Have been checking into 3 different hotels in Bangkok the past days. Habe noticed that every hotel now, spend a lot more time on the check-in process, by checking if your visa is valid etc.

Would not be fun to be here on overstay, I guess.

Edited March 1, 201610 yr by khunpa

Are you sure they are checking? My experience is that they just need to find details of your entry to photocopy and provide to immigration. This is nothing new. If you are on overstay, this might lead to problems, but I do not think the hotel will directly do any enforcement.

Yes, they are checking the if your visa is valid or not, which is something I never have seen them do. (Normally just take a copy of the passport).

I asked a girl in the reception, why they had to check that and she said, they had been told to do so. She also said another tourist had been very angry, because of this and we spent some time joking abit about that. (No info detailed info about why)

All I am saying, is that I think it is a bad idea to checkin to a hotel right now, if anyone is overstaying their visa. Because if you are, then they will notice and might report you, before you get to the airport and pay the fine.

I am retired and get a pension every month.

The bank uses my passport and makes a copy for my I.D. when I get my pension every month.

I have noticed that for the last few months....when they copy my passport and visa for I.D. purposes.....they are also checking my visa and the expiration date on the visa.

Not that it bothers me, but it is just new in 2016.

I went to book a railway ticket at Hua Lampong station yesterday (for my maid, not for myself!) and the lady at the counter wanted to see her PP! Went to buy a sim card at 7-11 but id proof (driving license, blue house registry for PR) would not be accepted, need PP only.

I have also observed that passports are looked at more carefully at airlines, hotels and banks, recently. In a couple of cases I was able to observe that an employee specifically studied my (valid) extension of stay. One front desk clerk in a small hotel in BKK, specifically asked me where the current "visa" is, just last week. Wouldn't be surprised if the authorities are putting some pressure on businesses to be the extended arm of the immigration service.

They are supposed to report all guests using the online TM30 system and for the hotel to report all other the information that immigration ask for they need to look at the visa and entry stamp. I doubt they are under instructions to report anyone on an overstay. But given the current focus on overstaying anythings possible.

I have also observed that passports are looked at more carefully at airlines, hotels and banks, recently. In a couple of cases I was able to observe that an employee specifically studied my (valid) extension of stay. One front desk clerk in a small hotel in BKK, specifically asked me where the current "visa" is, just last week. Wouldn't be surprised if the authorities are putting some pressure on businesses to be the extended arm of the immigration service.

It is unlikely that many Thais actually know what a "visa" or an "extension of stay" is , especially those low paid workers in small hotels.

I checked into a largish hotel on koh chang with my Thai wife, having my passport with me at the time , i offered it to him, he took it started to walk into the office, quicky turned around handed it back and said, no electric. no-one registered for the room.

a few weeks later on checking into a hotel in central bangkok, i was asked for my passport and on telling him it was in the car in the car park, he said no problem and promtly used my wife's id card.

So on my 2 recent experiences, largish hotel don't seem to be too worried about registering and checking on foreign guests.

I consider it highly probable that hotels have been reminded to follow the existing rules regarding the notification of residence and to do it correctly, submitting all information that is required.

I do not know what input is requested for the online notification but if it is the same as on the paper form TM.30, it includes the following regarding the visa, the arrival, and the permission to stay:

1. Date of arrival at the hotel
2. Date of arrival in Thailand (copy the "ADMITTED" date from the arrival stamp)
3. Type of visa (copy from the arrival stamp, if legible, otherwise from the visa, if the guest has any)
4. Expiry date of stay (copy the "UNTIL" date from the arrival stamp)
5. Point of entry (copy from the arrival stamp, if legible, otherwise ask the guest)
6. Arrival card TM No. (copy from the departure card stapled into the passport)

From some posts in this topics it appears that some hotels haven't got the message yet or are ignoring it.

I have also observed that passports are looked at more carefully at airlines, hotels and banks, recently. In a couple of cases I was able to observe that an employee specifically studied my (valid) extension of stay. One front desk clerk in a small hotel in BKK, specifically asked me where the current "visa" is, just last week. Wouldn't be surprised if the authorities are putting some pressure on businesses to be the extended arm of the immigration service.

It is unlikely that many Thais actually know what a "visa" or an "extension of stay" is , especially those low paid workers in small hotels.

You seem to misunderstand what this topic is about. It is not about "many Thais", ie not about the men or women you meet on the street or socially, it is about the check-in staff at hotels who get special training about all aspects of their job, including the notification of a foreigner's arrival to immigration.

