Integrity Legal

This blog routinely posts about issues related to Thailand visas and Thai Permanent Residence in an effort to provide some information on these issues to the general public. It would appear that there is some consternation among foreign nationals in Thailand who are awaiting the adjudication of Thai permanent residence applications at the Ministry of Interior.  To quote directly from a recent opinion piece on the website PhuketGazette.net:

PHUKET: It’s time for the Ministry of Interior (MoI) to set up a special task force to begin fast-tracking the processing of the huge backlog of permanent residency (PR) applications it is now sitting on in silence.

Such a move would have multiple benefits for all parties involved, including, especially, foreign investors (potential and extant) and Thailand’s all-important tourism industry.

For reasons that have apprently never been divulged by the MoI, the stacks of stale PR applications, submitted in good faith and at great expense by law-abiding, long resident “visitors” to Thailand, continue to gather dust at the ministry.[sic]

Those reading this blog are highly encouraged to click upon the hyperlinks above to learn more about this issue.

Clearly, this is a significant issue for foreign nationals in Thailand, especially those who have been in Thailand for a long enough duration so as to be eligible to apply for Thailand Permanent Resident status. Those holding permanent resident status in Thailand are permitted to be placed upon a Tabien Baan (also referred to as a house registration booklet). This should not be confused with a Yellow Tabien Baan or Foreign Tabien Baan which allows foreign nationals, without Permanent Residence status, to obtain a house booklet under certain circumstances.

Unlike the United States Permanent Resident process, the Thai PR process can be quite long and cumbersome. Many have noted that there currently exists a substantial backlog of Thailand Permanent Resident status applications as there have yet to be any new Permanent Residence booklets issued for many years.

Those wishing to obtain Thailand Permanent Residence should note that this status is highly coveted amongst foreign nationals while simultaneously being difficult to obtain. Those seeking permanent residence in Thailand are only eligible after remaining in Thailand on Thai visa extensions for a period not less than 3 years. Also, most permanent residence applicants must also have maintained a Thai work permit for a significant period of time at a salary level which comports with relevant Thai Ministry regulations.

There is a common misconception about Thailand regarding the country’s immigration procedures. Many from so-called “Western” countries do not understand that Thais take immigration issues quite seriously and make rules and regulations which could be described as stringent. This is especially true in matters pertaining to Thai permanent residence as Thai PR applications are capped by a nationality quota and subjected to intense scrutiny by the Royal Thai Immigration Police and the Thai Ministry of Interior. Therefore, those thinking of applying for Thai permanent residence are well advised to conduct research into the issue and, in some cases, retain qualified counsel to assist in such an undertaking.

For related information please see: Thai Visa.

Tags: Blue Tabien Baan, Foreign Tabien Baan, Permanent Residence in Thailand, Permanent Resident in Thailand, Royal Thai Immigration Police, Tabien Baan, Tambien Baan, Thai Immigration, Thai Ministry of Interior, Thai permanent residence, Thai Permanent Resident, Thai PR, Thai Visa, Thailand Immigration, Thailand Ministry of Interior, Thailand Permanent Residence, Thailand Permanent Resident, Thailand PR, Thailand Visa, Yellow Tabien Baan
Posted in Thailand Visa | No Comments »

ผู้ที่ติดตามอ่านบล็อกนี้อาจจะสังเกตว่าประเด็นเรื่องการเข้าเมืองของประเทศไทยเป็นเรื่องที่มีการถกเถียงกันอยู่บ่อยครั้ง เมื่อเร็วๆนี้ ผู้เขียนเห็นว่า มีเรื่องที่น่าสนใจคือการอนุญาตให้กลับเข้าไปใหม่ในไทยที่สนามบินสุรรณภูมิในกรุงเทพ อ้างจากเว็บไซต์ทางการของสนามบินสุวรรณภูมิ

ขั้นตอนการกลับเข้ามาอีกครั้งและหลักเกณฑ์ของสนามบินสุวรรณภูมิ

1.      คนต่างด้าวต้องยื่นแบบฟอร์มด้วยตัวเอง

2.      วันที่ยื่นแบบฟอร์มต้องเป็นวันที่เดินทางออก

3.      เตรียมเอกสารที่ต้องใช้ ดังนี้

-          พาสปอร์ต หรือเอกสารการเดินทาง (ต้นฉบับและสำเนา 1 ฉบับ)

