Visa Overstayer Crackdown & What Bugs Me the Most

[longtom]

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What is difficult about going home and getting a proper visa?

Seems quite simple to me.

Seriously? Do I have to spell it out for you? Should I use a crayon?

Plane rides, time away from work and family, chance of refusal, money, being somewhere cold (depending on where your from) holy crap if you love leaving Thailand then why not do it more often?

As far as the border runners and teachers being responsible for the crackdown - they aren't doing it, immigration is!

 

 

"time away from work"

 

why would time away from work become a factor in going home to get a visa, one presumes if you in Thailand working you would have the proper visa/extension and WP, therefore one wouldnt need to go home to get a visa...

 

Which leads neatly to your last point, as why immigration are cracking down on people, its the blase attitude people have had over the years towards overstay... eg dont worry its only 20k pay at the door on the way out and come back next week and do it again, which has caused the "crackdown" they are fed up of people taking the p*ss out the system, so now its time to pay the piper.

 

 

So again, why to make such a stupid rule to cap the max overstay fine at 20,000 in the first place? And then complaining that people use this option? 

[Maestro]

Removed some more off-topic posts.

[GOLDBUGGY]

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I think the one thing that bugs me about all this is all the high and mighty people on this forum that group overstay and visa runs in the same breath.

 

There is a massive difference between people staying here and keeping within the guidelines that immigration themselves established by doing visa runs, and people who were/are here on overstay.

 

Many, many people built lives for themselves here whilst keeping within the rules and doing visa runs, not a day of overstay - other longer term visas were of course available but unnecessary given the visa run system that happily existed for so long. For example allot of offshore guys used this system on 6 week off periods as it was easy and absolutely no problem with immigration, it was pretty much encouraged - then the rules change and that's it. Posters here giving it the big one about try this in the UK, USA etc when those places have way more illegals than Thailand for the most part is quite frankly ridiculous.

 

I am personally in favour of the tightening of rules, they do make my life a bit more difficult after having been here for 5 years on a work permit and choosing to switch to a tourist visa for the 3-4 months a year I will be here, but the guys doing visa runs previously were doing absolutely nothing wrong if they weren't working - just following the rules that the immigration department had put in place to allow people to stay here.

 

If you worked here whilst doing visa runs then that is just plain wrongness, but many didn't and they are being treated like criminals now, facing massive life upheavals after just doing what they were told to do by the people that ran the country during the time they spent here to stay within the rules.

 

Very Well Said!

 

This was what I was trying to say to. But everyone jumped on Overstayers and the law, and not Visa Runs of people who just want to stay longer. .

[AYJAYDEE]

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I think the one thing that bugs me about all this is all the high and mighty people on this forum that group overstay and visa runs in the same breath.

 

There is a massive difference between people staying here and keeping within the guidelines that immigration themselves established by doing visa runs, and people who were/are here on overstay.

 

Many, many people built lives for themselves here whilst keeping within the rules and doing visa runs, not a day of overstay - other longer term visas were of course available but unnecessary given the visa run system that happily existed for so long. For example allot of offshore guys used this system on 6 week off periods as it was easy and absolutely no problem with immigration, it was pretty much encouraged - then the rules change and that's it. Posters here giving it the big one about try this in the UK, USA etc when those places have way more illegals than Thailand for the most part is quite frankly ridiculous.

 

I am personally in favour of the tightening of rules, they do make my life a bit more difficult after having been here for 5 years on a work permit and choosing to switch to a tourist visa for the 3-4 months a year I will be here, but the guys doing visa runs previously were doing absolutely nothing wrong if they weren't working - just following the rules that the immigration department had put in place to allow people to stay here.

 

If you worked here whilst doing visa runs then that is just plain wrongness, but many didn't and they are being treated like criminals now, facing massive life upheavals after just doing what they were told to do by the people that ran the country during the time they spent here to stay within the rules.

 

Very Well Said!

