Visa overstayers get a watery warning from Immigration

[rooster59]

Visa overstayers get a watery warning from Immigration

Chutharat Plerin

PHUKET: Water bottles with labels displaying the newly implemented overstay rules will be handed out to attendees at a public meeting with Immigration Commissioner Natthorn Phrosunthorn next week.

The meeting, to be held at Boat Lagoon on March 25, is aimed at clarifying the new rules as part of the Immigration Bureau’s national campaign on reinforcing rules on foreigners who overstay their visas.

“Lt Gen Natthorn will be on the island next week to clarify overstay rules following an order dated November 27, 2015 by Interior Minister Anupong Paochinda. The order targets those who stay in the country beyond their permission period, which affects internal security as well as the peace and safety of residents,” confirmed Phuket Immigration Office Chief Sunchai Chokkajaykij.

Full story: http://www.phuketgazette.net/phuket-news/Visa-overstayers-a-watery-warning-Immigration/63464?desktopversion#ad-image-0

-- Phuket Gazette 2016-03-19

[khwaibah]

Water? They should make it Lao Khao.

[pinkpanther99]

Jesus. They must be serious about this overstay thing if they are even putting it on the side of water bottles!

I just thought this would go the way of all the other 'crackdowns'

[DNPBC0]

The publicity about the perfectly reasonable set of new over-stayer rules is beginning to look excessive and seems to be moving into the realms of subtle intimidation. The implicit suggestion is that all foreigners are a risk to internal security and the peace/happiness of Thais.

[KhunBENQ]

Tense waiting for the first reports after tomorrow.

Bluff or serious?

[djjamie]

About time they got serious on overstayers.

There is no excuse to break the law and if you flaunt the laws of a country then you should be banned from re-entering it for the time prescribed by the law.

They should be as unforgiving as Australia.

I always go to immigration if I am held back and ask for extensions. My wife friend is the immigration chief in Khon Kaen and has told me that it would cost less for me to pay the fine at the airport than pay for the 14 day extension at the immigration office.

I still pay it of course.

Edited March 19, 2016 by djjamie

[Nicolas32]

Right now personally i think they are not targeting people from the west as it may look towards people..? But more likely from neighboring countries like people who work in construction and tourism .. At the end of the day immigration detention centres are out number by people from neighboring countries or africa then from people in the eu or the states .. In my opinion also we do see people in the news but 9 out 10 it's people on the run ?

Edited March 19, 2016 by Nicolas32

[Pomthai]

Still no info on those caught or surrendering with less than 90 days.

The implication is 1 day of overstay can result in a five year ban if caught? That is an easy mistake for anyone to make and if this is enforced as implied - then way over the top.

[godden]

I'm packing my bags right now

[TDCNINJA]

And here I thought this was going to be another cheesy article about Songkran...

Edited March 19, 2016 by TDCNINJA

[alphaflight]

Does this mean a free flight home for those folks? I can't imagine any of these people are going to be surrendering...........

[soc]

lt seems like a lot of people are outraged by what the THAI government are implementing in THAILAND.

Its their country & we are guests.

lf you don't like it & don't want to abide by their rules-

Then LEAVE & stop whining, moaning & complaining.

Can't be any clearer than that.

[Shawn0001]

The publicity about the perfectly reasonable set of new over-stayer rules is beginning to look excessive and seems to be moving into the realms of subtle intimidation. The implicit suggestion is that all foreigners are a risk to internal security and the peace/happiness of Thais.

No, the only think implied by targeting over-stayers is that all over-stayers are a potential risk. What legitimate reason is there for being an over-stayer? They are either broke and this a potential burden, or they are criminals, who else?

[springheeled jack]

new incomers should also be warned on arrival of the rules of overstay.

[seedy]

Troll / Flaming / Off Topic / Nonsense posts Removed

[Old Croc]

Water bottles with labels displaying the newly implemented overstay rules will be handed out to attendees at a public meeting with Immigration Commissioner Natthorn Phrosunthorn

There probably wont be many overstayers at this meeting. There must be a better way to get the message out to miscreants.

Lt Gen Natthorn will be on the island next week to clarify overstay rules following an order dated November 27, 2015

I wonder if he will clarify the rules for Phuket Immigration who are apparently still mulling over whether to punish children or not.

[TKDfella]

lt seems like a lot of people are outraged by what the THAI government are implementing in THAILAND.

Its their country & we are guests.

lf you don't like it & don't want to abide by their rules-

Then LEAVE & stop whining, moaning & complaining.

Can't be any clearer than that.

Well...yes and no. I don't think it's quite that simple. I do agree about overstaying and imposing fines, bans etc. is the Thailand's prerogative and the more they advertise it the less reason anyone has. However, you do seem to make a general sweeping statement about all rules and some of these change without notifying foreigners, and I am referring regulations that apply specifically to foreigners. That can be annoying and surely a foreigner would have reason to complain.

[stevenl]

lt seems like a lot of people are outraged by what the THAI government are implementing in THAILAND.

Its their country & we are guests.

lf you don't like it & don't want to abide by their rules-

Then LEAVE & stop whining, moaning & complaining.

Can't be any clearer than that.