-          รูปถ่ายปัจจุบัน (ขนาด4X6 เซนติเมตร )

-          ค่าธรรมเนียม แบบครั้งเดียว 1,000 บาท

-          แบบหลายครั้ง 3,800 บาท

4.      ยื่นแบบฟอร์มและเอกสารดังกล่าวที่ส่วนงานคนเข้าเมืองขาออก(ฝั่งตะวันออก) ที่สนามบินสุวรรณภูมิ

5.      เปิดให้บริการทุกวัน

บทความก่อนหน้านี้ที่อยู่ในบล็อก ผู้เขียนได้กล่าวถึงมุมมองของการกลับเข้าเมืองอีกครั้งหนึ่งและอย่างไรก็ตามอาจจะขอได้อีกครั้งที่สนามบินสุวรรณภูมิเนื่องจากถูกคัดค้านที่สำนักงานการตรวจคนเข้าเมืองแจ้งวัฒนะ ปรากฏอย่างชัดแจ้งว่า จากมุมมองดังกล่าว การอนุญาตให้กลับมาอีกครั้งหนึ่งนั้นชาวต่างชาติผู้ที่กำลังจะเดินทางออกไปสามารถดำเนินการได้มที่สนามบิน

สำหรับผู้ที่ไม่คุ้นเคยกับนโยบายและกฎที่เกี่ยวข้องกับการเข้าเมืองของไทย บางคนที่อยู่ในประเทศไทยและถือวีซ่าไทยต้องได้รับการอนุญาตที่จะกลลับเข้ามาอีกครั้งหหนึ่งก่อนที่เขาจะเดินทางออกนอกประเทศไทย สำหรับผู้ที่ไม่ได้รับการอนุญาตให้กลับเข้ามาอีกครั้งหนึ่งก่อนที่จะเดินทางออกไปนั้นอาจจะสูญเสียวีซ่าไทยในช่วงที่เดินทางออกไปได้ ด้วยเหตุผลนี้ ผู้ที่ยังคงถือวีซ่าไทยและประสงค์ที่จะกลับเข้ามายังประเทศไทยควรจะได้รับการอนุญาตกลับเข้ามาอีกครั้งหนึ่ง คำถามที่มักพบบ่อยคือ ถ้ายังอยู่ในประเทศไทยฐานะที่ได้รับการยกเว้นวีซ่าแล้วต้องขออนุญาตกลับเข้ามาใหม่หรือไม่ คำตอบสั้นๆคือ ไม่ ผู้ที่เข้าประเทศไทยโดยการได้รับการยกเว้นวีซ่าไทยไม่สามารถที่จะได้รับการอนุญาตกลับเข้ามาอีกเนื่องจากว่าในทางเทคนิคเขาไม่ได้ครอบครองวีซ่าไทยที่สมบูรณ์ ผู้ที่อยู่ในประเทศไทยระหว่างการขยายระยะเวลาวีซ่าต้องได้รับการอนุญาตให้กลับเข้ามาก่อนที่จะเดินทางออกเนื่องจากเกรงว่า ชาวต่างชาติจะไม่อยู่ในสถานะเดิมหากเดินทางออก  เป็นเช่นเดียวกับผู้ที่อยู่ในประเทศไทยอย่างถูกต้องตามกฎหมายฐานะเป็นผู้มีถิ่นฐานถาวร ผู้มีถิ่นฐานถาวรในประเทศไทยต้องได้รับการอนุญาตที่จะเดินทางออกนอกประเทศในขณะเดียวกันยังคงมีสถานะทางกฎหมายในราชอาณาจักรหรือมิฉะนั้นอาจจะพบกับการเสียสถานะในขณะที่เดินทางออกไป

ผู้ที่อยู่ในประเทศไทยด้วยวีซ่าไทยหนึ่งปีแบบที่สามารถเดินทางเข้าออกประเทศไทยได้หลายครั้งไม่ควรจะได้รับการอนุญาตกลับเข้ามาอีกเมื่อเดินทางออกนอกประเทศไทยแล้ว แต่ผู้ที่ถือวีซ่าแบบที่สามารถเดินทางเข้าออกประเทศไทยได้หลายครั้งโดยทั่วไปแล้วต้องเดินทางออกนอกอาณาจักรอย่างน้อยทุกๆ 90 วันเพื่อที่จะรักษาสถานะทางกฎหมาย

