Stay where you have registered - or face 4,000 baht fine, warns Immigration

[webfact]

Stay where you have registered - or face 4,000 baht fine, warns Immigration

 

Images: Chonburi Immigration

 

CHONBURI: -- The message has come from Chonburi immigration loud and clear - stay in Thailand where you have registered or we will fine you.

 

And the fine will not be a slap on the wrist - expect to be hit with 4,000 baht.

 

The latest announcements from Chonburi immigration say that officers have been checking their records against foreigners residing in the Pattaya area then fining people for being in the wrong location.

 

In September seven Indian nationals were all pictured under a sign "Transnational Crime Data Centre" - they were all fined 4,000 baht for not being at 15/56 Moo 5, Nong Preu, Banglamung.

 

 

On Tuesday Luc Lafreniere, 50, from Canada was similarly fined 4,000 baht for not being at 290/48 Moo 5 Nong Preu, Banglamung.

 

The fines are in accordance with regulations issued in 1979 and 1998.

 

Chonburi immigration are also fining people offering accommodation to foreigners who fail to report guests to them within 24 hours.

 

 

Yesterday a manageress at the Pratumnak Inn was fined 1,600 baht for failing to report that a Russian guest called Tatania Kravets, 45, was staying in the building.

 

The above cases were all reported on the website of Chonburi Immigration that announces "Good Guys In, Bad Guys Out".

 

Sources: Chonburi Immigration 1, 2, 3

 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2016-10-06

 

[pookiki]

This is going to be very problematic for the 'brokers' who do the 90 report for numerous persons and use the broker's address.  This is the case for many migrant workers.

[Peterw42]

Is that a blood pressure monitor on the desk, in the photo, lol

[smedly]

6 minutes ago, pookiki said:

This is going to be very problematic for the 'brokers' who do the 90 report for numerous persons and use the broker's address.  This is the case for many migrant workers.

and therefore it is all complete pookiki and unworkable since IM break their own rules

[ChrisY1]

Simply another way of extorting money from foreigners.....

[kotsak]

12 minutes ago, Peterw42 said:

Is that a blood pressure monitor on the desk, in the photo, lol

 

Had the same question 

[KittenKong]

Some clear explanation from Immigration as to how (if at all) this applies to owner-occupiers would be nice. Of course clarity is not a strong point in Thailand.

[daveAustin]

I think I will forward this idea onto UK immigration so they could consider chasing and fining all Thai nationals not staying at their registered UK address. They would brush it off without thought, however, as they have more pressing things to do, like catch REAL criminals, chase down drug hoards and not being a pithy annoying big brother, but I feel compelled to nonetheless. 

[daveAustin]

53 minutes ago, webfact said:

The above cases were all reported on the website of Chonburi Immigration that announces "Good Guys In, Bad Guys Out".

 

Then go after the 'bad guys' (not staying at home, lol) and leave the 'good guys' alone!

 

Strewth, some days it's like watching a hyperactive 10 year old try to run a classroom.

[KarenBravo]

Everything makes sense when you understand that this country is run by children, for children.............bless.

Edited October 6, 2016 by KarenBravo

[cncltd1973]

Still unclear how immigration finds them, if they aren't at their registered address and the homeowner hasn't registered them. Anyone know how?

[WinnieTheKhwai]

1 hour ago, webfact said:

stay in Thailand where you have registered or we will fine you.

 

.. registered where / how, actually?   On your arrival card?  Or where else?

 

And even if you stay the first days at the place on your arrival card, then what happens when you move on from Bangkok to your next destination in the North or South?

 

This is actually really confusing.   Can they clarify?

[KittenKong]

5 minutes ago, WinnieTheKhwai said:

 

.. registered where / how, actually?   On your arrival card?  Or where else?

 

And even if you stay the first days at the place on your arrival card, then what happens when you move on from Bangkok to your next destination in the North or South?

 

This is actually really confusing.   Can they clarify?

 

Every foreigner is supposed to be registered via a TM30 form (or online) within 24 hours of arriving anywhere where he will be staying. This is in addition to whatever you put on your arrival form, or indeed in addition to anything you may report on a 90-day form.

 

If you go and stay somewhere else then you should be registered at the new address (even for one night) and then registered again at your usual address when you return to it.

 

The penalty for not registering is 1600B and it is the responsibility of the owner of the property (or his representative) to do this.

 

Hence my suggestion earlier in this thread that this needs clarifying for owner-occupiers who, in theory, are supposed to register themselves.

[Kasset Tak]

Immigration states that you can report the TM28 and/or TM30 to the police if there is no immigration office close by but more than 1 time the police has just refused to accept the forms and just told me that I must go to the designated immigration office... 200km away!

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

11 minutes ago, KittenKong said:

 

Hence my suggestion earlier in this thread that this needs clarifying for owner-occupiers who, in theory, are supposed to register themselves.

 

The Indian guys depicted in the Chonburi Immigration photo above don't especially look like they're owner-occupiers. They look more like tourists, but who knows.

 

Yet another Immigration article that fails to clarify just what kind of reporting they're talking about.

 

[WinnieTheKhwai]

11 minutes ago, KittenKong said:

 

Every foreigner is supposed to be registered via a TM30 form (or online) within 24 hours of arriving anywhere where he will be staying. This is in addition to whatever you put on your arrival form, or indeed in addition to anything you may report on a 90-day form.

 

If you go and stay somewhere else then you should be registered at the new address (even for one night) and then registered again at your usual address when you return to it.