If some hotels have been insufficiently diligent with this training they will catch up at the latest when immigration starts fining them for the failure to submit the notification or for submitting it with incomplete information. It would not surprise me if the hotels that are now being strict with this requirement had been fined recently or threatened with fines.

Removed an off-topic post.

Overstayers could just use AirBnB in that case.

I have also observed that passports are looked at more carefully at airlines, hotels and banks, recently. In a couple of cases I was able to observe that an employee specifically studied my (valid) extension of stay. One front desk clerk in a small hotel in BKK, specifically asked me where the current "visa" is, just last week. Wouldn't be surprised if the authorities are putting some pressure on businesses to be the extended arm of the immigration service.

It is unlikely that many Thais actually know what a "visa" or an "extension of stay" is , especially those low paid workers in small hotels.

You seem to misunderstand what this topic is about. It is not about "many Thais", ie not about the men or women you meet on the street or socially, it is about the check-in staff at hotels who get special training about all aspects of their job, including the notification of a foreigner's arrival to immigration.

If some hotels have been insufficiently diligent with this training they will catch up at the latest when immigration starts fining them for the failure to submit the notification or for submitting it with incomplete information. It would not surprise me if the hotels that are now being strict with this requirement had been fined recently or threatened with fines.

No, I think he has got it - there was a specific reference to 'low paid workers in small hotels'.

For my part I have checked in twice with my driving licence as ID. I have also noticed on a couple of occasions where one person has booked 2 rooms they are asking for both passports - previously the one from the person booking would invariably suffice.

The employee's pay has nothing to with it. The onus is on the hotel manager to employ qualified staff and ensure that they get the appropriate training for the job assigned to each employee, and to institute procedures to ensure that the notifications are done.

From the Immigration Act:

Section 77 : Whoever fails to comply with the provision of Section 38, shall be punished with a fine not exceeding 2,000 Baht. If said person is a hotel manager, he shall be punished with a fine from 2,000 Baht to 10,000 Baht.

If and when the fines start pouring in, this will negatively affect the net profit and the president or the board of directors will take action on the manager, not the check-in staff.

The employee's pay has nothing to with it. The onus is on the hotel manager to employ qualified staff and ensure that they get the appropriate training for the job assigned to each employee, and to institute procedures to ensure that the notifications are done.

From the Immigration Act:

Section 77 : Whoever fails to comply with the provision of Section 38, shall be punished with a fine not exceeding 2,000 Baht. If said person is a hotel manager, he shall be punished with a fine from 2,000 Baht to 10,000 Baht.

If and when the fines start pouring in, this will negatively affect the net profit and the president or the board of directors will take action on the manager, not the check-in staff.

One of my neighbors owns/runs a delightful guest house with a small number of staff.

When visited by Immigration, who reminded her of her obligations to report guests arrivals via a TM30 or by using the online system she was very concerned and alarmed at the thought of having to meet the requirements. Neither she or her staff knew anything about passports,visas, entry stamps etc.

To be fair immigration arranged some tuition/education but the woman still lives in fear of "getting it wrong"

Assuming that all hotel/guest house owners/employers and potential employees understand what a valid visa is or looks like is arrogant in the extreme.

I am the wrong person with whom to discuss what is happening in real life regarding the TM.30 requirement. All I am doing is explaining the legal side of it. For the rest, I simply take cognisance of what other members are posting regarding their experience when checking in at a hotel and I have seen everything from no document at all being required to nothing but the passport being satisfactory.

I believe that I have never posted that I assumed "that all hotel/guest house owners/employers and potential employees understand what a valid visa is or looks like", nor have I seen any post by any other member making this assumption.

I am the wrong person with whom to discuss what is happening in real life regarding the TM.30 requirement. All I am doing is explaining the legal side of it. For the rest, I simply take cognisance of what other members are posting regarding their experience when checking in at a hotel and I have seen everything from no document at all being required to nothing but the passport being satisfactory.

I believe that I have never posted that I assumed "that all hotel/guest house owners/employers and potential employees understand what a valid visa is or looks like", nor have I seen any post by any other member making this assumption.

I have no wish to cross swords but you did say this

"The employee's pay has nothing to with it. The onus is on the hotel manager to employ qualified staff and ensure that they get the appropriate training for the job assigned to each employee, and to institute procedures to ensure that the notifications are done"

That assumes a standard of knowledge that many owners/employers/managers/employees simply do not possess, as my neighbor will willingly testify.

I accept what the law says but implementing and enforcing a "law" which many do not understand is, I would suggest, challenging !

My take on this is that a hotel manager who does not have a comprehensive knowledge of the requirements imposed on him by the Immigration Bureau or has a person on his staff who has this knowledge is in the wrong job. This may sound harsh, but it is a simple fact of competitive business life.

