Foreigners in Thailand face fines and jail for overstaying as visa amnesty ends

[Drew3223]

2 hours ago, trucking said:

have not understood the depth of disdain held for ' tourists ' by a certain segment of the ex pat community

Yep. The same miserable ex-pats who love to comment in this very forum to nay-say every chance they get. I feel sorry for them.

[Jack Hna]

50 minutes ago, whiteman said:

I'm going home and not coming back anytime soon            have fun 

White knights should get permanent residency by default. 

[Mr Meeseeks]

1 hour ago, bestie said:

I can't remember a time when the immigration was ever on our side. 

They used to be until about 2004-5, then it all changed. 

 

You used to be able to get any visa you wanted with minimal paperwork and without leaving the country, as immigration used to run the passports over the borders or to Honourary Consulates overseas. 

 

Overstay was never an issue, no matter how long it was it could all be sorted out with a fine and if you left you could come straight back in again.

[Jack Hna]

To be fair thailand has shafted itself with the retirement visas. Keeping that in play for too long has clouded the average thais mind so when they think of farang they think of smelly, sweaty old white guys wearing flip flops looking dishevelled and sporting a real minter on their arm for a wife. 

 

So when they get asked about foreign tourists and wanting them back. 

 

Are you surprised they are not keen.

I'm not surprised at all.

 

Open that 20k parking method up to all ages and they would change the view of farang in Thailand entirely.

 

 

[AbeNormal]

1 hour ago, Jack Hna said:

The retired folks from UK basically have 20k gbp in the bank static and about 30k baht a month. Not a lot to even spit in let alone drain a lizard

why the attack on Brits ?

 

I'm a retired Brit have Bt60k a month Bt800k in a Thai bank well over 100k GBP at home and I'm not even old enough to get a state pension and I know many that earn more than me

 

as for the people being forced out of Thailand after a long stay during amnesty. I don't get the logic from Thailand and need tourists right now, why deport the ones already here 

 

As for the ones already here, you really don't have much to complain about, furlough in the UK is finishing next month and perhaps for other countries too, get your lazy *** back home and get back to work, Thailand has been good to you for 6 months stop complaining about it.

[AbeNormal]

4 minutes ago, Jack Hna said:

To be fair thailand has shafted itself with the retirement visas. Keeping that in play for too long has clouded the average thais mind so when they think of farang they think of smelly, sweaty old white guys wearing flip flops looking dishevelled and sporting a real minter on their arm for a wife. 

 

So when they get asked about foreign tourists and wanting them back. 

 

Are you surprised they are not keen.

I'm not surprised at all.

 

Open that 20k parking method up to all ages and they would change the view of farang in Thailand entirely.

 

 

one thing you learn over the years is common sense

 

it will come to you eventually as you get older, and you will get older

[2 is 1]

There never been any logic about desition's in here! Still this is one of most stupid thinking of human kind! Kick out ten's of thousand's foreigner who are here (covid free) and try get 1200 new one in / month! Who possible have covid and can spread that in here, even you are in quarantine (have already happen)!

They going to make more bad to them self again! Really bad advertisement!

Edited September 21, 2020 by 2 is 1

[Youlike]

2 hours ago, genericptr said:

But they're desperate for more tourists now. It's like we've spoiled past our expiration date or something.

They need fresh tourists with full pockets...the ones who are still in Thailand have empty pockets and won't stay in the 5* hotels so they're useless.

[Zikomat]

2 hours ago, genericptr said:

Given the absolute shambles tourism is currently in, I still can't believe they're going to send all these tourists home without even offering some alternative visa.

 

What's the explanation for this behavior?

An idiocy. Send 100 k back home and then welcome 1200 new ones a month putting each one of them through 25 steps quarantine procedure. Sheer idiocy.

[spidermike007]

Foreigners who overstay their permission to remain in Thailand face fines and even possible jail. 

 

Unbelievable hubris and arrogance. The authorities should be begging the tourists to stay. Free, unlimited visas, 10,000 baht hotel vouchers, and free meals. An immigration officer will come to your hotel to renew your visa, to show our appreciation, of your continued support. Half price air tickets for domestic travel. Princely treatment. Thank you so much for helping to rescue our economy and our people. 

 

Instead, what do they get? Threats of jail time. Beyond Inane. Are these nitwits even capable of learning and evolving? It would appear not. A truly regressive administration.

 

The Thai army. Moving Thailand backwards, and inflicting untold pain on it's people. 

[Jack Hna]

26 minutes ago, AbeNormal said:

why the attack on Brits ?

 

I'm a retired Brit have Bt60k a month Bt800k in a Thai bank well over 100k GBP at home and I'm not even old enough to get a state pension and I know many that earn more than me

 

as for the people being forced out of Thailand after a long stay during amnesty. I don't get the logic from Thailand and need tourists right now, why deport the ones already here 

 

As for the ones already here, you really don't have much to complain about, furlough in the UK is finishing next month and perhaps for other countries too, get your lazy *** back home and get back to work, Thailand has been good to you for 6 months stop complaining about it.

