More than 57,000 Thais currently on overstay in South Korea

[webfact]

More than 57,000 Thais currently on overstay in South Korea

 

Source: TNews

 

BANGKOK: -- It has been revealed that there are currently more than 57,000 Thai people currently on overstay in South Korea.

 

There are thought to be around 101,000 Thais in the country at the moment with 57,490 now illegally there.

 

Thais are allowed to go to South Korea for 90 days without a visa.

 

But many end up staying and working illegally, reported TNews who said that 20,000 illegals are repatriated annually.

 

The news media said that Thai authorities including the labor department are liaising with counterparts in South Korea to work on the problem.

 

Following some high profile cases of tourists being turned back at airport immigration the Thai authorities have advised travelers to have return tickets, evidence of money to be spent as well as details of hotels and sponsors ready for the Koreans to inspect on arrival to avoid being turned back.

 

A recent case of a lady boy being sent back to Bangkok was because of language and communication problems as well as documents not being in order, said the Thai ministry of foreign affairs.

 

Source: TNews

 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2017-05-19

[bristolgeoff]

I wonder what they do if they are caught.fine them ban them then make sure they leave.just like the farangs here do if caught.they know  the risk very well here

[rkidlad]

Carry on like this and they'll lose the ability to get a visa on a arrival. 

[ezzra]

So It's very ok for Thais to do elsewhere what is a big NO-NO here in their

country, did someone say double standards? or do as I say but not

as I do?.....

[mtls2005]

I think any destination which doesn't require a visa will have a large number of Thai's overstaying?

 

There have been many, many, many reports, both here on ThaVisa and on Thai social media, of Thais being refused entry when flying to/arriving in Korea. I assume the Korean authorities recognize the issue and are managing a bit more proactively a la Singapore.

 

Taiwan is in the midst of a one-year trial for visa-free travel for Thais.

[yellowboat]

Perhaps Thais should inquire about working legally .   It may not be that hard if there are truly bonafide jobs available . 

[Tiffer]

1 hour ago, bristolgeoff said:

I wonder what they do if they are caught.fine them ban them then make sure they leave.just like the farangs here do if caught.they know  the risk very well here

 

The required word is foreigner, not farang.

[mikebell]

How many of them are women?  It could be a mass exodus from Pattaya as the police turn the screw.

[whaleboneman]

1 hour ago, ezzra said:

So It's very ok for Thais to do elsewhere what is a big NO-NO here in their

country, did someone say double standards? or do as I say but not

as I do?.....

No one said it was OK. What article did you read?

[YetAnother]

not surprising at all; thais do not respect law

[Thaidream]

From the article it appears more than 50% overstay in Korea. I wonder how many Koreans overstay in Thailand or for that matter foreigners in general. I doubt it would be anywhere near 50%/

[kotsak]

Abiding by the law is a foreign trait :)

[JerryinTH]

Most of them are women in the sex trade.. Not dentists or brain surgeons. 

[Dobredin Ghusputin]

6 hours ago, webfact said:

lady boy being sent back to Bangkok

Bangkok in Thailand?

[SiamBeast]

I have no sympathy for that. Most of them see an opportunity "I'm poor in Thailand, I can run away to Korea and get more money" while giving total disrespect to visa rules.

 

Each country has its own visa restriction list and visa-free access policies, and there's there for a reason.

 

Imagine for a second this scenario: "Donald Trump announces that the USA will now give visa-free access to Nigerian and Ivory Coast nationals for up to 30 days". You're gonna see an overflow of "travelers" just wanting to escape their home country. And they're likely not brain surgeons, dentists, and engineers. They'll be unskilled pennyless third-world immigrants. Now we understand the point of visa restrictions.

 

If this keeps going, the only solution will be to stop allowing Thais to travel without a visa. Now imagine for a moment that the EU comission is looking at allowing visa-free travel to the Schengen zone for Thais. They hear that all Thais going to Japan and Korea are overstaying. They'll reconsider. Allowing visa-free travel to certain nationals is a matter of trust - and if Thais are too stupid to respect this, the only solution is to stop trusting Thais and put a visa restriction in place.

 

No matter Thais have big visa problems when going anywhere in the world - stupid unskilled poor people are ruining the reputation and everyone pays for it.

