#Thailand and Big Joke roll out the red carpet for VIP tourists: they mean the Chinese

A special lane at Suvarnabhumi airport has been inaugurated - it is for the ease and convenience of Chinese visitors. 

 Thailand's poster boy top cop Maj Gen "Big Joke" Surachet Hakpal - deputy commissioner of the tourist police - and Pol Maj Gen Pritthipong Prayoonsiri at Region 2 immigration have shaken hands on the deal that provided the new lane.

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 Both major generals were at Suvarnabhumi yesterday evening for a PR exercise assuring Chinese media that everything was all well and good in Thailand for their nationals.

The TPB website said that Thailand did not want to be seen as taking advantage of the Chinese.

They said VIP measures were already in place to give them every assistance from the plane to their waiting transport outside the airport.

They said they were looking at short term and long term answers to problems faced by Chinese tourists.

 Though they did not mention if this was in response to bad press after the boat accident in Phuket recently that saw many Chinese cancel their holidays.

Thaivisa notes that the accident claimed many lives and has had the Thai authorities scurrying to repair the damage. Many will see the latest gesture as part of that and ask the question:

"What about other nationalities?"

Source - TheNation

Move to exempt Thais from immigration form

Agency boosting staff and counters at Don Muang airport in bid to alleviate huge crowds of arriving passengers.

EXEMPTING Thai nationals from filling out immigration forms is among the measures being considered to help relieve the overcrowding of arrivals at Don Muang International Airport.

Immigration Bureau commander Pol Maj-General Nattorn Prohsunthorn said yesterday that his agency had discussed the passenger backlog problem with executives of the airport. 

They agreed to increase the number of immigration counters and outsource some of the work.

 He said one of the measures being considered was for Thai passengers to no longer be required to fill the departure and arrival TM6 form.

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The immigration police chief said his agency wanted the proposed exemption to be implemented as soon as possible and it was seeking to expedite amendments to relevant regulations.

He dismissed concerns that cancellation of the requirement would adversely affect national security, pointing out that authorities already have a database of Thai passengers.

“The Immigration Bureau has also sought permission for foreign passengers from certain countries to pass through the automated passport control channels” that are now reserved for Thai passport holders, to help relieve the overcrowding, Nattorn said.

Contingency plans

He said that from tomorrow, the number of immigration officials at Don Mueang airport would be increased to 100, from 42 at present, and they would work four shifts around the clock.

He also said Airports of Thailand (AOT), which oversees Don Mueang airport, has agreed to create space to set up more immigration counters. Within two weeks, the number of immigration counters will be increased from 25 at present to 39, he said.

The Immigration Bureau chief was speaking to The Nation after inspecting immigration operations at Don Mueang airport yesterday, where there were still long queues of arriving passengers.

Over the past year, the number of passengers passing through Don Mueang airport every day has increased to 40,000, up 400 per cent from 2012, when it was reopened as Bangkok’s second international airport.

 On Tuesday, Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha ordered relevant agencies to tackle the problem of long immigration queues at the airport.

The PM instructed the Immigration Bureau, AOT and the Transport Ministry to prepare contingency plans to deal with chaos similar to that seen at the airport last Friday night, when almost 10,000 passengers had to wait up to five hours to be processed by immigration officials. The chaos was blamed on the delay of over a dozen flights. 

Meanwhile, the Immigration Bureau yesterday described as “inaccurate” media reports that the prime minister had signed a new ministerial order last Friday to exempt all passengers from having to fill the TM6 form when they leave and enter the country.

In a statement, the bureau said that the order, effective from October 1, would cancel the existing TM6 form and replace it with a new one that asks for information necessary for the Ministry of Tourism and Sports in analysing and planning tourism marketing strategies.

“Passengers still have to fill the form when they leave or enter the country,” the Immigration Bureau statement said.

The Ministry of Tourism and Sports clarified yesterday that from October 1, the existing TM6 form would be replaced by a new one – in which both the “departure card” and the “arrival card” will be on the same page. 

The ministry said in a statement that an electronic alternative to collect necessary passenger information would be needed before the TM6 form was eventually scrapped.

“The relevant state agencies are in the process of doing so,” the statement added.

Recently, Somkiat Tangkitvanich, president of the think-tank Thailand Development Research Institute, said the TM6 form cost Bt5 each and that almost 7 million Thais travelled overseas, according to the 2015 statistics.

