Good News

[Swift]

Expect possible changes before Jan 1st, new ruling to be scaled back and applicable to only a very few countries [who have the most overstayers, India and Africa] ...cheers.

Edit

Edited October 8, 2006 by Totster

[desmond]

where did you get this good news from ?

[Sunny Valentine]

Wishful thinking?

Your wife's brother is the drinking buddy of the uncle of a high ranking immigration officer?

Or would you care to declare where this information comes from?

Other than that, I wish you're right!

Sunny

[Swift]

Sorry, the most I can say is;

don’t do anything drastic before the announcement, just keep calm, relax and enjoy your family life here.....cheers to all.

[ I am absolutely serious]

[WaiWai]

Any comment from Sunbelt ?

[Sunbelt Asia]

Any comment from Sunbelt ?

We've been told some more new changes may come out around Nov 15th. However, the changes are still in the "talking stage."

Till we see something more concrete, its nothing to hang our hat on. If these changes do come out, will be interesting to see if they are more liberal or conservative.

www.sunbeltasiagroup.com

[ding]

Thanks Sunbelt.

And thanks very much O/P

Edited October 8, 2006 by Totster

[WaiWai]

Thanks, Sunbelt.

Thailand is certainly teaching me to live in the present !

[Swift]

I shall post information in "Good News" as soon as I receive it from the horses mouth. Hang in there everyone there is light at the end of the tunnel, this is for certain…

cheers to all and Bye for now.

[Gazza]

I've never seen a black African at any border on my visa runs in the last 17 years.

Now I know why. Thanks Swifty.

[dereklev]

Interesting that they are already talking about changes so soon after October 1st.

Now I guess we all wait nervously to see what they come up with this time.............

[fcough_74]

I also read on Jack Golf's forum that the panic is all over for now I have pasted it here for you to all read.

NOTICE!! NEW RULE IS POSTPONED.

Dear Customer.

Good news!

We could have a briefing by an immgration officer of Suwan Plu yesterday evening here in Jack's. And got a information regarding the new requlation which should have been effected from Oct 1st.

He explaned that THE NEW REGULATION WAS POSTPONED PLACTICALLY with some reasons; taking time to bring suitable online system to every single check points, hard to handle of claims of forgin Embassies...etc

The new regulation could probably be made up near future but it will be intended for specific countries, he said.

We will update when we got father information.

Yet, Visa Tour to Penang is still under our consideration for numbers of requests from several months ago. We will announce once the details are settled.

Thank you & Toast for our Thailand!

Sony

This was posted on the forum on the 6th of October but still this morning the 8th I read on the online Pattaya news that:

Imigration Office

Updated: [October 8, 2006 ] :: 10:10:13 [view 107]

Pattaya Immigration Bureau explains terms and conditions for aliens

Due to the world current situations with has taken a lot of changes, as could be seen from the terrorism, unrest in the 3 Southern provinces which affect the economy, society and stability of the country.

The National Police Office is aware of affects from these and has come up with a new terms and regulations for the extension stay in the Kingdom for aliens. This will result on the economic and stability of the country. The plan is to boost tourism and facilitate the tourist with convenience and speedy service, in line with the stability of the country.

Police General Ittipon Ittisanronachai, Superintendent of Pattaya Immigration Bureau presided over a press conference on 5 October about the extension stay in the Kingdom. According to the new law issued by the National Police number 608/2549 dated 8 September 2006, on the subject of that foreigners from 41 exempted countries will be able to enter the Kingdom of Thailand on No Visa.

The foreigners are able to enter the Kingdom 30 days per each visit. However the total duration should not exceed 90 days within a six month period counting from the date of the first entry. Foreigners wish to enter the Kingdom after the period of 90 days, must proceed by fly out of Thailand and getting stamp or visa from the Thai Embassy outside Thailand. Visitors could visit the Kingdom again after they have got the stamp.

Police General Ittitpon said that the policies enforced will not affect the tourists. The conditions will help to screen cross country criminals and escapees into the country. The system will allow the Immigration Officers to follow up on the different nationalities tourists coming into Pattaya as they do not have the basic populace data like the local residents.

The ruling is to help scrutinize bad people and push them out of the country. In general most foreign tourists will not be affected by this rule as they just enter the country for visiting and then leave, not taking refuge or hiding. Police General Ittitpon finally said “we would give a warm welcome for those who come in good as for those bad ones we would not hesitate to shove them out of the country.”

Anybody else heard any recent news similar ?

Fcough

[ricosadao]

The 64000$ question is ....will the penang consulate issue a tourist visa after 3 border visa runs?

Of course you can apply for one but are you gonna get it....especially if yr passport is full of VOA's..?

[john b good]

Strange indeed that Mr Swift has such information (classified information as well) that no one else in the country has.