 

This was what I was trying to say to. But everyone jumped on Overstayers and the law, and not Visa Runs of people who just want to stay longer. .

they did not put the visa exempt rules in place to allow people to stay. the fact they were used for that purpose and that a lax administration allowed it to be done that way does not mean that was the original intent. there were visas available to allow people to stay. folks chose not to use them for whatever reasons and took the loophole way out.

[sustento]

Prior to 1994 the visa exemption period was 14 days which meant that if you wanted a 3 week holiday in Thailand you had to get a tourist visa.

 

The Thai government extended the visa exempt period to 30 days because they realised that a lot of westerners wanted to spend 3 weeks rather than 2 in Thailand for their annual holidays. 

 

The increased visa exemption period was a concession to allow annual tourists to visit without having to apply for a visa. The fact that it was abused is one of the reasons for the current crackdown.

[GOLDBUGGY]

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What is difficult about going home and getting a proper visa?

Seems quite simple to me.

Seriously? Do I have to spell it out for you? Should I use a crayon?

Plane rides, time away from work and family, chance of refusal, money, being somewhere cold (depending on where your from) holy crap if you love leaving Thailand then why not do it more often?

As far as the border runners and teachers being responsible for the crackdown - they aren't doing it, immigration is!

 

 

"time away from work"

 

why would time away from work become a factor in going home to get a visa, one presumes if you in Thailand working you would have the proper visa/extension and WP, therefore one wouldnt need to go home to get a visa...

 

Which leads neatly to your last point, as why immigration are cracking down on people, its the blase attitude people have had over the years towards overstay... eg dont worry its only 20k pay at the door on the way out and come back next week and do it again, which has caused the "crackdown" they are fed up of people taking the p*ss out the system, so now its time to pay the piper.

 

 

Most everyone I know and have seen in Thailand "Jaywalks" one time or another to, and that is a crime punishable by Fine as well. So why should a short Overstay be more serious than that?

 

As soon as someone mentions "Overstay" you get right away someone who stays here 5 years or more. That is ridiculous! That person is one in several thousand Overstayers, I am sure.

 

If someone was here 5 years without a Visa, and I was an Immigration Officer, it would raise my eyebrows too, and I would need to investigate further. But I am only talking the normal person, who Overstays for whatever reason. Can you honest group these together and say 1 day or 5 years is the "Same, Same"? That stealing an Apple from an Apple Tree, and Robbing a Bank at Gun Point is the "Same, Same", as it is both stealing?  

 

Just remember what you all are posting here so when you do get stopped on the street one day, for your Passport, or pulled over on your motorbike for the same thing, and then dragged  down to the police station to pay a 2,000 Baht Fine, you agreed to it. After all, with them losing all this money from Overstayers, they will have to find a new way to make this up.  

 

 

  

[AYJAYDEE]

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What is difficult about going home and getting a proper visa?

Seems quite simple to me.

Seriously? Do I have to spell it out for you? Should I use a crayon?

Plane rides, time away from work and family, chance of refusal, money, being somewhere cold (depending on where your from) holy crap if you love leaving Thailand then why not do it more often?

As far as the border runners and teachers being responsible for the crackdown - they aren't doing it, immigration is!

 

 

"time away from work"

 

why would time away from work become a factor in going home to get a visa, one presumes if you in Thailand working you would have the proper visa/extension and WP, therefore one wouldnt need to go home to get a visa...

 

Which leads neatly to your last point, as why immigration are cracking down on people, its the blase attitude people have had over the years towards overstay... eg dont worry its only 20k pay at the door on the way out and come back next week and do it again, which has caused the "crackdown" they are fed up of people taking the p*ss out the system, so now its time to pay the piper.

 

 

Most everyone I know and have seen in Thailand "Jaywalks" one time or another to, and that is a crime punishable by Fine as well. So why should a short Overstay be more serious than that?

 

As soon as someone mentions "Overstay" you get right away someone who stays here 5 years or more. That is ridiculous! That person is one in several thousand Overstayers, I am sure.

