PM Prayuth to decide on tough new penalties for foreigners who overstay

[Jools]

It's bloody well about TIME!!!! This business of spending money in the Kingdom must STOP!!!! Look at what's happened to other countries that have ignored overstayers.....they've become PROSPEROUS.

[Jonmarleesco]

'Overstay of less than 1 year = barred from re-entering Thailand for five years. Overstay of more than 1 year = barred from re-entering Thailand for five years.'? Might as well stay over the year, then.

But I'm sure the P.M. can find more important things to occupy his time than this.

Edited October 26, 2015 by Jonmarleesco

[ldiablo]

I have a laugh at you guys saying the overstayers make it more difficult for you. Explain your theory.

Was it because of overstayers that Thaksin raised the minimum requirements for a retirement extension from 400,000 to 800,000 baht. No it wasn't so your logic is ridiculous at the very least.

[MobileContent]

I mostly agree with all. But what about those who have a wonderful and beautiful child, a great wife who unfortunately spent most of his money to buy that house, shop, cattle, land, car, motorbikes, the 2nd house for mom and dad, the tractor, the pig farm, the rice land and left himself short? Waiting another couple of years for his retirement money to kick in. This person is desperate. Bad choices are made. Every civilized country allows Thai to become citizens. Yes, The Good, the Bad and the Ugly exist. My humble opinion is, allow foreigners citizenship. Who bought everything? I see the goal of Thailand is to prey on those who spend their life savings, just to not allow them equal rights. Because if equal rights were given, corruption would stop. All the immigration laws do is subtract not add to democracy.

They can get a None-B/M if their name is in the birth certificate. As for your comments that they have a great wife I have to disagree. I too build a house, buy a SUV, a couple of motorbikes and on top I have a condo in Bangkok. Only the house is not in my name but all other items are in my name and I could sell it off over night if I needed the cash.

[SheungWan]

Hmmm there are a number of reasons a person over stay's in a country and not all are simply people trying one on.

So in case of illness or accident as often happens and still have the 20,000 baht fine, now they want to have a bigger crack,

Welcome too LOS..............

I my self just forgot my 90 day check in, normally on the calendar but this time no'p, paid the fine all good,

Are you aware that the majority of over stayers are Asian, specifically Cambodian and Burmese workers? "European"s" represent a small number of these cases.

The cases you refer to are minimal because illness and accident caused delays are relatively rare. There is a procedure in place to address the issue. I cannot recall any cases where someone who was hospitalized and where the forms were submitted attesting to the illness, was penalized. You forgot your visa. Well, that's your issue isn't it? If you forget to pay your taxes or renew your driver's license in Australia, what do you expect will happen? As a reasonable chap, you understand the consequences, just as you should understand that there are consequences to screwing around with Thailand's immigration laws. The laws obviously need to be tightened up because of the extensive number of violations.

There are hundreds of foreigners here that have wives and children. They cannot get workpermits as they are not degreed up. They do not have 400,000 baht floating around in the bank. They usually support an entire thai family, including parents on around 30,000 baht per month. They cannot afford to do the visa runs at 2 or 3 thousand baht a month. I have met many in this situation. They are not criminals, boose heads, or here for sex tourism. Not only foreigner will suffer from this, but many thai as well. Look what happened in the last purge. All the Russians went home. They had to think many months on how to get them back. Hookers n all.

All those 9 thousand people spend money, in the cheap guest houses, eating street food, in the taxis, and at a guess maybe half are supporting thai families. The rich only think about I want, I want, I want, without a care for the poor that their decisions will effect.

You appear to be proposing unlimited right to stay for any foreigner able to show marriage to a Thai partner and n dependents? Is this correct?

[HerbalEd]

I have a laugh at you guys saying the overstayers make it more difficult for you. Explain your theory.

Was it because of overstayers that Thaksin raised the minimum requirements for a retirement extension from 400,000 to 800,000 baht. No it wasn't so your logic is ridiculous at the very least.

So you use one isolated action by Thaksin to define the entirety of the immigration difficulties. If it were only that simple.

