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

[true blue]

The world is going ting tawn digressing a bit I've just had letters of pension company in UK wanting to no were I live in Thailand and copy of passport another wants proof of live all certified by embassy.

[ocddave]

1 minute ago, true blue said:

The world is going ting tawn digressing a bit I've just had letters of pension company in UK wanting to no were I live in Thailand and copy of passport another wants proof of live all certified by embassy.

 

Sounds like they want to verify someone hasn't chopped you up and put you in a freezer, then created a fake passport and continued collecting your pension.

[louse1953]

3 hours ago, OMGImInPattaya said:

Just as much, if not more crap, in the Philippines...that's why it's called the butt-hole of Asia.

At least you don't get murdered for smoking a joint in Thailand.

[Shiver]

The more I read, the more I'm confused.

Hypothetical question:  I'm registered in Udon, but I want to spend 2 weeks in Phuket (or anywhere else within Thailand).  Do I have to go to immigration prior and register this even if I don't know where I will stay?, or is it considered a holiday?  Maybe if I went to Marbella or Benidorm the rules could change again (UK talk).

What about backpack travellers - do they have to go to immigration at every stop they make? or can they rely on their place of temporary stay of a couple of days to take care of that for them?

 

[JayBeeee]

We have to keep all this in perspective... it's Chonburi immigration office who are enforcing all these, so called, 'regulations'. Chonburi immigration office is the most corrupt den of criminals in the whole country. Pattaya comes  under their durisdiction, so they have an equally degenerate bunch of low-life scum to deal with.

I dare say this is simply another way of squeezing more money out of anyone who's slightly out of step. Announce a B4000 fine and a black mark on your record and the B2000 bribe will come easy!

I dare say that anyone outside of Chonburi's area won't be effected by this.

[Kwasaki]

So @ " webfact "  Chonburi immigration are doing this for tourists or what, or are all immigration offices doing this, l for one are totally confused.

 

A scenario or actually my recent travel,  l done my 90 day address of stay at my home,  l go for 2 nights in Chiangmai to stay guesthouse, so does that mean l should have informed Chiangmai immigration.  

[naboo]

Its not just Chonburi, Chiang Mai have been doing this for about 6 months.

[SantiSuk]

Give it a day or two and noone on here will have any stories of anyone other than these Indians being fined and members will start to report discussion with immigration officials which will reveal loads of different interpretations. Situation normal. No point getting all worked up about it yet.

[stuck]

58 minutes ago, thaibeachlovers said:

That's more about if you run away without paying. I'm always asked for passport or ID at the bank, dentist, hospital etc.

 

I see, a dental dine and dash.  Do they do the same for Thais? I'll bet they don't. So let me understand, we foreigners who spend our money here, not in our home country, we are untrustworthy louts.

 

 

[whaleboneman]

11 hours 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.

No, once you check in you can never leave...

[JayBeeee]

7 minutes ago, whaleboneman said:

No, once you check in you can never leave...

 

Though you can check out any time you like! (I feel a guitar solo coming on!)

[tropo]

47 minutes ago, Shiver said:

The more I read, the more I'm confused.

Hypothetical question:  I'm registered in Udon, but I want to spend 2 weeks in Phuket (or anywhere else within Thailand).  Do I have to go to immigration prior and register this even if I don't know where I will stay?, or is it considered a holiday?  Maybe if I went to Marbella or Benidorm the rules could change again (UK talk).

What about backpack travellers - do they have to go to immigration at every stop they make? or can they rely on their place of temporary stay of a couple of days to take care of that for them?

 

I don't think Immigration comprehended that foreigners who settle in Thailand may want to travel and explore the country. It certainly looks like they want to make us feel unwelcome. Times are changing. They seem to come up with a new stumbling block every week.

[louse1953]

1 hour ago, naboo said:

 

I see you above moaning about posters having no reading comprehension - you seem to have missed that I have been on two trips, so my wife must report twice.  1600B fine otherwise.

 

Not sure about me needing to report a TM28 in all of this though. Clear as mud.

