The 100,000 figure is such a nice round number. It looks good in print.

Just a little consideration for the economic impact: it is likely the majority of illegal immigrants (excepting the scam artists and drug dealers) are engaged in low wage work that contributes to the Thai economy, and places only minimal burdens on government services. There is a net positive to the economy that is often ignored. If say 80,000 of those 100,000 were actually working, then the "loss' of those workers would be a significant step back for some businesses.

I'm not arguing against their arrest and deportation; instead, I'm arguing for an understanding of how low wage illegal foreign workers are not necessarily "bad" people.

I can not see why, illegal and foriegn low wage workers that pay no tax, contribute to poor working conditions and create horrible extortive employers, plus the fact that they create unemplyment for local Thais who end up on P or dealing it -- and become criminals, a good thing, sorry to disagreee.

so theyre admitting their border control is total <deleted> then, combine that with their bribable immigration officers and you have a terrorist and criminal hideout.

The kid who works for me said its easy to get into Thailand....just pay a bit, hes Myanmar.

They deport 100,000 and 200,000 others, and some even the same deportees, comes back the next day

with the aid of corrupt officials....... soon the immigration department will run out of yellow shirts to give....

Can you post your evidence of this please actual figures of those deported coming back the next day would be an interesting read thanks

Another 'get the foreigners - they're to blame for everything' campaign coming to a theatre near you...

W

Did you not read the part that said they were here illegally? That means they were breaking the law. Foreigner or not, there are consequences for breaking the law, and in this case, it is deportation. Thailand is sovereign country, not some free-for-all where all can come and do as they please.

By your logic, when the police make a drug bust, it is part of some evil conspiracy to demonize drug dealers.

Every 'crackdown' on foreigners follows the same path. If you accidentally tread on a snake, it will bite you, so naturally you conclude the snake acts aggressively under certain conditions.

Smart people draw conclusions from what they observe, and sometimes the conclusions are not obvious.

Perhaps you missed that class...

Winnie

You were right about one thing, it is foreigners that get blamed for illegal immigration.

but never a corrupt Thai official

Where are the folks arguing for them not to be deported? Doesn't Thailand have sanctuary cities or driver's licenses for illegals?

Fortunately it doesn't. But just as an aside, why do illegals need to drive anyway? Plenty of public transport in Thailand besides cars are very expensive here. Admittedly, motorcycles and scooters are relatively cheap. Either way, driver licence applications require a passport with a real, valid entry stamp, a medical certificate, residency certificate and a host of other documents.

Most expats here and the vast majority of Thais think illegals are scum and want them gone. If you can read Thai, try going to the comments section of any article on this or any related topic and you will find the opinions are unanimous - send the "infiltrators" home. Or similar. None of this, "oh, these poor, poor people, we should help them".

Good going. Picture is worth a thousand words.

Thexit the Asean!

LOL.

No need though. ASEAN is an economic community, not a Soviet Union style one government political experiment like the European Union. Thailand's sovereignty under ASEAN is no different to it's sovereignty without ASEAN. Makes no difference whatsoever. The key is the word "community" as opposed to "union".

Just curious but I wonder what the number of Thai's illegal in other countries would be? Many Asian countries have had problems with Thai's being illegal. Be interesting to know the figures.

Good they have caught these people but it is I think just the tip of the iceberg.

There was an article recently about the large number of Thais overstaying in South Korea (I think it was in the Bangkok Post) which stated that an astonishingly large percentage (40?%) of all Thais entering that country end up overstaying, usually working illegally. The figure I remember reading was somewhere of the order of 50,000 illegal Thais. This may end up causing the visa free regimen to be scrapped, if it is not brought under control.

Other countries with this problem include Japan, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Singapore. The richer Asian countries.

Obviously there is no problem with illegal Thais in Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia or Vietnam. For political reasons, any time there are illegal Thai entrants to some of these countries (especially Myanmar and Cambodia) the Thais are dealt with harshly and it becomes a big issue.

Good riddance to the illegals. It would be interesting to know the next 10 nations on the numbers stakes after the obvious ASEAN locals who I thought had free entry now anyway, thanks to ASEAN. Perhaps they were here from before.

Free entry for 14-30 days, not forever.

Some other non-ASEAN nationals get up to 90 days.

I'm sure the most skillful western overstayers here go to the temple, wear lots of amulets and yellow shirts and heap loads of praise on their local leaders and police when an opportunity arises. They probably take lots of pictures with them too. Kissass living.

yeah....what about them foreign tourist police.....To me nothing but a bunch of rejects(from home country) 'goody' types trying to fit in

and be accepted somewhere........they must of lived sad lonely lives back home......

