Thai Immigration Asks Foreigners for Bank Accounts, Social Media, Hangouts

[mesterm]

what about people like me who have a marriage visa and have been in Thailand 14 years?

Face it. You'll always be a foreigner.

I've always enjoyed being a foreigner in Thailand. Certainly a more enjoyable than being a citizen in the USA.

Yeah cause you get "more bang for your buck" here right? Unfortunately not what most Thais have to go through.

[recom273]

They can ask all they want - doesn't mean I have to give them the correct info.

There are times where I'm asked for my passport number or registration number - not immigration - if I don't think it's relevant I will write a random number and no one has ever questioned it.

Same if immigration asked me for my registration number of my bikes or my email address - there would be one or two honest mistakes in there - "oh sorry, I get so confused with those squiggly lines - oh, that's your alphabet is it ? Didn't know that - silly farang"

[hawker9000]

A work colleague has just informed me that the One-Stop shop are turning down 90 day reports if the applicant declines to fill in the form

I fear that my TVF postings have mostly been disparaging of people staging coups, so I'm in trouble.

However, I have a brainwave of a solution, which other like-minded TVF members may wish to adopt.

On the Social Media section, put down ThaiVisa Forum, but write the TVF name of the most pro-Prayut stooges in TVF - we know who they are by their admirable unwavering faith in the Junta expressed in numerous fawning posts.

Subsequently, when the future Single Portal Unification Department (SPUD) checks "my" postings on TVF, they will find me to be such a staunch supporter of the regime that any visas will be issued with embarrassing alacrity. Sorted.

...And when they realize they've forgotten to put a place on the form for your password, or during a home-visit ask to see you sign-in?... 'Never happen you say? Well I'll bet you never thought this would ever happen either.

Easier to just create a throwaway email account & maybe a bogus social media account you never intend to use, or your wife's favorite online shopping site... Now "hangouts". Hmmm. The local bridge club? How about 'Passions' in Pattaya? Oh wait...

=====

Nothing to do with the topic of course ( ) but I think VPNs & TOR are just about to see a sudden surge in popularity...

Edited April 19, 2016 by hawker9000

[soalbundy]

What happens if you don't do social media? Do they want access to your email? To this forum?

what forum ? TV ? never heard of it. My E-Mail, i write in German and English and they are all boring.

[SamuiAxe]

Actually, I don't mind so much. Many people forget that we are guests in this beautiful country! Try to get a Visa in The Netherlands, while being a Thai! Virtually impossible! My son tried iths for his (American!), wife. No sir cannot do! Now he's living since four years happily in The United States with his wife.. I'm sure there are many country's whom are far more difficult than Thailand! I don't mind giving my bank account, heck, they might even decide to put money on it!

As for the bitching towards all that is Thai: Simple, don't do that! You are a guest, behave like a guest! if you don't like it, go back to where you came from! Nobody is forcing you to stay in Thailand... As far as I'm concerned Thailand is my new home country and I intend to stay here until my dying day. I love Thailand!! Came here in 2007 and hope to stay here for many years to come.....

[TKDfella]

Well, whether it's a legal document or not, I think that immigration will use it/not use it as they think fit. I don't think any of us has a problem with much of the stuff because as pointed out by other posters already, immigration already have it. In case of Emergency, well that's in my passport too. Driving details? Well, anytime one is stopped they can ask for these or when was gets a parking ticket etc. so no problem there either. It really comes down to the 'social media' section that is causing a problem because we see that as an invasion, regardless of whether it actually is or not.

I'll put some details down for them without a second thought but my problem is going to be will they understand them?????

For example, If I put down the site for the study of 'Black Holes', Neutron Stars, Dark Matter etc. will they then ask 'Where is this club 'Black Hole' and who is this star 'Neutron' and where do you keep the dark matter...show me some.'

Yes, it's okay folks I'm just joking. My point is that this could cause a lot of problems not only for expats but for the officer involved at any one time. The recently introduced new overstay problems were different and it was a question of some expats lapsing. But this Form puts us in personal confrontation with the officers and I'll bet they won't want the problems no more than we do. The only thing we can do is to sit wait to see just how this goes. Other posters are right to point out that this might be the first of other rights invasions and then each of us will have a decision to make...where does one draw line?