 

This is the straw that breaks the camel's back for me. My wife filed a TM30 last month and avoided the fine by buying them cake. If I have to report my return every week after a weekend away with the lads, I'm out. My extension is due end of this month, if these two trips appear on their computer and they want to fine my wife, I'm off. We've talked about the possibility of moving back to the UK, after 2 years of this government, I'm nearly there.

55.You only returned home once.As far as i know you are still in Chaing Mai with your friends.You never said you went back home after Chiang Mai,so once it is.

[balo]

58 minutes ago, Shiver said:

Hypothetical question:  I'm registered in Udon, but I want to spend 2 weeks in Phuket (or anywhere else within Thailand).  Do I have to go to immigration prior and register this even if I don't know where I will stay?, or is it considered a holiday?  

 

No , they can't stop expats from visiting friends or having weekend trips that only lasts a few days. However if you leave the country you need a re-entry stamp and if you do not report at immigration that would probably become a problem .

But if you decide to live on a different address in Thailand for several months  without reporting it that would most probably be looked upon as you were trying to break the law. Use your common sense and it should be ok

. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[lordpeps]

so i guess, backpackers need not apply

[Briggsy]

It appears to me that if you don't go into an immigration office, as a tourist, by, for example, getting an SETV staying 60 days and then getting another SETV or getting an METV and staying 60 days, doing a border run and repeat, you don't get fined.

 

However if you go into an immigration office, e.g. to extend your 60-day permission to stay for another 30 days, then Immigration take the opportunity to fine you.

[momtaz]

13 hours ago, Peterw42 said:

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

 

clear and sharp notice, haha ... i though like that too,,

 

[jak2002003]

What if I go out of my house in the evening and have a few drinks and get invited to 'sleep over ' at someone house, then go home the next morning? 

 

 

[hawker9000]

13 hours 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?

 

Since you're mentioning arrival cards, I'm pretty sure this whole flail has to do with long-term visa holders who do the 90-day reporting & such which includes address information, not tourist visa holders, visa exempt persons or VOA who just turn in arrival cards.  "Webfact" could've mentioned this in their topic title, but I guess not doing so predictably generates more 'hits' on the topic.  Hotels & guest houses should be reporting tourists staying in their establishments (although when it comes to condo rentals, I'd say that's a grey area).   Even when they don't though, the ball's in their court, not the tourist's.

[oldlakey]

14 hours ago, ChrisY1 said:

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

I can go to Cambodia Vietnam  Laos etc etc without all this thai shit and yes i used a small t for thailand

And as for all the members who thing my money wont be missed i dont give a monkeys

Up yours the apologists as my first thoughts are not thai whores

[JayBeeee]

10 minutes ago, jak2002003 said:

What if I go out of my house in the evening and have a few drinks and get invited to 'sleep over ' at someone house, then go home the next morning? 

 

 

 

LOL!

[hawker9000]

24 minutes ago, Briggsy said:

It appears to me that if you don't go into an immigration office, as a tourist, by, for example, getting an SETV staying 60 days and then getting another SETV or getting an METV and staying 60 days, doing a border run and repeat, you don't get fined.

 

However if you go into an immigration office, e.g. to extend your 60-day permission to stay for another 30 days, then Immigration take the opportunity to fine you.

 

I really don't think this is correct, or even rational.  You're suggesting that when someone gets a 30-d extension on a TV, they must be staying in the same place they reported on their arrival card or on the visa application or be fined.  That's just plain nonsense for tourists who obviously might move around the country during their visit and have no responsibility to be reporting these movements themselves to immigration.  And then again, after obtaining the 30-d extension, the tourist is not responsible for continuing to stay at the address they're at when they filled out the application for the extension.

[thaitero]

35 minutes ago, Briggsy said:

It appears to me that if you don't go into an immigration office, as a tourist, by, for example, getting an SETV staying 60 days and then getting another SETV or getting an METV and staying 60 days, doing a border run and repeat, you don't get fined.

 

However if you go into an immigration office, e.g. to extend your 60-day permission to stay for another 30 days, then Immigration take the opportunity to fine you.

No, At least for me. I am SETV - hopper. When i apply extension i take copy of my tm30-receipt and they fine with that. I made my TM30 notification january this year to condo i own in jomtien.