To view this posting in English please see: Thailand visa

Tags: Thai Immigration, Thai Reentry Permit, Thai Visa, Thailand Immigration, Thailand Visa, การกลับเข้ามาในเมืองไทย, การเข้าเมืองของประเทศไทย, การเข้าเมืองไทย, คนเข้าเมืองในประเทศไทย, วีซ่าไทย, สนามบินสุวรรณภูมิิ
Posted in วีซ่าไทย | No Comments »

Those who read this blog may likely have noticed that the issue of Thai immigration is a frequent topic of discussion. Recently, this author came upon an interesting announcement regarding the issuance of Thai reentry permits at the Suvarnabhumi International Airport in Bangkok, Thailand. The following is quoted directly from the official website of Suvarnabhumi International Airport:

In a previous posting on this blog, the administration pondered the prospect of Thai reentry permits and whether they would ever again be available at the airport as opposed to the Royal Thai Immigration Headquarters at Chaeng Wattana. It would appear that from this point onwards, Thai reentry permits will be available to departing foreign nationals at the airport.

For those who are unfamiliar with the protocols and rules associated with Thai immigration, anyone present in the Kingdom of Thailand on a Thai visa must obtain a reentry permit prior to leaving the Kingdom of Thailand. Those who fail to obtain a Thai reentry permit prior to departing Thailand may lose their Thai visa status upon departure. For this reason, reentry permits should be obtained by anyone in Thai visa status who wishes to return to Thailand. A frequently asked question in this vein is: do I need a reentry permit if I am present in the Kingdom on a visa exemption? The short answer: no. Those who enter the country on a Thailand visa exemption cannot obtain a reentry permit as they are not technically in possession of a valid Thai visa. Those present in the Kingdom of Thailand on a Thai visa extension are required to obtain a Thai reentry permit prior to departure lest the foreign national fall out of status entirely upon departing Thailand. The same can be said for those who are present in Thailand with lawful permanent residence. A Permanent Resident in Thailand must receive authorization to leave the country whilst simultaneously maintaining lawful status in the Kingdom or else face the prospect of falling entirely out of status upon departure.

Those who are present in the Kingdom of Thailand on a multiple entry one year Thai visa should not need to obtain a Thai reentry permit when departing the Kingdom, but those with a multiple entry visa are generally required to depart the Kingdom at least every 90 days in order to maintain lawful status.

Fore related information please see: Thailand business visa or Thai Work Permit.

Tags: Multiple Entry Thai Visa, Multiple Entry Thailand Visa, One Year Thai Visa, One Year Thailand Visa, Reentry Permit, Suvarnabhumi, Suvarnabhumi International Airport, Thai B Visa, Thai Business Visa, Thai Immigration, Thai O Visa, Thai permanent residence, Thai Reentry Permit, Thai Retirement Visa, Thai Visa, Thai Visa Extension, Thai Visas, Thai Work Permit, Thailand B Visa, Thailand Business Visa, Thailand ED Visa, Thailand Education Visa, Thailand Immigration, Thailand o visa, Thailand Permanent Residence, Thailand Reentry Permit, Thailand Retirement Visa, Thailand Visa, Thailand visa extension, Thailand Visas
Posted in News, Thailand Business, Thailand Visa, Thailand Work Permit | No Comments »

The following was posted on the official website of the US Embassy in Bangkok, Thailand:

At the time of this writing, the US Embassy in Bangkok is closed to those seeking routine services due to the unrest in the areas near the Embassy compound. In Bangkok, the situation seems to have stabilized. However, the city remains tense as most Bangkok residents seem to be hoping for an end to the unpleasantness and a return to relative normality.