Edited October 26, 2015 by HerbalEd

[DaddyWarbucks]

There are hundreds of foreigners here that have wives and children. They cannot get workpermits as they are not degreed up. They do not have 400,000 baht floating around in the bank. They usually support an entire thai family, including parents on around 30,000 baht per month. They cannot afford to do the visa runs at 2 or 3 thousand baht a month. I have met many in this situation. They are not criminals, boose heads, or here for sex tourism. Not only foreigner will suffer from this, but many thai as well. Look what happened in the last purge. All the Russians went home. They had to think many months on how to get them back. Hookers n all.

All those 9 thousand people spend money, in the cheap guest houses, eating street food, in the taxis, and at a guess maybe half are supporting thai families. The rich only think about I want, I want, I want, without a care for the poor that their decisions will effect.

You appear to be proposing unlimited right to stay for any foreigner able to show marriage to a Thai partner and n dependents? Is this correct?

Long term family relationships with Thai nationals should count for something.

[dennis123]

Most of the world's population is poor (compared to those who can afford Thailand Elite visas) and never had any opportunity (outside possibly of turning to crime) of becoming wealthy.

Those who are wealthy sometimes become so through pure luck, sometimes through criminal activities, sometimes by hard work, often by a combination of two or more of these.

I do not begrudge anyone their right to enjoy their wealth, especially if they chose (which I would not) a lower quality of life for many years in order to build up their bank accounts. What I do not like is those with fat bank accounts showing disdain for those who are (more often than not through no fault of their own) in a less fortunate position.

It sounds like you're taking on some victim role:

• no opportunities - you create opportunities for yourself, everyone can no matter how poor, we also start at the bottom
• luck - you force your own luck by taking action / doing stuff with multiple failures and successes, inevitable
• crime - oh come on, biggest sign that you want the lazy / fast way
• lower quality life - most succesful people work 80 hours/week in the beginning, very common
• no fault of their own - if you only sit & whine and don't take action it is YOUR fault and yours only

Btw, you misunderstood me about 12 years getting my act together. That does not mean I've been living on a budget while saving money. Man, 3.5 years ago I was dead broke with 50k euro debt due to bankruptcy and prior to that I had a pretty good life. My new wealth, so to say, is build up in the last 3.5 years of which I lived for three years in Pattaya and only worked 5-10 hours/week.

I've had big successes and I've had big failures (partly due to my own fault) but the biggest failure one can make is giving up and thinking others achieved their 'wealth' the easy way.

[ldiablo]

I have a laugh at you guys saying the overstayers make it more difficult for you. Explain your theory.

Was it because of overstayers that Thaksin raised the minimum requirements for a retirement extension from 400,000 to 800,000 baht. No it wasn't so your logic is ridiculous at the very least.

So you use one isolated action by Thaksin to define the entirety of the immigration difficulties. If it were only that simple.

A letter from the applicants bank and a statement print out along with the bank book and copies of transactions from the book. This must show the funds have been in place for a minimum of 60 days on first application and for 90 days on subsequent renewals.A letter from the applicants Embassy in Thailand certifying their income(see note 2).Evidence as for both 1+2 above although the funds do not need to have been “seasoned” i.e. kept in bank account for 2 or 3 months.Minimum paperwork required for application:Completed form TM 7 (with photograph attached to rear of form)Recent photograph 4 x 6 Cm.Financial evidence as detailed above + copies.Valid passport and copies of front page, current visa page and if applicable, page containing current permission to remain in Kingdom.TM 6 Departure Card + copyFee of 1,900 Baht.

I suppose this ia also due to overstayers

[Soutpeel]

There are hundreds of foreigners here that have wives and children. They cannot get workpermits as they are not degreed up. They do not have 400,000 baht floating around in the bank. They usually support an entire thai family, including parents on around 30,000 baht per month. They cannot afford to do the visa runs at 2 or 3 thousand baht a month. I have met many in this situation. They are not criminals, boose heads, or here for sex tourism. Not only foreigner will suffer from this, but many thai as well. Look what happened in the last purge. All the Russians went home. They had to think many months on how to get them back. Hookers n all.

All those 9 thousand people spend money, in the cheap guest houses, eating street food, in the taxis, and at a guess maybe half are supporting thai families. The rich only think about I want, I want, I want, without a care for the poor that their decisions will effect.

