Immigration crackdown: Thousands of foreigners charged for illegally entering Thailand

[condobrit001]

Seems like the only people arrested from the "9000" were males. I wonder where the women are being kept???

[dhream]

This is terrible treatment of people. If you detained 9000 people in western countries on *suspicion* of overstaying but without proof it would be condemned by everyone. They also targeted the Africans, I don't see any farangs or Asians in that group. It's funny how Thailand can do what they want. Meanwhile in Europe hundreds of thousands of Muslim refugees keep coming in without identity checks and anyone raising a finger of caution gets labeled a racist.

Well i just saw a pic with mostly whites AND Asians all wearing a black T shirt of shame.

I am far from right wing on human rights, however, let's review the simple facts, innocent bar patrons report that this operation (the request for ID) was carried out with politeness and a light hand. Therefore, if one was nicked on 'suspicion' in this operation you can bet there was something absolutely not right with their paperwork.

It is only right that law enforcement have the right to detain on suspicion, provided due process is followed, most arrests worldwide are initially made 'on suspicion' the charging only comes later when enough evidence supports the suspicion. Were this not the case the Yorkshire Ripper might never have been caught, for instance.

Every single one of those SoB's is in violation of the Immigration act, and several hundred have already been identified as wanted on separate criminal charges.

I'm willing to bet the few that are simply 'libertines', and guilty of no other offence, are less than a dozen.

I agree that 9000 or you pick a number, would create an outcry in a 'western' country, yes you're right, but the outcry would be over why didn't these reprobates get thrown out sooner!

The numbers reflect the fact that things here are always done sporadically, and whenever some honcho hands down a press release. Then it's back to the cops doing something close to nothing until the next crackdown.

[richard10365]

I hope Donald Trump is taking notes!

[walkingstreet]

No wonder my condo hasn't been rented out despite peak season approaching.

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[jadee]

This whole crackdown is astonishing, I never thought I'd see the day when Thai authorities actually did something about illegal immigration. I wonder what effect this will have, hopefully a positive one.

[walkingstreet]

The condo developers must have dodged taxes.

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[thai006]

very good

this year i pay 15 000 baht for stay here for make non o , extension , lao visa and people before they stay 5 10 20 year and they just pay 20000b at the border or airport and welcome after noooo,

Thanks you Chan o Cha

[UTH001]

This is good. Get rid of the trash. You want to stay here in Thailand ??? DO IT LEGALLY or get out.

Maybe a bit harsh, calling an overstayer TRASH (no, I am not one, here very legally...)? Whats it to you if someone overstays on the visa?

[Soutpeel]

This whole crackdown is astonishing, I never thought I'd see the day when Thai authorities actually did something about illegal immigration. I wonder what effect this will have, hopefully a positive one.

What is suprising is all the criticism and complaining about the RTP et al, not doing their jobs, they should be cracking down crime, enforce the driving rules...every day on TV

Now they are starting to enforce the rules/laws and possibly introduce so new ones which give some real consequences for the offenders on this thread and similar related, TV finest are still complaining

Just no satisfying some people

[Rimbuman]

Forget the anomalies in the reporting. What is happening is that the Thai's are waking up to a massive problem. They do not know who is in their country, have very few controls to collect or process illegal aliens once here and that many illegals are nefarious of character and intent and have few options here or back home.

Read: they do not really contribute to whatever society they are in.

It is a situation that has developed for wont of tourist dollars and cheap labor. Poor immigration enttry conditions and porous borders and little big picture thinking got them to this situation. Unfortunately the Thais have never evaluated the opportunity cost entertaining these people for years domestically. Pay no tax, generate little in consumption enterprise, most are by large parasitic. And determining if they are overstay is difficult once integrated. Big problem.

Just like Europe.

[h90]

This whole crackdown is astonishing, I never thought I'd see the day when Thai authorities actually did something about illegal immigration. I wonder what effect this will have, hopefully a positive one.

