Jump to content

Hua Hin Immigration Clarifies Rules On Foreigners Carrying Id


Recommended Posts

Heavy new penalties await visa overstays

 

 

AUTHORITIES will bar visitors who overstay their visas from returning to Thailand for between one year and a whole decade. The longer the overstay period, the longer will be the re-entry ban.

 

Starting from August 29, the ban will be imposed on any foreigner found to have overstayed his or her visa or visa-exemption period.

 

The Immigration Bureau decided to mete out such tough punishment after the current penalty, a maximum fine of Bt20,000, had apparently failed to serve as a sufficient deterrent.

 

Last year, a total of 70,715 foreigners were charged with overstaying their visas. Between January and June this year, the number of visa overstayers reached 30,359.

 

"We have asked the Interior Ministry to approve harsher punishment," Immigration Division spokesman Colonel Worawat Amornwiwat said.

 

He said foreigners who turn themselves in would be barred from re-entering Thailand for one year if their overstay time exceeds 90 days. The ban will be valid for three years if their overstay period is more than one year. Those overstaying for more than three years will be barred from coming back to Thailand for five full years. In the event an overstay exceeds five years, their re-entry to Thailand will be prohibited for the next 10 years.

 

"And if they do not turn themselves in, the ban will be longer. |For example, overstaying for less than one year will result in a five-year ban if [the overstayer] is arrested," Worawat said.

 

He added that starting from August 29, foreigners who failed to produce their passports would be fined up to Bt20,000 and jailed for up to two years.

 

Worawat insisted that the tougher punishments were necessary because many visa overstayers were found to have flouted Thai laws in various aspects - such as buying Thai-national identification cards.

 

A Chinese woman arrested on charges of overstaying said she had come to Thailand to make a living, not to commit any crime.

 

"Here in Thailand, it's possible to start a small business or stall with as little as Bt3,000," she said. "That would not be possible back in my homeland."

 

 

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/national/Heavy-new-penalties-await-visa-overstays-30239870.html

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have no problem with punishing overstayers -- come down on them hard.

 

But to force every foreigner to carry their passport with them at all times is nothing more than pisstake.

 

If they can control the overstayers, there's no need to treat the law-abiding residents, even white ones, like criminals.

 

Every farang will be viewed as a potential 1,000-baht walking. (I'll let you go for half the fine).

 

And the nonsense about reporting into an immigration office every time you spend three days away from your residence. Ha! I know Thais have a hard time anticipating events, but this is funny.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi,

 

"Last year, a total of 70,715 foreigners were charged with overstaying their visas."

 

Mostly useless information without knowing the amount of time they overstayed. Big difference between someone coming here on a 30-day visa on arrival and leaving a day or so late and someone living here for a couple of years without a valid visa.

 

"He added that starting from August 29, foreigners who failed to produce their passports would be fined up to Bt20,000 and jailed for up to two years."

 

So, is it 2,000 Baht or 20,000 Baht and jail?

 

And agree with the general sentiment here that this is total bullshit. Been living here nearly 17 years, never carried my passport around and have no intention of starting now. Risk of losing it or having it stolen is too high.

 

Sanuk!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

yup who gonna believe anything when there is already so much contradicting 'facts' in the first 2 days/sources of this 'news':

 

2000bt fine for not producing passport or 20000bt fine+2 years jail?

5555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555

I knew the junta were not really more in the real world than other thais :condom:

but while the passport on your body at all times is merely a matter of enforcing an existing law then the news about overstays beyond 90days leading to bans is new/tightening right? And welcome :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Does the average policeman or soldier know what the passports of 130 nations look like?

 

Do they themselves have a passport?

 

I'm thinking a KSR special might be a good investment to protect my original. The police have said recently, after all, they don't consider the forging of foreign documents in Thailand a particularly serious offense.

 

Great!