[NotMyUsualid]

10 minutes ago, ericthai said:

really, tit for tat.. so I guess Thailand should make it allot harder to get a visa.  There are pro and cons to both places. So easy for most of us to decide to go to Thailand buy a ticket and that is it.  Not a Thai, need to wait for weeks if not months pay $100+ for a visa with no refund if not issued and a large percentage of visa applications are not issued. 

You want to own a place to live buy a condo, as for jobs really you would want to work in a restaurant, drive a taxi etc in Thailand or even you home country? 

 

Eric,

 

You post almost made sense.

 

But the Thais coming to the UK don't leave. They disappear into the sex industry etc, and you likely know this.

 

I come to Thailand with a visa I have to apply in advance for, and I don't overstay.

 

So yeah, bring it on, I'll wait longer for my visa, and I pay the same for it too. Will YOUR people be going home anytime soon though? Or should I call UK Border Force on every massage parlour I can find in the city?

 

Meanwhile you can check me out too, make sure I'm following my visa rules. But I can save you the trouble and tell you I'm not up to anything whatsoever.

 

Oh, and you could look in your own backyard first. What are YOUR immigration doing hassling Thais leaving their own country to on holiday -  and asking them about their plans to return? I saw that first hand, and that sounds like a police state to me.

 

As for crappy jobs - the point is, protectionism never works. If we are denied the chance to do all jobs, then so should it be stuck on you also.

 

You forget, some of us have money, and after buying a villa etc, it might be nice to take some casual work, whilst searching out something better - but your government denies us that chance. And you cannot justify that whatsoever.

[NotMyUsualid]

1 hour ago, Shiver said:

The more I read, the more I'm confused.

Hypothetical question:  I'm registered in Udon, but I want to spend 2 weeks in Phuket (or anywhere else within Thailand).  Do I have to go to immigration prior and register this even if I don't know where I will stay?, or is it considered a holiday?  Maybe if I went to Marbella or Benidorm the rules could change again (UK talk).

What about backpack travellers - do they have to go to immigration at every stop they make? or can they rely on their place of temporary stay of a couple of days to take care of that for them?

 

 

What about camping? There would be no place to do that for on your behalf....

[perdido]

13 hours 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.

...looks like it...

[bigbadthaijohn]

"Over control," it seems more like farangs over thinking to me.

Are you just a troll? Is that your deal? People are genuinely confused by the sudden and unannounced enforcement of a law which almost no one (including both foreigners and Thais) knew about, and all you do is make snide comments and insult people. Is that all that gives your life meaning? I pity you.

Sent from my ASUS_T00J using Tapatalk

[bodymassagemyfriend]

11 hours ago, sahibji said:

this fine is too cheap. other kinds of punishment ought to be considered like warning in the passport and deportation upon repeat offence.

Compared to the 500 bhat fine for stabbing a Tourist from a Thai , 4000 is pretty expensive.

Deportation for not beeing a  the place written on the Visa. Come on , man! Most tourist dont even know how Thai address works and you write the full direction on the paper you get on the place , there is not enough space!

[Sig]

13 hours ago, OMGImInPattaya said:

Ask them?

Ask who? The landlord?
I'm not sure if that's who you meant, but I would recommend more than asking. Get the paperwork from them to prove it before you spend your time going to immigration. That's what was required of me by immigration.
I did ask the landlord and trusted them, not knowing immigration would require the papers from the landlord (don't ask me why they wanted the paperwork... it shows in their computer). The landlord lied, saying he already had done so. Saved face momentarily until I went to immigration to do a 90 day and wasn't allowed to file the papers because my lying landlord hadn't filed as he said. So, I had to wait for the landlord to get me the papers to prove they had actually notified, bring those papers to immigration and proceed. The landlord was fined, lost face, and I wasted yet another day because of all of this nonsense.

[LUSHGOAT]

9 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

Are you seriously saying the police are checking up on tourists addresses? There are millions of them moving around every day.

It's not happening, except for one farang got done for some reason we haven't been told about.

No its computerized, when the hotel registers a foreign guest it goes into the computer then as he is registered at a different address it triggers a warning, its another way of keeping track of us its a bit stupid as we are tourists I guess they dont want tourists in Thailand