 

The penalty for not registering is 1600B and it is the responsibility of the owner of the property (or his representative) to do this.

 

I get all that, but that's not what the article says:  "Stay where you have registered."   So presumably that means those guys registered somewhere, somehow, but then didn't stay at that place?

[RedQualia]

14 minutes ago, KittenKong said:

 

Every foreigner is supposed to be registered via a TM30 form (or online) within 24 hours of arriving anywhere where he will be staying. This is in addition to whatever you put on your arrival form, or indeed in addition to anything you may report on a 90-day form.

 

If you go and stay somewhere else then you should be registered at the new address (even for one night) and then registered again at your usual address when you return to it.

 

The penalty for not registering is 1600B and it is the responsibility of the owner of the property (or his representative) to do this.

 

Hence my suggestion earlier in this thread that this needs clarifying for owner-occupiers who, in theory, are supposed to register themselves.

 

Needs clarification from several different standpoints, with regard to owner-occupiers. I have multiple homes, so of course, there's that. But even traveling to stay in a hotel somewhere is a bit confusing. General consensus among those dealing with this that I've talked to or seen discussions of here on TV seems to be that a new TM30 is only required when one leaves the country and returns, and they appear to be operating on that assumption. OK... I assume that the at least most of the various hotels will notify immigration when you're staying in their facilities. Does it then just somehow "default" to the TM30 one files on behalf of oneself? So then what if I go visit family out in the hinterlands for a few days? Notify immigration/local police department, or not? New TM30? Does it replace the previous TM30 in that case? Must I race around to submit yet another TM30 upon returning to my home? And/or, if I/we have to do all this, how about making the tools to do it all available online?

[otherstuff1957]

So, if I am registered at my current residence through my 90 day reports and I go to the beach for a weekend, do I have to re-report my return home???

 

 

This is absolute idiocy.

[OMGImInPattaya]

I like that they pictured on the desk the most important piece of office equipment at Immigration...the ATM card reader.

[OMGImInPattaya]

1 hour ago, KittenKong said:

Some clear explanation from Immigration as to how (if at all) this applies to owner-occupiers would be nice. Of course clarity is not a strong point in Thailand.

What explanation is needed...presumebly you're referring to long-stayers with visa extensions of one type or another. It means stay at the address you put down on your extension application and/or most recent 90-day report. What's so hard to understand about that.

[OMGImInPattaya]

48 minutes ago, WinnieTheKhwai said:

 

.. registered where / how, actually?   On your arrival card?  Or where else?

 

And even if you stay the first days at the place on your arrival card, then what happens when you move on from Bangkok to your next destination in the North or South?

 

This is actually really confusing.   Can they clarify?

What's confusing you...if you're a genuine tourist, the hotels, guesthouses, landlords, and flop-house managers/owners are responsible for doing the reports. It has nothing to do with your arrival card. If you're here long-term, it means be at the address you used on your visa extension application and/or most recent 90-day Report.

[RedQualia]

5 minutes ago, OMGImInPattaya said:

What explanation is needed...presumebly you're referring to long-stayers with visa extensions of one type or another. It means stay at the address you put down on your extension application and/or most recent 90-day report. What's so hard to understand about that.

 

Got a reference?

[OMGImInPattaya]

1 minute ago, RedQualia said:

 

Got a reference?

Common sense.

[zakk9]

The ones who will have problems with this are mostly those who stay in the country long term working and/or stay with their family. Any travel to visit friends or family in other parts of the country becomes a hassle, and i reality it will be difficult or even impossible to live by the rules. Bad guys will always find ways around this, so this is "Bad guys in, good guys out".

[RedQualia]

Just now, OMGImInPattaya said:

Common sense.

 

So no reference. Which means that when immigration tells me I need to give them 4,000 Baht, I can say that "common sense and OMGImInPattaya says otherwise."

 

In other words, still needs clarification, and from immigration. They are not known for the common sense you mention.

[OMGImInPattaya]

2 minutes ago, zakk9 said:

The ones who will have problems with this are mostly those who stay in the country long term working and/or stay with their family. Any travel to visit friends or family in other parts of the country becomes a hassle, and i reality it will be difficult or even impossible to live by the rules. Bad guys will always find ways around this, so this is "Bad guys in, good guys out".

Well in practice, in the scenario you discuss, it never really happens so not really a hassle. However, most countries have silly laws on the books that police can pull out of their ass if they want to give someone a bad time.

[Ronuk]

16 minutes ago, otherstuff1957 said:

So, if I am registered at my current residence through my 90 day reports and I go to the beach for a weekend, do I have to re-report my return home???

 

 

This is absolute idiocy.

If you visit a different province, yes. 

[gmac]

1 minute ago, RedQualia said:

 

So no reference. Which means that when immigration tells me I need to give them 4,000 Baht, I can say that "common sense and OMGImInPattaya says otherwise."

 

In other words, still needs clarification, and from immigration. They are not known for the common sense you mention.

 

With more than one residence, if you were to alternate weekly between two, it sounds like you would have to spend most of your time in immigration registering your arrivals and departures.

[OMGImInPattaya]

3 minutes ago, RedQualia said:

 

So no reference. Which means that when immigration tells me I need to give them 4,000 Baht, I can say that "common sense and OMGImInPattaya says otherwise."

 

In other words, still needs clarification, and from immigration. They are not known for the common sense you mention.

For people without common sense, the fine is double, so for you 8000.

[Psimbo]

1 hour ago, ChrisY1 said:

Simply another way of extorting money from foreigners.....

Yep, enforcing the law tends to do that, doesn't it!