No need to worry says Bangkok Immigration Commander

[ScottMallon]

This is the ThaiVisa roller coaster advisory services.... Tomorrow we will hear the opposite... Better to go to the new thaivisa office on sukhumvit. I heard they employ very able immigration advisor female officers properly uniformed and with lots of useful advice....

Don't blame it on ThaiVisa. What you are reading is exactly what the Colonel told me this morning and I passed along to George, who then followed up with him. Take it at face value until proven otherwise. So far he has done or initiated everything he has told me so I have no reason to doubt him or anyone else I've spoken with at immigration.

[Expattaff1308]

While it is good to hear from a senior official, I don't see how it is going to change things much: if a police officer suspects you are on overstay they want to see your passport. If you do not have it with you then you are still going to be held or 'fined'...

I would think if an official thinks you are on overstay he would want to see your pp and would be happy to go to your home and view it!

[Furryman]

What does this mean about the crazy new movement reporting requirements Hua Hin announced? Are they out the window too? I'm gonna guess yes, but it's not something I like having to guess about.

[smedly]

what this man has just said in the OP is exactly what people with a brain have been saying on this forum for days

3 times now I have said the stupidity on this forum is becoming a big problem

A little bit of common sense and thinking before you put finger to keyboard please or don't type anything and just read while it is explained to you so you understand what is going on

[Ianatlarge]

Yes, thanks. That is a sensible and reasonable solution, that balances security with ease of implementation.

[laislica]

So glad that I resisted the urge to post on previous threads.

Finally, a senior person with a voice of reason and we should all be grateful for his statement.

Wouldn´t it be nice if he would now organise something like a Foreigners ID Card for long term expats in Thailand.

Something like my wife has in Spain, good for 5 years, no need to stamp (fill up) her passport.

There were an expected number of hoops to jump to obtain the card but so nice and easy now she has it.

[sprq]

Just as I thought, but thanks anyway.

[alexshel]

you know guys, in Putin's Russia the situation when foreigners have to carry a passport with them at all times is for many years already.

My English friend (a black guy) was stopped by police in Moscow city centre having no photo ID with him, so they took him to the police station located at the very remote suburb of Moscow (about 20km from the centre) and held in a police cell with drunk criminals until I retrieved his passport from hotel

The atmosphere here is very bad really.

[ParadiseLost]

While it is good to hear from a senior official, I don't see how it is going to change things much: if a police officer suspects you are on overstay they want to see your passport. If you do not have it with you then you are still going to be held or 'fined'...

I would think if an official thinks you are on overstay he would want to see your pp and would be happy to go to your home and view it!

Perhaps a bit unlikely when a street like KSR is swept and hundreds of tourists are questioned. Or in a roadblock, 100km from your home.

I don't support the notion of carrying my passport at all times, but under the current set of paranoid conditions I think I will anyway. For a while at least.

[herb59]

yes, the media......

[smedly]

What does this mean about the crazy new movement reporting requirements Hua Hin announced? Are they out the window too? I'm gonna guess yes, but it's not something I like having to guess about.

F F sk the movement reporting has been in existence for years, are you trolling or what ??????

In my condo every new resident is required to fill in a form and submit passport for photo copy before getting a room key, during the week a Cop comes by and collects the paperwork, this has been happening for years

If you move your residence it must be reported - there are many good reasons for this

Edited July 31, 2014 by smedly

[DrTuner]

In my condo every new resident is required to fill in a form and submit passport for photo copy before getting a room key, during the week a Cop comes by and collects the paperwork, this has been happening for years

Is this the TM.28 form ?

[AGareth2]

more official clarification to come?

[owenm]

Some great news and common sense on the passport front. But is there any clarification on the 24hr ruling of having to advise Immigration of change of address? This may also change as logistically is not always possible, particularly if moving around the LOS.

Sent from my GT-N5100 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[IAMSOBAD]

Thank you Thai Visa

[ttthailand]

I have done same and carried my Thai drivers license and a photo of my passport for 19 years here. Asked a few times for ID and always showed my TDL , never needed to show more.

If everyone had to carry their passport it would be a major problem as the black market would flooded with thousands of stolen and lost passports. Thailand already recently got bad international press regarding stolen and fake passports and I am sure they don't want that international press again.

[george]

Some great news and common sense on the passport front. But is there any clarification on the 24hr ruling of having to advise Immigration of change of address? This may also change as logistically is not always possible, particularly if moving around the LOS.

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[McFarang]

Good Job TV & Thank You Commander. Crystal Clear & Common Sense.

[ScottMallon]

While it is good to hear from a senior official, I don't see how it is going to change things much: if a police officer suspects you are on overstay they want to see your passport. If you do not have it with you then you are still going to be held or 'fined'...

I would think if an official thinks you are on overstay he would want to see your pp and would be happy to go to your home and view it!