[Acharn]

My guess is this is little more than a rumor. The source isn't exactly a major, authoritative news source. And there was a post about this last week and someone responded that this had been around quite a while, but they only asked of people who worked here in media type jobs. I go for my 90 day in a couple days. My guess is they won't ask for this.How many people going in for their 90 days are going to even have all this information with them?

Refer back to Page 1, Post #23, which explains that this is the brainchild of one overzealous immigration officer at the One-Stop Shop at Chum Chai, and is not being used anywhere else. Is that wrong? I won't have any business at Immigration until next month after I get my new passport and have to transfer the visa. Has any poster who complains about the secret police intruding into our lives actually had to fill one of these out? Just skimming through the posts it doesn't seem so.

[BuriramDevelopers]

It's a rubbish rule of course, which will have little positive effect for the government. But why be bothered about it.

If they couldn't find my FB account, which is MY NAME, well here it is.

Bank they have already.

the rest is completely up to you right, How will they know, unless the men in black check every single one.

They can come, i have nothing to hide.

Do you ? Bad luck then m8.

[jybkk]

Actually, I don't mind so much. Many people forget that we are guests in this beautiful country! Try to get a Visa in The Netherlands, while being a Thai! Virtually impossible! My son tried iths for his (American!), wife. No sir cannot do! Now he's living since four years happily in The United States with his wife.. I'm sure there are many country's whom are far more difficult than Thailand! I don't mind giving my bank account, heck, they might even decide to put money on it!

As for the bitching towards all that is Thai: Simple, don't do that! You are a guest, behave like a guest! if you don't like it, go back to where you came from! Nobody is forcing you to stay in Thailand... As far as I'm concerned Thailand is my new home country and I intend to stay here until my dying day. I love Thailand!! Came here in 2007 and hope to stay here for many years to come.....

I really dislike this argument that we're guests therefore we should accept anything. You said it yourself, Thailand is your new home country? How can you be a guest in your own home? See the contradiction?

Yes, I was a guest at first when I arrived. But since then I've integrated in thai society. I'm paying taxes, I'm contributing the the country's prosperity by bringing business and knowledge here. My family is Thai, my children are Thai. I'm not a guest. Whether you like it or not, I'm an inhabitant in this country.

You compare the difficulty of obtaining visas.... well maybe for a tourism visit it's more difficult, but believe me, if you're a Thai and you got a job in Europe or simply are married with a european citizen, the situation is completely reversed and the Thai immigration rules are extremely restrictive. If I still lived in Europe, my wife would already have been granted permanent residency just by being married to me and residing in the country for a couple years. Anyway, she will soon be granted my nationality almost automatically. As for me, If I wanted a similar residency permit I'd have to fork out 200,000THB and still would need to get a work permit every year. As for getting the Thai Nationality, it's borderline impossible.

I love it here. This is why I didn't leave. But this won't stop me pointing out anything that I find stupid, the same way I point out anything that's stupid in my birth country. This is my home. I'm not a guest.

Edited April 19, 2016 by jybkk

[robsamui]

Storm in a Teacup 1.

Fellas fellas - slow down.

If you don't like it then observe and learn from our hosts, who have mastered this activity and perfected it.

So . . . what you do is nod and smile subserviently while saying "yes, yes, certainly, absolutely! Yes. Right away!"

And then you lie outright.

Make up anything that comes into your head - the first thing you think of. Keep smiling and nodding while you enter any old garbage you can imagine. Keep some parts true, though - the info they have already - that lends an air of authenticity.

The whole exercise is about appearances. Some little Thai official gains lots of kudos and happy face for his silly and totally impractical idea which none of his colleagues will speak out about or criticise. Thousands of foreigners don't lose face, because they appear to be doing everything totally satisfactorily and bowing to the superior efficiency of the well-organised and on-the-ball host nation. More importantly they, WE, that is, don't stand up, shout or make a fuss to cause anyone official to lose face and draw attention to ourselves.

