Guest Posted April 18, 2003 Report Share Posted April 18, 2003 I just went through the second step of renewing my visa for staying in Thailand, and got hit with a new screw job for expats living in Thailand, beware, all who live here are affected. A few years ago they started a rule that required expats to check in at immigration every three months, verifying our address in Kingdom. They followed up for a few months and decided not to pursue it ( I was teaching at a local University at the time and they handled it for me). Well, they just decided to start enforcing it again (they didn't care in March when I last was up there to start the visa renewal process). And, they are charging foreigners a 2000 baht fine if we haven't been registering with them every three months, catching us when we renew our visa. the fine must be paid in person on the 4th floor of the immigration building, but after that point in time it can be filed by someone else as long as we sign the correct form. Oh, by the way, they weren't asking anyone to register before as far as I know, so pretty much everyone living here owes the 2000 baht fine. The immigration office now has lots and lots of signs warning foreigners of this "longstanding" regulation. In person they will explain that they just decided to start enforcing it. Longstanding, you may ask? Yep, you WERE notified in writing and you even signed it, friends. Don't believe me? Look in your passport. You know the white entry/exit card that was stapled into your passport when you entered the country? Look closely at line 5, it is now being enforced stringently!! God help us if they start enforcing line 6. I will wait to pay until after I return to Bangkok next week, they said I can wait as long as I don't leave the country. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
samak Posted April 18, 2003 Report Share Posted April 18, 2003 Says 2knight1: God help us if they start enforcing line 6. line 6 is about tax declaration; you are a long term resident and do not fill out and submit tax declaration? that's a bit risky! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Torneyboy Posted April 18, 2003 Report Share Posted April 18, 2003 Nice little revenue raiser...TIT Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lopburi3 Posted April 18, 2003 Report Share Posted April 18, 2003 so pretty much everyone living here owes the 2000 baht fine It seems you did know about this but made the choice to ignore it. There are many who have been doing this 90 day report so don't believe those owing 2000 baht is anything close to 'everyone'. I might feel for those who did not know but can't shed tears for those who tried to beat the system and lost. I suspect the world situation after 9/11 has something to do with the new enforcement policy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted April 18, 2003 Report Share Posted April 18, 2003 Well, every month when I've gone to Mae Sai to get a new 30 day visa, upon re-entry to the country I fill out a card that gives them my address in Thailand. Are you saying this is not enough? Also, if I haven't been obeying this rule, which they haven't been enforcing, and go now to the immig department to fill out their form, will I be fined? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lopburi3 Posted April 19, 2003 Report Share Posted April 19, 2003 every month when I've gone to Mae Sai to get a new 30 day visa, upon re-entry to the country I fill out a card that gives them my address in Thailand You are legal for the reporting requirement. You must not stay in country for more than 90 days without advising address. A new entry serves this purpose and the new 90 days starts from that date. For most people this means only those here on one year extension of a non-immigrant visa. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted April 19, 2003 Report Share Posted April 19, 2003 Thanks Lopburi. What a relief. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
khunsanuk Posted April 20, 2003 Report Share Posted April 20, 2003 Hi, Can anybody tell me why the Thai government feels that they need to know where all the Westerners are? I cannot see any positive reasons for this. Maybe I am just paranoid, but I do wonder... Sanuk! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted April 20, 2003 Report Share Posted April 20, 2003 Seems entirely reasonable to me. Just take a look at some of the scum-of-the-earth hanging around Sukhumvit Soi 3, Khaosarn Road, and the Central Post Office...if I were in charge of this country I'd sure want to keep tabs on them as much as possible. Possibly related is the just-announced government crackdown against illegal foreign labor. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
samak Posted April 20, 2003 Report Share Posted April 20, 2003 Says lopburi3: There are many who have been doing this 90 day report so don't believe those owing 2000 baht is anything close to 'everyone' you have really done this regularly since you stay here?? i do not know anybody, who has ever done that. i have asked around when i started here and all expats told me that this is one of the many bureaucratic rules that nobody cares about and that the officials even would not know what to do if you went reporting after 90 days... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.