 

If someone was here 5 years without a Visa, and I was an Immigration Officer, it would raise my eyebrows too, and I would need to investigate further. But I am only talking the normal person, who Overstays for whatever reason. Can you honest group these together and say 1 day or 5 years is the "Same, Same"? That stealing an Apple from an Apple Tree, and Robbing a Bank at Gun Point is the "Same, Same", as it is both stealing?  

 

Just remember what you all are posting here so when you do get stopped on the street one day, for your Passport, or pulled over on your motorbike for the same thing, and then dragged  down to the police station to pay a 2,000 Baht Fine, you agreed to it. After all, with them losing all this money from Overstayers, they will have to find a new way to make this up.  

 

 

  

and since when is a one day overstay treated "same same" as a 5 year overstay??

[GOLDBUGGY]

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What is difficult about going home and getting a proper visa?

Seems quite simple to me.

 

The cost of a return flight ticket, which in my case runs into the thousands of dollars. Which would pay for the extra couple of weeks  or month, I wanted to stay here.  

 

I guess the question to ask is why should you have to fly home to get a New Visa? Why can't you get that here? I am not talking about hardened criminals. I am talking about normal people who want to continue there vacation here and enjoy another 90 days longer. He used to do a Visa Run for that, but now he can't do that anymore either. He must go home, and probably not come back,  which I see as lost Tourist Money to Thailand. And for what?  

 

You can't compare my country, or yours, to Thailand, when it comes to Visa Rules. Unless you are Cambodian wanting to work here illegally. Nobody I know back home would flock to Thailand for a job and work in the Black Way, to improve his livelihood, but many would to mine. That is a big difference! So screening someone from a poorer country I understand. But screening Westerners on the street to see if they Overstayed I do not.

 

I am not suggesting people break the rules and Overstay. All that I suggest is that a better way to prevent Overstayers is to make it easy for people who can afford it, to stay legally. Why can't they request a new Visa on the 90 day report period at the Immigration Office instead of skip town for a day to get a new Visa?

 

In many countries it is a law where you can't even have a single beer in the privacy of your hotel room. But just because it is the law, and I follow it, it doesn't mean I have to like it or agree to it. I still don't understand why they are making such a big deal about this. If you have extra money to spend here, and want to, you should be allowed to stay. That is Good for Thailand. Kicking them out is not.            

most countries dont allow what you are asking for. 

 

 

Yes, and most countries also don't totally ban drinking, if you are of legal age. But then most countries are not as highly dependent on Tourism, as Thailand is either. For Canada, it is nice to have but we can take it or leave it. For Libya, they couldn't give a Rats Ass!

 

Oh Ya! Most countries also don't accept Illegal Aliens either, who have no Rights or Visas to be their, like the United States of America just did  

 

[AYJAYDEE]

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What is difficult about going home and getting a proper visa?

Seems quite simple to me.

 

The cost of a return flight ticket, which in my case runs into the thousands of dollars. Which would pay for the extra couple of weeks  or month, I wanted to stay here.  

 

I guess the question to ask is why should you have to fly home to get a New Visa? Why can't you get that here? I am not talking about hardened criminals. I am talking about normal people who want to continue there vacation here and enjoy another 90 days longer. He used to do a Visa Run for that, but now he can't do that anymore either. He must go home, and probably not come back,  which I see as lost Tourist Money to Thailand. And for what?  

 

You can't compare my country, or yours, to Thailand, when it comes to Visa Rules. Unless you are Cambodian wanting to work here illegally. Nobody I know back home would flock to Thailand for a job and work in the Black Way, to improve his livelihood, but many would to mine. That is a big difference! So screening someone from a poorer country I understand. But screening Westerners on the street to see if they Overstayed I do not.

 

I am not suggesting people break the rules and Overstay. All that I suggest is that a better way to prevent Overstayers is to make it easy for people who can afford it, to stay legally. Why can't they request a new Visa on the 90 day report period at the Immigration Office instead of skip town for a day to get a new Visa?