He noted that all the information that passengers have to fill in is already on the passport, which has to be produced while passing through the automated passport control machine.

Source - TheNation

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#Thailand - Shortage of migrant labour hits key sectors

CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS SLOW DOWN; FISHERIES, AGRICULTURE ALSO AFFECTED

MANY SECTORS, including construction in the capital, fisheries in the South and agriculture in border areas, are facing labour shortages due to the tough new labour law, sources said yesterday as migrant workers began returning to Thailand.

A construction site of the Red Line train (Bang Sue-Rangsit) needed to slow down after many Myanmar workers left their work to reprocess work permits, an official said. 

Workers at the construction site at Bang Sue central terminal also left work, even though they did not need to: they incorrectly believed that their “pink card” was no longer valid under the new law, the official added. He noted that those workers might take 10-20 days to check or reprocess the register before getting back to work.

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However, other construction sectors were less affected by the new law, since major construction firms usually hire legal workers, according to an official at the State Railway of Thailand who declined to be named. 

Millions of migrant workers in Thailand were in a chaotic situation over the past week after the government issued a new decree to manage migrant workers. The decree took effect on June 23, threatening fines for employers of at least Bt400,000 for every illegal worker they hire. 

Only a few days after the decision, Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha last Tuesday invoked his special powers under Article 44 to suspend four key articles of the decree until the end of the year. The suspended articles prescribe much harsher penalties against offending migrants and their employers until the end of this year. 

The suspension came too late for many companies, as thousands of legal and illegal workers panicked over the tough punishment and rushed to go to their home countries to process or reprocess their work permits and to register. More than 50,000 migrant workers reportedly returned home since last month, mostly to Myanmar and Cambodia. 

In order to end the chaos, the Labour Ministry will allow all Thai employers to register their Lao, Cambodian and Myanmar workers at temporary centres throughout the country from July 24 to August 7. 

While Prime Minister Prayut said earlier that he believed the workers from neighbouring countries would return to work in Thailand as there are demands in the market, Nit Ouitengkor, former president of Ranong Chamber of Commerce, said they might not return due to complicated legal procedures. There are more jobs available in their countries, including Myanmar, since the economy there is now growing faster than Thailand’s, he said. 

Ranong is Thailand’s southern port province, sitting next to Myanmar. The province is home to some of the most important fishery piers in the country. 

Many piers in the province yesterday were seen almost empty, while some were working with only half of the normal workforce. While it is estimated that more than 5 million migrants from neighbouring countries are working in Thailand currently, it is estimated that only half of them are documented. 

In the eastern border province of Sa Kaew, where there is a shortage of farm workers, local authorities coordinated with their Cambodian counterparts to encourage workers to cross the border to work. Many Cambodian workers have fled due to the new labour law in the past month, leaving many farms in trouble during the growing season. 

Sa Kaew provincial immigration chief, Benjapon Rodsawad, said Cambodian people are allowed to cross the border to work temporarily in the area in order to ease the current labour shortage.

With border pass papers, Cambodians would be allowed to enter and stay in Sa Kaew and neighbouring Pachin Buri province for seven days, he said, “so we have to strictly check their document in order prevent them from going deeper to other provinces or the capital”. 

Source - TheNation 

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#Thailand to require foreign tourists to buy health insurance

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BANGKOK,  (UPI) -- Lawmakers in Thailand say they want all foreign tourists to be required to purchase travel and health insurance before arriving in their country.

Thailand's Public Health Ministry Wednesday proposed the measure during a meeting with representatives from the Airports of Thailand, Royal Thai Police and other government ministries, the Bangkok Post reported.

The health ministry has suggested the cost of health insurance coverage might be included in visa fees, Public Health Minister Pradit Sinthawanarong said at the meeting. Those visiting Thailand without visas would be required to buy insurance at immigration checkpoints or the fees could be added to the cost of airline tickets.

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Thailand - New work permit rules make for an uncertain May Day for migrant workers

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WORKING IN Thailand is becoming harder and more expensive for unskilled migrant workers from neighboring countries after the government imposed tougher policies addressing illegal |immigration.

Residing in the Kingdom for more than 12 years, 28-year-old Ei Dhan Dar from Myamar has already adapted to Thai society and can speak the language |fluently.

