Immigration has recently announced that it will enforce new rules about banning people in the country on an overstay. Starting on March 20, foreigners reporting overstaying for 90 days will be banned from entry for one year. Overstaying for one year will result in a 3 year ban and overstaying 3 years will result in a 5 year ban and a 5 year overstay will result in a 10 year ban. Those failing to report an overstay and are caught will face a 5 year ban for less than a year and 10 years for an overstay of longer than a year.

The punishments may also include children who do have a visa.

Do you agree with these regulations?

Yes.

But it makes no difference if we agree or not - the Regulations will be enforced starting today.

The 'remarks' on the official notice clearly say that the overstay penalties do not apply to under 18s.

Haven't we had enough threads about the new rules?

Who cares? It is going ahead whether you like it or not

Any enforced or new law will be opposed by the ones affected by it, especialy the criminals, and law breakers.I love the idea of getting rid of the thai haters, feels gooooooooooood.

Generally yes, but there is always a story behind. Archaic visa requirements can transform "good boys" to "bad boys" too. With new rules in place it would be time to modernize the visa requirements as well, especially in terms of residency purposes.

Being in a country where there is no such thing as justice I can't quite understand why any foreigner living here would support such a law. Find yourself in an accident and you too may be deported and banned from thailand for 5 or 10 years. Don't believe me? Then ask yourself would your family know what to do if you found yourself incapacitated? Think the Thai courts will bend the law just for you even if you did have a genuine reason?

Edited March 20, 201610 yr by Time Traveller

I would classify overstayers as undesirables. There is no excuse for long overstaying. Its very easy to get a 3 month extension if you are sick or ill. Most of them took advantage of the easy visa requirements to live in Thailand and now that the country is trying to come in line with others as far as immigration is concerned they do nothing but complain and insult the immigration department.

They may have Thai wives and children, but that does not give them any special rights. They can get a marriage visa and if they do not have enough funds they should not expect to be able to stay here. I am sure a Thai in similar circumstances would not be able to stay in thier countries.

Any enforced or new law will be opposed by the ones affected by it, especialy the criminals, and law breakers.I love the idea of getting rid of the thai haters, feels gooooooooooood.

You are so wrong. I am not affected by it at all. But i do know people who are, and through s##t that happens in life are now in a bad situation. It will split families up even though the person in mind brings enough money every month to take care of his family, he can't meet the retirement conditions.

I understand the law is the law, but now he has a bad choice to make, stay and hope all is ok or go home and lose his family.

A good move and about time too.

Get rid of the undesirables.

There is no excuse for overstay.

Haven't we had enough threads about the new rules?

Who cares? It is going ahead whether you like it or not

Agree! This just looks like troll bait to me.

I would classify overstayers as undesirables. There is no excuse for long overstaying. Its very easy to get a 3 month extension if you are sick or ill. Most of them took advantage of the easy visa requirements to live in Thailand and now that the country is trying to come in line with others as far as immigration is concerned they do nothing but complain and insult the immigration department.

They may have Thai wives and children, but that does not give them any special rights. They can get a marriage visa and if they do not have enough funds they should not expect to be able to stay here. I am sure a Thai in similar circumstances would not be able to stay in thier countries.

Well let's hope no one in your family experiences a severe health issue that depletes your finances. Or that the Thai authorities in the future don't decide to increase the financial requirements by putting a zero (or two) at the end of the arbitrary number they Currently set to determine your "value" or worthiness.

While you might think yo shit don't stink now and feel like you're better or more worthy than other people. Things might change. Change of thinking and it might be you that the authorities deem to be an undesirable

I have generally had good experiences in Thailand, yes I get frustrated at paper work sometimes, I do my best to be law abiding, and expect to be punished if I am not

If we follow the logic of not punishing over stay, then why should we punish the person who gets drunk, which can happen unintentionally then drives a car and kills someone

Remember we also choose to be here , we have no rights to vote, if you do not like it, stop complaining and get the hell out, no one will stop you

I would, in principle agree with the rules, but what about someone who is in hospital seriously ill or in a coma?

Immigration needs to have rules at every IO in Thailand, allowing overstay to be overlooked if a doctor states

in writing, a letter telling IOs about a patients condition, instead of allowing IO bosses to decide themselves.

I would, in principle agree with the rules, but what about someone who is in hospital seriously ill or in a coma?

Immigration needs to have rules at every IO in Thailand, allowing overstay to be overlooked if a doctor states

in writing, a letter telling IOs about a patients condition, instead of allowing IO bosses to decide themselves.