 

In many countries it is a law where you can't even have a single beer in the privacy of your hotel room. But just because it is the law, and I follow it, it doesn't mean I have to like it or agree to it. I still don't understand why they are making such a big deal about this. If you have extra money to spend here, and want to, you should be allowed to stay. That is Good for Thailand. Kicking them out is not.            

most countries dont allow what you are asking for. 

 

 

Yes, and most countries also don't totally ban drinking, if you are of legal age. But then most countries are not as highly dependent on Tourism, as Thailand is either. For Canada, it is nice to have but we can take it or leave it. For Libya, they couldn't give a Rats Ass!

 

Oh Ya! Most countries also don't accept Illegal Aliens either, who have no Rights or Visas to be their, like the United States of America just did  

 

I think thailand is well able to decide for themselves if they want those that can afford it to stay or not. And they obviously disagree with you. Letting the small minority of young people that can afford to stay indefinitely wont amount to much in comparison to the size of the GDP and they have decided it aint worth it.

[GOLDBUGGY]

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Immigration have to imposs its rules, and be strong in imposs it because there are too many foreigners not following the rules, but I think is not reason for honest and common foreigners living here to get so worry.

Common sense and good attitude exist in any country...and bad one too.

I am very careful in following the rules, but after 2 years doing that, one time I mistaken dates and shows up on immigration 15 days late for my 90 days report. I seat in front of the same officer I visited before many times, I told her about my mistake, sad.. but joking about....and asked how much I have to pay in fines. I think was about 5000th. She smiled, told me to be more careful next time, stamped the new notice with back date, and told me to save all that money to treat my wife with a nice dinner.

That was all.....at that time. Two weeks ago, the same officer told me that now everyhing is done by computers and she will feel sorry having to fine me for late reporting.

A lot more pleasant attitude than Immigration officers in the US...specially at the borders with Mexico.

I was retired in Baja California before...

 

Ya! The Good Old Days!

 

Why don't you try that next time and fill us all here on how your smiled worked this time.

[AYJAYDEE]

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Immigration have to imposs its rules, and be strong in imposs it because there are too many foreigners not following the rules, but I think is not reason for honest and common foreigners living here to get so worry.

Common sense and good attitude exist in any country...and bad one too.

I am very careful in following the rules, but after 2 years doing that, one time I mistaken dates and shows up on immigration 15 days late for my 90 days report. I seat in front of the same officer I visited before many times, I told her about my mistake, sad.. but joking about....and asked how much I have to pay in fines. I think was about 5000th. She smiled, told me to be more careful next time, stamped the new notice with back date, and told me to save all that money to treat my wife with a nice dinner.

That was all.....at that time. Two weeks ago, the same officer told me that now everyhing is done by computers and she will feel sorry having to fine me for late reporting.

A lot more pleasant attitude than Immigration officers in the US...specially at the borders with Mexico.

I was retired in Baja California before...

 

Ya! The Good Old Days!

 

Why don't you try that next time and fill us all here on how your smiled worked this time.

he just told you how it will work. the computer will cause him to be fined

[GOLDBUGGY]

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What is difficult about going home and getting a proper visa?

Seems quite simple to me.

 

The cost of a return flight ticket, which in my case runs into the thousands of dollars. Which would pay for the extra couple of weeks  or month, I wanted to stay here.  

 

I guess the question to ask is why should you have to fly home to get a New Visa? Why can't you get that here? I am not talking about hardened criminals. I am talking about normal people who want to continue there vacation here and enjoy another 90 days longer. He used to do a Visa Run for that, but now he can't do that anymore either. He must go home, and probably not come back,  which I see as lost Tourist Money to Thailand. And for what?  

 

You can't compare my country, or yours, to Thailand, when it comes to Visa Rules. Unless you are Cambodian wanting to work here illegally. Nobody I know back home would flock to Thailand for a job and work in the Black Way, to improve his livelihood, but many would to mine. That is a big difference! So screening someone from a poorer country I understand. But screening Westerners on the street to see if they Overstayed I do not.

