Phuket Immigration tightens visitor notification rules
Alasdair Forbes


Immigration held meetings about 18 months ago to ram home the rules on notifications, but it seems that some people didn't get the message. TPN file photo

PHUKET: -- The Immigration Police are applying more rigidly rules about notification of foreigners staying in hotels, villas or homes in Thailand.

They explained that checks will be made whenever a foreigner requests an extension of stay in Thailand. If the place where they are staying is not found in the notification system, the owner or manager will be fined B1,600.

The rules are laid out in Section 38 of the Immigration Law, which states, in part, “The master, owner or possessor of a residence, or the hotel manager where the alien, having receiving permission to stay temporarily in the Kingdom, is lodging, must notify the competent official of the Immigration Office located in the same area … within 24 hours of the time of arrival of the foreigner concerned.

“If there is no Immigration Office located in that area , the local police in that area must be notified.

“Notification must comply with regulations prescribed by the Director General.” Notifications can be made online but the hotel management, or home or villa owner must in the first instance go to Immigration in person to register and receive a login and password.

Source: http://www.thephuketnews.com/phuket-immigration-tightens-visitor-notification-rules-49368.php


-- Phuket News 2014-10-28

The fact that every year the same crackdown is announced makes me think that there's never a real crackdown!

"notifications can be made online"................just as long as you can read and write Thai that is.

When the hell is this stupid shit going to stop. We report our address every 90 days and at extension of stay. What the hell else do these idiots want. They have computers update are address at the time of reporting and extending stay.

One word "PLONKERS " !

Some easily excited posters seem to think Immigrations wants tourists or foreign residents to do something more. The regulation referred to is the one requiring hotels, guest houses, etc to report the presence of foreign guests.

“The master, owner or possessor of a residence, or the hotel manager where the alien, having receiving permission to stay temporarily in the Kingdom, is lodging, must notify the competent official of the Immigration Office located in the same area … within 24 hours of the time of arrival of the foreigner concerned.

Maybe before throwing a hissy fit, it would be a good idea to read what was written in the O/P.

They are only interested in the money, B1600. Has nothing to do with fixing any problems. It is just another of many shake downs.

When the hell is this stupid shit going to stop. We report our address every 90 days and at extension of stay. What the hell else do these idiots want. They have computers update are address at the time of reporting and extending stay.

Oh dear. Don't like it? Go home.

Want to live in their country? Abide by their rules.

And they also it in every single European country, at least as far as hotels are concerned.

They are only interested in the money, B1600. Has nothing to do with fixing any problems. It is just another of many shake downs.

Are the bars closed in Phuket? The rather frantic, accusatory, foul-mouthed posts in this thread seem even more maniacal than usual, suggesting a collective withdrawal from something.

Some of you need to use one of these pacifiers for a few minutes, it may help you relax and regain perspective.

One word "PLONKERS " !

I guess you care NOT that most people have no idea what the word refers to.

When the hell is this stupid shit going to stop. We report our address every 90 days and at extension of stay. What the hell else do these idiots want. They have computers update are address at the time of reporting and extending stay.

They won't stop until all trees have been chopped and made into paper so we can report this bloody thing..

Retardation to the max..

PHUKET: -- The Immigration Police are applying more rigidly rules about notification of foreigners staying in hotels, villas or homes in Thailand.

And they also it in every single European country, at least as far as hotels are concerned.

At least on reader is not short minded and knows about the European registration obligation of hotels, guest houses.

Thanks nicolas18

They are only interested in the money, B1600. Has nothing to do with fixing any problems. It is just another of many shake downs.

Are the bars closed in Phuket? The rather frantic, accusatory, foul-mouthed posts in this thread seem even more maniacal than usual, suggesting a collective withdrawal from something.

Some of you need to use one of these pacifiers for a few minutes, it may help you relax and regain perspective.

Please tell us what purpose this serves ? Is it to protect Thais from foreigners or the other way around ?

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When the hell is this stupid shit going to stop. We report our address every 90 days and at extension of stay. What the hell else do these idiots want. They have computers update are address at the time of reporting and extending stay.

The Thai Gestapo. Soon we'll all have to wear yellow stars on our clothes.

This a bit of a problem as say in my case where the house the wife and I live in is owned by her.

When I go to do an extension the Immo officer will fine her for not advising them and iwillhave to pay that fine i will have to pay as i am the only source of income.

There may be plenty of guys like that even though there will also be plenty where the non thai national lease or rents the home abode where they live.

Its a nightmare. Do I make a special run with the wife in tow to lodge the completed form or lodge it when next doing my extension.

Either way its like open season on us for tea money. They have even said how much the tea money it will be.

Some easily excited posters seem to think Immigrations wants tourists or foreign residents to do something more. The regulation referred to is the one requiring hotels, guest houses, etc to report the presence of foreign guests.

The master, owner or possessor of a residence, or the hotel manager where the alien, having receiving permission to stay temporarily in the Kingdom, is lodging, must notify the competent official of the Immigration Office located in the same area within 24 hours of the time of arrival of the foreigner concerned.

Maybe before throwing a hissy fit, it would be a of a

good idea to read what was written in the O/P.

You quoted "The master, owner, or possessor of a residence..." A residence is, among other things, a home. Perhaps that is why people are getting upset. When we moved into our new home, my wife and I went to immigration to fill out our respective forms, because the local police didn't have a clue (IIRC, they had a "Red book" that they kept the information in). As my wife's cousin, who heads an immigration office, explained to me, "Master" could be the GM of a hotel, "Owner" could be a guest house or personal house owner, and "Possessor" could be a renter.