But despite her integration into society, she said she felt increasingly uncertain about her future in Thailand, since tough new regulations to register for work permits were issued, which entail a difficult and expensive process.

“Recently, I had to spend nearly Bt10,000 for the work permit registration fee and other related costs just to make my status legal, but I only earn Bt300 salary per day. It’s like we work hard to pay Thai bureaucrats and we are getting poorer in Thailand,” she said.

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“As I’ve lived in this country for a long time, I now feel that I have a bond with Thailand and I always hope that one day I can live comfortably in this country, but now I am not sure about this dream.”

Ei Dhan Dar is just one among hundreds of thousand migrant workers who have struggled to legalise their work status.

Labour Rights Promotion Network Foundation coordinator Surachai Mintun said his organisation had received many calls for help from migrant workers across the country, who had problems with the recent migrant worker registration, including some who were facing deportation.

“There are so many workers having problems with the registration because the regulation is unclear, specifies too short a period to register for a work permit, and lacks information for applicants,” Surachai said.

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According to the rule implemented this year, migrant workers who hold temporary pink identification cards have to register certificates of identity to get a passport and Thai visa, and then they have to register for a work permit within 15 days. If they fail to register within that period, their status will be illegal and they will be |subject to deportation.

The government cancelled its recognition of the temporary pink identification cards for migrant workers nationwide on March 31, requiring migrant workers to hold valid visas and work permits. There were an estimated 1.3 million migrant workers holding the temporary pink identification cards.

As a result of the rule, Surachai said migrant workers faced two major issues. First, many workers were unable to register for the work permit in time for various reasons, so even if they were |legally registered with authorities and holding a Thai visa, they |suddenly risked arrest and faced deportation.

The second problem is the cost of registration. Although the official cost was only Bt910, Surachai said, many workers had to employ an agent because the entire process was complicated and slow, which could cost as much as Bt10,000.

“It is very hard for workers to register by themselves because many of them cannot communicate in Thai and have limited knowledge about the bureaucratic procedures, so registering through an agent is the easiest way, but there is an extra financial burden,” he said.

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The tough new regulations are justified as an effort to tackle human trafficking and illegal migrant workers by the Labour Ministry.

Labour Ministry deputy permanent secretary Varanon Peetiwan has said the government wants to control the entire migrant labour system, meaning that all migrant workers should be brought to Thailand under the memorandum of understanding (MOU) system only.

Sakultara Bhupornwiwat, owner of a Samut Songkram squid processing factory, said she would like the government to reconsider the policy, because the MOU system was unreliable and unsuitable in practice.

“If I want to import workers via the MOU system, I have to pay a large amount of money first before the agent will recruit workers for me and there is no guarantee that I’ll get the workers. The business cannot rely on that,” Sakultara said.

“Moreover, the workers in the MOU system have to pay more than Bt10,000 in their home countries just to apply to work in Thailand. They cannot afford such an expensive fee. If they could pay that amount of money, why would they want to work in unskilled jobs in Thailand in the first place?”

She said that if the situation remained unchanged under the new policy, there would be a serious shortage of workers in the near future, which would harm not only her business but the country’s economy as a whole.

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Source - TheNation

Thailand - Cabinet extends visa-fee waiver till August

The Cabinet has decided to extend the free-visa incentive for foreign tourists by another six months.

Under the measure, visa fees will be waived at all Thai embassies and consulates until August, though visas on arrival will still cost Bt1,000. 

On Tuesday, Government Spokesman Sansern Kaewkamnerd said that waiving visa fees from December to February 28 had resulted in a 12-per-cent increase in foreign arrivals. 

The move to waive visa fees was first introduced on December 1 after arrivals from China plummeted by 30 per cent due to last year’s crackdown on zero-dollar tours. 

The government hopes that extending the visa-fee waiver for all nationalities will give Thailand’s tourism industry a boost as it heads into what is traditionally a low season. 