We can learn a lot from the Thai people.

R

Edited April 19, 2016 by robsamui

[stoneyboy]

Thank god we've left.

[robsamui]

Storm in a Teacup 2.

Just as a ps to my previous post - keep it in mind that we're in a country that still has no centralized system of fingerprinting and criminal identification - to mention just one aspect of many. Taxation springs to mind - the government aren't even able to organise computerised individual tax records yet.

And once the officials responsible realise just how many man-hours will be needed to transfer all the informayion on the form manually into a database, the whole scheme will die a natural death anyway.

Secondly, the chances of this database - even if it ever gets off the ground - even managing to make it into an integrated and accessible nationally networked system are remote. The Thai authorities just don't know how to do it.

R

Edited April 19, 2016 by robsamui

[mgjackson69]

Absolute BS for the intended purpose to track down terrorists and criminals. National security??What about Thai criminals which frequently disappeared in the past?? The only purpose I see is to sample information, which otherwise would be difficult and costly to access. But as it is not mandatory to fill in...in more than 30 years here I never gave them any information regarding my bank details.

Well, if you are here on a marriage or retirement visa they will have already had access to the details of whatever account your supporting money is held in.

Not if you are using income as the qualifying basis for the *extension of stay* (not visa).

[HTC]

I will respond with "N/A" for most of the questions until I am told to do otherwise by law.

[darrendsd]

The mass hysteria about this on this thread is comical

This will not, I repeat will not ever come into effect

[bbbbooboo]

Well i guess with this sort of nonsense I will be spending even less time in Thailand. Vote with your feet I say

[jpinx]

Absolute BS for the intended purpose to track down terrorists and criminals. National security??What about Thai criminals which frequently disappeared in the past?? The only purpose I see is to sample information, which otherwise would be difficult and costly to access. But as it is not mandatory to fill in...in more than 30 years here I never gave them any information regarding my bank details.

Well, if you are here on a marriage or retirement visa they will have already had access to the details of whatever account your supporting money is held in.

Not if you are using income as the qualifying basis for the *extension of stay* (not visa).

I was thinking of people who use their home-bank card to get cash ay any ATM, and do not have a Thai bank account. There's nothing to trace them if they are on extensions base on income letters from their embassy.

[lkv]

The mass hysteria about this on this thread is comical

This will not, I repeat will not ever come into effect

Perhaps you are referring to nationwide, because there are people that received and completed this form. That's how we found out about it 10 days ago to begin with, from reports. Edited April 19, 2016 by lkv

[Dumbastheycome]

most of this information they already have, bank - email - address etc

as for the hobby social and social media stuff - well they can ask

I remember this info being collected about 3 years ago by local police with the exception of the social etcs. Most of would seem to be duplication of information provided for visa or extension. Even telephone numbers are now linked to passports via registration unless in the name of Thai partener. If they want offshore Bank details I will decline even though my home country expects such from my Thai wife for a visa. Social/ media? In the unlikely event they need have cause to know let them track it. The initial perception this is something with sinister ulterior motive may be mistaken and this is an old idea being revisited with some additions. Not unusual historically with the inconsistancy of bureaucracy. and lack of a central database.

If the concept of international norms being introduced in Thailand is threatening to some I can only wonder why.

[buddhalady]

Actually, I don't mind so much. Many people forget that we are guests in this beautiful country! Try to get a Visa in The Netherlands, while being a Thai! Virtually impossible! My son tried iths for his (American!), wife. No sir cannot do! Now he's living since four years happily in The United States with his wife.. I'm sure there are many country's whom are far more difficult than Thailand! I don't mind giving my bank account, heck, they might even decide to put money on it!

As for the bitching towards all that is Thai: Simple, don't do that! You are a guest, behave like a guest! if you don't like it, go back to where you came from! Nobody is forcing you to stay in Thailand... As far as I'm concerned Thailand is my new home country and I intend to stay here until my dying day. I love Thailand!! Came here in 2007 and hope to stay here for many years to come.....