You appear to be proposing unlimited right to stay for any foreigner able to show marriage to a Thai partner and n dependents? Is this correct?

Long term family relationships with Thai nationals should count for something.

So you would no problem with say large numbers of Africans, Indians and Arab gentlemen travelling to Thailand for sole purpose of shacking up with Thai ladies and given unlimited stay with no visible means of support ? Edited October 26, 2015 by Soutpeel

[theguyfromanotherforum]

Hmmm there are a number of reasons a person over stay's in a country and not all are simply people trying one on.

So in case of illness or accident as often happens and still have the 20,000 baht fine, now they want to have a bigger crack,

Welcome too LOS..............

I my self just forgot my 90 day check in, normally on the calendar but this time no'p, paid the fine all good,

Are you aware that the majority of over stayers are Asian, specifically Cambodian and Burmese workers? "European"s" represent a small number of these cases.

The cases you refer to are minimal because illness and accident caused delays are relatively rare. There is a procedure in place to address the issue. I cannot recall any cases where someone who was hospitalized and where the forms were submitted attesting to the illness, was penalized. You forgot your visa. Well, that's your issue isn't it? If you forget to pay your taxes or renew your driver's license in Australia, what do you expect will happen? As a reasonable chap, you understand the consequences, just as you should understand that there are consequences to screwing around with Thailand's immigration laws. The laws obviously need to be tightened up because of the extensive number of violations.

There are hundreds of foreigners here that have wives and children. They cannot get workpermits as they are not degreed up. They do not have 400,000 baht floating around in the bank. They usually support an entire thai family, including parents on around 30,000 baht per month. They cannot afford to do the visa runs at 2 or 3 thousand baht a month. I have met many in this situation. They are not criminals, boose heads, or here for sex tourism. Not only foreigner will suffer from this, but many thai as well. Look what happened in the last purge. All the Russians went home. They had to think many months on how to get them back. Hookers n all.

All those 9 thousand people spend money, in the cheap guest houses, eating street food, in the taxis, and at a guess maybe half are supporting thai families. The rich only think about I want, I want, I want, without a care for the poor that their decisions will effect.

If he is supporting a wife and her family then he is on "sex tourism".

[Dogmatix]

One the problems is that the 1979 Immigration Act is hopelessly out of date. At that time work permits were a relatively new concept and no fixed term visa beyond 3 months was issued. There were no extensions based on retirement or marriage. Foreigners came to Thailand either as genuine tourists or to work. Those who came to work could obtain permanent residence easily and quickly, if they got fed up with the 3 month visa renewals. That explains why much of the 1979 Act deals with PR.

It has always suited those in office and, in this case, the police, to maintain decrepit, out of date and often ambiguous laws, so that they can amend parts of them at will through ministerial regulations without any public or parliamentary scrutiny. Now it's time to come out with s new Immigration Act suitable for Thailand's needs in the 21st century.

[crazykopite]

I am not an overstayer and have never been one, however this type of incident happens all over the world and not just Thailand. The positive side is that those overstayers are contributing to the economy and at this moment in time Thailand as many farangs as possible as it is there money that feeds and supports many local economies without them the country would suffer a lot more, surely there is a better solution than banning an overstayer from coming back to the Kingdom. I was always of the impression that Thailand wanted to attract visitors not deter them !

[marcosss]

I am not an overstayer and have never been one, however this type of incident happens all over the world and not just Thailand. The positive side is that those overstayers are contributing to the economy and at this moment in time Thailand as many farangs as possible as it is there money that feeds and supports many local economies without them the country would suffer a lot more, surely there is a better solution than banning an overstayer from coming back to the Kingdom. I was always of the impression that Thailand wanted to attract visitors not deter them !

if you had read through the threads you may have gleaned an important piece of information. That is that the majority of the over stayers are not farang but in fact the likes of the Burmese and Lao that come here to work. Farang generally abide by there visa obligations, tourists seldom overstay & with the new 6 month tourist visa it's just a fool who would overstay.

[dennis123]

Dennis

You still seem to think the fact you are well off entitles you to break the rules at your convenience. You admitted this in an earlier post. If you are that rich then pony up for the elite visa. You belittle people that come on a nickel and dime yet you admit you will break immigration laws to save a nickel and a dime. It comes across as hypocritical to say the least.