No more visa Runs

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No more visa runs as

The honeymoon seems to be over. Anyone relying on the Thailand’s easy boarder run policy to stay in the country for an extended period of time will not be able to from 13th August.
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The one day visa runs to the neighboring countries borders to gain an additional 15 – 30 days has been a very popular and cheap way for many long term residents in Thailand to extend their stay here without the need of long stay visas, but this is about to change.
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Anyone wishing to stay longer must now leave the country in order to apply for a visa at consulates and embassies in other countries, something many are complaining is very inconvenient.
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The Immigration Bureau have already told the officials to refuse entry to foreigners on visa runs as a measure to stop the exploitation of tourist visas and visa exemptions to live or work here.
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Tourists wishing to extend their stay in Thailand must now need to exit the country and apply for a proper tourist visa or they will need to fly out of the country every thirty days to obtain a new stamp. However, the ‘fly in – fly out’ option will not last for very long as visa runs by air will be prohibited from August 13th.
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Immigration Bureau website says: “Leniency will be granted until August 12, but only for passengers arriving by air. Foreigners who come to Thailand must seek a proper visa in line with the purpose of their intended stay here.”
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These moves have come about to prevent people from simply coming in and out of the country without having to apply, and pay for, the proper visa required to stay in the country. This means that tourists will now have to secure a visa from a consulate outside of Thailand whether that is in their own country before they travel or in nearby countries such as Malaysia, Vietnam, Laos or Singapore.
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The issuing of visas from nearby countries is down to the discretion of the consulate used and the rules regarding the issue of tourist visas change on a monthly basis. Those who have already had several tourist visas may find their application is refused or they may receive a single rather than a double entry visa.
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Pol Colonel Thirachai Dedkhad said: “We have made it clear that if they want to work in Thailand, they must seek a work permit and get the right type of visa.”

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Source: Love Pattaya Thailand

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Thailand Intrusive Immigration Form

THAILAND’S Immigration Bureau now requires foreigners nationwide to provide extensive personal information. In the widely criticized ‘Foreign National Information Form’, foreigners are asked to provide bank account details, social media accounts, frequently visited places, and other details.

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The form, which up until now was only used in certain areas, “is being rolled out nationwide”, reported ThaiVisa News on Wednesday.

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The requirement applies to longer-stay visitors, including those filling out their 90-day report, visa extensions, or re-entry permits. Tourists will not be required to fill out the form at point of entry.

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SEE ALSO: Thailand: ‘Intrusive’ immigration form now mandatory for foreigners in Phuket

Last month, the Immigration Bureau’s crime suppression unit Deputy Commissioner Maj Gen Chachaval Vachirapaneegul told The Phuket News that it was “mandatory” for foreigners to fill out the form.

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“If a foreigner doesn’t want to fill in their information by themselves, they will be questioned for our records anyway. If they don’t fill in the form, we will suspect their reason,” he said.

However, not all details are required, apparently, as Chachaval added that people would not be forced to include their social media accounts.

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The Immigration Bureau’s reasoning behind the necessity of the form, despite an outcry from foreigners in Thailand, is due to the fact that “in the past, immigration lacked information about foreign nationals living in Thailand when problems happened. This updated information will help us catch foreigners faster,” said Chachaval. 

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SEE ALSO: Thailand: Foreigners vexed by ‘intrusive’ immigration forms

The form was first introduced back in April at the Immigration Division 1 office and the One-Stop Service Center at Chamchuri Square in Bangkok, followed by Phuket, and is now reportedly used in Samut Prakan and Jomtien.

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 Among the information the form asks “aliens” to submit are:

• Full name, date of birth, and passport number
• Full names of father and mother
• Full address and telephone numbers in home country
• Full address and telephone numbers of residence and workplace in Thailand
• Social media accounts and email address (optional)
• Make of car/motorcycle, as well as its model, color, and license plate number
• Frequently visited places such as clubs, restaurants, shops, hospital
• Emergency contact details (one of Thai nationality and one of foreign nationality)
• Bank account details such as bank, branch, account name and account number (only required for certain visas).
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  Understandably, many foreigners are reluctant to share their private information with Thai authorities, as they have their doubts regarding how securely their details will be kept – it was only in March when a couple of online data leaks revealed foreigners’ sensitive information.
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  But for those of you thinking of just winging it and putting in false information to stick it to the man, the form readily informs that those “providing false information to an officer shall be punished under [the] Penal Code”.
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  Source: Asian Correspondent

Thailand: ‘Intrusive’ immigration form now mandatory for foreigners

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IF you are planning to visit Thailand’s resort province of Phuket, you will now be required to furnish a host of personal information, including banking account and social media details to the nation’s Immigration bureau.

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Otherwise, failure to submit applications when entering the province will result in consequences, a Immigration official has warned.