 

 

"But the Bangkok Post's interview with an unnamed DSI agent quoted him as saying the country was also attractive because it is relatively easy to enter and leave; "you can negotiate with some law enforcement people"; and – importantly – some local officials have not tended to see the forgery of foreign (as opposed to Thai) passports as a particularly serious offence."

 

http://www.theguardi...ime-gangs-world

 

Another good read here:

 

"THAILAND may be the only country in the world where counterfeit documents are openly displayed for sale on the street. Along Khao San Road in Bangkok are around a dozen stalls – the first opposite Chana Songkhram police station, under a giant screen showing two police patrolmen and a sign saying “24-Hour Protection and Services†– offering a huge variety of fake identity cards and other documents.

 

 

http://www.thebigchi...uments-industry

 

Does Private Somchai know the difference?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

No need to worry says Bangkok Immigration Commander

 

 

BANGKOK:-- [thaivisa.com] After the confusion surrounding the news that all foreigners in Thailand are required to carry their passport with them at all times, Thaivisa.com has today obtained official clarification on this matter.

 

Earlier this afternoon, Thaivisa.com spoke to Deputy Commander and Police Colonel Voravat Amornvivat, a senior official at Immigration headquarters in Bangkok.

 

Deputy Commander Voravat wanted to reassure the expat community in Thailand about the current situation.

 

He told Thaivsia.com that information in an article published by The Nation on 31 July 2014, was incorrect.

 

Deputy Commander Voravat confirmed that foreign tourists and expats do not need to carry their passports with them at all times.

 

He said that tourists can of course leave their passports locked in their hotel safe and enjoy their holiday in Thailand without worrying about the need to carry their original passport.

 

Deputy Commander Voravat also said that for expats living here, a Thai driving license or photocopy of your passport can be used as a form of identification.

 

However, if Immigration Police suspect an individual to be overstaying in Thailand or being involved in illegal activity, then the individual would be required to produce their original passport promptly.

 

Deputy Commander Voravat referred to Section 58, which reads as follows:

 

Any alien who has no lawful document for entering the Kingdom under section 12(1);....under this Act; and has no identification in accordance with the Law on Alien registration, is considered to have entered the Kingdom in violation of the Act.

 

Entering or staying in Thailand without holding a valid passport and visa/extension is subject a fine and possible prison sentence.

 

“Making all foreigners in Thailand carry their original passports with them would be very difficult.â€

 

“It’s about being reasonable and using common senseâ€

 

“But if we think a foreigner is involved in illegal activity, then we will of course need to see their original passport, this is normalâ€, said Deputy Commander Voravat.

 

Deputy Commander Voravat is eager to avoid further misunderstandings and miscommunication regarding immigration matters and is happy to work with Thaivisa.com in the future in order to provide correct information to foreign tourists and the wider expat community in Thailand.

 

Thaivisa.com thanks Deputy Commander Voravat for his interview and taking time to clarify the situation.

 

The idea of foreigners being able to get a copy of their passport officially stamped by Immigration is currently not an option. However, it is always a good idea to have a copy of your passport with you at all times while in Thailand.

 

 

 

http://www.thaivisa....tion-commander/

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The only time I`ve ever been asked to show my passport was on the bus from Mair Sot to Tak.At the checkpoint all the Thais had to show their ID cards and the soldier searched my backpack and looked through my passport.They seemed rather nervous to see a Farang in that neck of the woods or maybe its just me that looks suspicious :hubbahubba: ......that was several yrs back,nothing since then.Slightly worrying that this 2000 bt fine is mentioned again as it gives an excuse for unscrupulous MIBs to shake down tourists in the same way as they do with the cigarette dropping scam on Suk.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

cigarette dropping scam
Otherwise known in western parlance as littering. Pay the man.

 

Good to see cooler heads have prevailed regarding carrying passports. Now if Thai Immigration could only sort out who is authorized to roll out new national policies. The janitor in the Hua Hin Office seems to have overstepped his authority. I'm sure they all had a good belly laugh at the hair-on-fire online reactions.

 

"dance monkeys!"

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share

×
×
  • Create New...