My take on this is that a hotel manager who does not have a comprehensive knowledge of the requirements imposed on him by the Immigration Bureau or has a person on his staff who has this knowledge is in the wrong job. This may sound harsh, but it is a simple fact of competitive business life.

You are using Western logic, and that does not always function over here because of the country factor (Thai logic, Thai culture, face saving, tea money normal etc).

Competitive business life in Thailand is sometimes more about how one is perceived by others rather than them having extensive knowledge.

Edited March 1, 201610 yr by lkv

I consider it highly probable that hotels have been reminded to follow the existing rules regarding the notification of residence and to do it correctly, submitting all information that is required.

I do not know what input is requested for the online notification but if it is the same as on the paper form TM.30, it includes the following regarding the visa, the arrival, and the permission to stay:

• Date of arrival at the hotel
• Date of arrival in Thailand (copy the "ADMITTED" date from the arrival stamp)
• Type of visa (copy from the arrival stamp, if legible, otherwise from the visa, if the guest has any)
• Expiry date of stay (copy the "UNTIL" date from the arrival stamp)
• Point of entry (copy from the arrival stamp, if legible, otherwise ask the guest)
• Arrival card TM No. (copy from the departure card stapled into the passport)

From some posts in this topics it appears that some hotels haven't got the message yet or are ignoring it.

Based on my own experience, having an hotel in Thailand with my wife, this is correct and are the informations required to fill in the online immigration system when guests check-in (within 24 hours).

When hotel get the weblink, username and password from immigration, a short training is given to the requester (basically the hotel manager) but anyway the website is very basic and easy to fill with only minimum cells to fill and with drop down menu (example you have all visa categories and you just select the appropriate). Some informations are mandatory and you won't be able to validate the submission unless they have been filled.

So for our understanding (and as hotel owner / manager of the property /hotel) it is our responsability to ensure it is done and correctly. As it is our responsabilities to ensure that our staff are professional.

However, we have not been requested by the immigration to report to them directly overstayers or illegals, we are just filling the informations required in the system (we are not calling immigration to inform them that a guest is on overstay for example).

The process of online reporting is quite simple and easy. Of course, sometime it might take longer when for example a guest has passport full of stamps and visas...to find the right information's. We usually copy the necessary information's from the passport and TM card and do the online reporting later, especially when reception is busy with several check in at the same time.

The only issues we are facing sometime are:

The number of tourists that have lost their TM cards because they have not been informed that this is an important document.

Most of the guests understand that this is a requirement from authorities to get a copy of their passports. The only difficult ones are mainly the long expats (or resident in Thailand) with the usual comments "I live in Thailand for 20 years now and I never had to show my passport to hotels, I know the law in Thailand...", then we try to explain them that situation change and some rules are currently re-inforced by authorities.

For us, unfortunately, we had to make a simple rule: no passport, no check in.

Based on my own experience, having an hotel in Thailand with my wife, this is correct and are the informations required to fill in the online immigration system when guests check-in (within 24 hours).

When hotel get the weblink, username and password from immigration, a short training is given to the requester (basically the hotel manager) but anyway the website is very basic and easy to fill with only minimum cells to fill and with drop down menu (example you have all visa categories and you just select the appropriate). Some informations are mandatory and you won't be able to validate the submission unless they have been filled.

So for our understanding (and as hotel owner / manager of the property /hotel) it is our responsability to ensure it is done and correctly. As it is our responsabilities to ensure that our staff are professional.

However, we have not been requested by the immigration to report to them directly overstayers or illegals, we are just filling the informations required in the system (we are not calling immigration to inform them that a guest is on overstay for example).

The process of online reporting is quite simple and easy. Of course, sometime it might take longer when for example a guest has passport full of stamps and visas...to find the right information's. We usually copy the necessary information's from the passport and TM card and do the online reporting later, especially when reception is busy with several check in at the same time.

The only issues we are facing sometime are:

The number of tourists that have lost their TM cards because they have not been informed that this is an important document.

Most of the guests understand that this is a requirement from authorities to get a copy of their passports. The only difficult ones are mainly the long expats (or resident in Thailand) with the usual comments "I live in Thailand for 20 years now and I never had to show my passport to hotels, I know the law in Thailand...", then we try to explain them that situation change and some rules are currently re-inforced by authorities.

For us, unfortunately, we had to make a simple rule: no passport, no check in.

Thank you. This confirms my feeling, but it is much better to have confirmation from someone with first hand knowledge.

