Thailand's immigration authorities have announced they will begin enforcing the new rules as of 20 March 2016. The website of Bangkok's Immigration Division 1 is carrying the announcement, which lists the penalty for those who overstay their visa.
The announcement states that a foreigner who has already overstayed beyond his or her permitted date in the kingdom must leave Thailand before the enforcement date (for which the fine is Bt500 per day of overstay but not exceeding Bt20,000), while those who have overstayed and do not leave before this date will be banned from re-entering Thailand according to the new penalties.
There will be two categories in the overstay penalty structure - one being for a foreigner who turns him or herself into authorities and the other for a foreigner who is arrested and prosecuted by authorities.
A foreigner surrendering to authorities who has overstayed for more than 90 days will be banned from re-entering Thailand for 1 year, who has overstayed for more than 1 year will be banned for three years, who has overstayed for more than 3 years will be banned for five years or who has overstayed for more than five years will be banned for 10 years.
A foreigner who is arrested and found to have overstayed for less than 1 year will be banned from re-entering for five years, while if the overstay is more than one year the ban will be 10 years.
The period in which the foreigner is banned from re-entering begins from the date he or she departs Thailand.
The website announcement states that the new visa overstay rules do not apply to a foreigner who departs the country before the age of 18.
The advice from one international law firm in Thailand, BSA Law, is for foreigners in Thailand to familiarize themselves with the new visa overstay rules. "The Thai government and immigration authorities are increasingly cracking down on the practice of overstaying, including the implementation of stricter penalties such as these new rules that will come into effect in March", said BSA Law spokesman Apisakdi Kongkangwanchoke.
Such a law firm in Thailand can provide well founded advice and assistance on matters relating to the Thai visa service, as well as how to go about getting a Thailand work permit for those planning to stay and work in the kingdom. Many a foreigner employed in Thailand will use the services of a Thai law firm to help them file their personal income tax each year, which Thai law requires them to do the same as their Thai colleagues.
BSA Law, like other law firms, offers a comprehensive range of legal and financial services including in the areas of tax consulting, accounting, auditing, Thai labour law, corporate law, contracts, property, intellectual property, insurance, investment and starting a business in Thailand.
The announcement of the new visa overstay rules follows an earlier warning that indicated foreigners who overstay their Thailand visa could start to be blacklisted by the immigration authorities starting in March 2016.
Commissioner of the Immigration Bureau Pol. Lt. Gen. Nathathorn Prousoontorn had been quoted in Thai media as saying the existing Thai law for overstaying was weak, with fines of up to a maximum of Bt20,000.
Meanwhile, Thailand in 2015 received a record 29.88 million international tourist arrivals and the tourism and sports minister, Kobkarn Wattanavrangkul, said arrivals in 2016 were expected to hit another record of 32 million although she emphasized this was a calculation rather an official target.
Source : articlesbase.com
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