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Immigration Bureau’s crime suppression unit Deputy Commissioner Maj Gen Chachaval Vachirapaneegul said the details to be filled in the “Foreign National Information Form”, released last Monday, was now a mandatory requirement.

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“If a foreigner doesn’t want to fill in their information by themselves, they will be questioned for our records anyway. If they don’t fill in the form, we will suspect their reason,” Chachaval was quoted as saying in Phuket News.

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SEE ALSO: Thailand asking foreigners for bank account, social media, and hangout details

Apart from social media and account details, the three-page form asks for foreigners’ contact numbers and email addresses, vehicle registration, and places frequented by the foreigner.

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In the form, visitors were warned that: “Providing false information to an officer, shall be punishable under the Penal Code.”

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According to the paper, the form covers most types of applications for foreigners.

“This form shall be used for making record of information of every alien entering and staying in the Kingdom of Thailand and shall be submit with Notification of residences for Aliens (section 37, 38 of Immigration Act, BE, 2522), or 90-days notification, or Extension of Stays (all purposes), or Re-entry Permits, or in all cases involving alien labors,” the header reads.

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SEE ALSO: Thailand: Foreigners vexed by ‘intrusive’ immigration forms

However, Chachaval did not confirm whether failure to provide certain information would form a basis for applications to be rejected and clarified that the social media account details was optional. He said all other sections were mandatory.

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“We will not force people to provide their social media details,” he said.
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Source: Asiancorrespondent.com/

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Cambodians flock to Thailand over long weekend

CAMBODIA’S four-day long weekend to celebrate the birthday of King Norodom Sihamoni is expected to result in at least 4,000 Cambodian tourists visiting Thailand per day via Sa Kaew and potentially generate up to Bt80 million for the economy, a senior official said yesterday.

 The holiday finishes tomorrow.

Lt-Colonel Benjapol Rodsawat, deputy chief of Sa Kaew immigration police, inspected the crowded situation at the Aranyaprathet immigration border checkpoint yesterday in a bid to ensure smooth services.

Cambodian families crossed the border to visit popular attractions including in Bangkok and Pattaya. 

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Thai Visa Run Tales: The Road To Poipet

It actually feels like a punishment.

“You want to spend another 30 days in Southeast Asia?!”

“Yes, please.”

“Then you shall suffer!”

Leaving the big smoke smouldering behind on the horizon, you attempt to seek some semblance of comfort within the cramped confines of the minibus.

This isn’t easy for several reasons: the first being that you are sharing the back row of seats with an assemblage of fellow visa-runners who between them weigh more than the fucking van itself; and secondly, of course, the guy behind the steering wheel appears to be in a tremendous hurry – couple this with the shot rear suspension and it’s a miracle you have yet to stipple the vehicle’s interior with a recently digested Moo Sub Mama cup.

So, a mere 30 minutes into the journey and you have already sunken into a pit of woeful despair.

There’s probably only one solution to your current plight; well actually there’s two but one of them tends to see you banged up in the Immigration Detention Centre for a fortnight before being escorted to the airport and banished from the country for eternity, or two years, or something like that.

No, the more – and I begrudgingly use the word – sensible option is to ask Khun Maniac-Driver-From-Hell to pull over at the next available beer Chang retail outlet and purchase no less than seven large bottles.

Advantage – you. Now you have the upperhand.

Although you will morph into a most perturbing presence – and thrice-per-hour comfort breaks will become a trend – Aranyaprathet, the last Thai town before Cambodia, is met in fine fettle and you can now go about perusing the many hundreds of quirky stalls at the border market.

Indeed this is the trip highlight – unless of course you yield to the Cambodian visa tout’s offer of a Vietnamese national with pretty eyes and, I quote, “big milk”.

But for argument’s sake we’ll eschew this option because it’s downright sordid, depraved and unwholesome behaviour, said nobody, ever…

In amongst the market now and you discover that while tourists go to Chatuchak in Bangkok, locals come here, to Rong Klua. Indeed, walking around the entire market will see you yomp passed an incredible five kilometres worth of, let’s face it, tat – but very affordable and interesting tat nonetheless.

The market is a nice prelude to the main event. Now surrounded by a mob of Cambodian touts who, upon seeing you brandish a British passport, begin to imitate Del Boy from Only Fools and Horses, and much to your total awe and utter amusement, Vicky Pollard from Little Britain, you surmise through beer Chang-induced befuddlement that a little help for a few hundred baht would actually be just the ticket.