Actually, they would prefer someone brings the passport to wherever you're located.

What I was told by the Colonel is that if you have the copy and can provide your passport to the authorities, you will not be fined. If you can't produce it, then you'll get a fine and a bit of time in the pokey until you come up with it or are deported.

Edited July 31, 2014 by ScottMallon

[NomadJoe]

I'll be carrying a copy of this interview when I go out.

Better bring the original if you're going to be near Hua Hin.

Edited July 31, 2014 by NomadJoe

[dao16]

Well, this makes the most sense. If you are in a situation where you need to present ID, you can go back to your house, apt or hotel and produce it. Fair enough.

I think it was just the wording of the other announcements that made it sound so draconian. Obviously, if there is an issue, you have to present your documents just like you would anywhere else, as it should be.

[NomadJoe]

Good. Exactly what I have been saying.

[LivinLOS]

What does this mean about the crazy new movement reporting requirements Hua Hin announced? Are they out the window too? I'm gonna guess yes, but it's not something I like having to guess about.

F F sk the movement reporting has been in existence for years, are you trolling or what ??????

In my condo every new resident is required to fill in a form and submit passport for photo copy before getting a room key, during the week a Cop comes by and collects the paperwork, this has been happening for years

If you move your residence it must be reported - there are many good reasons for this

Thats the TM30.. Hes talking about the TM28

[bobobo]

Very professional TV. Keep up the good work. Thanks for the clarification..

[sgtsabai]

smedly, it isn't about a legitimate move to a new permanent residence. It is about having to fill out TM 28 every time you are out of your registered province. If you are a tourist and moving from hotel to hotel within your province of stay no big deal, no TM 28. If you are an ex-pat and move permanent residence within the province you will have to fill out, no big deal, how many times do you move permanent residence. It is a big deal for those visiting other provinces and returning home etc. For instance, I go up to Nong Khai overnight to visit friends, I have to fill out TM 28 and my wife has to fill out TM 30 each and every time. That, whether the law or not, is stupid. If you are traveling a lot, a very big headache. Let us all hope this dusty law stays in the dust or is changed to better fit the times. This is not 1979.

[Lancelot]

Yesterday people were posting it was a reasonable request,

and it's always been the law,

so if you don't like it leave.

Now Deputy Commander Voravat,

​is fortunately confirming what we were being slammed about discussing just yesterday.

“Making all foreigners in Thailand carry their original passports with them would be very difficult.”

The 'Thailand- Love it or Leave it' gang never forego an opportunity to 'discipline' folks who dare to question something here

[Ricci]

so finally no need to delete critcs posts on this matter anymore ... oh and thanks for the farang frenzy TV has created.

[ScottMallon]

Well, this makes the most sense. If you are in a situation where you need to present ID, you can go back to your house, apt or hotel and produce it. Fair enough.

I think it was just the wording of the other announcements that made it sound so draconian. Obviously, if there is an issue, you have to present your documents just like you would anywhere else, as it should be.

Like I said, they would prefer someone brings the passport to wherever you're located. This is what I was told. Obviously it isn't always possible but personally, if I don't have my passport, it will be somewhere the wife can go get it and easily find it.

[DrTuner]

Some great news and common sense on the passport front. But is there any clarification on the 24hr ruling of having to advise Immigration of change of address? This may also change as logistically is not always possible, particularly if moving around the LOS.

Sent from my GT-N5100 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

We are planning a story about the 24/48 hour reporting by tomorrow. Subscribe to Thaivisa newsletter and you will be the first to know:

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Alright, but please remember to ask local police office too. They are the ones who are the recipients of the reports as per the Immigration Act section 37(3) and 37(4). It would be interesting to hear if the BiB actually know about it.

And while at it, ask about the "The provision of ( 3 ) and ( 4 ) shall not apply to any cases under Section 34 by any conditions as prescribed by the Director General.". What are the current conditions prescribed by the Director General ?

Edited July 31, 2014 by DrTuner

[Franky Bear]

The way i read this, and other immigration issues is the provincial bosses are scared of this new junta so are looking up their books to see what the book says and enforcing it out of fear and to cover their own backs. I understand why they "panic" but with a bit of relaxed common sense amongst the expat and long termers along with the contacts Thai Visa has we eventually get to the real ruling.

It's apparent there's going to be more panic laws/rules etc implemented by locals police bosses for the foreseeable future. This's something we will need to be calm about and accept as there is obviously a change in the tide in Thailands make up. I know many say, "I've seen this before it'll never last" That's fine and may well be true, i personally think there's a different tone to this Junta and i'm not so sure things will go back to how they were.

Lets hope the big bosses in Bkk have a look at a lot of these laws about immigration and update them in one way or another especially for the lads under 50 that are not married but bring in X amount every year

One thing i do know is it is still easy to live in Thailand with the right paper work.

Edited July 31, 2014 by Franky Bear