 

I am not suggesting people break the rules and Overstay. All that I suggest is that a better way to prevent Overstayers is to make it easy for people who can afford it, to stay legally. Why can't they request a new Visa on the 90 day report period at the Immigration Office instead of skip town for a day to get a new Visa?

 

In many countries it is a law where you can't even have a single beer in the privacy of your hotel room. But just because it is the law, and I follow it, it doesn't mean I have to like it or agree to it. I still don't understand why they are making such a big deal about this. If you have extra money to spend here, and want to, you should be allowed to stay. That is Good for Thailand. Kicking them out is not.            

I don't why your talking about they have to fly home to get a visa. I am on retiremnet here now but when visiting before I came in on visa exempt and if wanted more time went to laos and got a 1 or 2 entry tourist visa ( valid for 60 days) to come back in to Thailand. What are you talking about having to spend a thousand dollars to fly to home country to get visa? You can go to Laos, or many nearby areas and get a single or double entry tourist visa which can both be extended for 30 days more.

 

 

It is because the rules have changed and you are not allowed to come here as much as you want anymore.

 

Were have you been?

 

[AYJAYDEE]

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What is difficult about going home and getting a proper visa?

Seems quite simple to me.

 

The cost of a return flight ticket, which in my case runs into the thousands of dollars. Which would pay for the extra couple of weeks  or month, I wanted to stay here.  

 

I guess the question to ask is why should you have to fly home to get a New Visa? Why can't you get that here? I am not talking about hardened criminals. I am talking about normal people who want to continue there vacation here and enjoy another 90 days longer. He used to do a Visa Run for that, but now he can't do that anymore either. He must go home, and probably not come back,  which I see as lost Tourist Money to Thailand. And for what?  

 

You can't compare my country, or yours, to Thailand, when it comes to Visa Rules. Unless you are Cambodian wanting to work here illegally. Nobody I know back home would flock to Thailand for a job and work in the Black Way, to improve his livelihood, but many would to mine. That is a big difference! So screening someone from a poorer country I understand. But screening Westerners on the street to see if they Overstayed I do not.

 

I am not suggesting people break the rules and Overstay. All that I suggest is that a better way to prevent Overstayers is to make it easy for people who can afford it, to stay legally. Why can't they request a new Visa on the 90 day report period at the Immigration Office instead of skip town for a day to get a new Visa?

 

In many countries it is a law where you can't even have a single beer in the privacy of your hotel room. But just because it is the law, and I follow it, it doesn't mean I have to like it or agree to it. I still don't understand why they are making such a big deal about this. If you have extra money to spend here, and want to, you should be allowed to stay. That is Good for Thailand. Kicking them out is not.            

I don't why your talking about they have to fly home to get a visa. I am on retiremnet here now but when visiting before I came in on visa exempt and if wanted more time went to laos and got a 1 or 2 entry tourist visa ( valid for 60 days) to come back in to Thailand. What are you talking about having to spend a thousand dollars to fly to home country to get visa? You can go to Laos, or many nearby areas and get a single or double entry tourist visa which can both be extended for 30 days more.

 

 

It is because the rules have changed and you are not allowed to come here as much as you want anymore.

 

Were have you been?

 

The rules havent changed, theyre just being enforced . It was never intended that someone in your situation should be able to stay in thailand as long as you wanted.

[GOLDBUGGY]

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I think the one thing that bugs me about all this is all the high and mighty people on this forum that group overstay and visa runs in the same breath.

 

There is a massive difference between people staying here and keeping within the guidelines that immigration themselves established by doing visa runs, and people who were/are here on overstay.

 

Many, many people built lives for themselves here whilst keeping within the rules and doing visa runs, not a day of overstay - other longer term visas were of course available but unnecessary given the visa run system that happily existed for so long. For example allot of offshore guys used this system on 6 week off periods as it was easy and absolutely no problem with immigration, it was pretty much encouraged - then the rules change and that's it. Posters here giving it the big one about try this in the UK, USA etc when those places have way more illegals than Thailand for the most part is quite frankly ridiculous.