It's a bit like someone saying that "something" is gonna happen on the 24th October, whilst not enlarging on "what"

Come the 24th October and we get rain we will be told "I told you so didn't I"

[rubber duck]

Strange indeed that Mr Swift has such information (classified information as well) that no one else in the country has.

It's a bit like someone saying that "something" is gonna happen on the 24th October, whilst not enlarging on "what"

Come the 24th October and we get rain we will be told "I told you so didn't I"

lets not kill this goose.........remember the story "the goose that laid the golden egg" I just hope he continues to post more articles.........we need more information.......Mr. SWIFT, lets have more !

[Noel]

Strange indeed that Mr Swift has such information (classified information as well) that no one else in the country has.

It's a bit like someone saying that "something" is gonna happen on the 24th October, whilst not enlarging on "what"

Come the 24th October and we get rain we will be told "I told you so didn't I"

lets not kill this goose.........remember the story "the goose that laid the golden egg" I just hope he continues to post more articles.........we need more information.......Mr. SWIFT, lets have more !

Mr Swift talking to himself, I presume...

[wpcoe]

I also read on Jack Golf's forum that the panic is all over for now I have pasted it here for you to all read.

He explaned that THE NEW REGULATION WAS POSTPONED PLACTICALLY with some reasons; taking time to bring suitable online system to every single check points, hard to handle of claims of forgin Embassies...etc

What the heck does that mean? Assuming he meant "PRACTICALLY" it still doesn't make sense: "postponed practically" = "almost postponed?" Or, what? I don't mean to slam "Sony's" English as it seems that he is a non-native speaker, but I really can't figure out what that part in UPPERCASE is supposed to mean.

[smartecosse]

postponed because they were going to struggle with the practicalities of implementing it??

[tropo]

I also read on Jack Golf's forum that the panic is all over for now I have pasted it here for you to all read.

He explaned that THE NEW REGULATION WAS POSTPONED PLACTICALLY with some reasons; taking time to bring suitable online system to every single check points, hard to handle of claims of forgin Embassies...etc

What the heck does that mean? Assuming he meant "PRACTICALLY" it still doesn't make sense: "postponed practically" = "almost postponed?" Or, what? I don't mean to slam "Sony's" English as it seems that he is a non-native speaker, but I really can't figure out what that part in UPPERCASE is supposed to mean.

Some of you punters need to lighten up. Forget the spelling and grammar. There is an obvious point to these new statements.

They stress the point that visas are going to be necessary so that at least once every 6 months everyone will be entered into the Immigration's computer data base. If you read between the lines, it also indicates that the length of stay is not the issue.

[toptuan]

Strange indeed that Mr Swift has such information (classified information as well) that no one else in the country has.

It's a bit like someone saying that "something" is gonna happen on the 24th October, whilst not enlarging on "what"

Come the 24th October and we get rain we will be told "I told you so didn't I"

lets not kill this goose.........remember the story "the goose that laid the golden egg" I just hope he continues to post more articles.........we need more information.......Mr. SWIFT, lets have more !

Methinks Mr. Swift has his ear against God's mouth. Without compromising his true source (ok, maybe not God), he titillates our hopes for the better. Let's wait and see. If he's right, he becomes our permanent on-line source for all reliable rumors from immigration! Fingers crossed.

[PREM-R]

(Sunbelt) We've been told some more new changes may come out around Nov 15th. However, the changes are still in the "talking stage."

Ahh. so that is how the powers that be do it, they talk about these new regulations before implementing them. Pity they don't think about them as well!!!!

[cclub75]

They stress the point that visas are going to be necessary so that at least once every 6 months everyone will be entered into the Immigration's computer data base. If you read between the lines, it also indicates that the length of stay is not the issue.

It's funny to see that so many people believe in "the immigration computer database" red herring.

Only fuelled by wishfull thinking.

The whole story about getting people after 90 days of visa exemption, to be checked at a consulate, via a tourist visa issuing process, giving staff more time to "run" an ID throught the "black list database" is really sanook.

Provided that 1 ID = 1 passeport. And that passeports are scanned at airport on arrival. Immigration has already a working database. They can run a check against the black list, on a daily basis for instance. No need for a real time system.

If you get a positive match, you nail the guy when he's going out (max 30 days after).

Furthermore... If the only aim of the new policy is to check "bad people", throught the very efficient visa services of thai embassies around the world (ah ah ah ah)... why would it be necessary during the same time to : cancel the investment visa, and strenghten the financial conditions for retirement and O visas ?

Ah yes, I forgot, the "bad" guys would be willing to bypass the system by buying a condo, or getting into a fake marriage... Of course.

But just ask yourself, when you'll be in front of the officer at the thai consulate, asking for a 60 days tourist visa, after 3 stamps of visa exemption in your passeport...

Will you be labelled as a "bad guy" ?