At least if you are yourself breaking the law then don't throw stones from your glass house. If you believe your own BS you should then be deported and banned for the things you do. You have basically asserted you are above the law because you have money. Evidently not enough money to buy an elite visa though.

Yes I break the rules at my convenience.

No I won't waste money on a Thai Elite visa if there are other ways to accomplish my goals.

I never said I'm rich, what is rich actually? Is 5000 euro/month income rich in Thailand, if so then yes I'm rich as I make more than that.

I've known poorer times as well so I consider 400 euro/mo for Thai Elite quite a lot of money (based on living here only 6 months a year that is).

Just because I have some money doesn't mean I should waste it on stuff I don't need.

Evidentely? Does that involve the word evidence?

Listen, I used to rent a house here for 50k baht/month, that's at times that I made more then I do now, eg used to make 10k+ euro/mo, what I do, I cancelled the house, not cause I can't afford it anymore but I like to save money, I'm still relatively young so I have a long time to go and as I'm involved in a fast changing industry (internet marketing) I can't say I will make the same money in 1, 2, 5 or 10 years from now. Makes sense right? So why waste money on stuff I don't really need. I rather have a few more beers and bitches instead

I personally interpretate rich as either having a few million dollar in the bank or having more than enough to spend each month, well I don't have a few million dollars yet though that is my goal so if I earn less I adjust my lifestyle by spending less so that I can keep saving. I'm far from western retiree age so long time to go still, who knows what happens.

So at this point I consider the Thai Elite visa a HUGE waste of money.

That previous post was focused towards someone that talks about entrepreneurship while complaining about the visa rules, you ever heard me complaining? If I decide to stay here 12 months a year I guess I must buy this Elite visa so I will and you won't hear me nagging about it.

I have other things to complain about Thailand but that's completely irrelevant to this sub forum, and that's why I think about changing from non stop living here to 50/50, eg miss real friends and such, life feels fake here at times.

Edited October 26, 2015 by dennis123

[HerbalEd]

I have a laugh at you guys saying the overstayers make it more difficult for you. Explain your theory.

Was it because of overstayers that Thaksin raised the minimum requirements for a retirement extension from 400,000 to 800,000 baht. No it wasn't so your logic is ridiculous at the very least.

So you use one isolated action by Thaksin to define the entirety of the immigration difficulties. If it were only that simple.

A letter from the applicants bank and a statement print out along with the bank book and copies of transactions from the book. This must show the funds have been in place for a minimum of 60 days on first application and for 90 days on subsequent renewals.A letter from the applicants Embassy in Thailand certifying their income(see note 2).Evidence as for both 1+2 above although the funds do not need to have been “seasoned” i.e. kept in bank account for 2 or 3 months.Minimum paperwork required for application:Completed form TM 7 (with photograph attached to rear of form)Recent photograph 4 x 6 Cm.Financial evidence as detailed above + copies.Valid passport and copies of front page, current visa page and if applicable, page containing current permission to remain in Kingdom.TM 6 Departure Card + copyFee of 1,900 Baht.

I suppose this ia also due to overstayers

Re. "I suppose this ia also due to overstayers"

These are your words, not mine. But, what's your point? That this requirement is too difficult for you to complete? (I'm just guessing here.) Meanwhile many people here have successfully done it.

[HerbalEd]

I am not an overstayer and have never been one, however this type of incident happens all over the world and not just Thailand. The positive side is that those overstayers are contributing to the economy and at this moment in time Thailand as many farangs as possible as it is there money that feeds and supports many local economies without them the country would suffer a lot more, surely there is a better solution than banning an overstayer from coming back to the Kingdom. I was always of the impression that Thailand wanted to attract visitors not deter them !

I think that most chronic, long-term overstayers are contributing very little to the Thai economy. Anyway, that's what I've seen to be true.

Edited October 26, 2015 by HerbalEd

[dennis123]

I am not an overstayer and have never been one, however this type of incident happens all over the world and not just Thailand. The positive side is that those overstayers are contributing to the economy and at this moment in time Thailand as many farangs as possible as it is there money that feeds and supports many local economies without them the country would suffer a lot more, surely there is a better solution than banning an overstayer from coming back to the Kingdom. I was always of the impression that Thailand wanted to attract visitors not deter them !