On a related note, the Thai Tourism Industry is preparing for a major downturn moving forward. To quote the website ThaiVisa.com:

Thailand’s violent political turmoil has had a “disastrous” effect on the vital tourism sector, the country’s finance minister said Friday, stressing that the overall economy remained sound. “Tourism in value terms accounts for six percent of our GDP,” Finance Minister Korn Chatikavanij told a Tokyo conference, adding that the sector also accounts for “as much as 15 to 20 percent of the total employment.” “And clearly, with the events that took place over the past several weeks, and the pictures of these events flashing across TV screens across the world, it is going to have a very disastrous impact on tourism.” Thai security forces on Wednesday crushed a six-week protest by anti-government protesters in street battles that left 15 people dead and saw arsonists torch some 36 key buildings across the capital Bangkok. The stock exchange and the nation’s biggest shopping mall were among locations torched in the chaotic aftermath of the campaign to end the “Red Shirt” protesters’ occupation of Bangkok’s top retail district. Korn said that “we anticipate that the impact on the GDP of the protest so far is probably between 0.3 and 0.5 percent of GDP.” However, he stressed that the wider economic picture was sound in the kingdom, telling the conference that “we expect the formal Q1 (first quarter) figure to be in two digits” this year.

As we have previously discussed on this blog, the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs has waived fees for Thai Tourist Visas. However, the fees associated with applications for the Thai business visa and the Thai O visa remain the same.

For further information about attorney assistance with Consular Processing of US visa applications please see: US Embassy. For further information about closure of the US Embassy in Thailand please see: US Embassy Bangkok. Finally, to learn more about Thai Immigration please see: Thai Visa.

Tags: Bangkok Riots, O visa, Thai Business Visa, Thai Immigration, Thai Tourist Visa, Thai Visa, Thailand Business Visa, Thailand o visa, Thailand Riots, Thailand Tourism, us embassy bangkok, US Embassy Bangkok closed, us embassy thailand, US Embassy Thailand Closed
Posted in Thailand Visa, us embassy bangkok, US Embassy Thailand | No Comments »

Newspaper personnel for both the Bangkok Post and The Nation have been instructed to evacuate. It has been recently announced on both the website for the Bangkok Post as well as the website for the Nation Newspaper that their staffs have been instructed to evacuate and go home. The following is a direct quotation from the Nation’s website:

Nation Multimedia Group told its staff to leave the office at 3:15 pm following reports that angry protesters were heading to attack the office.

As has been previously noted on this website, the US Embassy Bangkok recently announced that their non-essential personnel have been evacuated and that their facilities will be closed for non-emergency matters until at least May 21, 2010.

Thai government offices in Bangkok are currently on holiday. However, this author has heard unconfirmed reports that Thai Immigration offices are still operating. That being said, this is mere anecdotal speculation as there is a great deal of confusion in the city at the time of this writing.

Tags: Bangkok Post, Bangkok Post Closed, Thai Immigration, The Nation, The Nation Closed, us embassy bangkok
Posted in News | No Comments »

In a recent posting on the popular website Thaivisa.com it was noted that the United States of America has honored an extradition request from Thai authorities that a suspect in a “drug gang” be extradited to the Kingdom of Thailand. The following is quoted from ThaiVisa.com:

BANGKOK: — Suwit “Cheng” Prasoprat, a member of the China-based “14K” drug gang, was handed over to Thai authorities on Sunday, nine years after a request for his extradition was filed, deputy attorney-general Thavorn Panichpan said yesterday.

Thavorn said members of the drug gang fled overseas after police investigators filed a case in February 2001 against Thaveewit Krairattanareuk, 46, plus Suwit and four others for having 3.6 tonnes of heroin destined for the US, and the attorney-general agreed to prosecute the gang.

Once it was discovered that Suwit was lying low in the US, Thai authorities filed an extradition request in March 2001, which was approved by an American court. However, Suwit appealed against the extradition in 2002, and though the Appeal Court upheld the lower court ruling, he appealed again to the Supreme Court. On April 19 this year, the US authorities notified Thailand that the extradition request had finally been approved and Suwit arrived in Bangkok on Sunday.

Lawyer Rewat Chanprasert said they previously extradited Boonsong Mekpongsathorn, 60, another suspect in the same case who also fled to the US.

Boonsong had been given the death sentence by the Thon Buri Criminal Court in January 2005, and the case was now with the Appeal Court. Thaveewit and another suspect, Komsak Kornjamrassakul, 50, were given life sentences in June 2001 and are now appealing their jail terms.

Narcotics Suppression Bureau chief Pol Lt-General Adithep Panjamanont said court permission would be sought to detain Suwit for a week pending further investigation, before the case was handed to prosecutors. He said the case stemmed from an arrest in 1998 over the possession of 126 kg of heroin on its way to the United States.