And before you ask, no, I do not require the services of a large-breasted, Vietnamese lady or a whistle-stop tour of Cambodia in the back of your 1976 Toyota Celica.

With the tout having performed his magic, you go through the motions and are presently stamped out of Thailand and into Cambodia, where you spend your allotted three seconds buying cheap cigarettes and whiskey, fanning yourself with the visa paperwork and, dare I say it, holding your nose.

Poipet – the Cambodian border town – has something of a fetid waft to it, not dissimilar to that of an extremely ripe piece of Roquefort – but it definitely is not Roquefort, if you know what I mean.

Back into Siam now, after having had your visa extended and your passport subjected to varying degrees of scrutiny, you pay the tout, trudge back to the minivan, forlorn at the thought of another four hours of travelling but buoyed because it’s the concluding leg of the trip, and take your seat, clutching the freshly-purchased bottle of whiskey like a comfort blanket.

They say that only two things in life are certain: death and taxes.

They obviously forgot about the visa run.

I am sure, however, that there are those who combine it with a long-weekend in Miami, or a snorkelling fortnight in Fiji.

But for many it’s the minibus, and gulp upon gulp of Cambodian duty-free.

*hick*

Source: Sukhumvit

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High Security Alert in Thailand

Media reports indicate that the security forces are now on a higher alert following an advisory that Thailand is one of the many countries at risk from IS.

As in western nations, the security forces have raised security at airports and at major tourist cities, following an advisory  statement issued by the US Embassy in Bangkok based on US intelligence.

This is not the first time that security has been tightened recently.  a similar advisory from the Russian Embassy also saw an alert last month.

With Western and Asian nations all working  IS Awareness campaigns, Cities such as Bangkok, Pattaya, Chiang Mai, Phuket can expect to see a visible security presence.

CARRYING DOCUMENT AT ALL TIMES

Carrying valid Thai ID and/or copies of passports along with copies of the visas inside them is a requirement in Thailand.  In fact it was required that the original passport be in your possession at all times.  a recent statement in Bangkok allows copies to be accepted as long as you have access to the original.  Thai people too are required to have their ID with them, this is not a discriminatory requeirement but a logical one, especially at times of heightened secuirty.

In Pattaya and Chiang Mai, Police have had cause to visit tourist establishments and take in all visitors without ID.  To date they have all been able to find their passports in hotels or room where they stay.  To date all have been treated well and freed without penalty HOWEVER there is provision within the Thai law to fine if required.

Carry your Documents at all times.  Thailand is a safe country, no more or less dangerous than any other tourist country, Assisting police and authorities by carrying documentation will free them up to deal with other problems and lessen the chance that you evening is interrupted

Source: Pattaya103.com

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Banned: new rule comes into force prohibiting visa overstayers from re-entering Thailand

From March 20, new immigration rules will come into force that will BAN foreigners from re-entering Thailand if they overstay their visa by more than 90 days.

The new rule is part of tightened security measures, Thai PBS reported.

Foreigners who voluntarily come forward will face the following bans: if they overstay for more than 90 days they will be banned from re-entering the country for a year; overstays of more than a year will face a three-year ban; overstays of more than three years will face a five-year ban; and overstays of more than five years will face a ten-year ban.

Authorities warned that those who don't hand themselves in will be arrested and prosecuted, and face longer bans. If they overstay less than a year they will be banned for five years, and if they overstay for more than a year they will be banned for ten years.

Immigration officials will ask hotels, apartments, hostels and landlords renting homes or rooms to foreigners to report the stay of foreigners so they can keep a closer track of their stay in the country.

Source: Coconuts

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Thailand - Police nab 110 foreigners in overstay, criminal cases

THE Immigration Police Bureau yesterday announced cases of foreigners caught for overstaying their visas and committing crimes.

Thai Immigration police paraded a group of offenders yesterday at a press conference as they announced they had arrested 50 Pakistani nationals, 15 Indians, eight Somalis, three Nigerians, three from Papua New Guinea, three Vietnamese, a Mali national, a Bangladeshi national, a Sri Lankan national and twenty-three other nationals.

Measures to clamp down on foreigners who overstay their visa will go into effect in March.

Those who overstay for more than a year will be barred from the country for three years, while those who overstay for more than five years will be banned for 10 years.