No need for an overstay in the case of a serious illness, there are provsions in the rules to get an extension on any visa or stay on the say so of a doctor or hospital and in fact some hospitals have immigration liason desks in the hospital

So your asking for something which already exists

I would classify overstayers as undesirables. There is no excuse for long overstaying. Its very easy to get a 3 month extension if you are sick or ill. Most of them took advantage of the easy visa requirements to live in Thailand and now that the country is trying to come in line with others as far as immigration is concerned they do nothing but complain and insult the immigration department.

They may have Thai wives and children, but that does not give them any special rights. They can get a marriage visa and if they do not have enough funds they should not expect to be able to stay here. I am sure a Thai in similar circumstances would not be able to stay in thier countries.

You are a very compassionate person, I can tell! And calling overstayers 'undesirables', that's a bit rich! I know some falang who are here legally but that does not make some of them exactly 'desirable' either, at least in my eyes.

Yes, many came here because requirements were low, for say a retirement visa. Then along the way, there might have been some major illness, maybe the sweet wife was costly, who knows. And the exchange rate did not help many either (to reach the THB 65,000 income etc).

Personally, to call people on overstay names like you do or even worse 'criminals' shows a pretty narrow-minded and petty outlook on life and people...

Edited March 20, 201610 yr by UTH001

Being in a country where there is no such thing as justice I can't quite understand why any foreigner living here would support such a law. Find yourself in an accident and you too may be deported and banned from thailand for 5 or 10 years. Don't believe me? Then ask yourself would your family know what to do if you found yourself incapacitated? Think the Thai courts will bend the law just for you even if you did have a genuine reason?

Find yourself in a serious accident, you have no need to be on an overstay, there is provision within the existing laws to extend a visa, stay on medical grounds via a doctors or hospital letter

I would, in principle agree with the rules, but what about someone who is in hospital seriously ill or in a coma?

Immigration needs to have rules at every IO in Thailand, allowing overstay to be overlooked if a doctor states

in writing, a letter telling IOs about a patients condition, instead of allowing IO bosses to decide themselves.

Most hospitals that accept farang patients have an officer that liases with the local Immi office for medical extensions IME.

I would classify overstayers as undesirables. There is no excuse for long overstaying. Its very easy to get a 3 month extension if you are sick or ill. Most of them took advantage of the easy visa requirements to live in Thailand and now that the country is trying to come in line with others as far as immigration is concerned they do nothing but complain and insult the immigration department.

They may have Thai wives and children, but that does not give them any special rights. They can get a marriage visa and if they do not have enough funds they should not expect to be able to stay here. I am sure a Thai in similar circumstances would not be able to stay in thier countries.

"There is no excuse for long overstaying. Its very easy to get a 3 month extension if you are sick or ill."

Absolute garbage, a lot depends on an IOs mood. It is not in the rules that IOs must act on a doctors letter.

IOs make up their own rules, so tell me how it is easy to get a three month extension if you are sick or ill.

I would classify overstayers as undesirables. There is no excuse for long overstaying. Its very easy to get a 3 month extension if you are sick or ill. Most of them took advantage of the easy visa requirements to live in Thailand and now that the country is trying to come in line with others as far as immigration is concerned they do nothing but complain and insult the immigration department.

They may have Thai wives and children, but that does not give them any special rights. They can get a marriage visa and if they do not have enough funds they should not expect to be able to stay here. I am sure a Thai in similar circumstances would not be able to stay in thier countries.

I would, in principle agree with the rules, but what about someone who is in hospital seriously ill or in a coma?

Immigration needs to have rules at every IO in Thailand, allowing overstay to be overlooked if a doctor states

in writing, a letter telling IOs about a patients condition, instead of allowing IO bosses to decide themselves.

No need for an overstay in the case of a serious illness, there are provsions in the rules to get an extension on any visa or stay on the say so of a doctor or hospital and in fact some hospitals have immigration liason desks in the hospital

So your asking for something which already exists

Yes, I believe you are right, but at the end of the day, the Immigration Officials have the final say. I do believe that most of the time the IOs will grant

the extension, but there are exceptions.

I would, in principle agree with the rules, but what about someone who is in hospital seriously ill or in a coma?

Immigration needs to have rules at every IO in Thailand, allowing overstay to be overlooked if a doctor states

in writing, a letter telling IOs about a patients condition, instead of allowing IO bosses to decide themselves.

Most hospitals that accept farang patients have an officer that liases with the local Immi office for medical extensions IME.

Yes, but there are exceptions This is Thailand. all different establishments make up their own rules, and I don't think hospitals are any exception.

I would, in principle agree with the rules, but what about someone who is in hospital seriously ill or in a coma?