Police inquiries showed that Suwit, a Thai man with two nationalities and an address in the US, plus accomplices in China and Hong Kong known as the 14K gang, had carried out criminal activities in Thailand including arms deals, human trafficking and drug dealing.

Thai and US authorities worked together on the case until they had enough evidence for arrest warrants for Suwit and Boonsong in 2001, he said.

Adithep added that the police would extend the investigation to cover money-laundering and other criminal charges on Thai soil against Suwit, his accomplices and the 14K gang.

It was also reported that there are two other suspects in the same case – Suchat Rakraeng, who remains at large, and Kriengkrai Diewtrakul, who is in a Chiang Rai prison for another crime.

In an increasingly “globalized” world, cross-jurisdictional cooperation is becoming evermore commonplace. In the scenario described above, it is interesting to note that the subject is being extradited back to Thailand. There are some who speculate that as Thai authorities connect their computer systems to international warrant databases an increased number of foreign nationals residing in Thailand will be extradited to foreign jurisdictions as a result of increasing requests for extradition. Whether or not this will actually occur remains to be seen, but it is interesting to note the increasing trend of intergovernmental cooperation on an international level.

It should be noted that Royal Thai Immigration Police have begun integrating their system with warrant and criminal databases around the world. Therefore, there is reason to believe that this inter-connectivity could have a dramatic impact of Thai visa issuance and Immigration procedures in the future.

Tags: Extradition, Royal Thai Immigration Police, Thai Criminal Warrant, Thai Immigration, Thai Warrant USA, Thailand Criminal Warrant, Thailand Extradition, US Criminal Warrant, US Extradition, US warrant, US Warrant Thailand, warrant
Posted in Department of Homeland Security, Extradition, General Legal Information, Thailand Visa, US Warrants, USCBP | No Comments »

Traveling to the United States of America, for any purpose, can be a costly and arduous endeavor. Recently the American Immigration Lawyers Association distributed a a memorandum that was promulgated by the United States Customs and Border Protection (USCBP) Service. In this memorandum the Foreign Affairs Manual was referenced. The following is a direct quotation from that memorandum:

“The Department of State (DOS) recently revised 9 FAM 41.104 Exhibit I, entitled, “Countries that Extend Passport Validity for an Additional Six Months after Expiration.” The Inspector’s Field Manual (IFM) Appendix 15.2 will be amended to reflect the new DOS 6-month list.”

The Inspectors Field Manual is important because it notes the countries that will extend passport validity by six months past the date of passport expiration. The memorandum goes further and discusses specific countries that will no longer be recognized as allowing this type of extension past the underlying passport’s validity:

“Among the countries that have been removed from the 6-month list since the last revision of the IFM are the following: Bangladesh, Cuba, Ecuador, Holy See, Italy, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Laos, Oman, Russia, Senegal, Sudan, Syria, and Togo.“

We have posted this information in order to better inform those travelers from the aforementioned countries who are accustomed to traveling to the USA on a passport with little, or no, official validity left. It would be unfortunate for an individual from one of the countries listed above to travel to the USA only to find that they are inadmissible due to the fact that they no longer have a travel document that is recognized as valid by United States Customs and Border Protection.

Thai Authorities generally require that those applying for a Thai visa have at least 6 months of stated validity on their passport. This is due to the fact that Thai officials do not like to issue visas with a validity that stretches substantially past the the date of the underlying passport’s validity period. In some cases, a Thai tourist visa can be obtained when there is little validity left on the passport, but these cases are rare. In cases involving the multiple entry one year Thai business visa or the one year Thai O visa, it has become practically a hard and fast rule that the validity of the passport be more than 6 months before a visa will be issued.

For further information about passports and travel to the USA please see: US Visa Thailand. For further insight into Thai Immigration matters please see: Thailand visa.