If you try to live in Thailand relying only on "tourist" visas, yes you will be.

And at one point, your "tourist" visa will be denied. And like monopoly game, you will have to wait the next turn, 90 days after, to enter the country again.

And if you continue, one day, arriving a the airport, you'll be even denied a 30 days visa exemption stamp.

My point is : stop dreaming about "changes of the changes" or "statu quo".

As long as you'll read such story in the newspapers :

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2006/10/09...ss_30015696.php

Everything is linked : the land ownership for a company issue, the funds origin for a thai shareholder issue, the nominees issue, the visas issue.

[Maizefarmer]

CCLUB75 ..... and this whole so-called "Blacklist".

You do not get blacklisted for a visa over stay.

Blacklisting someone is a serious matter that cannot be taken by an immigration official or clearance officer on a whim. It is a desicion that goes right to the top and is signed off by a Minister.

How many visa overstayers do you know that have been "blacklisted"? I know of 2 in close on 20 years - and both were officialy overstayers (beofre been arrested) and were deported - after serving significant drug related sentances (one of which, Sandra Gregory, has had her sentance and blacklisting pardoned by His Majesty).

Blacklisting does not happen to visa overstayers.

Tim

[esnkeisj]

I visit Thailand almost every month for 1-2 weeks. So when flew out of the new airport yesterday, I had used my 3 30-day within-6-months "Visa/short visit/whatever" already. I asked the lady at immigration if I had to go visit an embassy to get a visa to come back next month. She said no need for that, just come back in on another 30 day visit pass. So I asked if the 1 October rules had been postponed and she said yes. Take that for what its worth. Maybe someone can dig for more details.

[visarunner]

Jack's the big loser , so he will , for sure , try to announce good news to ensure his customers.

But he also should tell his customer that for the time being he/Jacks will go to PoiPet only.

A friend of mine booked for Saturday and was surprised to end up in PoiPet.

[PREM-R]

I visit Thailand almost every month for 1-2 weeks. So when flew out of the new airport yesterday, I had used my 3 30-day within-6-months "Visa/short visit/whatever" already. I asked the lady at immigration if I had to go visit an embassy to get a visa to come back next month. She said no need for that, just come back in on another 30 day visit pass. So I asked if the 1 October rules had been postponed and she said yes. Take that for what its worth. Maybe someone can dig for more details.

I think you will find that any 30 day 'no visa entries' that you had prior to 1st October do not count towards the '90 days and out'. From the date of your post I assume you entered LoS before 1st. October which, if this is the case, means you can have 3 more 'no visa entries' before you either get a visa of some sort or stay out of Thailand for 90 days.

Edited October 9, 2006 by PREM-R

[lopburi3]

The count should be days - not entries.

[Maestro]

I visit Thailand almost every month for 1-2 weeks. So when flew out of the new airport yesterday, I had used my 3 30-day within-6-months "Visa/short visit/whatever" already

Please remember that under current rules it is not the number of visa-exempt entries that counts but the number of days you stay in Thailand based on visa-exempt entries.

---------------

Maestro

[tropo]

It's funny to see that so many people believe in "the immigration computer database" red herring.

Only fuelled by wishfull thinking.

The whole story about getting people after 90 days of visa exemption, to be checked at a consulate, via a tourist visa issuing process, giving staff more time to "run" an ID throught the "black list database" is really sanook.

Provided that 1 ID = 1 passeport. And that passeports are scanned at airport on arrival. Immigration has already a working database. They can run a check against the black list, on a daily basis for instance. No need for a real time system.

If you get a positive match, you nail the guy when he's going out (max 30 days after).

If you try to live in Thailand relying only on "tourist" visas, yes you will be.

You really should tone down your rhetoric a little or people will be misled into thinking that you have all the answers.

At this stage, there are still a lot of grey areas.

Did you not realize that people can enter Thailand through around 55 border posts, most of which are uncomputerized. Your comments above are based on the assumption that everyone enters via the airport(s).

Until they make visas a compulsorary item (in contrast to the stamp) at least every 6 months (through these new rules) and computerize every border entry, it's a piece of cake for anyone to enter Thailand and stay here legally for as long as they like.

I still believe the main issue is for everyone to be accounted for on a computer data base. Sure, there will always be fugitives sneaking in via land and sea borders, but these new rules will make it difficult for them to stay permanently and legally.

[John K]

At least for me I have simply decided to take a look at things at about 100 days in. It would seem that things are much too fluid now. By that time the Thais that will be losing tenants and taking a serious look at foreclosure. Also there will be small to medium size Thai companies that will begin to fold because their customer base is gone. Once they start screaming and perhaps some of the less reserved ones start looking for blood, that may encourage immigration to rethink and forward adjust backwards.

My guess that around mid December the anxiety level with the effected Thais will be rather significant.