Authorities have encouraged offenders to turn themselves in and avoid heavier penalties.

Immigration Bureau chief Pol Lt-General Natthorn Praosunthorn said the measures were taken to increase security in Thailand, claiming many foreigners who overstay are likely to have also committed crimes.

He cited the case of American boxer Malik Naeem Watson-Smith, who once fought Thai boxer "Buakaw," and was caught overstaying his visa on 14 Dec. He had been charged with assault in 2010.

Russian Eveniy Gubarev, 37, was arrested on Dec. 17 for overstaying his visa and is wanted on charges of fraud and laundering money, while an unnamed 47-year-old Belgian was arrested on Sunday for overstaying by 305 days.

In a separate case, a French man overstaying his visa was arrested on Dec. 11 and charged with attempted murder, detention, and robbery in relation to trafficking drugs, The Nation reported.

  Eveniy Gubarev, 37, a Russian national, was arrested on December 17 for overstaying, and is also wanted on charges of fraud and laundering money.

An unnamed 47-year-old Belgian was arrested on December 20 for overstaying by 305 days. He arrived on January 20 and was allowed to stay until February 18.

Related:

Visa overstayers face bans of up to 10 years

Source: Coconuts & The Nation 

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Thailand - Blacklist awaits visa-overstaying foreigners

The Immigration Bureau plans to fine and blacklist foreigners who overstay their visas from March or April next year. (2016)

 Bureau chief Pol Lt Gen Nathathorn Prausoontorn said yesterday (Dec 9) that Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha had approved the bureau’s proposal on Nov 27 to fine and ban overstayers from re-entering the country for some years depending on the length of their overstay.

People who overstay will be treated according to whether they turn themselves in or are arrested.

For cases of surrender, those who overstay their visa by up to one year will receive a one-year re-entry ban, and for more than one year they will be banned from re-entering Thailand for three years. Those with more than three years’ overstay will blacklisted for five years. Excessive overstay of five years or more will result in a re-entry ban of 10 years.

In cases of arrest, those who overstay their visas by up to one year will be banned from re-entering Thailand for five years and those with more than one year’s overstay period will be blacklisted for 10 years.

The immigration commissioner expected the new regulation to improve control on visiting foreigners and screen out unwanted elements.

A large number of foreigners likely would pay fines and leave the country ahead of the imposition of the regulation, he said, while admitting that the fine was small at B20,000.

At present, European, American and Asian visitors without approved visas can stay for 30 days, renewable for 30 days. Those with prior-arranged visas can stay 60 days renewable for 30 days. Those who want longer stays for medical treatment or business could have their intention verified before approval, the commissioner said.

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Bureau chief Pol Lt Gen Nathathorn Prausoontorn said yesterday (Dec 9) that Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha had approved the bureau’s proposal on Nov 27 to fine and ban overstayers from re-entering the country for some years depending on the length of their overstay.
People who overstay will be treated according to whether they turn themselves in or are arrested.
For cases of surrender, those who overstay their visa by up to one year will receive a one-year re-entry ban, and for more than one year they will be banned from re-entering Thailand for three years. Those with more than three years’ overstay will blacklisted for five years. Excessive overstay of five years or more will result in a re-entry ban of 10 years.
In cases of arrest, those who overstay their visas by up to one year will be banned from re-entering Thailand for five years and those with more than one year’s overstay period will be blacklisted for 10 years.
The immigration commissioner expected the new regulation to improve control on visiting foreigners and screen out unwanted elements.
A large number of foreigners likely would pay fines and leave the country ahead of the imposition of the regulation, he said, while admitting that the fine was small at B20,000.
At present, European, American and Asian visitors without approved visas can stay for 30 days, renewable for 30 days. Those with prior-arranged visas can stay 60 days renewable for 30 days. Those who want longer stays for medical treatment or business could have their intention verified before approval, the commissioner said.
- See more at: http://www.thephuketnews.com/blacklist-awaits-visa-overstaying-foreigners-55329.php#sthash.vrkuUnZL.dpuf

The Immigration Bureau plans to fine and blacklist foreigners who overstay their visas from March or April next year. - See more at: http://www.thephuketnews.com/blacklist-awaits-visa-overstaying-foreigners-55329.php#sthash.vrkuUnZL.dpuf

Thailand's 6 Month Multiple Entry Tourist Visa is Official

Thailand's 6 Month Multiple Entry Tourist Visa is Official 

But good news, We've gotten a hold of one of the first official documents explaining the new METV (Multiple Entry Tourist Visa) and it's not only official, but it's even better than we thought it was going to be. (for some people) This is the new solution for a lot of us and could be the new Digital Nomad Visa for Thailand. Keep reading to see the official announcement below.