Of course, even though the hotel does no enforcement itself, it would be possible for the computer system to flag overstays from the online immigration system input. Even if this is not done now, it would be a logical enhancement if finding those on overstay was considered high enough priority.

I consider it highly probable that hotels have been reminded to follow the existing rules regarding the notification of residence and to do it correctly, submitting all information that is required.

I do not know what input is requested for the online notification but if it is the same as on the paper form TM.30, it includes the following regarding the visa, the arrival, and the permission to stay:

• Date of arrival at the hotel
• Date of arrival in Thailand (copy the "ADMITTED" date from the arrival stamp)
• Type of visa (copy from the arrival stamp, if legible, otherwise from the visa, if the guest has any)
• Expiry date of stay (copy the "UNTIL" date from the arrival stamp)
• Point of entry (copy from the arrival stamp, if legible, otherwise ask the guest)
• Arrival card TM No. (copy from the departure card stapled into the passport)

From some posts in this topics it appears that some hotels haven't got the message yet or are ignoring it.

Based on my own experience, having an hotel in Thailand with my wife, this is correct and are the informations required to fill in the online immigration system when guests check-in (within 24 hours).

When hotel get the weblink, username and password from immigration, a short training is given to the requester (basically the hotel manager) but anyway the website is very basic and easy to fill with only minimum cells to fill and with drop down menu (example you have all visa categories and you just select the appropriate). Some informations are mandatory and you won't be able to validate the submission unless they have been filled.

So for our understanding (and as hotel owner / manager of the property /hotel) it is our responsability to ensure it is done and correctly. As it is our responsabilities to ensure that our staff are professional.

However, we have not been requested by the immigration to report to them directly overstayers or illegals, we are just filling the informations required in the system (we are not calling immigration to inform them that a guest is on overstay for example).

The process of online reporting is quite simple and easy. Of course, sometime it might take longer when for example a guest has passport full of stamps and visas...to find the right information's. We usually copy the necessary information's from the passport and TM card and do the online reporting later, especially when reception is busy with several check in at the same time.

The only issues we are facing sometime are:

The number of tourists that have lost their TM cards because they have not been informed that this is an important document.

Most of the guests understand that this is a requirement from authorities to get a copy of their passports. The only difficult ones are mainly the long expats (or resident in Thailand) with the usual comments "I live in Thailand for 20 years now and I never had to show my passport to hotels, I know the law in Thailand...", then we try to explain them that situation change and some rules are currently re-inforced by authorities.

For us, unfortunately, we had to make a simple rule: no passport, no check in.

Thanks for that explanation jphasia.

I use hotels quite a lot (usually for work) and have always handed over my passport (rather than any other form of ID as been reported by some). The hotels i use most, always photocopy only the information page of the passport and then the passport is returned. I fill in only my name and signature on the registration form provided. I am pretty sure (but not certain) that the hotels in question use the online service, but to my knowledge they wouldn't have any visa/extension of stay details.

What are the mandatory fields you need to complete for a successful guest registration online?

I can confirm the same ...in large hotels when i travel by road there are times when I have dumbly forgotten my passport at home

They look at us , take the wife's ID and we get the keys

I guess maybe the membership status helps and also paying cash instead of credit cards

They probably just omit my registration and take the missus and the kid or the families that travel with us as the guests

I consider it highly probable that hotels have been reminded to follow the existing rules regarding the notification of residence and to do it correctly, submitting all information that is required.

I do not know what input is requested for the online notification but if it is the same as on the paper form TM.30, it includes the following regarding the visa, the arrival, and the permission to stay:

• Date of arrival at the hotel
• Date of arrival in Thailand (copy the "ADMITTED" date from the arrival stamp)
• Type of visa (copy from the arrival stamp, if legible, otherwise from the visa, if the guest has any)
• Expiry date of stay (copy the "UNTIL" date from the arrival stamp)
• Point of entry (copy from the arrival stamp, if legible, otherwise ask the guest)
• Arrival card TM No. (copy from the departure card stapled into the passport)

From some posts in this topics it appears that some hotels haven't got the message yet or are ignoring it.

Based on my own experience, having an hotel in Thailand with my wife, this is correct and are the informations required to fill in the online immigration system when guests check-in (within 24 hours).

When hotel get the weblink, username and password from immigration, a short training is given to the requester (basically the hotel manager) but anyway the website is very basic and easy to fill with only minimum cells to fill and with drop down menu (example you have all visa categories and you just select the appropriate). Some informations are mandatory and you won't be able to validate the submission unless they have been filled.

So for our understanding (and as hotel owner / manager of the property /hotel) it is our responsability to ensure it is done and correctly. As it is our responsabilities to ensure that our staff are professional.

