Immigration Bureau Told To Be Flexible With 'visa Runners'

[waerth]

Immigration Bureau told to be flexible with 'visa runners'

 

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/breakingnews/Immigration-Bureau-told-to-be-flexible-with-visa-r-30241608.html

The military has told the Immigration Bureau to be flexible with "visa runners", junta chief General Prayuth Chan-ocha said Friday.

 

The runners can register with the bureau, which will find a sustainable resolution to the problem, he said in his weekly televised programme last night.

 

Foreigners had been exploiting tourist visas and visas on arrival by illegally working in the country, mostly as English teachers.

 

When their visa was about the expire, they entered a neighbouring country to apply for a tourist visa and returned to the Kingdom to illegally work again.

 

The authorities responded by tightening the rules by not re-issuing visas to the runners and they faced deportation.

 

Prayuth said the change of the visa system concerning visa runners had considerably affected certain groups such as English teachers and academics.

 

"So, this is an ongoing problem that needs to be resolved, as it can lead to a shortage of English teachers and guides," he said during his weekly TV programme.

 

 

 

minister-in-waiting, Gen Prayuth Chan-Ocha last night (August 22) called for the Immigration crackdown on “out-in†tourist visas to be rolled back.

 

http://friendsinthai...be-rolled-back/

 

During his weekly TV briefing to the nation, aired on all channels, the general said he had ordered the Immigration Police to be “more flexible†in its application of the law.

 

Immigration recently cracked down on the number of times a foreigner may cross the border into a neighbouring country, turn around and re-enter the country on a new tourist visa.

 

Many of the people doing multiple out-in tourist visas were believed to be working in the country illegally, often as teachers or tour guides.

 

According to the English subtitles of his speech, the general said he was concerned that the clampdown – whereby people doing out-in visas are required to prove they are genuine tourists, or be barred from entry – was affecting schools and the tourist industry.

 

“This is an ongoing problem that needs to be resolved, as it can lead to a shortage of English teachers and guides,†he said.

 

The statement will shock many in the bureaucracy, on several levels. First, it is illegal to work while in Thailand on a tourist visa. Second, people working illegally pay no tax. And third, foreigners may not be guides in Thailand; that is a profession reserved for Thais only.

 

The crackdown was launched by the then-national commander of Thai Immigration, Lt Gen Pharnu Kerdlarpphon, who told The Phuket News on May 13, just nine days before the coup, that multiple out-in visa runs would no longer be tolerated. He has since been sidelined.

 

The question of foreigners working as tour guides has long been a troubled one. Although Thais alone may be tour guides, there are very few Thai guides who speak, for example, Korean or Russian, for which there is great demand. This fuels the number of people working illegally.

 

Even if Immigration now turn a blind eye to out-in visa runners, it will not solve the problems of unqualified foreigners teaching languages or foreign guides knowing nothing about the island’s history and making it up as they go along, leaving the tourists they instruct with a twisted understanding of Thai culture and history.

Thousands of foreigners in Phuket will be watching this issue with great interest.

[jitagawn]

:grinyes:KLASSIK :hubbahubba:

[Flashermac]

As far as I know, there is only one university here that offers a major in Russian - Thammasat. The reason it even has that major is because the Russian embassy helps finance it. Each year only 7 or 8 students graduate with a BA in Russian, but they are immediately offered jobs. Can you imagine running a degree programme for less than a dozen students (counting Russian minors)?

[Dexi]

" Those doing visa runs are required to prove they are genuine tourists " ....how ?

[Flashermac]

Show their condoms?

[Dexi]

Maybe....what about barfine receipts ? ------> because only tourists could afford it ,or a " good guys go to heaven bad guys go to Pattaya " T-shirt

[YimSiam]

The question of who is a tourist and who is something other than a tourist - frankly that's well beyond the ken of the Immigration Uncles at the borders, the visa issuers reviewing applications from dubious Muay Thai and language schools, and possible even beyond the omniscience of the wise ones who guide this troubled nation to happiness and whateverr. There's only one solution, so obvious it almost hurts: the country must station bargirls (with one month or more working experience) at every entry point, perhaps right next to these news infrared Ebola scanners. In milliseconds, a girl can complete a full visual inspection of anyone entering the country, and determine whether he "Work in Thailand?" or "Come for holiday?" Error rate is freakin' close to zero: they know.

 

Of course, this would mean acknowledge the genius and national value of the largely Isaan bargirl population, perhaps distasteful to some. And the girls are so open-minded and good-hearted they'd probably let anyone in regardless of actual status. But for accuracy, that's the way to go.

[bust]

I have never had one but out of curiosity what is the business visa status?

[cavanami]

Every year they keep piling on more paperwork that must be submitted...last year it was pictures on the

company's entire staff...and the usual 1/2 meter of company reports, tax filings etc etc etc