They deport 100,000 and 200,000 others, and some even the same deportees, comes back the next day

with the aid of corrupt officials....... soon the immigration department will run out of yellow shirts to give....

So, you would suggest they dont bother?

I seriously doubt those figures

It would suggest a high degree of efficiency from the thai authorities

Even if it only cost 1000 baht to process each individual, 100,000 would mean the government spent 100 million baht on this

I have a nice calculator I can sell you if you want. It would be 10 million not 100 million

GO BACK TO SCHOOL AND BUY YOURSELF A GOOD CALCULATOR. NOT ONE MADE IN THAILAND !!!

100,000 X 1,000 -> 100.000.000

yes.....or 2.840.909 million US

I seriously doubt those figures

It would suggest a high degree of efficiency from the thai authorities

Even if it only cost 1000 baht to process each individual, 100,000 would mean the government spent 100 million baht on this

Take it easy the the cops they do want some bragging rights here and figures do tend to get blown out of proportion sometimes. I see by the front row that Cambodians and Laotians are getting a good tan. Look more like African scammers to me. I guess they were the really bad boys as they had to go to the front of the class. This is just another pick a law out of the hat to uphold deal complete with photo op and a little exaggeration thrown in for good measure. Its selective policing at best and hypocrisy at its worst.

I wish that this could happen in the US with all our India taxi drivers on a defunct student visa.

The USG could learn much from Thailand..

That's average 11,000 a month, about 370 a day!! That's a LOT of arrests and deportations.

Presumably many have been working, so that should free up jobs for Thais.

Just wondering, with all the attention being given here to Myanmar and Cambodian deportations...

Has anyone heard of any great disruptions in the labor forces for things like the seafood processing industry or the construction industry?

I haven't. Local wages going up because local employers are unable to find sufficient immigrant labor? Don't think so.

It kind of makes you wonder, if they're really deported all those people, who stepped in to do whatever work those folks previously had been doing?

Does it seem like mostly blacks were put in the front rows in that picture?

I seriously doubt those figures

It would suggest a high degree of efficiency from the thai authorities

Even if it only cost 1000 baht to process each individual, 100,000 would mean the government spent 100 million baht on this

I have a nice calculator I can sell you if you want. It would be 10 million not 100 million

Please Mr Gandalf, stop taking the medicine! 100x 1000 = 100,000, 100 x 100,000 = 10 million, 1000 x 100,000 = 100 million! OK?

Given that 99% of these illegals would blend in well with the local population I think the Immigration Police have done well.

Just imagine how such a performance in Europe could have affected the Brexit vote?

Food for thought.

It says "I got arrested in Thailand and I all got was this stupid t-shirt!"

With a Singha logo on the back.

Where are the folks arguing for them not to be deported? Doesn't Thailand have sanctuary cities or driver's licenses for illegals?

... or free healthcare, or free education for the kiddies, or "anchor babies" ...

Even bitter farangs complain about this.. No country in the world will allow you to stay illegally..

You reach the land of milk and honey, you ain't going nowhere - for Farangs this is Thailand, for immigrants this is the UK.

Enforce the law, get rid of the foreign workers,

''wanted-cheap labor, mexicans welcome''

They deport 100,000 and 200,000 others, and some even the same deportees, comes back the next day

with the aid of corrupt officials....... soon the immigration department will run out of yellow shirts to give....

Correct, tomorrow they're back again.

Maymar, Laos, Cambodia are countries having a border with Thailand for centuries these people have been walking back and forth across these borders, except that these idiots took this walking back and forth a little to far and were caught inland Thailand. Maybe they had heard of the famous or is the infamous "WALKING STREET" in Pattaya and they wanted to have a look for themselves.

All you have to do when interested go and sit at a border crossing and you see these people all day long walk back and forth without ever being stopped by either side border crossing personnel.

LOL in LOS

Brilliant, congratulations to the Thai people for having a Government that actually enforces its laws & protects its own people.

Well, embraces some of the laws, and protects some of the people anyway...

Its all a bit selective though...

Winnie

I would question what exactly these illegals were doing in Thailand . Then make it more difficult for them to get a visa.

Meanwhile back at the border points the cash machines are working overtime counting the spoils of letting the majority of them back in by paying a few bucks more than the last time. The ones that can't afford it will be back through the very long and porous borders that are mainly completely unguarded.

"Run, migrant, run. I'll find you eventually."

Edited June 30, 201610 yr by Wilsonandson