OK - I've been wanting to do this for years... Chambers Online Dictionary - please see below:-

guest noun 1 someone who receives hospitality in the home of, or at the expense of, another. 2 someone who stays at a hotel, boarding-house, etc. 3 a person specially invited to take part • guest star • guest speaker. verb (guested, guesting) intrans to appear as a guest, eg on a television show.

ETYMOLOGY: Anglo-Saxon gest.

Should you want a fuller description of the true meaning of this noun - go buy yourself the dictionary. If English isn't your native language, not my problem, it's the language you used to post.

[darrendsd]

The mass hysteria about this on this thread is comical

This will not, I repeat will not ever come into effect

Perhaps you are referring nationwide, because there are people that received and completed this form. That's how we found out about it 10 days ago to begin with, from reports.

Yes I am referring to nationwide, it will never come in

A friend of mine completed his one year retirement extension yesterday in Hua Hin Immi, the info was not asked for and nor will it be in the future

[oldsailor35]

A work colleague has just informed me that the One-Stop shop are turning down 90 day reports if the applicant declines to fill in the form

Did mine yesterday. Saw no crap like this. Arrived at Koh Samui immigration, saw about 500 m/c.'

place jammed 'chock a block with sweaty bodies. was told two hours, but was stamped and away in 20 mins. Fantastic service. Thank you KS immigration.

[Mosha]

My guess is this is little more than a rumor. The source isn't exactly a major, authoritative news source. And there was a post about this last week and someone responded that this had been around quite a while, but they only asked of people who worked here in media type jobs. I go for my 90 day in a couple days. My guess is they won't ask for this.How many people going in for their 90 days are going to even have all this information with them?

No change in Ranong, got in here 5hrs ago.

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[NickJ]

They have my Thai bank acct number already. Facebook has dozens of accounts with my name. I hang out at Cent. Festival and at a few restaurants........This is just an attempt to make it seem like they are doing something important. To remind everyone who is boss. Two or three weeks ago they made it so any millitary officer Sub Lt or above has police power in 28 instances. Included in that vast scope is there ability for search and siezure.....That is way more alarming.

[skorp13]

If this were to be the nation wide standard what an embarrassment to Thailand. They already have account information and address on the visa application. You are not required to be on social media or have your own private transportation

[dunroaming]

If it is optional just don't fill it in. If enough people do that they will just drop it. If by not filling it in it makes you a suspicious character so what. Foreigners are considered suspicious characters already so no change there.

[HerbalEd]

whaahaha Just put your seat belts on TV members. Its just the start. What is your home country doing about this? ITS PATHETIC. Thailand must receive reciprocal treatment and then some.

Learn the facts before posting. Applying for a USA, Canadian, and many more visas worldwide requires the applicant to reveal much more personal info than what you see being asked here.

[outlaw11wa]

<http://www.khaosodenglish.com/detail.php?newsid=1460977949>

I read this yesterday on Khoasod English. This is the full text of the article shown at the start of this thread for those that have not seen it.

Thai Immigration Asks Foreigners for Bank Accounts, Social Media, Hangouts

Part of a three-page Immigration Bureau form seeking personal information from foreign nationals residing in the kingdom.

By Todd Ruiz and Sasiwan Mokkhasen

BANGKOK — Foreign nationals residing in Thailand are being asked to disclose personal information to the government, including their bank details and where they hang out online and offline.

Internal documents obtained earlier this month by Khaosod English showed the Immigration Bureau would ask foreigners for personal details about places they frequent in the virtual and real worlds, additional information to be filed before they can extend their visas or complete the routine 90-day reports required to reside legally in the kingdom.

In recent days, a number of people have reported on Twitter and online forums frequented by expats that they have received the new forms at the Immigration Division 1 office and One-Stop

<snip khoasad does not allow full quotes of articles>

Edited April 19, 2016 by Tywais
Reduced to fair use

[Mosha]

Forgot to add, I am renewing visa extension next week. We specifically asked if everything was as last year and the boss said it was.

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[Jonathon]

The day that such a requirement becomes mandatory is the day I decide to leave.