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Thailand Immigration Update: Information About Further Crackdowns

Transcript of the above video:

In this video today, as the title suggests, we're going to be providing some information about further crackdowns which have been initiated by Thai Immigration Police in the past few weeks.

Recent article from littleindia.com.  The title is "Indians among 117 foreign nationals in ongoing crackdown in Thailand. Quoting directly, this article was written on March 17th 2018, quoting directly. “Results of the fourth X-ray Outlaw Foreigner operation during which police conducted searches at 111 sites across Thailand were announced by Tourist police Deputy Commissioner. A total of 84 foreigners were arrested for entering the country illegally including 25 Indians, 31 Myanmar Nationals, 18 Laotians, 4 Cambodians, 1 Vietnamese, 1 Iraqi 2 Nigerians and one Afghan; the nationality of one suspect is still unknown. It should be added that 20 foreigners were arrested for overstaying their tourist visas  the list comprised 5 Indians, 2 Egyptians , a Russian,  a Dutch, a  Laotian, a Myanmar National, 4 Cambodians, 2 Chinese, 1 Vietnamese and one person from Qatar. Also 13 foreigners were arrested for working without permits or working at a job that is not permitted which included 8 Vietnamese and 5 Myanmar nationals as well as a Thai employer.  The DNA samples of the accused will be taken and they will be blacklisted from reentering into the country for a period of time based on their violations”.

So what to take away from this?  A couple of things. First of all clearly immigration authorities here in Thailand are taking immigration matters more seriously than they have in the past, in fact they are being far more proactive in their enforcement programs, if you will. The other thing that I found interesting to take away from this is first of all they noted in there that the DNA of these individuals will be taken so I am assuming fingerprints etc. That being said, I am assuming that that will mean there will be some sort of bio-metric database presumably kept with respect to those who are being blacklisted so where in the past one might get deported from Thailand and figure out some way abroad to sort of,  for lack of a better term, sneak back in the country, it appears clear to me that the enforcement apparatus and the identification mechanisms utilized by immigration authorities in the Kingdom, it looks like they are being upgraded and I think they're going to see situations where it is going to become far less likely to be able to get into Thailand once one is blacklisted especially during the blacklisting period. 

As previously noted in another video on this channel, in fact a couple of other videos on this channel regarding blacklisting specifically, there are specific time frames that one will be blacklisted from reentering in the Kingdom depending on the circumstances of their deportation. So if one is for example arrested and then it's found out that that individual is in overstay, there are significantly more stringent penalties associated with future immigration privileges when you compare it with someone who just leaves the country and the over stay is discovered at the time of their departure. Again as discussed in a previous video on this channel, there are various fines associated with overstaying in the Kingdom. Those who voluntarily depart the country generally pay their fine at the airport and move on. Those who are arrested in the Kingdom on other charges or are found as in a situation like this where there is a raid, they can be detained at the immigration detention center before being deported. This can be NOT a particularly positive developments development for somebody who is here in the Kingdom so those who are in overstay should seriously think about getting their visas in order. Those who are detained should seriously consider getting legal assistance in order to get them essentially extricated expeditiously as possible.

So the thing to take away from this video just generally is, the Crackdown on immigration continues. I don't see it lightning up anytime soon. If anything, I think the overwhelming policy or at least the implicit overwhelming policy is probably going to be one of more stringent regulations not of more laxity.