I think that the vast majority of chronic, long-term overstayers are contributing very little to the Thai economy.

That's the whole thing, and talk about people with 30k baht/month supporting whole Thai families, my god, for 30k baht they can hardly support their selves.

[aripengu]

We will have the same announcement in about 1 year.

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/national/Heavy-new-penalties-await-visa-overstays-30239870.html

Edited October 26, 2015 by aripengu

[Soutpeel]

We will have the same announcement in about 1 year.

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/national/Heavy-new-penalties-await-visa-overstays-30239870.html

Time will tell, but it does seem there is a fundemental change in immigration thinking this time round...

[chrissables]

good overstayers are nothing but trouble for the rest of us who abide by the rules, it's not hard.

Please explain how a person overstaying affects you in any way at all. Total rubbish.

Law breaking overstayers give a poor image of tourists/expats which shines poorly on law abiding tourists/expats. Also, chronic overstayers have created a troubled immigrations climate in Thailand and makes it harder for all of us.

I know many think it's OK to break the law ... they think "it's not really that bad, and those who think it is are a--holes" ... but these people should grow up or move on.

Please tell my of one person you know who has actually been affected by an over staying "Western" person?

Or maybe you have been affected by all the Asian workers here over staying?

Have you or anyone you know been picked by the authorities due to "other" people over staying?

Why do you think your thoughts are more important and believe you have the right to tell them to "move on"?

[baboon]

We will have the same announcement in about 1 year.

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/national/Heavy-new-penalties-await-visa-overstays-30239870.html

Time will tell, but it does seem there is a fundemental change in immigration thinking this time round...

There was then, as well, but time will tell as you say. Me, I am avoiding any panic until I see exactly what the reality will be - after all, there is always something or other in the pipeline when it comes to immigration that even if temporarily implemented comes to naught.

Just wait and see for the time being, people..

[No Apologist]

To the grumpier and more right-leaning members posting here regularly, I'd just like to say -

....I overstayed a YEAR last year, and it ROCKED!

I did have a good reason for doing so, however - I was feeling really sentimental, was totally skint, and had decided to. And also, I'd had the realization that my thoughts about Thailand were immeasurably cooler than most of the people I saw posting here. So, I figured it was ok because I was different, and...it was !!!

All of this was made more complicated, of course, by the fact that I was totally broke most of the time. That's because at 50 years old, I've hardly ever had a job in life. But then again, I have so much talent, that I've managed to coast through wild adventures by being invited all over the world by institutions and theaters. Without any exaggeration, I'm usually paid to smoke weed and make intersting observations about the world, because people call me a genius all the time. Really. OH!...and I smoked a HECK of a lotta' weed, in Bangkok, also. ANYWAY...

I hadn't planned at all, and came back to Bangkok for the one-thousandth time, and when Prayuth (may his authority be short) took over, I just decided I didn't feel like jumping through all the hoops he was demanding (the hoops that old, crabby boring guys have to, I mean), so...what happened, is the landlord of my building let me get away with going MONTHS AT A TIME, in trust. It certainly wasn't the policy at the luxury building, I can tell you that. BUT, I was considered more special by the Thai people who knew me, somehow. And, the staff at my building, took care of me. Each night they invited to have BBQ with them, and insisting on buying the whiskey each night, because they loved me, and they knew I loved them so. They wouldn't do that for most of you, is the thing. And, at the end, all the women in the building (god BLESS them) even got together and brought me several new suits to wear, as I kept touring the world. They loved me, is what I'm saying. They probably wouldn't love most of you grumpy old guys, that way - and, you wouldn't deserve them to, either. You're a cash cow, in return for the rotten and reeking souls your carry around, imposing onto Thailand. Me, they felt I was different, and told me so. And for that, I'll just say, I consider you failures in life, you angry old men who post your right wing nonsense here each day. You're unable to see how small your views are, compared to the country you're in. And, you never will.

