay with the enforced laws,re visa runs, ed visas, i bet many. because it was easy, now you lot have made the genuine ones carry passports around with them

 

Edited July 31, 2014 by Bernard Flint

[Mario2008]

1 politcal comment removed.

[GAZZPA]

So as I take it then a Farang who retires in Thailand should always carry his or her passport with them even if only crossing street to get food for there condo. Maybe if person is married to a Thai or here on retirement visa not working thus not a threat could be issued at the time they get stamp in passport stating long term stay be issued an an photo ID so they can safe guard there passport. But bring original to do there report. This way they can travel freely within country and spend there baht. So LOS remains LOS and not LOSS= Land of Stupid , Well you get the point.

So you still think its LOS?

[ldnguy]

Please, falang. Only money is accepted. YOU are not. 

It applies to all foreigners, not just farang. It's likely to affect others more than farangs. Most majority of overstayers are not farang.

 

I find that many farangs here seem paranoid to the point that the assume every announcement is about them, when in fact it's not.

[Bernard Flint]

 

this country is getting more ridicules by the day

 

He added that starting from August 29, foreigners who failed to produce their passports would be fined up to Bt20,000 and jailed for up to two years.

 

 

 

 

 

I don't think getting (yourself!) banned by overstaying more than 90 days is a ridiculous threat or ruling.. hanging about for 3 months plus (or for any other period, really!) without any valid visa in ANY country is your own lookout, surely, not those who enforce the rule!! However, enforcing a 20,000 Bt and up to 2 years prison-time just for not having your passport on you IS just silly!.. how does owing 20000 baht, or £400 approx, even start to equate with 2 years in jail??? Pretty sure Human Rights agencies and Foreign Embassy's will be jumping on this if their subjects are locked away for a couple of years for not having their passport with them... 

 

Foreign embassies jumping on this???? are you having a giraffe

[eastcanje]

1. Does "failed to produce" mean the same as I need to carry the passport with me all the time?

2. Or does produce mean that I have time to get back to my home and bring the passport within a reasonable time (e.g. 48hours) to the next police station?

3. What is the exact text of the new regulation (Internet site?)?

 

 

Small differnces could result in big problems!

I'm also worried about the risk of losing my passport, which would be greatly increased if I carried it every day, so, currently, I carry a (laminated) copy of the ID page of my passport, and I have photos in my smart phone of all my Thai visas. I wonder it this would satisfy a police officer/immigration officer until I get my passport from my safe? 

 

In addition, if thugs knew that every foreigner had to carry original passports,it would increase their value as targets of muggings or pickpockets!

[Bernard Flint]

 

Please, falang. Only money is accepted. YOU are not. 

It applies to all foreigners, not just farang. It's likely to affect others more than farangs. Most majority of overstayers are not farang.

 

I find that many farangs here seem paranoid to the point that the assume every announcement is about them, when in fact it's not.

 

 

 

Get rid of the scamming Nigerians, they have more in jail than any non thai. We should be happy that the new rules are getting rid of udesirables.Maybe we catch ebola off them next

[Baerboxer]

There is no 20,000 baht fine or 2 year in jail regulation. What is quoted is the rule regarding ovrstay, which is punishable with a fine of up to 20,000 baht and/or a jailterm of up to two years.

 

Failure to carry a passport is reason to hold someone to establish his/her identity and determine ones status in the country, according to the immigration Act. That is a right immigration has.and also the reason they do not have to accept a drivers licence or such and can insist on a passport in case of a foreigner.

 

There is a general requiremnt for an ID, but i understand you must be able to produce it within a reasonable time and than no fine will be levied.

 

 

 

The voice of sanity. Thank you sir!

[Paulzed]

That is all very nice and well, but when are they going to crack down on the sex tourists and the drug tourists?

I know of a few Scandinavians, British and Dutch, that I would love to see carted away in hand cuffs.

[oldsailor35]

 

this country is getting more ridicules by the day
 
He added that starting from August 29, foreigners who failed to produce their passports would be fined up to Bt20,000 and jailed for up to two years.
 
 
 
 
 

can see this working out well after it got pick pocketed the night before because some idiot said we have to carry passport at all times [facepalm]

 

Offficial ID is ok.  driving licence for example. And , carrying of passport is "Not" the idea of any Thai idiot. However all Thai's have to carry their ID.  So what excuses you ?

[chrisinth]

<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

 

There is no 20,000 baht fine or 2 year in jail regulation. What is quoted is the rule regarding ovrstay, which is punishable with a fine of up to 20,000 baht and/or a jailterm of up to two years.

 

Failure to carry a passport is reason to hold someone to establish his/her identity and determine ones status in the country, according to the immigration Act. That is a right immigration has.and also the reason they do not have to accept a drivers licence or such and can insist on a passport in case of a foreigner.

 

There is a general requiremnt for an ID, but i understand you must be able to produce it within a reasonable time and than no fine will be levied.

 

 

 

Thanks Mario, that was/is my understanding as well.

 

But it appears that the latest statements from immigration officials (albeit only currently for Hua Hin) have changed what was previously accepted to a 'no exceptions' passport only as a valid form of identification.

 

At least this is what is being projected, and causing so much reaction to this issue.

[terryp]

the good news is a thai can still walk up to you, beat the crap out of you and walk away with a 500baht fine (if he has no id card he pays another 500baht fine...total 1,000baht)

 

good to see in thailand the fine fits the crime......................