Immigration
- Thailand News
More than 100 migrants caught in Kanchanaburi for alleged illegal entry
Thai border patrols arrested 107 Burmese migrants for allegedly illegally crossing the border into the western province Kanchanaburi on Sunday. The migrants told Thai officials they came from Phayathonezu, Moulmein, Yangon, Bago and Dawei townships in Myanmar. They crossed into Thailand seeking jobs here. Authorities also arrested one Thai guide for providing assistance to people illegally entering the country. Authorities…
- Visa Information
Red tape remains for foreign retirees in Thailand
This year, travel magazine International Living rated Thailand 11th most desirable country to retire in, out of 25. Despite this ranking, there are still regulations making it difficult for foreigners to stay here. Those with visas for one or more years are still required to report to immigration officials every 90 days. Foreigners with a Non-Immigrant O or Non-Immigrant OA…
- World News
Vietnam eases entry procedures for foreign employees and returnees with valid visas
Foreigners with valid visas can now enter Vietnam without having to get approval from the immigration offices or local authorities, starting from Tuesday as the government eased entry restrictions. This means people with valid temporary residence cards (TRCs), permanent residence cards (PRCs), valid visas, and valid visa exemption certificates will be able to enter Vietnam without any permission from the…
- South Thailand News
Burmese migrants trafficked through Thailand caught by Malaysian border
Last night, Thai soldiers caught 31 Burmese migrants on the Thailand-Malaysia border, illegally passing through Thailand and hoping to work in Malaysia. The migrants were found hiding in a ditch on a rubber plantation in Sadao, a district of Songkhla province. The group 25 men and six women had reportedly travelled from Myanmar’s Myawaddy township. After they crossed into Tak…
- World News
Australian Open champ Novak Djokovic to be deported after visa saga
After a rollercoaster ride regarding 9-time Australian Open champion Novak Djokovic having his visa approved and revoked several times as courts debated his status as unvaccinated but recovered from a Covid-19 infection, the tennis star will now be deported from Australia. Novak lost a court appeal to try to reverse the cancellation of his visa when 3 judges upheld the…
- South Thailand News
Fugitive arrested 7 years after trafficking Rohingya migrants
On May 18, 2015, the Nathawee Provincial Court in Songkhla issued an arrest warrant for Chamsudin Tordin for various charges relating to human trafficking. Today, after nearly 7 years as a fugitive, Chamsudin was taken into custody and will face charges regarding trafficking of Rohingya migrants. The man is now 38 years old and is a native of Muang District…
- World News
Australia calls foul, cancels Djokovic’s visa again as Serbian tennis star faces deportation to forfeit title defense
So far it’s a double fault for the Serb tennis star. Australian Immigration Minister Alex Hawke has announced his decision to re-cancel the visa of Serbian tennis player Novak Dokovic, on the grounds of “health and good order.” In an official statement posted Friday evening on the website for the Department of Home Affairs, Hawke wrote: “Today I exercised my…
- Phuket News
Phuket Immigration officers to visit quarantine hotels to help with visa extensions
Immigration authorities are reportedly visiting each centre, hotel and resort in Phuket approved for Covid-19 isolation and quarantine to assist foreign Covid-19 patients who need to extend their visa, but cannot visit the Immigration Bureau Office because they isolating or receiving medical treatment for the coronavirus. Yesterday the authorities visit Patong Resort to bring documents for foreign visitors who need…
- Thailand News
How to bring your pet into Thailand
Those who travel to Thailand with pets, may have a few questions about the legalities surrounding the importation of your 4-legged friends. But, all worries aside, as long as you follow the rules and regulations set forth by the Thai consulate in your home country, it should be a fairly smooth process. Here, we have the current rules and procedures…
- Bangkok News
Bangkok restaurant raided, several foreigners caught without entry stamps
In yet another party bust, police raided a restaurant in Bangkok at around 1:45am yesterday, past the 11pm cutoff set by the government, and arrested more than 45 people for violating disease control measures. Several foreigners were also charged for not having entry stamps in their passports. Immigration police officers say 30 people at the Nakhon Bar Bangkok were foreigners…
