Thread: Heavy new penalties await visa overstays

The warning signs are there. Ever tightening against non Thais.

At what point do Thais begin to feel the effects of their actions? No-one seems to stand against this bunch of egomaniacs.

So, it's changed already. Not bad for the Thai, eh? Volte face in less than 72 hours.
TAT were estimating 24 million visitors all of whom must now carry their valuable and exceedingly important travel document around with them at all times otherwise they'll face imprisonment and / or a draconian fine. In a country with no discernible foreign enemies, where there is no state of emergency and which purports to be an international destination for the world traveller and tourist alike.

One simply couldn't make it up. The Mouse that Roared was a gentle satire but here it is a fucking nightmare.

Might just consider Laos if it continues to deteriorate.

It's full. No space.

Just read the surreal post re Thaivisa's meeting. Honestly, they truly are stupid. What's happened is that some idiot in immigration has realised that thousands of residents are going to descend on their offices for the photocopy passport endorsement, something the idiots didn't realise when they first announced the pilot scheme in Hua Hin two days ago.

I don't usually have recourse to emoticons but this is just too much. Bring it on lads, it can only get better.

As foreigners here, we have no one body or organisation to represent our interests, hence the authorities can play with us as they wish.

Thai Visa could be an ideal organisation to assume this role, they seem to have access to officials, and to thousands of expats and tourists, but they are lackeys and lack balls, merely acting as messengers rather than representatives for their readership willing to convey their concerns.

Hua Hin has always been primarily a Thai resort.
Maybe they just want to encourage all the farang scum to move to the traditional farang ghettos.

Originally Posted by taxexile

As foreigners here, we have no one body or organisation to represent our interests, hence the authorities can play with us as they wish.

Thai Visa could be an ideal organisation to assume this role, they seem to have access to officials, and to thousands of expats and tourists, but they are lackeys and lack balls, merely acting as messengers rather than representatives for their readership willing to convey their concerns.

Err, Tax if I would want someone to speak for me, and who in truth is sufficiently qualified or talented to do that, I certainly wouldn't appoint a cone headed Swede with some very dodgy business ethics.

Can you get me a nice supply of pork scratchings when you return from Blighty. I miss them more than anything whilst having me lager. I prefer the ones which have smaller, hard pieces and not the big soft squidgy ones.

We can arrange a rendezvous and perhaps compare Hampsteads, too.

The less farang here the better.

Hopefully 50%+ will leave.

Originally Posted by thegent

Originally Posted by taxexile

Anecdotal evidence from Hua Hin claims that foreigners were stopped on the street yesterday and fined on the spot for not carrying their passports, and that police were hanging around golf courses waiting for unsuspecting expats and nabbing them.

Surely even the idiots at immigration could come up with some kind of renewable ID card for foreign residents and long stayers so that we dont have to carry our passports around all the time.

It's all about the money when it comes to farang. Not even the dumbest Thai believes this silly country is at risk from farang. But we do have the money and comply with this rubbish whereas the immigrants that do pose a threat, the slopes, the sinks, the Koreans, Taiwanese, Africans, Indians and Banglas will ignore it and be left alone to their own nefarious devices.

In the end it'll all fizzle out. The Thai have no stomach for organisation, planning or actually working to implement a system that makes any sense. The 90 day reporting is a farce which achieves nothing but in their little heads it seems to make them think they are more secure. That's about the sum total of their capabilities. Anything else would be a balls ache and we all know how much they don't like hassle for themselves. It would be a simple task to issue a resident card with a unique number containing bio data that could be swiped at any terminal in any immigration office. But ultimately it would achieve little since all it will tell the authorities is that you are here, not what you are doing.

They simply do not have any coherent strategy and confuse pointless activity with action.

Please don't say such things about our glorious leaders, they have the right idea, leave farangs in a blurred area ripe for hassle, inconvenience, intimidation and extortion.

Thailand has survived a tsunami, chick flu, floods, coups galore and an earthquake, yet the farangs still flock to unleash their sperm. Some farangs may decided to leave, but a few more hoops won't make any difference to the bottom line because there's always fresh blood heading this way.

Seems a little absurd, they're going to fine you that much and give you 2 years in prison simply because the cop is inconvenienced by having to accompany you to your home or car to get your passport?

I'll believe that when I see it, The Thais talk big sometimes and name draconian maximum sentences, but I've never known anyone in a position of authority here to be that unreasonable. I keep my passport in my car and a copy of the front and current visa pages in each motorcycle, unless I really piss someone off, that seems sufficient.

We can arrange a rendezvous and perhaps compare Hampsteads, too

October 31st, I'll leave 'em with the "concierge" outside Gullivers on Soi Ebola for you to pick up and meet you inside for a drink.

Originally Posted by thegent

and perhaps compare Hampsteads

Originally Posted by taxexile

outside Gullivers

surely the lavatories would be a better venue to compare your hampsteads

Originally Posted by Necron99

Thai nationals who get fined 200 baht of they don't carry their ID card.....

So why not produce an ID card for expat residents- much like HK.

Originally Posted by sabang

So why not produce an ID card for expat residents- much like HK

I think genticles pointed out the fatal flaw in that plan before - organisation and co-ordination

with this new "tourist heath insurance" scam , they could tie it all together in a smart card with photo ID which could also hold your immigration status etc

Originally Posted by sabang

Originally Posted by Necron99

Thai nationals who get fined 200 baht of they don't carry their ID card.....

So why not produce an ID card for expat residents- much like HK.

Too expensive?
You would need to get a new card every time you extended your visa.
And people on non o multies would need one every 3 months.
Easier for them to make you show some sort of valid proof of permission to stay, if only such a thing existed, like a visa in a passport.

Originally Posted by Necron99

You would need to get a new card every time you extended your visa

the smart card info could easily be updated

Originally Posted by baldrick

Originally Posted by Necron99

You would need to get a new card every time you extended your visa

the smart card info could easily be updated

Could, and then all plods would need a wifi enabled portable reader, unless you want a trip to the station....

Originally Posted by Necron99

wifi enabled portable reader

gsm - as all their police vehicles should be already ( but yes this is the nation with a network backbone consisting of cans and string because the 2 bureaucracies involved are still squabbling over the share of the money for doing nothing )

Stick a qr code on the id. Let the cops scan it with their smartphones.

Reminds me... I must do my new id next month.

Just as easy if they issue one of these on arrival can track your whereabouts should be simple to find if you overstay.Can check arrival details with a quick scan no need to carry passport.

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.

No need to worry says Bangkok Immigration Commander - Thai visas, residency and work permits - Thailand Forum

Back to normal.

So in conclusion best not to read 'TheVisa' for the few that still do.

ThaiVisa have done us all a favour by raising the issue and following it through to a satisfactory conclusion. A lot of muppets on this forum just churned out their past experiences and sought to avoid the worrying prospect of having to carry their passports at all times.

A Thai immigration officer made a worrying pronouncement which has been overturned, thank God ! This is due to Thaivisa's work and without any thanks being due to Teakdoor. It is possible that all the forums are monitored and that the second Thai official made his statement because of what was being written on them.

^

Thank you Einstein for those wise words.