Expats
Thailand expat news, visas, work permits, property, and healthcare—stay informed with essential updates and insights for foreign residents. Get the latest from The Thaiger, your trusted source for expat news in Thailand.
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Potential for retirement properties in Thailand
by Bill Barnett of c9hotelworks.com While a number of property offerings in Phuket, Hua Hin, Pattaya, Chiang Mai and more recently in Bangkok have promoted themselves as retirement-centric offerings, the jury is still out on the broad success of the sector. Despite retirement communities and assisted living being mainstays in Western countries like the US, UK and Australia, these are…
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Immigration police spruik more successes with their biometrics systems
Immigration police have arrested three more unwanted foreigners for crimes committed in Thailand. The arrests follow people stopped at Immigration queues trying to enter the country last week. In reporting on the success of the biometric systems, police say the new systems helped identify the people and crimes they been allegedly involved in, even though the process of taking all…
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Immigration in Chiang Mai continue crackdown on TM30 infringements
PHOTOS: Naew Na Thai immigration continue to roll out their nationwide crackdown on people failing to report foreigners staying at private addresses with 24 hours, as per the controversial TM30 form, which also applies to resident expats moving around the country for business or pleasure. A house owner in Ton Pao sub-district of San Kamphaeng has been fined after a…
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Thai Department of Land Transport brings better tech into the classroom
The Department of Land Transport is going to use fingerprint scanners, e-classrooms and CCTV as it aims to improve standards in the country’s driving schools. There are 275 DLT certified driving schools in 66 provinces across Thailand. Privately operated, they are given DLT quality guidelines which they must follow to maintain the level of their training and testing procedures. DLT…
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Expat group petitions Thai immigration to abolish TM30 form
A group of expats, representing foreigners living in Thailand for many years, has prepared a petition for affected expats to sign, before they present it to Thai Immigration and government officials. They are requesting changes to the enforcement of the controversial TM30 form. There is a link to their website at the bottom of the page where you can sign the…
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Zambian arrested on overstay and animal cruelty charges in Samut Prakhan
PHOTO: khaosod.co.th Thai immigration police have arrested a Zambian man for an alleged overstay and committing acts of cruelty following a Facebook post that sought help for the dog. The Nation reports that 27 year old Wachisa Sikwese has been arrested by Immigration police. They reported that Sikwese was arrested shortly after Watchdog Thailand spotted a Facebook post that sought help…
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Thailand keeping track of foreigners – the TM30 reporting form
The TM30 reporting procedure is a Thai immigration requirement. The form is designed to assist keeping track of foreigners – tourists and expats – whilst in Thailand. It must be completed by the owner or landlord to report the stay of guests within 24 hours of their arrival. As with many things in Thailand the enforcement will not be uniformly applied…
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Russian woman arrested for allegedly using Thai nominee in business
PHOTO: Bangkokbiznews A Russian businesswoman has been arrested for using a Thai nominee company to run a real estate firm in Pattaya. Immigration police arrested the woman who they claim had been in hiding for three years since a warrant was issued back in 2016. The acting commissioner of Pattaya Immigration reported that Natalia Nikiforova was arrested in Chon Buri’s Bang Lamung…
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Fewer Nordic expats renewing their visas to stay in Thailand
by Gregers Møller Website ScandAsia.com and writer Gregers Møller reports that nordic expats – business people, on retirement or family-based Thai visas, renewing their visas this year – has dropped by around 10% this year. He reports “This is the first decline in 12 years. If the trend continues, there will only be 861 Nordic people on a business visa left…
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Blacklisted Chinese and Bangladeshi arrested in Phuket
A blacklisted Chinese and Bangladeshi man have been arrested in Phuket. The Chinese man, Xie Daijiang, whose former name was Xie Dajiang, was arrested for using fake documents 6 years ago. He has been blacklisted to re-enter Thailand for 100 years. He had merely changed his name by adding the letter ‘i’ before submitting for his new passport. After that…
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478 mostly-illegal foreigners rounded up in immigration raid
FILE PHOTO – One of the regular round-up of illegal foreigners Police have netted another 478 mostly-illegal foreigners during surprise raids in more than 200 locations around Thailand yesterday (Wednesday) – most illegal immigrants. The assistant national police chief cited the 34th ASEAN Summit being held in Bangkok (that started today) as part of the security crackdown. Police and immigration…
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Screws tightening on Non Immigrant visas for expats wishing to live in Thailand
SOURCE: ThaiVisa A decade ago there seemed to be various ways to stay in Thailand long-term. There was a bit of wriggle room in the interpretation of the guidelines and there was always ‘ways and means’ of securing a visa (nudge nudge, wink, wink). But the screws are being tightened on expats, retirees and long-stayers who are finding their options…
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British Hua Hin bar owner overstays visa by eight years
Prachuap Khiri Khan immigration officials have arrested a 50 year old British expat, Michael Gary Doyle. His passport expired in 2011 and he’d overstayed his welcome for 2,917 days since June of that year. He was arrested at his house in Phoonsuk Road, Hua Hin. Banmuang reports that Mr. Doyle was the owner/operator of a beer bar in Hua Hin and…
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Bangkok and Singapore jump in rankings for world living costs
Bangkok is now the 63rd most expensive location in a new cost of living survey for expats. Singapore has experienced a big rise in the rankings, becoming the 12th most expensive location in the world for expatriates. Lee Quane, regional director for Asia at ECA International says that Bangkok has risen 100 places in just the last five years. “We have…
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Visa run to Penang – a personal experience in Thailand (2019)
This story was one person’s experience of the visa process in Penang. It should not be regarded as ‘typical’ or even used as a guide. But we provide Jim’s journey as warning to do your homework before embarking on getting or renewing your visa. Be aware that this seemingly simple trip to the former ‘Pearl of the Orient’ in Malaysia…
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Overstaying Russian tries to change his Thai visa stamp with a pen, badly
PHOTO: Naewna.com It seemed like such a good idea at the time. A Russian man has been caught on overstay at the Klong Leuk border checkpoint in Sa Kaeo, directly to the east of Bangkok on the Cambodian border. Trying to enter Cambodia, the man told immigration he changed the last visa stamp with his own pen. 32 year old…
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