So, it's not just commercial establishments that fall under this regulation.

This a bit of a problem as say in my case where the house the wife and I live in is owned by her.

When I go to do an extension the Immo officer will fine her for not advising them and iwillhave to pay that fine i will have to pay as i am the only source of income.

There may be plenty of guys like that even though there will also be plenty where the non thai national lease or rents the home abode where they live.

Its a nightmare. Do I make a special run with the wife in tow to lodge the completed form or lodge it when next doing my extension.

Either way its like open season on us for tea money. They have even said how much the tea money it will be.

It is a shake down. It is just about money.

Johnnie99, on 28 Oct 2014 - 15:15, said:

Mango Bob, on 28 Oct 2014 - 13:50, said:

When the hell is this stupid shit going to stop. We report our address every 90 days and at extension of stay. What the hell else do these idiots want. They have computers update are address at the time of reporting and extending stay.

Oh dear. Don't like it? Go home.

Want to live in their country? Abide by their rules.

Wow, a full 9 comments before the first "Go home" from people, like me, with nothing else to add....

Yes amazing theyt are talking about VISITORS, not the ones who are resident here. maybe some posters need to learn to read before opening mouths and putting their collective foots in them.

Khun Paul the article includes "when they apply for an extension.....

Sounds like it includes the ones who are resident.

When the hell is this stupid shit going to stop. We report our address every 90 days and at extension of stay. What the hell else do these idiots want. They have computers update are address at the time of reporting and extending stay.

Oh dear. Don't like it? Go home.

Want to live in their country? Abide by their rules.

"The if you do not like it go home argument" is rather lame argument. Most foreigners in Thailand are helpful to the Thai economy. Just look at Isan. People have a right to object even in Thailand. In the end if you do not like it, move to a neighboring country. Thailand is not the only place to live.

This a bit of a problem as say in my case where the house the wife and I live in is owned by her.

When I go to do an extension the Immo officer will fine her for not advising them and iwillhave to pay that fine i will have to pay as i am the only source of income.

There may be plenty of guys like that even though there will also be plenty where the non thai national lease or rents the home abode where they live.

Its a nightmare. Do I make a special run with the wife in tow to lodge the completed form or lodge it when next doing my extension.

Either way its like open season on us for tea money. They have even said how much the tea money it will be.

The solution here seems really, really easy: have your wife go to immigration and tell them where you live.

"notifications can be made online"................just as long as you can read and write Thai that is.

As long as the hotel owner knows how to do anything beside Facebook or play games online AND the Guv'ment website actually WORKS, which is highly unlikely.

Most USA government websites are completely useless, so I can only imagine a Thai website (ref: Obamacare website).

The Thai Gestapo. Soon we'll all have to wear yellow stars on our clothes.

When the hell is this stupid shit going to stop. We report our address every 90 days and at extension of stay. What the hell else do these idiots want. They have computers update are address at the time of reporting and extending stay.

They want all tourists to wear poofy pink hospital bands on their wrists so they can be ID'd after they've been whacked in the head.

I'd imagine this is what immigration is doing on their computers anyhow.

Section 38 is ancient. They should scrap it altogether.

Thanks stevenl, I love sarcasm as well.

The issue is that they will fine her because its been years like most in my situation since me and others took up residence.

Its the land of crackdowns, there should be a crackdown on the lack of crackdowns being issued of late.A crackdown issued by some dim witted civil servant justifies his position and ego.

If you have ever worked in the Thai education system all would be explained.

All the paperwork creates 1000's of jobs nation wide and the sales of photo copying paper, per capita,possibly the highest in the world.

So this affects hotels and guest houses, as well as private persons who have foreign visitors staying with them for commercial or social purposes.

So the vast majority of those affected are Thais in the hospitality business.

But most of the discussion here is fueled by the old "my own 90 days" anger of long term foreigners.

It only makes sense because on ThaiVisa, we comment immediately after reading half of a headline and we have the memory of a fern.

A legitimate question however would be about the "notification system". I remember (from 1996 to 2008) that the entry form has a space for the address while in Thailand and that was good for 90 days after entry. So technically, a visitor who stays less than 90 days and wrote "Banyan Tree Bangkok", "Sabai Guesthouse Pattaya" or "my buddy Mike off Sukhumvit 19" should indeed be in the notification system. Well I guess we all know how to lie, so the confirmation by the domicile owner is required as described in the 2nd para. Weird stuff.

we wuold if only they stop moving the goal posts

When the hell is this stupid shit going to stop. We report our address every 90 days and at extension of stay. What the hell else do these idiots want. They have computers update are address at the time of reporting and extending stay.

Oh dear. Don't like it? Go home.

Want to live in their country? Abide by their rules.

When the hell is this stupid shit going to stop. We report our address every 90 days and at extension of stay. What the hell else do these idiots want. They have computers update are address at the time of reporting and extending stay.

Ah Mangobob! I am not going to demean this honourable (sic) site by saying go home. Besides you may be English and it would be equally unpalatable to run into you there as it would here. No, i would just suggest that you show a modicum of commitment to Thailand by going through the process of Thai residency. It will then be unnecessary to report your whereabouts any more than once every five or six years or so. Try it....maybe then you will be less frustrated.