[thaiguzzi]

3 hours ago, yellowboat said:

Perhaps Thais should inquire about working legally .   It may not be that hard if there are truly bonafide jobs available . 

Not that simple. nor easy, nor cheap. Generally legal or illegal workers will go through middlemen. It's the way it is.

Out of those 57k, about 20 are from my missus's village. Takes them about 9-12 months paying off debts incurred getting there in the first place. Well looked after, earning well (farms), and after the first year, managing to save a goodly amount for when they get back here (best ones are husband/wife teams).

If they don't get nabbed first...

[thaiguzzi]

12 minutes ago, JerryinTH said:

Most of them are women in the sex trade.. Not dentists or brain surgeons. 

Incorrect. Most of them are males working on farms.

Seems S. Korea has a problem like the West in attracting home grown youth to the agricultural sector.

[thaiguzzi]

7 minutes ago, SiamBeast said:

I have no sympathy for that. Most of them see an opportunity "I'm poor in Thailand, I can run away to Korea and get more money" while giving total disrespect to visa rules.

 

Each country has its own visa restriction list and visa-free access policies, and there's there for a reason.

 

Imagine for a second this scenario: "Donald Trump announces that the USA will now give visa-free access to Nigerian and Ivory Coast nationals for up to 30 days". You're gonna see an overflow of "travelers" just wanting to escape their home country. And they're likely not brain surgeons, dentists, and engineers. They'll be unskilled pennyless third-world immigrants. Now we understand the point of visa restrictions.

 

If this keeps going, the only solution will be to stop allowing Thais to travel without a visa. Now imagine for a moment that the EU comission is looking at allowing visa-free travel to the Schengen zone for Thais. They hear that all Thais going to Japan and Korea are overstaying. They'll reconsider. Allowing visa-free travel to certain nationals is a matter of trust - and if Thais are too stupid to respect this, the only solution is to stop trusting Thais and put a visa restriction in place.

 

No matter Thais have big visa problems when going anywhere in the world - stupid unskilled poor people are ruining the reputation and everyone pays for it.

A real bundle of joy are'nt we...

Nice choice of words; unskilled -  pennyless - third world.
You obviously never have been.

Have a pleasant day lounging by your pool, whilst those "stupid, unskilled, poor people" try and make a better life for themselves by actually sacrificing life at home and working illegally abroad for 500% better pay...

[SiamBeast]

Just now, thaiguzzi said:

A real bundle of joy are'nt we...

Nice choice of words; unskilled -  pennyless - third world.
You obviously never have been.

Have a pleasant day lounging by your pool, whilst those "stupid, unskilled, poor people" try and make a better life for themselves by actually sacrificing life at home and working illegally abroad for 500% better pay...

 

I'm choosing those words because I'm not a politically correct guy. It is what it is.

 

Now we have to think: at what level is the problem? It is not at the individual's level, but at the national level: The government having too few policies in place to prevent over-indebtment, and mostly, a lack of programs to educate the population about those issues which in return creates those kind of "travellers".

 

Now we can all argue about the morals of this, but it shows a total disrespect of the law. Thais have strict overstay policies, and yet when they go abroad, they completely ignore the rules... because the rules must apply to someone else.

 

I'm pretty sure that you wouldn't appreciate if swarms of  "unskilled pennyless third-world" travelers would come to the UK, disregard visa rules, and start stealing jobs from UK nationals in order to take money to their countries. At this point, we have to draw the line between helping other people and protecting our country. Koreans probably feel the same way.

[Khon Kaen Dave]

17 minutes ago, SiamBeast said:

 

I'm choosing those words because I'm not a politically correct guy. It is what it is.

 

Now we have to think: at what level is the problem? It is not at the individual's level, but at the national level: The government having too few policies in place to prevent over-indebtment, and mostly, a lack of programs to educate the population about those issues which in return creates those kind of "travellers".

 

Now we can all argue about the morals of this, but it shows a total disrespect of the law. Thais have strict overstay policies, and yet when they go abroad, they completely ignore the rules... because the rules must apply to someone else.

 

I'm pretty sure that you wouldn't appreciate if swarms of  "unskilled pennyless third-world" travelers would come to the UK, disregard visa rules, and start stealing jobs from UK nationals in order to take money to their countries. At this point, we have to draw the line between helping other people and protecting our country. Koreans probably feel the same way.

Too late, its already happened in the Uk.