One thing I definitely did NOT do, was work illegally in Thailand though. I honestly felt that would be wrong (plus boring). SO...I just lived from people sending me money, over facebook. I can't explain exactly how that happened, I certainly never told lies or cheated anyone - lots of people just started writing that they didn't want me to give up, and to be ok, so many people from around the world, just started sending money each month. Really! So, I spent the year basically walking around, thinking, and being supported for that. And, finally, a whole bunch of theaters and producers around the world got together; paid immigration, paid all the rent I'd owed, and arranged for me to go flying around the world again, smoking pot and having fun. I think I'll roll one up right now in Glasgow, actually.

Now...over the last 6 months, I've done just that: toured all over the world again, doing crazy performances people on this forum wouldn't be able to understand, smoking weed, getting paid for it, and getting compliments for all of it. I tell this story to audiences, and they cheer.

AND...all the people from my building in Bangkok (not the stuffy, jealous Brititsh ones, of course...I mean the cool people, like the landlord, the manager and the people who work there) still write everyday to say they miss me. And, I dearly miss them too. Now I've met the sweetest girl half my age from Russia, and we're getting married. I dont' have to pay her for this, of course - I'm not an old Britsh guy in Thailand, you understand. It's that I'm called a genius all over the world, and that makes a huge difference in what comes to a person in life. Plus, my soul is actually alive, unlike many of yours. I met this wonderful girl when I had free rent in a beautiful neighborhood of Amsterdam the other month. She wrote that she'd been looking for me, beacause of my art, and is running away from Russia to find me in Germany soon, and wants to travel with me from now on. I had to choose between that, and running off with a beautiful professor from Tokyo. So, I made the choice based on which decision would be the most beneficial to another, and I chose the Russian girl.

So anyway, this is just to say - to the people talking about how you wish things to be harsher on others all the time here - I just want you to know: it's YOUR fault that you have such boring, angry lives YOU'RE the ones who are average, and who don't understand the possibiltiies of adventure that you squandered. I know: many of you here consider having moved your fat butts somewhere else once, and then say there drinking beer to be 'exciting'. But to me, it's child's play. You're still slaves to paperwork, and the boring ideals driled into you by your parents. You complain, because you're angry at yourselves, in the end. You hope everyone to suffer from the same lack of imagination and life that you do. And, guess what...NO THANKS!

LONG LIVE THAILAND! And may the poor one day rise up, and kick ALL you empiralists out on your asses, as you deserve!

Edited October 26, 2015 by No Apologist

[MobileContent]

We will have the same announcement in about 1 year.

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/national/Heavy-new-penalties-await-visa-overstays-30239870.html

I think Prayuth will enact Article 44 in the very very near future. The warning signs have been on since July 2014 and it gave anyone ample opportunity to get their status fixed.

Their is a reason why they have picked up 9000 illegals in the past one week and according to immigration officials their are still another 800,000 to go. Farangs too have been arrested and I guess before the AEC kicks in force, Article 44 will be signed off.

[BritTim]

I am not an overstayer and have never been one, however this type of incident happens all over the world and not just Thailand. The positive side is that those overstayers are contributing to the economy and at this moment in time Thailand as many farangs as possible as it is there money that feeds and supports many local economies without them the country would suffer a lot more, surely there is a better solution than banning an overstayer from coming back to the Kingdom. I was always of the impression that Thailand wanted to attract visitors not deter them !

I think that most chronic, long-term overstayers are contributing very little to the Thai economy. Anyway, that's what I've seen to be true.

I have known few people who I know for a fact are long-term overstayers. I have one friend who I am sure twice overstayed by more than three years. He suffered from bipolar disorder, and had long periods where he was unable to motivate himself to do anything. During his first long overstay, he spent (on average) about US$5,000 a month (all savings from overseas). On his second overstay, he was not as wealthy as previously but still spent about $1,500 a month. In spite of his bipolar disorder, he was under the radar and did not cause the immigration department to launch a witch hunt against every other foreigner who might be here on overstay.

One case does not prove anything, of course, but the assumption that overstayers are predominantly drug dealers or pedofiles is ridiculous. You are more likely to get rid of a few drug dealers and pedofiles by deporting 100 people at random from Nana Plaza than by deporting 100 random overstayers.

