rickfarang Posted September 10, 2006 Report Share Posted September 10, 2006 While its sad that a made-up international incident apparently caused these new rules to be brought into effect, tmany have felt new rules were due for a number of years. ------------------------------------- Visa rules will be tightened to stop abuse Maximum stay of 90 days for foreigners By Chatrudee Theparat Visa-on-arrival (VOA) regulations will be tightened for nationals of 41 countries to prevent abuse of the privilege and curb the rising number of illegal entries, according to the Immigration Police Bureau (IPB). Foreign nationals from those countries, including the US, China and India, will be able to stay longer but with fewer chances of renewing the VOA. IPB commissioner Suwat Tumrongsiskul said nationals from those specific countries are currently allowed to remain in Thailand for 15 days maximum after the VOA is granted. The VOA is normally renewable once. However, some foreigners including tourists ''tiptoe around the law'' by resorting to so-called visa runs to extend their stay. Most take a bus to a border, check out of the country and then return the same day to have the VOA renewed. They repeat the practice as many times as they wish, affording them almost unlimited stay in the country. The policy is largely intended to serve tourism. Pol Lt-Gen Suwat said the change of the VOA rules is in order. In future, foreigners from those 41 countries will be able to stay in the country for 30 days from the first VOA stamp, which will be renewable twice at most, each time for a maximum of 30 days. In other words, a foreigner will be permitted to remain in Thailand for no longer than 90 days in total after three VOA stamps. The commissioner said the current system is prone to abuse as many foreign nationals make numerous visa runs so they can stay on long term to do business. In some cases, they have gone unregulated, causing social problems. Official figures showed that about 400,000 Chinese nationals were granted a VOA last year, and 18,000 of them have stayed behind. Around 200,000 Indians made VOA visits last year and it was found that 16,000 of them have not left. Pol Lt-Gen Suwat said the new VOA rules will be put into effect once approved by the Royal Thai Police Office. He said more information technology will be employed in the blacklisting system. The IT-operated immigration clearance system is now in use at 15 out of 55 checkpoints nationwide to check in tourists and screen out undesirable individuals. The technology lets the bureau enlarge its database of foreign visitors to identify those on the blacklist and expel them. Pol Col Ittipol Ittisarnronnachai, head of the Pattaya immigration centre, said its IT-operated database is shared by many hotels and resorts in Pattaya to help track down blacklisted people. The technology has been credited with weakening the local mafia network. The Betong immigration centre in Yala is also using the system to trace people of dual nationality, some of whom are believed to be behind the southern strife. Pol Lt-Gen Suwat said more authority to issue visas will be delegated to regional IPB offices. At present, IPB chief inspectors are authorised to grant visas, and in future their deputies will also be able to approve visa requests Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
.. Posted September 10, 2006 Report Share Posted September 10, 2006 They have been talking of this for years. But we have yet to see it in action. And I bet we never will... Cheers, SD PS -- Well, OK, maybe against the Indians LOL! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
.. Posted September 10, 2006 Report Share Posted September 10, 2006 And note that this has NOTHING to do with the 30-day visa-free stayers, i.e., most Western countries. EDIT: Well, maybe it does, maybe it does not. Very poorly written article, as the mention the US (qualifies for 30-day visa-free stay) and in the same breath reference India and China, whose nationals need to queue up at gthe airport, apply for and get a visa, then enter the country (usually for a 15 day stay, not 30). Very confusing. As usual when these type of things come out. That way it is easier to kill it when the time comes LOL! Cheers, SD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BKKanalist Posted September 10, 2006 Report Share Posted September 10, 2006 I just punched Thailand into the newsnow.co.uk engine and it appears that starting Oct. 1 the new rules are in effect. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoiledCowboy Posted September 10, 2006 Report Share Posted September 10, 2006 I certainly hope that you are correct SD on this one, but I can't see how if it is made law, that it won't be followed through on, notwithtanding lots of other laws are conveniently ignored... If it's enforced, then lots and lots will change suddenly in the LOS scene! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
playtheblues Posted September 10, 2006 Report Share Posted September 10, 2006 yes, things will change, hopefully. For the better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BKKanalist Posted September 10, 2006 Report Share Posted September 10, 2006 I think that there will be a lot less falang living here in the future. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cavanami Posted September 11, 2006 Report Share Posted September 11, 2006 They have been talking of this for years. But we have yet to see it in action. And I bet we never will... Cheers, SD PS -- Well, OK, maybe against the Indians LOL! Rule of thumb...it all comes down to $$$ If they implement this action, it will put a dent in the tourist $$$, for sure! I go in/out of Thailand 12 ~ 25 times a year and rely on the 30 "instant visa". If this goes away...can you say, "hello Viet Nam or Cambodia ot Laos or Malaysia"? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
persil Posted September 11, 2006 Report Share Posted September 11, 2006 I wonder how that will affext expats living near LOS. I've got a dutch passport, living in Laos. I go across to LOS about 20 times a year, sometimes just dayshopping across to Udon, sometimes a week in BKK. I can see this indeed having a negative effect on the Thai economy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
.. Posted September 11, 2006 Report Share Posted September 11, 2006 Absolutely. I have a lot of Malaysian friends who drive up to Songkhla or Had Yai to, uh, see the sights LOL (usually at the Pink Pavillion in HY, a most excellent place BTW) They spend big for those weekends, usually 2 a month. I cannot see it being enforced. Or better said, it will be selectively enforced, if at all. Cheers, SD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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