- Crime News
Two arrested for allegedly kidnapping a woman, posting video her tied up on TikTok
A Burmese man and woman were arrested for allegedly kidnapping another Burmese woman, and then posting a video of her with her ankles chained and hands tied on the social media platform TikTok. The suspects allegedly abducted the woman, who is said to be a popular social media influencer among Burmese netizens, in Pathum Thani, which is north of Bangkok. …
- Thailand News
Thai Immigration launches online 90 day report system
A new online system for 90-day checks with immigration has been launched by Thailand’s Immigration Bureau. Online 90-day reporting has been glitchy in the past… So let us know how it worked for you. A confirmation could come through hours after applying. And be sure to check the spam folder. You can register at https://tm47.immigration.go.th/tm47/#/register/add Foreigners who are permitted to…
- World News
Cambodian refugees under UN protection arrested after deportation from Thailand
Following the arrest of a third Cambodian refugee deported from Thailand, the UN Refugee Agency says it is “dismayed” by Thai authorities’ move to force refugees back to the territory where they face prosecution. Earlier this month, two Cambodian nationals, who were both registered refugees under UN protection, were expelled from Thailand. This past Saturday, a third refugee, who is…
- Visa Information
Cabinet approves long-stay visa regulations as Thailand seeks more foreign investment
As Thailand prepares to re-open without quarantine to select vaccinated tourists, 2 draft regulations related to long-stay visas have been approved in principle. According to a Bangkok Post report, the long-stay visa programme aims to attract 300 billion baht in foreign investment as the government tries to kick-start the economy. Spokesperson Traisuree Taisaranakul says the Interior Ministry issued the draft…
- Visa Information
Thai Cabinet Committee officially extends Special Tourist Visa
While the idea of extending the Special Tourist Visa in Thailand was announced recently, yesterday the Thai Cabinet Committee officially approved the extension. The plan has been in place for one year already, and will now continue until at least September 30, 2022, and is aimed at attracting well fear foreign travellers to visit Thailand spend big money while they’re here.…
- Visa Information
Thailand’s Special Tourist Visa scheme extended until September 2022
The long-stay tourist visa has been extended for another year. The Special Tourist Visa scheme, or STV, was launched last year to draw in travellers from overseas in an effort to revive the crippled tourism industry. The visa allows a 90 day stay and can be extended twice, allowing a stay in Thailand of up to 9 months. The visa…
- South Thailand News
Thai immigration official transferred amid allegations of bribery
A Thai immigration official has been transferred and an investigation launched following allegations of corruption. The officer is accused of demanding regular bribes from an immigrant in the Hat Yai district of Songkhla, in southern Thailand. Officers from Immigration Division 6 have now launched an investigation into the claims. They insist the investigation will be transparent and impartial, adding that…
- Thailand News
Hat Yai immigration officer investigated for alleged extortion
Immigration police are investigating an officer in Songkhla’s Hat Yai district for alleged extortion after an audio clip of an officer asking an immigrant for a monthly fee was shared on a watchdog Facebook page. A committee has been set up by Immigration Division 6 to investigate the case and to determine whether an immigration officer was involved. The division says the…
- Crime News
Immigration police arrest man for allegedly laundering money for drug trafficking syndicate
A 31 year old man from India was arrested by Thai immigration police for allegedly laundering money for an international drug trafficking syndicate in Southern Thailand. Officers say the man has been buying gold with money obtained through the illegal drug trade and opened an electrical appliance store in Bangkok’s Pahurat area as a cover for the money laundering operations.…
- Pattaya News
American charged after not wearing a face mask at a Taco Bell in Pattaya
A 33 year old American man was recently charged for not wearing a face mask at a Taco Bell in Pattaya. Earlier this month, the expat and another foreign resident got into a heated argument at the soft opening of Taco Bell over whether to wear face masks while in line to order at the fast-food restaurant. After being confronted…
- Thailand News