What is suprising is all the criticism and complaining about the RTP et al, not doing their jobs, they should be cracking down crime, enforce the driving rules...every day on TV

Now they are starting to enforce the rules/laws and possibly introduce so new ones which give some real consequences for the offenders on this thread and similar related, TV finest are still complaining

Just no satisfying some people

No they want that the police teach the Thais to be good British people, but they want themself enjoy the lawlessness of Thailand.....They never thought to be themself the victim.

[h90]

This is terrible treatment of people. If you detained 9000 people in western countries on *suspicion* of overstaying but without proof it would be condemned by everyone. They also targeted the Africans, I don't see any farangs or Asians in that group. It's funny how Thailand can do what they want. Meanwhile in Europe hundreds of thousands of Muslim refugees keep coming in without identity checks and anyone raising a finger of caution gets labeled a racist.

Suspicion? A look into the passport can fix that. I doubt that they would suspect something if I show my passport.

No they don't target Africans, BKK Post shows the same picture with only white people. It seems they separate them. And even if they would go for the biggest problem first (if that would be Africans, I have no idea) what would be wrong to search for criminals where you can find them.

If you see someone leaning on the wall of the house, waiting for something and happy family with kids walking. Of course you check the dubious guy....and if he happens to be black and the family is white than it is not racism it is what they did.

Yes Europe is braking its own laws....that is a shame and it will be problem for decades.

[soalbundy]

No qualms about racial profiling, full marks to the Immigration cops:)

you mean if they are black let them go as in spineless UK

[ggt]

These crackdowns...crack me up! I love Thailand...never a dull moment...never relax and enjoy your stay as you may be arrested or your home invaded by police...doing their official duty...

I say kick all those foreigners who are corrupting the morals of their bronze skin beauties...out of the country...never let them back in...look to China...the mother country...for men to marry and enslave the women...

[TPI]

Why is it Pattaya gets all the quality tourists !!

When you cater to people who need to pay for sex, you get a lot of tourist who need to pay for sex.

Maybe that is why???

Or may be because people with money go to fun places, instead of farms in the middle of the jungle

Interesting comment,

but it can not be for me.

I have the means and time to travel wherever and whenever I desire.

But the sleazy sex pits of Thailand are not on my list.

Gosh!! How I envy you in your purity, I wish I had the opportunity to shine in your glory sooner!!

[Peter Strand]

Looks like they catched a lot Drug-Dealers. That's what the blackys are famous for here in Thailand. Well done. But best would be not to let them in at all.

[luckyman]

firstly i do not live in pattaya ,but i have been a few times ,and not everyone there is a drunk or a sex tourist ,bank robber etc. so why keep harping on about it ,does it make up for the fact your skint and living in the boonies with the love of your life who you met in a bank or charity diner at the dusit

what a load of crap , let he who is innocent throw the first stone ,nearly every one who posts on thai visa is married to a hi so well there's not a chance a so called hi so would be marrying a farang ,

Your comment is spot on and nice to read in between all those sarcastic rants for a change.

Thanks!

[luckyman]

Surely this is one of the consequences after it had emerged the BKK bombing at Erawan was carried out by foreigners.

I applaud the Immigration for this crackdown, albeit a bit overdue, it is a step in the right direction.

Morely so, for most posters here are retirees and expats getting money from abroad, it makes not much of a difference.

But if you legally registered a company, pay your taxes, hired your staff all legally as well, and you have to compete with other non-locals who dodge every law this country has, I can tell you that this article comes as a great relief.

Keep m coming !

[luckyman]

How, exactly, does this impact your lives?

Just read my last post and you might get enlightened.

But by asking this question you already confirmed that you yourself are not a contributing part of the Thai economy apart from spending your money here....

[sir charles IV]

The photo seems to indicate not only those farang overstays they spent too much time in the sun too.

[gchurch259]

A good first start, unless looks deceive I do not know why they let this lot in to start with, as I see them around Bangkok they are loitering and looking for some kind of action, usually illegal. Yes, You may say I am profiling, but experience is hard to beat !!