Tags: passport, Thai Immigration, Thai O Visa, Thai Visa, Thailand Business Visa, Thailand Immigration, Thailand Visa, United States Customs and Border Protection, US Immigration, US Visa, US Visa Thailand, USCBP
Posted in Department of Homeland Security, General Legal Information, Thailand Visa, US Visa and Immigration, US Visa Thailand, USCBP | No Comments »

In previous posts, this author has discussed visa runs and border runs. Another common method of obtaining lawful status in the form of a Thai visa is by traveling to Thai Embassies and Consulates outside of the Kingdom of Thailand. This can be a difficult endeavor for some, but the difficulty can be increased as Embassies and Consulates change their internal rules frequently. This is a by-product of doctrines similar to that of Consular Absolutism also known as Consular NonReviewability. This doctrine states, in a nutshell, that Consular Officers are given wide latitude to use their own discretion when making factual determinations about visa issuance.

Recently, this author has learned that the Royal Thai Embassy Kuala Lumpur will no longer issue the 1 year multiple entry Thai business visa to those with a work permit that is valid for less than 7 months. In the past, it was routine to see the 1 year Thailand business visa issued to those with a valid work permit regardless of the duration of its validity. Now, it seems that only a 90 day business visa will be granted to those with a Thai work permit that is valid for less than 7 months.

In recent years, the Thailand work permit and the Thailand visa have been effectively “decoupled” in the sense that one is no longer necessarily dependent upon the other. For a long period of time one had to have a work permit in order to obtain a Thai visa extension. Once that extension was obtained one needed to then extend the work permit so that the two documents’ validity were in sync. This has changed as the Ministry of Labour is more apt to grant a 1 year work permit to first time applicants and then the applicant can easily obtain a visa extension. The side effect of this system is that Thai Embassies and Consulates are increasingly less willing to issue one year Thai visas since their personnel view the decision regarding issuance of such a long term travel document ought to be made by the Royal Thai Immigration Police in the Kingdom of Thailand.

When analyzed, this policy makes sense as the Royal Thai Immigration Police in Thailand are often better equipped to adjudicate visa extension requests. However, there are often very compelling reasons why an applicant would wish to obtain a 1 year multiple entry visa from outside of Thailand. One notable reason, such a travel document would not require the issuance of a Thai Reentry Permit as would be necessary if a one year visa extension were issued.

It should be noted that each Thai Consular and/or Diplomatic Post has a different set of rules with regard to visa issuance so what is the rule at one post may not be the same at another.

Tags: Consular Absolutism, Consular Nonreviewability, Royal Thai Embassy, Royal Thai Embassy Kuala Lumpur, Thai Embassy KL, Thai Embassy Kuala Lumpur, Thai Immigration, Thai Visa, Thai Visas, Thai Work Permit, Thailand Embassy Kuala Lumpur, Thailand Immigration, Thailand Visa, Thailand Visas, Thailand Work Permit, Visa Thailand, work permit Thailand
Posted in Legal Opinion, Thai Embassy Kuala Lumpur, Thailand Business, Thailand Embassy, Thailand Visa | No Comments »

In a recent posting of the website ThaiVisa.com, the issue of Thai tourist was discussed in the context of Thai Immigration. Frequent readers of this blog will remember that until March of this year, Thai Tourism officials, in conjunction with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, had been granting tourist visas to Thailand free of charge. Apparently, this program is to be extended. The following is quoted from ThaiVisa.com:

“The Ministry of Tourism and Sports has extended tourism stimulus measures for one year until 31 March 2011 to assist tourism related entrepreneurs who were affected from the demonstration of the United Front of Democracy Against Dictatorship (UDD). Tourism and Sports Minister Chumpol Silapa-archa announced on Thursday that the ministry has resolved to extend the assistance measures to help tourism related entrepreneurs while road show activities must be organized on a continuous basis to further stimulate tourism. The stimulus measures include the exemption of visa fees for foreign tourists, travel insurance for foreign tourists of not more than 10,000 USD, low interest rate loans, and extension of loan payment periods.”

Hopefully, these measures will provide a benefit to Thailand’s struggling tourism sector which will likely be adversely impacted by the unrest in Bangkok that has occurred over the recent weeks. The report went on:

“The minister added that the number of tourists travelling [sic] into Thailand at airports in general have not decreased, but on the other hand, is more than the number in the same period last year because the figure last year was very low. Mr Chumpol admitted that tour bookings in Bangkok would be affected from the mass rally of the UDD now taking place at Ratchaprasong Intersection. However, those in other areas, especially in the southern islands of Phuket and Samui would not be affected.”