Immigration needs to have rules at every IO in Thailand, allowing overstay to be overlooked if a doctor states

in writing, a letter telling IOs about a patients condition, instead of allowing IO bosses to decide themselves.

Most hospitals that accept farang patients have an officer that liases with the local Immi office for medical extensions IME.

Yes, but there are exceptions This is Thailand. all different establishments make up their own rules, and I don't think hospitals are any exception.

There are exceptions to everything in life, not just in Thailand

If an IO is recalcitrant on a medical extension - go higher up the pecking order.

I would, in principle agree with the rules, but what about someone who is in hospital seriously ill or in a coma?

Immigration needs to have rules at every IO in Thailand, allowing overstay to be overlooked if a doctor states

in writing, a letter telling IOs about a patients condition, instead of allowing IO bosses to decide themselves.

Most hospitals that accept farang patients have an officer that liases with the local Immi office for medical extensions IME.

Got a 3 months extension fairly easy after an operation. It was years ago but the I/O barely looked through the door and didn't even come in.

I guess it varies from hospital to hospital and I/O to I/O unfortunately.

Being in a country where there is no such thing as justice I can't quite understand why any foreigner living here would support such a law. Find yourself in an accident and you too may be deported and banned from thailand for 5 or 10 years. Don't believe me? Then ask yourself would your family know what to do if you found yourself incapacitated? Think the Thai courts will bend the law just for you even if you did have a genuine reason?

Find yourself in a serious accident, you have no need to be on an overstay, there is provision within the existing laws to extend a visa, stay on medical grounds via a doctors or hospital letter

Suppose someone is in a coma, may even for weeks, the hospital don't know what visa they have, nor should they, their job is to treat patients.

The persons wife or family are more interested in seeing them getting well again instead of having to have added worry about a countries immigration rules.

I would, in principle agree with the rules, but what about someone who is in hospital seriously ill or in a coma?

Immigration needs to have rules at every IO in Thailand, allowing overstay to be overlooked if a doctor states

in writing, a letter telling IOs about a patients condition, instead of allowing IO bosses to decide themselves.

Most hospitals that accept farang patients have an officer that liases with the local Immi office for medical extensions IME.

Yes, but there are exceptions This is Thailand. all different establishments make up their own rules, and I don't think hospitals are any exception.

There are exceptions to everything in life, not just in Thailand

Yes, you are right, but this topic is only about Thailand, not any other country. Don't get the impression that I am a Thai basher, I am not.

I love Thailand, and I do believe that the good outweighs the bad here, but I do call things as I see them.

Being in a country where there is no such thing as justice I can't quite understand why any foreigner living here would support such a law. Find yourself in an accident and you too may be deported and banned from thailand for 5 or 10 years. Don't believe me? Then ask yourself would your family know what to do if you found yourself incapacitated? Think the Thai courts will bend the law just for you even if you did have a genuine reason?

Find yourself in a serious accident, you have no need to be on an overstay, there is provision within the existing laws to extend a visa, stay on medical grounds via a doctors or hospital letter

Suppose someone is in a coma, may even for weeks, the hospital don't know what visa they have, nor should they, their job is to treat patients.

The persons wife or family are more interested in seeing them getting well again instead of having to have added worry about a countries immigration rules.

The persons family doesnt have to worry about it, give the persons pp to the hospital and they will take care of it via their immigration liasion..

If they have a "john doe" all the hospital needs to do is inform immigration...they have an unknown person in coma

Edited March 20, 201610 yr by ubonjoe
inflammatory comment removed

Being in a country where there is no such thing as justice I can't quite understand why any foreigner living here would support such a law. Find yourself in an accident and you too may be deported and banned from thailand for 5 or 10 years. Don't believe me? Then ask yourself would your family know what to do if you found yourself incapacitated? Think the Thai courts will bend the law just for you even if you did have a genuine reason?

Find yourself in a serious accident, you have no need to be on an overstay, there is provision within the existing laws to extend a visa, stay on medical grounds via a doctors or hospital letter

Find yourself in an accident and unconscious without ID and try to find out how well that provision works.

Being in a country where there is no such thing as justice I can't quite understand why any foreigner living here would support such a law. Find yourself in an accident and you too may be deported and banned from thailand for 5 or 10 years. Don't believe me? Then ask yourself would your family know what to do if you found yourself incapacitated? Think the Thai courts will bend the law just for you even if you did have a genuine reason?

Find yourself in a serious accident, you have no need to be on an overstay, there is provision within the existing laws to extend a visa, stay on medical grounds via a doctors or hospital letter

Find yourself in an accident and unconscious without ID and try to find out how well that provision works.

See post #28