Because a lot of the Brits are running amok on this site like they are the kings. Fair play you got a bit of change there but by no means worth reporting online. Remote work just became the new normal and thailand would be wise to recognise that and embrace it. Might make them realise retirement visas are chump change.

 

 

[PatOngo]

46 minutes ago, Drew3223 said:

Yep. The same miserable ex-pats who love to comment in this very forum to nay-say every chance they get. I feel sorry for them.

Don't! You'll get it.............one day!

[EricTh]

3 hours ago, mancub said:

1 year overstay for bt20k and only a 1 year ban seems like a good deal !

If you are caught by their 'benz', then it is 5 years. 

 

I'm sure their benz is going out in full force after so many months of inactivity.

Edited September 21, 2020 by EricTh

[EricTh]

2 hours ago, mlkik said:

A tourist is somebody who comes for a holiday. It is not someone who should be able to live in the country for ever !

Why do tourists think they should be able to stay with no regulation and people who have the correct visa for long stay have to meet all sorts of regulations regarding money in the bank,health insurance,90 day reports etc ?

Unfortunately, there were too many loopholes in the past such that these long-term stayers became visa runners or paying agent illegally.\

 

Now they even created a special 9 month tourist visa.

 

Edited September 21, 2020 by EricTh

[rott]

2 hours ago, mancub said:

So a genuine "tourist' is someone who only ever visits once, then ?

No but for a while now Immigration have been saying that people should be on the appropriate visas. Tourists on tourist visas, longstayers on extensions of stay or whatever. 

 

Unless of course you promise to spend close to a million baht a month and are happy to be treated like a convict. 

Edited September 21, 2020 by rott

[EricTh]

2 hours ago, genericptr said:

USA has 300k Thai residents I believe. We've taken in thousands of refugees from the region and surely would have done the same for Thailand. If only Americans knew how the Thais treat us here they wouldn't be so generous in the future.

Really? Then why did Trump close the doors for Muslims, build a border for Mexico refugees, revoke visa for Chinese students etc?  Doesn't seem generous to me.

 

You aren't considered a refugee, are you?

 

[Jack Hna]

These clowns belong in the nuthouse. A cartoon mag like charlie hebdo may help them understand. Make a few cartoons of thais trying to think of schemes to win tourists yet all are doomed to fail. The problem with those cave boys is the thais now think miracles are real. 

 

[ukrules]

33 minutes ago, Jack Hna said:

Might make them realise retirement visas are chump change.

Chump change adds up pretty quickly when multiplied by even a few tens of thousands of people and there are many people who have pensions and other earnings far beyond the state pension level.

 

[GigsGigs]

And I've been saying this for weeks to no end now, the double amnesty thing has been seen and perceived as a "sign of weakness" by the upper inner circles at the Immigration headquarters.

 

As always as foreigners we only see what we want to see from our angle, point of view through the prism of whatever reality we live in. For the Thais however, it appears we would have "abused" their kindness by using these two amnesties as a way to maintain ourselves in the Kingdom (THEIR Kindom, remember?) more than what we should have.

 

The 26th September marks the grand opening of the "farang hunting season" for the immigration, expect to be stopped frequently through the country for a quick passport/visa check (checkpoints anyone?) more than you ever have in the past, post Covid-19 era.

 

Why do you ask? Because in their minds we have effectively abused their trust and misused the double amnesties they have granted us.

 

Or simply put, because THEY CAN.

 

That is one of the sides effects of the Xenophobic rhetorica that is being spun by this "self-elected" government.

 

Thailand is officially going down the drain. Thanks to the Army, I guess.

 

Edit: On a personal level, I'm starting to take peeks here and there to Laos as an alternative destination, afterall let's face it; most of the girls we interact with in the seedy/raunchy areas of the country that are being employed in the nightlife/adult industry (yes, I'm looking at you Pattaya, Koh Samui, Patong, Nana Plaza@BKK etc) are from the Issan region anyways, they speak Lao in their families more than they speak the "Hi so" Thai from Bangkok and they are ethnically speaking closer to their Laotian sisters than they are to their Bangkok "Hi so" compatriots. Same same as they say.

Edited September 21, 2020 by GigsGigs

[Jack Hna]

4 minutes ago, ukrules said:

Chump change adds up pretty quickly when multiplied by even a few tens of thousands of people and there are many people who have pensions and other earnings far beyond the state pension level.

 

Firstly it's 20k parked not 20k spent

 

I believe retirees do not spend anywhere close to 40k a month.

 

I see loads of these guys about and they are not spending. 

 

Why provide a continual 1 year visa to these guys and not everyone else who can park.

 

When a guy meets a lady and he's on retirement no one moans at him. Fair play, get married halve your parking fee and that makes perfect sense cos now you have double the outlay (most cases)

 

 

[Nout]

3 hours ago, genericptr said:

So what? I'm leaving now. You won. Are you happy or something????