However, we have not been requested by the immigration to report to them directly overstayers or illegals, we are just filling the informations required in the system (we are not calling immigration to inform them that a guest is on overstay for example).

The process of online reporting is quite simple and easy. Of course, sometime it might take longer when for example a guest has passport full of stamps and visas...to find the right information's. We usually copy the necessary information's from the passport and TM card and do the online reporting later, especially when reception is busy with several check in at the same time.

The only issues we are facing sometime are:

The number of tourists that have lost their TM cards because they have not been informed that this is an important document.

Most of the guests understand that this is a requirement from authorities to get a copy of their passports. The only difficult ones are mainly the long expats (or resident in Thailand) with the usual comments "I live in Thailand for 20 years now and I never had to show my passport to hotels, I know the law in Thailand...", then we try to explain them that situation change and some rules are currently re-inforced by authorities.

For us, unfortunately, we had to make a simple rule: no passport, no check in.

Thanks for that explanation jphasia.

I use hotels quite a lot (usually for work) and have always handed over my passport (rather than any other form of ID as been reported by some). The hotels i use most, always photocopy only the information page of the passport and then the passport is returned. I fill in only my name and signature on the registration form provided. I am pretty sure (but not certain) that the hotels in question use the online service, but to my knowledge they wouldn't have any visa/extension of stay details.

What are the mandatory fields you need to complete for a successful guest registration online?

I am not in Thailand now but i will check exactly when i back Friday what are the mandatory fields. I can't exactly remember because i am not doing it myself. It is done by our staff.

I am not working in the hotel. I am let say the main investor. It is all under my wife name (for obvious reasons) and fully manage by her. But i always have a look closely at this business (also for obvious reasons). My wife is Thai and it is true that most Thai are not very concern about immigration and visas rules and might not feel concern even if they are in the tourism business.

So I am preventive on her behalf and try to follow what is going on about the new regulations or law enforcements. So I found out about a year ago that immigrations were enforcing they rules about notification of stay for the foreigners in hotels and guesthouses. I directed my wife to the immigration office to enquired about it. They give her the weblink,username and password and gave her a short training on how to use it. Also a phone number for assistance. Once she was back, she told me it was now clear for her and actually quite easy. I gave her my passport and told her "I am a guest and I am check in, show me how it work". I am travelling a lot and that time i even had 2 passports attached (one was full with the valid visa and the other one had the latest entry stamp).So it was not an easy case but she managed to find the required informations and updated correctly the website.

So it is true that some staff might get lost with some passports because also most guests are on 30 days exempt or 60 days tourist visa which are the easy one. But some cases such like visa extension or multiple entries are more complicate to understand when you have the passport in hands.

As for the registration form of the hotel (the one that most hotel systematically asked you to fill at the check in and irritate many people thinking why i have to fill this as they have already all my informations!), I don't think it is mandatory and definitely not by the authorities. For us, honestly, this is a way to keep the guest busy while we are doing the check in work(verifying the room, updating our internal system, taking the payments infos...) Most of this informations requested in this form are for statistic only and future commercial offers.

I have noticed the same they write the dates that you have on your entry stamp,(date of arrival and admitted till) on the photo copy of the passport and they are diligent in checking and that's new before they just photo copied the passport,I was on a one day overstay and told the hotel I had a one day extension when I checked in for my last 3 nights in Bangkok,immigration in jontiem told me "one day of problem" I did not get fined at suraburum yesterday but I was pulled out and got an extra stamp in my passport not sure what that means.

I am sure what has been said about having to show your PP upon check-in is true. However I don't recall using my PP to check-in to any hotels in the past few years. I hardly ever carry my PP with me; I have a copy of the relevant pages on my phone if I am asked for my PP. My understanding is if the BIB ask for your PP you have 24 hours to produce it. I just show my Thai Driver's license, reception copy that. This is true of hotels both big and small from BKK to the border with Laos, Burma and Cambodia. Usually my Thai wife is with me but not always. The last time this happened was about 4 weeks ago here in BKK.

I have noticed the same they write the dates that you have on your entry stamp,(date of arrival and admitted till) on the photo copy of the passport and they are diligent in checking and that's new before they just photo copied the passport,I was on a one day overstay and told the hotel I had a one day extension when I checked in for my last 3 nights in Bangkok,immigration in jontiem told me "one day of problem" I did not get fined at suraburum yesterday but I was pulled out and got an extra stamp in my passport not sure what that means.

If I read it right, they stamped your passport with overstay and probably wrote 1 day in it.... If that is the case they would not fine you for 1 day (2 days 1000 baht - but 1 day free).