 

I am personally in favour of the tightening of rules, they do make my life a bit more difficult after having been here for 5 years on a work permit and choosing to switch to a tourist visa for the 3-4 months a year I will be here, but the guys doing visa runs previously were doing absolutely nothing wrong if they weren't working - just following the rules that the immigration department had put in place to allow people to stay here.

 

If you worked here whilst doing visa runs then that is just plain wrongness, but many didn't and they are being treated like criminals now, facing massive life upheavals after just doing what they were told to do by the people that ran the country during the time they spent here to stay within the rules.

 

Very Well Said!

 

This was what I was trying to say to. But everyone jumped on Overstayers and the law, and not Visa Runs of people who just want to stay longer. .

they did not put the visa exempt rules in place to allow people to stay. the fact they were used for that purpose and that a lax administration allowed it to be done that way does not mean that was the original intent. there were visas available to allow people to stay. folks chose not to use them for whatever reasons and took the loophole way out.

 

 

Yes! It is called the 90 Day Visa! So if you decided you wanted to stay 180 days now, and have the money and means to do so, you are screwed. But if you are the Crime Boss from Russia, or a Child Molester running from the Law, you are welcomed with open arms on a 30 Day Exempt Visa.

 

Don't you see something wrong with this picture?

   

[AYJAYDEE]

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I think the one thing that bugs me about all this is all the high and mighty people on this forum that group overstay and visa runs in the same breath.

 

There is a massive difference between people staying here and keeping within the guidelines that immigration themselves established by doing visa runs, and people who were/are here on overstay.

 

Many, many people built lives for themselves here whilst keeping within the rules and doing visa runs, not a day of overstay - other longer term visas were of course available but unnecessary given the visa run system that happily existed for so long. For example allot of offshore guys used this system on 6 week off periods as it was easy and absolutely no problem with immigration, it was pretty much encouraged - then the rules change and that's it. Posters here giving it the big one about try this in the UK, USA etc when those places have way more illegals than Thailand for the most part is quite frankly ridiculous.

 

I am personally in favour of the tightening of rules, they do make my life a bit more difficult after having been here for 5 years on a work permit and choosing to switch to a tourist visa for the 3-4 months a year I will be here, but the guys doing visa runs previously were doing absolutely nothing wrong if they weren't working - just following the rules that the immigration department had put in place to allow people to stay here.

 

If you worked here whilst doing visa runs then that is just plain wrongness, but many didn't and they are being treated like criminals now, facing massive life upheavals after just doing what they were told to do by the people that ran the country during the time they spent here to stay within the rules.

 

Very Well Said!

 

This was what I was trying to say to. But everyone jumped on Overstayers and the law, and not Visa Runs of people who just want to stay longer. .

they did not put the visa exempt rules in place to allow people to stay. the fact they were used for that purpose and that a lax administration allowed it to be done that way does not mean that was the original intent. there were visas available to allow people to stay. folks chose not to use them for whatever reasons and took the loophole way out.

 

 

Yes! It is called the 90 Day Visa! So if you decided you wanted to stay 180 days now, and have the money and means to do so, you are screwed. But if you are the Crime Boss from Russia, or a Child Molester running from the Law, you are welcomed with open arms on a 30 Day Exempt Visa.

 

Don't you see something wrong with this picture?

   

so get a triple entry tourist visa like you shoulda done in the first place. the 90 day visa is a non-o and perhaps you dont qualify for one. and feel free to show me where an immigration officer knowingly

opened his arms to a known child molestor?

[cpofc]

I think the one thing that bugs me about all this is all the high and mighty people on this forum that group overstay and visa runs in the same breath.

 

There is a massive difference between people staying here and keeping within the guidelines that immigration themselves established by doing visa runs, and people who were/are here on overstay.