This author would argue that although Tourism has been impacted by recent events in Thailand. There may be another explanation for the seemingly lower tourism figures (or at least the lower numbers of people pursuing Thai Tourist visas). One of the causes could be the fact that more and more tourists in Thailand are “Long Stay” tourists, meaning that they prefer to remain for 3,6, 9, or even 12 months at a time. Many such travelers prefer to come to Thailand using an O visa as such a visa can be granted with a validity as long as one year. Others prefer to use a Thailand business visa. A Thai business visa provides the benefit of creating a foundation for a Thai work permit application should the need for such documentation arise. Although an individual present in the Kingdom on a business visa does not strictly meet the definition of “tourist,” many people come to Thailand using a “B” visa and conduct business meetings in Thailand before pursuing more recreational activities.

Tags: Free Thai Tourist Visa, Free Thailand Tourist Visa, Free Thailand Tourist Visas, Free Tourist Visa Thailand, Long Stay Thailand, Long Stay Visa Thailand, long term visa Thailand, O Visa Thailand, Thai Business Visa, Thai Immigration, Thai Long Stay Visa, Thai Long Term Visa, Thai O Visa, Thai Visa, Thailand Business Visa, Thailand o visa, Thailand Tourism
Posted in Thailand Business, Thailand Visa, Thailand Work Permit | No Comments »

Work Permits can be a major issue for those engaging in non-recreational activity in Thailand. Thaivisa. com is reporting that some of those involved with the King’s Cup Regatta were worried that the Ministry of Labour and the Royal Thai Immigration Police may crackdown on foreigners participating in the Regatta. The reason for the possible crackdown was supposedly to be due to unsanctioned employment-like activity. Fortunately, as Thaivisa.com is reporting, rumors of a crackdown are unfounded as authorities have stated that no sailors will be detained for work permit violations connected with the event.

Quoting Thaivisa.com:

Rumors of an imminent crackdown on foreign sailors taking part in the King’s Cup Regatta over work permit violations are untrue, the head of Phuket Immigration has confirmed. A thread on the popular Thai Visa web forum yesterday started with the post:  ’Latest from Phuket Town… raiding King’s Cup regatta tomorrow for professional sailors without work permits….’ As Immigration Police would have to play a role in any such crackdown, the Gazette contacted Phuket Immigration Police Superintendent Col Chanatpol Yongbunjerd to see if the rumor was true; it wasn’t, and isn’t. ‘I guarantee that such arrests won’t happen,’ he said.”

Although it may seem trivial, some officials take work permit violations very seriously. As a result, some activities which foreigners consider to be “non-employment,” are used as a basis for fining or detaining individuals in the Kingdom for violations of Thai Labor law.

Immediately following the relatively recent Tsunami in Southern Thailand, many volunteers arrived to assist in relief efforts. Some of these volunteers were disturbed to be informed by Thai authorities that they were in violation of Thai labor regulations. To quote Thailandqa.com:

“‘More than 1,000 foreign volunteers from about 25 countries helping tsunami survivors rebuild shattered lives were outraged yesterday to hear they face legal action by the Labour Ministry unless they have a work permit. Sombat Boonngam-anong, director of the Chiang Rai-based Krajok Ngao Foundation, said confusion and anger reigned among the foreign volunteers at Khao Lak in Phangnga’s Takua Pa district when a Labour Ministry official told a local English-language newspaper that they were required to register with the ministry for a work permit otherwise legal action would be taken against them starting March 1.’ — Bangkok Post, 2nd March 2005, PENCHAN CHAROENSUTHIPAN”

Normally, in order for a foreign national to obtain a Thai work permit the applicant must also present a validly issued Thai visa. Many Thailand visa categories enable the bearer to apply for a work permit. However, the most optimal visa category to support a work permit is the business visa. Unfortunately, it can be difficult to obtain a Thai business visa from a Thailand Embassy or Consulate abroad and therefore many opt to stay in Thailand on tourist visas or exemption stamps. Neither of these documents, on their own, can be used as a basis for submitting a Thai work permit application. Therefore, those wishing to work in the Kingdom should seriously consider applying for a proper visa prior to arrival.

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Posted in General Legal Information, Thailand Business, Thailand Embassy, Thailand Visa, Weird Law | No Comments »