Public warned about immigration police impersonators asking for bribes
The Thai Immigration Bureau is warning foreign residents and the general public to be careful of people who are impersonating as immigration police officers and asking for bribes or other payments. Apparently, the people posing as immigration officers are approaching individual foreigners and are inspecting establishments like factories, which tend to employ migrant workers. If approached by someone claiming to…
- Visa Information
Deadline to apply for “Covid” visa extension July 29; office closures
The deadline to apply for a 60-day special “Covid” visa extension is July 29, but many should apply at least a week prior as Immigration offices will be closed for public holidays during the last week of the month. Immigration offices in expat-dense areas tend to get packed during the days leading up to the deadlines. The special visa extension…
- Thailand News
Another data breach: Info leaked on Bangkok Immigration website
In the second data breach this week involving a Thai government website for foreign residents, the Bangkok Immigration site leaked personal details, such as passport numbers and visa information, of expats who registered for an appointment. Expat and local blogger on Thai news, Richard Barrow, posted screenshots of the data breach, with personal details redacted, saying the website is exposing…
- South Thailand News
Burmese migrants headed toward Malaysia arrested in Songkhla
Police arrest a group of Burmese migrants and an alleged guide from Myanmar in Songkhla’s Hat Yai district. Officers say the guide was leading the migrants from Moulmein, a city on Myanmar’s western coast, then across the Thai border to the southern province Ranong, headed toward Malaysia where they had jobs lined up. The migrants allegedly told police that they…
- Bangkok News
Immigration police in Bangkok arrest 2 people on fraud charges
Immigration police in Bangkok arrested a Japanese man and a Chinese man on fraud charges in separate cases. One suspect arrested for allegedly scamming people out of millions of baht and the other arrested for allegedly making fake electronic cards to make purchases online. The Japanese man, identified as ‘Yamada’, allegedly scammed 3 people by claiming he knew many influential…
- Visa Information
Thai Immigration says online system for 90 day reports is back up and running
The Thai Immigration’s online system for 90 day checks for foreigners living in Thailand is back up and running. So we’re told anyway. Expats should now be able to report their address every 3 months online rather than in person or by mail. The announcement was made on the immigration bureau’s Facebook page and was written in Thai. Just yesterday,…
- Visa Information
Foreigners advised to do 90 day reports by mail while Thai Immigration system is down
While the Thai Immigration’s online system for 90 day reporting is down (it’s been down for many of our readers who have been trying to do their 90 day reports for over 3 months), foreigners living in Thailand still need to report their address every 3 months. Deputy spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Natapanu Nopakun says there are…
- Northern Thailand News
Khon Kaen University terminates well-known American scholar after he allegedly participates in decentralisation workshop
Khon Kaen University’s famous American scholar, David Eirich Streckfuss, is now without a work permit after his participation in a workshop that partially involved decentralisation. The university terminated his work permit after immigration police paid him a vist, in what they say, was a routine interview for visa extensions. Streckfuss is an independent academic who oversees the Council on International…
- Phuket News
Foreigners seeking 60 day tourist visa extensions crowd Phuket Immigration
Many foreigners seeking to extend what some are calling the “Covid visa” crowded Phuket Immigration this morning. The queue stretched from the second floor, out the door and down the stairs at the front of the building. One man told the Phuket News that many were waiting to file a 60 day tourist visa extension. The visa extensions are intended…
- Visa Information
Russians in Pattaya arrested for allegedly selling fake bank statements for retirement visas
Police in Pattaya arrested a Russian man and woman for allegedly creating fake bank documents for retirement visas and selling the fraudulent paperwork to other foreigners. The suspects allegedly sold the fake documents to foreigners who did not have enough money in their bank account required under Thai law for a retirement visa, police say, according to Pattaya News. Retirement…