 

Many, many people built lives for themselves here whilst keeping within the rules and doing visa runs, not a day of overstay - other longer term visas were of course available but unnecessary given the visa run system that happily existed for so long. For example allot of offshore guys used this system on 6 week off periods as it was easy and absolutely no problem with immigration, it was pretty much encouraged - then the rules change and that's it. Posters here giving it the big one about try this in the UK, USA etc when those places have way more illegals than Thailand for the most part is quite frankly ridiculous.

 

I am personally in favour of the tightening of rules, they do make my life a bit more difficult after having been here for 5 years on a work permit and choosing to switch to a tourist visa for the 3-4 months a year I will be here, but the guys doing visa runs previously were doing absolutely nothing wrong if they weren't working - just following the rules that the immigration department had put in place to allow people to stay here.

 

If you worked here whilst doing visa runs then that is just plain wrongness, but many didn't and they are being treated like criminals now, facing massive life upheavals after just doing what they were told to do by the people that ran the country during the time they spent here to stay within the rules.

 

The massive difference being, one is breaking the law, the other is abusing it.  The objective here is to stop both.

 

I remember a night some years back now, hooking up with a young (early 20s) Brit bloke who happened to wander into my local(Thai) pub one night. He had parked his motorbike next to the pub.   We later left the pub and went out, leaving the bike and taking a taxi.  Upon our return, late, we stopped to get his motorbike.  Alas it was surrounded by police who had setup a roadblock, right where he had parked it.  I started to cross the road when he shouted at me urgently to come back.  He was positively terrified, s****ing himself.  I told him not to be concerned.  The police won't bother you.  They'll just wave and say hello.  But there was no calming him down.  Then he told me.  He was on overstay, teaching English illegally in a nearby school.  He was very distressed, you could have been forgiven for thinking he was on the run for murder.  He wouldn't go near the bike and got cab.  I remember thinking what a bugger of a way to live.  Like a fugitive.  Constantly looking over your shoulder, anxiety attacks everytime you see a copper.  Not for me.  I only saw him once more after that.  With his (Thai) girlfriend, who told me she was worried that he was getting mixed up with a shifty character who was up to no good and could I talk to him.  I don't know what ever became of him.  There is no way I would want to live like that.

 

This current 'crackdown', which appears to be alot more fair dinkum than all the other previous 'crackdowns' over the years, has been a long time coming.  It couldn't last forever, particulary since the numbers have been increasing exponentially over the past decade. 

 

No, I have no figures to prove it,  but IMHO stats would show 'Visa Runners' and 'Overstayers' would be well over represented when it comes to foreigners committing crimes or working illegally in the Kingdom.  A classic case of the shonks ruining it for the honest people who just want to stay a little longer than they originally planned. 

 

Thailand was always going to have to clean up its act sooner or later. The two arabs travelling on false passports who boarded the illfated missing Malaysian Airliner were probably the last (embarrassing) straw I reckon.

 

Go legal, or go home.

 

Not just a Thai problem

 

As for Australia, which is also cracking down, and recently changed its laws..

 

Persons who overstay their visa by more than 28 days may become subject to an exclusion period that prevents them from being granted a temporary visa to travel to Australia for three years. This exclusion period applies whether they leave voluntarily or not. Even after the exclusion period has finished, the person cannot be granted a visa unless they repay any debt they owe to the Commonwealth, including for costs of removal, or they make satisfactory arrangements to repay their debt.

 

As the federal government cracks down on the estimated 100,000 illegal workers residing in Australia, it can be revealed that almost 17,000 calls have been made to the immigration dob-in line over the past year by concerned Australians.

 

As from July 2012 - ALMOST 70 new illegal overstayers go missing every week in Australia and there are now 60,000 who cannot be found by immigration authorities. 
 
The number of visa overstayers - who entered the country legally and then failed to leave - has jumped by 3530 in just one year, data reveals.

 

The figures released by immigration show an estimated 59,430 people were in hiding around Australia on December 31, 2011 - up from 55,900 on December 31, 2010.

 

Over the past five years the number of visa overstayers has jumped by about 10,000, Immigration figures show.