[Elfin]

2 of my wife's friends are both working in massage parlours close to Seoul Airport.

The first one left her lowly paid husband and the 2nd one broke up with her sugar-daddy pensioner boyfriend.

They both earn good money and are saving a lot and they both are planning to stay there until they get arrested and deported. They both have lived there for more than 2 years now.

Edited May 19, 2017 by Elfin
grammar police

[overherebc]

43 minutes ago, thaiguzzi said:

A real bundle of joy are'nt we...

Nice choice of words; unskilled -  pennyless - third world.
You obviously never have been.

Have a pleasant day lounging by your pool, whilst those "stupid, unskilled, poor people" try and make a better life for themselves by actually sacrificing life at home and working illegally abroad for 500% better pay...

Nice to see you added illegally. Don't forget the point that many also go to other countries especially the EU and UK because of the free handouts etc.

A lot of them have no intention of working as the Thais do on farms in Korea.

[11223344]

I saw the ladyboy case... So many stupid people here think he is such poor fello, sent back for no reason.

 

On TV he said "I don't know why they send me home, I could answer every question they gave me" ... "I also asked for water and wasn't given any for long time!!" The moderator asked "What exactly did you say?" I asked for water in English "I have water. I have water" :D

 

Btw: he also said that now he has almost no money left.... ehm, so how the hell were you planning to holiday in South Korea for six months???

 

Farangs can get sent home sometimes for stupidity as not having 20k baht in cash, in 21st century with atm on every corner. And majority has no reason come to Thailand to earn 20% of what they can earn back home.

Edited May 19, 2017 by 11223344

[StevieAus]

Abusing Immigration laws is a worldwide problem on a slightly different note it was reported in the Australia press that an Iranian couple/ family had been granted a temporary protection visa on the grounds that they would be at risk in returning to Iran

Now it has been discovered that they have been returning to Iran for holidays to see their relatives

The Minister cancelled the visa and the decision has been overturned by the "stacked" review tribunal

[oceanyachting]

3 hours ago, 11223344 said:

I saw the ladyboy case... So many stupid people here think he is such poor fello, sent back for no reason.

 

On TV he said "I don't know why they send me home, I could answer every question they gave me" ... "I also asked for water and wasn't given any for long time!!" The moderator asked "What exactly did you say?" I asked for water in English "I have water. I have water" :D

 

Btw: he also said that now he has almost no money left.... ehm, so how the hell were you planning to holiday in South Korea for six months???

 

Farangs can get sent home sometimes for stupidity as not having 20k baht in cash, in 21st century with atm on every corner. And majority has no reason come to Thailand to earn 20% of what they can earn back home.

20K cash? I hardly ever carry that amount with with unless I need it for shopping/rent etc. I've never heard of a requirement to carry that

[lungnorm]

Most likely the majority are hookers.

 

[oceanyachting]

4 minutes ago, lungnorm said:

Most likely the majority are hookers.

 

who me? I don't think I'd get many customers these days at my age

[gk10002000]

6 hours ago, thaiguzzi said:

Not that simple. nor easy, nor cheap. Generally legal or illegal workers will go through middlemen. It's the way it is.

Out of those 57k, about 20 are from my missus's village. Takes them about 9-12 months paying off debts incurred getting there in the first place. Well looked after, earning well (farms), and after the first year, managing to save a goodly amount for when they get back here (best ones are husband/wife teams).

If they don't get nabbed first...

Good post, thanks.  Certainly is likely to be a better working place than some other countries, some of the middle eastern ones come to mind.  The opportunities in Thailand just seem so limited.

[gk10002000]

29 minutes ago, oceanyachting said:

20K cash? I hardly ever carry that amount with with unless I need it for shopping/rent etc. I've never heard of a requirement to carry that

I believe you will find that 10,000 or 20000 is an actual entry requirement and every now and then some people are asked to show it at the airport upon arrival

[oceanyachting]

15 minutes ago, gk10002000 said:

I believe you will find that 10,000 or 20000 is an actual entry requirement and every now and then some people are asked to show it at the airport upon arrival

Ah OK - you mean visa exempt entry. I didn't know that, thanks. I will inform any visitors I have

 

I guess it doesn't have to be in THB then?

 

A strange requirement when many of the world's governments are edging towards enforcing a cashless society

Edited May 19, 2017 by oceanyachting