Don't take it personally

[4evermaat]

2 hours ago, Chivas said:

Fella you've had 6 months amnesty and the Thais have been extremely generous. Time to go home

Nearly every developed country has been "generous" to legal tourists/non-imms during this covid-19 situation.  So what other country is mimicking an exodus mid-pandemic.  Is this practice of shoving foreigners out during an international viral pandemic that has significantly affected world travel + economies commonplace?   

 

Are any of the land borders even open?

 

I understand the gov't need to perhaps keep track of the foreigner population.  And maybe there is some anti-foreigner sentiment worried about a few agent foreigners potentially influencing Thai politics (e.g. democracy protests).   But just tossing upwards of 100k foreigners out suddenly is the answer?   When most of them are not causing any problems and are likely actually helping the local economies?  

 

I guess I shouldn't be surprised.   In fact, Thai gov't will probably go forward with their initial scrub plan and then at the last minute or perhaps  27-29th immediately backtrack.

 

Edited September 21, 2020 by 4evermaat

[Nout]

20 minutes ago, Jack Hna said:

Firstly it's 20k parked not 20k spent

 

I believe retirees do not spend anywhere close to 40k a month.

 

I see loads of these guys about and they are not spending. 

 

Why provide a continual 1 year visa to these guys and not everyone else who can park.

 

When a guy meets a lady and he's on retirement no one moans at him. Fair play, get married halve your parking fee and that makes perfect sense cos now you have double the outlay (most cases)

 

 

Its 60 k a month and I spend it all and more. I know hardly any men married  to Thais. They either have the 800.000k or 60 k a month income. You want to believe retirees are broke but its you who is broke.

[Jack Hna]

30 minutes ago, GigsGigs said:

And I've been saying this for weeks to no end now, the double amnesty thing has been seen and perceived as a "sign of weakness" by the upper inner circles at the Immigration headquarters.

 

As always as foreigners we only see what we want to see from our angle, point of view through the prism of whatever reality we live in. For the Thais however, it appears we would have "abused" their kindness by using these two amnesties as a way to maintain ourselves in the Kingdom (THEIR Kindom, remember?) more than what we should have.

 

The 26th September marks the grand opening of the "farang hunting season" for the immigration, expect to be stopped frequently through the country for a quick passport/visa check (checkpoints anyone?) more than you ever have in the past, post Covid-19 era.

 

Why do you ask? Because in their minds we have effectively abused their trust and misused the double amnesties they have granted us.

 

Or simply put, because THEY CAN.

 

That is one of the sides effects of the Xenophobic rhetorica that is being spun by this "self-elected" government.

 

Thailand is officially going down the drain. Thanks to the Army, I guess.

 

Edit: On a personal level, I'm starting to take peeks here and there to Laos as an alternative destination, afterall let's face it; most of the girls we interact with in the seedy/raunchy areas of the country that are being employed in the nightlife/adult industry (yes, I'm looking at you Pattaya, Koh Samui, Patong, Nana Plaza@BKK etc) are from the Issan region anyways, they speak Lao in their families more than they speak the "Hi so" Thai from Bangkok and they are ethnically speaking closer to their Laotian sisters than they are to their Bangkok "Hi so" compatriots. Same same as they say.

Saying what for weeks and where? 

 

Case of a wrong handle perhaps.

 

You got some info to share on Laos besides the girls. Last time I checked it's a no go. 

[Jack Hna]

Just now, Nout said:

Its 60 k a month and I spend it all and more. I know hardly any men married  to Thais. They either have the 800.000k or 60 k a month income. You want to believe retirees are broke but its you who is broke.

Yes 100% correct I'm broke but I still manage better than 95% of retirees. And you.

[GigsGigs]

13 minutes ago, Jack Hna said:

You got some info to share on Laos besides the girls. Last time I checked it's a no go. 

Patience is a virtue.

[Kuzbidon]

I see this add popping up on Facebook since a few days.

No idea if it is legitimate  : about 500 $ for a upto 6 month visa to Bali.

Indonesia is supposedly closed but Bali was keen to open for tourism in Jully and was turn Dow by Jakarta. Is it a smart move from local authorities trying to attract foreigners from covid free Thailand? Or is it just a Scam to get money out of desesperate stranded foreigners in Thailand?

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=4547456375329265&id=137499056325041

[KC 71]

42 minutes ago, Jack Hna said:

Saying what for weeks and where? 

 

Case of a wrong handle perhaps.

 

You got some info to share on Laos besides the girls. Last time I checked it's a no go. 

Lao people are totally different to Isaan people

[Jack Hna]

22 minutes ago, GigsGigs said:

Patience is a virtue.

Sesame street

[Jack Hna]

Just now, KC 71 said:

Lao people are totally different to Isaan people

Well that was spot on for this site. Ultra Informative. Your in son. Take a seat next to gigs on the barstool mind your distance don't wanna catch a covid.