Phuket Immigration Crackdown Announced

[ree2512]

Tuesday, June 23, 2009

Phuket Immigration crackdown announced

Phuket Immigration Superintendent Chanatpol Yongbunjerd speaks at this morning's press conference.

PHUKET CITY: Phuket Immigration this morning held a press conference to announce measures aimed at improving compliance with immigration law, including the requirement that owners of all hotels, guesthouses and rental homes report foreigners on their premises to immigration within 24 hours of arrival.

Phuket Immigration Superintendent Chanatpol Yongbunjerd told the press that the crackdown follows the recent arrest of three ethnic Rohingyas on charges of involvement in an international human smuggling ring.

The three men, two of whom were arrested in Songkhla's Haad Yai district, are also suspected of having links to terrorist groups including Jemaah Islamiyah (JI).

The crackdown is also part of stepped-up security in the run-up to the 42nd Asean Foreign Ministers Meeting, scheduled to take place at Laguna Phuket from July 16 to 23, Col Chanatpol said.

Expected to attend that event are Foreign Ministers from all 10 Asean states as well as their counterparts from dialogue partners Australia, Japan, New Zealand, the European Union, the United States, China, India, South Korea and Russia.

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is scheduled to attend the meeting, during which the ministers are expected to try and hammer out a unified approach to the nuclear ambitions of pariah state North Korea – which successfully carried out a nuclear test in May.

Col Chanatpol used the press conference to ask for co-operation from hotel owners as well as employers of low-wage foreign laborers, who must report the details of all foreigners under their employ as soon as possible – or face fines.

Other security measures will include: more thorough screening of foreigners entering and leaving the country, especially those on watch lists or exhibiting suspicious behavior; increased co-operation with local police departments in monitoring residences with foreigners in domicile, especially those with suspicious behavior; increased security in popular tourism and nightlife entertainment areas; and better co-ordination and information exchange among police and related agencies.

Col Chanatpol also asked the public to report any problems or useful information to Phuket Immigration on 076-212108.

Phuket Immigration Inspector for Investigation Suparerk Pankosol, who also attended the meeting, told the press that homeowners who fail to inform Immigration of foreigners staying in their homes – either as guests or under rental agreements – face fines not exceeding 2,000 baht.

Owners of hotels, guesthouses and other commercial accommodation establishments who fail to report guests are subject to fines ranging from 2,000 baht to 10,000 baht, he said.

Phuket Immigration's webmaster, Bunta Lapet, told the media that such registration could be conducted quickly and easily on line by using the site's "Phuket Immigration Enterprise" webpage.

– Tipwarintron Tanaakarachod

-- Phuket Gazette 2009-06-23

[ree2512]

This is really annoying, what about if you own a guest house and you have foreign people coming everyday that means you will be at the immigration all the time

[NBT TV Phuket]

Phuket Immigration steps up its entry measures to reinforce security measures as part of preparations to welcome the ASEAN Foreign Ministers meeting and related meetings in mid July.

Immigration officers in Phuket step up security measures by intensifying the checks on foreigners entering the island in preparation to host venues for the important meetings. Other locations will be checks at major tourist locations like Patong, Kata, Karon and Cherng Thale plus hotels nearby the Laguna group of hotels where the meetings are going to take place. During July 16-23, Phuket will be host venue for ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, Post Ministerial Meeting and ARF –ASEAN Regional Forum meeting. 10 officers will be added to the immigration force. The superintendent of Phuket Immigration, Pol. Col. Chanadpol Yongbanjoed revealed that five major measures will be implemented to ensure security: these include intensifying the entry-reentry checks to the nation for those who are on the watch list, having immigration officers work with local police to check on suspects, deploying more regular patrol officers, both uniformed and un-uniformed. It also seeks members of the public to cooperate by informing the immigration police should they encounter any suspicious activities at Tel. 076 212108

Andaman News NBT (VHF dial) at 8.30am Tuesday 22 June 2009 & http://thainews.prd.go.th/newsenglish/ & usually www.YouTube.com/AndamanNews.com (but today our video capture computer crashed so no uploads today...)

[chiang mai]

This is really annoying, what about if you own a guest house and you have foreign people coming everyday that means you will be at the immigration all the time

Hotel and guest house owners are allowed to fax the details each day, some do and some don't based on the owners, ahem, relationship and standing with the local constabulary.

[Ping]

Unless I'm misunderstanding the final sentence of the clipping, you can register the guests on line - no trip to Immig necessary.

[Mario2008]

You can apply for a password and then file the reports online.