 But here's the official announcement by The Royal Thai Embassy on behalf of the Thai Government themselves.

Summary of the new 6 Month Visa:

Multiple Entry

This means you can go to Bali for a weekend, Cambodia to see Angkor Wat, then go to Saigon to visit friends whenever you want and not have to worry about wasting of one of your entries on your visa. This gives travelers and digital nomads freedom to go where we want, whenever we want and not be stuck to a timeline.

6 Month Validity

This actually means up to 9 months if you time it right. Get the new visa 2 weeks before you leave for Thailand, then come and go as you please making sure you fly back into Thailand a day or two before your 6 months run out. That way, you get a full 60 days from that day, plus the option to extend it for another 30 days without leaving the country, giving you up to 9 Months in Total!

Example: If your 6 month visa is valid from January 1st to June 1st you can come and go as much as you like during that time for up to 60-90 days at a time, then just make sure you re-enter Thailand before May 31st, and you'll get 60 days from that day + an option to extend it for another 30 days, giving you close to 9 months in total.

Death of the Double and Triple Entry Visas:

Unfortunately, this is something no one knew about until just now, but with the introduction of the new 6 month multiple entry tourist visa we lose the option to obtain a double or triple entry tourist visa. We'll still be able to get single entry visas which are good for 60 days + a 30 day extension, but it rules out going to places like Laos to get a double entry.

My suggestion is to either get a new ME Visa before you come to Thailand, or just plan a trip home anytime after November 13th. Just in time for Thanksgiving and Christmas.

By the way, if you're making location independent income and want to exclude your first $100,800 in earnings, check out the foreign earned income exemption. Having the new 6 month multiple entry visa makes it easy for us digital nomads to travel perpetually while allowing us to use places like Chiang Mai, Thailand as our home base whenever we want to take a break from island hopping and hang out at a coworking space. 

How to Obtain a New 6 Month Visa:

The only downside to getting the new 6 month visa is that you have to do it from your home country, or a county where you can prove residence in.

That means for most of us already traveling in Thailand or SE Asia, we'll have to fly back home to get the new visa. The good news is, if you use my 9 month plan I mentioned above, you'll only have to do it once a year or so, and can use it as an excuse to go to weddings, or see your family that I'm sure misses you.

The cost of the new visa is around $140 USD and in my opinion is a fantastic deal for a 6 month multiple entry visa  as it gives us both freedom of time and schedule. In my first book 12 Weeks in Thailand I wrote about how to live the good life on the cheap, make border runs and get by on $600 a month, but those days are over.

They were fun as hell and if you're in your 20's I encourage you to spend a few years working as a divemaster and training muay thai like I did, but if you're 30+ like I am, instead of counting our baht and trying to live as cheaply as possible, let's put in some hard work and all become Thai Millionaires to really live freely and enjoy all of Thailand and the rest of the world. 

Source: Johnny FD

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I was tempted to post something about the new 6 month multiple entry tourist visa for Thailand sooner as I'm super excited about it, but up until now it's all been hearsay and didn't want to spread rumors if they were untrue.

But good news, I've gotten a hold of one of the first official documents explaining the new METV (Multiple Entry Tourist Visa) and it's not only official, but it's even better than we thought it was going to be. (for some people) This is the new solution for a lot of us and could be the new Digital Nomad Visa for Thailand. Keep reading to see the official announcement below. - See more at: http://www.johnnyfd.com/2015/10/thailands-6-month-multiple-entry.html#sthash.4kXylkbN.dpuf

I was tempted to post something about the new 6 month multiple entry tourist visa for Thailand sooner as I'm super excited about it, but up until now it's all been hearsay and didn't want to spread rumors if they were untrue.

But good news, I've gotten a hold of one of the first official documents explaining the new METV (Multiple Entry Tourist Visa) and it's not only official, but it's even better than we thought it was going to be. (for some people) This is the new solution for a lot of us and could be the new Digital Nomad Visa for Thailand. Keep reading to see the official announcement below.

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