Nice picture in today's Bangkok newspaper...some supposedly over-staying farang creatures being guarded by jack-booted police SWAT types, because they definitely look like a menace to Thais and a threat to Thai national security. It was also nice for the fuzz to put them all in t-shirts probably saying something in Thai script like "I'm a lawbreaking foreigner who is lower than pond scum."

[Dumbastheycome]

very good

this year i pay 15 000 baht for stay here for make non o , extension , lao visa and people before they stay 5 10 20 year and they just pay 20000b at the border or airport and welcome after noooo,

Thanks you Chan o Cha

[dennis123]

I live in Pattaya and have been going out daily and I have noticed nothing of this supposed crackdown of 9000 people, not a single roadblock seen, even when someone reported there was a roadblock on third road I haven't seen it while I did cross that road twice in the evening and at night. What a bunch of freaking nonsense, non of the bar workers I know have been caught either and I know plenty of Laos and Cambodians that are still working, heck day before yesterday it was full of them. Fake publicity stunt.

[ggt]

If they have been allowed the enter the country illegally...then arrest immigration and border patrol for not doing their job...this will cut down on the number of illegals IMHO...

Had a Cambodian gf which would visit her folks in Cambodia...bypassing immigration as it was cheaper to pay the guards than go thru the process of immigration...this is commonly known by the thousands of Cambodians who go and come from Thailand...

Edited October 26, 2015 by ggt

[oncearugge]

If they have been allowed the enter the country illegally...then arrest immigration and border patrol for not doing their job...this will cut down on the number of illegals IMHO...

Had a Cambodian gf which would visit her folks in Cambodia...bypassing immigration as it was cheaper to pay the guards than go thru the process of immigration...this is commonly known by the thousands of Cambodians who go and come from Thailand...

That does not make much sense.

What is the cost for a Cambodian to re-enter their own country ?

No cost associated with leaving Thailand unless overstay is involved ................................

[dhream]

This is terrible treatment of people. If you detained 9000 people in western countries on *suspicion* of overstaying but without proof it would be condemned by everyone. They also targeted the Africans, I don't see any farangs or Asians in that group. It's funny how Thailand can do what they want. Meanwhile in Europe hundreds of thousands of Muslim refugees keep coming in without identity checks and anyone raising a finger of caution gets labeled a racist.

Overstay hardly requires a CIS team to 'prove' it, you either have a stamp or ya don't.

It is entirely reasonable to detain somebody who is suspected of being here illegally, because there is no other way of ensuring they don't 'disappear' while you send them off to fetch their passport.

They got just as many if not more whites and Asians (as in the picture discussed here) that picture is on this website.

The way the western world is going, if you detained 9000 people on suspicion of overstaying, they'd likely dance in the streets! I'm not saying that's laudable, I'm just saying most people have a pretty thin veneer of civilised 'tolerant' behaviour over the innards of fearful, territorial, troglodytes.

[dhream]

All the bad Russians come here because Thailand makes it easy for Russians to come here. Every other country, except turkey requires Russians to have a visa, .. maybe now you can start to understand why

You could replace the word 'Russian' with "Any nationality" apart from a few pariah states, in your first sentence, and your logic would still apply.

[Lampang2]

I live in Pattaya and have been going out daily and I have noticed nothing of this supposed crackdown of 9000 people, not a single roadblock seen, even when someone reported there was a roadblock on third road I haven't seen it while I did cross that road twice in the evening and at night. What a bunch of freaking nonsense, non of the bar workers I know have been caught either and I know plenty of Laos and Cambodians that are still working, heck day before yesterday it was full of them. Fake publicity stunt.

Yes, nothing ever goes on outside Pattaya.

[senoremac]

Darkness spreading

[dageurreotype]

I live in Pattaya and have been going out daily and I have noticed nothing of this supposed crackdown of 9000 people, not a single roadblock seen, even when someone reported there was a roadblock on third road I haven't seen it while I did cross that road twice in the evening and at night. What a bunch of freaking nonsense, non of the bar workers I know have been caught either and I know plenty of Laos and Cambodians that are still working, heck day before yesterday it was full of them. Fake publicity stunt.

Maybe they were .. these http://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Crisis_actor