Well...yes and no. I don't think it's quite that simple. I do agree about overstaying and imposing fines, bans etc. is the Thailand's prerogative and the more they advertise it the less reason anyone has. However, you do seem to make a general sweeping statement about all rules and some of these change without notifying foreigners, and I am referring regulations that apply specifically to foreigners. That can be annoying and surely a foreigner would have reason to complain.

What rules for foreigners have changed lately without notification?

[Doc46]

Still no info on those caught or surrendering with less than 90 days.

The implication is 1 day of overstay can result in a five year ban if caught? That is an easy mistake for anyone to make and if this is enforced as implied - then way over the top.

If you know the Law Like Normal people Than there is NO excuse for overstay,you know what to do ,,Use you're noggin and check ,,

[Merylhighground]

lt seems like a lot of people are outraged by what the THAI government are implementing in THAILAND.

Its their country & we are guests.

lf you don't like it & don't want to abide by their rules-

Then LEAVE & stop whining, moaning & complaining.

Can't be any clearer than that.

I hope you don't treat your 'guests' as poorly as the Thais do. Note to self; politely decline an invitation to stay at your grotty shack. Edited March 19, 2016 by Merylhighground

[sabaii69]

Water? They should make it Lao Khao.

Dammit; don't they know there is a water shortage?

[timendres]

Still no info on those caught or surrendering with less than 90 days.

The implication is 1 day of overstay can result in a five year ban if caught? That is an easy mistake for anyone to make and if this is enforced as implied - then way over the top.

If you know the Law Like Normal people Than there is NO excuse for overstay,you know what to do ,,Use you're noggin and check ,,

As The Bottle states (and I think, likewise, the law), you must overstay 90+ days before you are banned from Thailand.

Those who overstay be 1 day or 1 week or anything less than 90 days, will get the traditional fine, and I suspect a stern warning regarding the new rules.

The new law is not trying to make criminals out of everyone, or unreasonably punish those who make simple mistakes regarding the calendar, or run into some issue that delays their departure by a few days or a week. But an overstay more than 90 days, without any effort to obtain an extension, seems like a reasonable point at which to apply the law.

[Franko666]

About time they got serious on overstayers.

There is no excuse to break the law and if you flaunt the laws of a country then you should be banned from re-entering it for the time prescribed by the law.

They should be as unforgiving as Australia.

I always go to immigration if I am held back and ask for extensions. My wife friend is the immigration chief in Khon Kaen and has told me that it would cost less for me to pay the fine at the airport than pay for the 14 day extension at the immigration office.

I still pay it of course.

Yes I was once told by immigration to just pay at the airport if i ran a few days late on a visa. Not good advise methinks.

[Franko666]

Still no info on those caught or surrendering with less than 90 days.

The implication is 1 day of overstay can result in a five year ban if caught? That is an easy mistake for anyone to make and if this is enforced as implied - then way over the top.

Well done Holmes, you got that wrong. Watson, give this bloke a heads up. Yes heads up not ...................

[rethaier]

Wouldn't a stamp in the visa convey the message for less cost?

[technologybytes]

Yes I was once told by immigration to just pay at the airport if i ran a few days late on a visa. Not good advise methinks.

Previously it was very good advice.. but the rules changed.

This is not about visas though, its about entry stamp which in most cases is totally different. I guess you actually meant entry stamp and not visa.

Edited March 19, 2016 by technologybytes

[Ulic]

Jesus. They must be serious about this overstay thing if they are even putting it on the side of water bottles!

I just thought this would go the way of all the other 'crackdowns'

If they were serious they would have had enlisted, Chang, Leo, Singha etc to put this same notice

on the company beer bottles.

[LukKrueng]

The publicity about the perfectly reasonable set of new over-stayer rules is beginning to look excessive and seems to be moving into the realms of subtle intimidation. The implicit suggestion is that all foreigners are a risk to internal security and the peace/happiness of Thais.

Well, it IS a major change of game, and if to judge by the many overstay stories here on TV (never the members of course, always their cousin, friend, friend of a cousin and sometimes even cousin of friend...) there seem to be many many many over stayers.

Now, if there was just 1, 2 or 10 announcements about the new rules, i guess all those friends and cousins of the over stayers would complain there was no real warning and they didn't know they'd better clear their status before the specific date..........

[hawker9000]

The publicity about the perfectly reasonable set of new over-stayer rules is beginning to look excessive and seems to be moving into the realms of subtle intimidation. The implicit suggestion is that all foreigners are a risk to internal security and the peace/happiness of Thais.

You have a point, but reading what one reads here on TVF on a disturbingly regular basis, you have to admit it is amazingly difficult to get through to some...

(OK, now can we now please have one more round of that beloved golden oldie, "Goody Two Shoes Hey Nonny Non!", as sung by the My Way But Not Too Bright Singers !?)

[Yann55]

This Forum being called Thai Visa Forum, I guess the focus on overstay issues is to be expected, but I wonder how accurately it reflects the actual concerns of Thai authorities.

Now, if said authorities are as obsessed as this website is with the overstay issue, and are somehow making a wild link between overstay and terrorism, then it proves how remote their brains are from the reality of the terrain.

It's kind of like saying : "OK, we need to adress the terrorist threat seriously, therefore and from now on, we're going to closely monitor the whereabouts of hairdressers".

Hairdressers, you've been warned !

Edited March 20, 2016 by Yann55