Some have stated (as though it is a huge problem) that most overstayers are poor workers from neighboring countries. I think that is likely true. At various times, the Thai authorities aware of this have considered major crackdowns. Then, they look at the Thai unemployment rate, and the need for cheap labor for construction and sweat shops, and decide (correctly) that the economy needs them. These migrant workers are exploited, but are good for Thailand. Only a tiny fraction engaged in begging and crime are a net drain.

[Yahooka]

good overstayers are nothing but trouble for the rest of us who abide by the rules, it's not hard.

Please explain how a person overstaying affects you in any way at all. Total rubbish.

It's quite simple. By overstaying and breaking the law, they tar "all" foreigners with the same brush, making it more likely that other visa restrictions/regulations also get tightened up in the near future rather than loosened.

Don't worry....... They already tar foreigners with the same brush, overstayers or abiding ones. And a eventual tightening of visa rules will not come because many overstay.

[Lampang2]

We will have the same announcement in about 1 year.

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/national/Heavy-new-penalties-await-visa-overstays-30239870.html

I think Prayuth will enact Article 44 in the very very near future. The warning signs have been on since July 2014 and it gave anyone ample opportunity to get their status fixed.

Their is a reason why they have picked up 9000 illegals in the past one week and according to immigration officials their are still another 800,000 to go. Farangs too have been arrested and I guess before the AEC kicks in force, Article 44 will be signed off.

Agree.

As I understand, this proposal originally came from the Junta.

Ministry of interior brought a proposal to the table.

Was sent back, and now is up for a second time.

I expect it to come trough this time.

Anyone aware of the content in the original proposal and why it was sent back?

[BritTim]

I am not an overstayer and have never been one, however this type of incident happens all over the world and not just Thailand. The positive side is that those overstayers are contributing to the economy and at this moment in time Thailand as many farangs as possible as it is there money that feeds and supports many local economies without them the country would suffer a lot more, surely there is a better solution than banning an overstayer from coming back to the Kingdom. I was always of the impression that Thailand wanted to attract visitors not deter them !

I think that the vast majority of chronic, long-term overstayers are contributing very little to the Thai economy.

That's the whole thing, and talk about people with 30k baht/month supporting whole Thai families, my god, for 30k baht they can hardly support their selves.

The World Bank's main guideline for poverty (http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SI.POV.2DAY) sets the level at US$3.10 (110 baht) per person per day, or a little over 3,000 baht per month. In Thailand, only about 1% of the population is still that destitute. In a country like India, about 700 million people must survive on about 3,000 baht per person per month (or less).

I do not think you have any conception of the opportunities and living conditions available to billions of the world's population.

[dennis123]

I have known few people who I know for a fact are long-term overstayers. I have one friend who I am sure twice overstayed by more than three years. He suffered from bipolar disorder, and had long periods where he was unable to motivate himself to do anything. During his first long overstay, he spent (on average) about US$5,000 a month (all savings from overseas). On his second overstay, he was not as wealthy as previously but still spent about $1,500 a month. In spite of his bipolar disorder, he was under the radar and did not cause the immigration department to launch a witch hunt against every other foreigner who might be here on overstay.

Lol, when I was spending 5k/month I didn't have much motivation to work either, it's not the bipolar that causes that, it's the alcohol, there are medicines for that.

[elviajero]

We will have the same announcement in about 1 year.

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/national/Heavy-new-penalties-await-visa-overstays-30239870.html

I think Prayuth will enact Article 44 in the very very near future. The warning signs have been on since July 2014 and it gave anyone ample opportunity to get their status fixed.

Their is a reason why they have picked up 9000 illegals in the past one week and according to immigration officials their are still another 800,000 to go. Farangs too have been arrested and I guess before the AEC kicks in force, Article 44 will be signed off.

Agree.

As I understand, this proposal originally came from the Junta.

Ministry of interior brought a proposal to the table.

Was sent back, and now is up for a second time.

I expect it to come trough this time.

Anyone aware of the content in the original proposal and why it was sent back?

My understanding is that the bans were proposed by Immigration in 2014 but they weren't approved by the Ministry of the Interior. Since then immigration have continued pushing the proposal and the latest purge on overstayers seems to have convinced the MOI to agree. So now it's down to the Cabinet/Prayuth to give the final go ahead.