Hundreds of foreigners/teachers arrested in nationwide operation X-Ray Outlaw Foreigner

[Dannie Boy]

Phuket joins bandit/outlaw/criminal/illegal foreigner crackdown ... Hua Hin next?

Phuket Immigration affirms commitment to ‘Operation X-ray Outlaw Foreigner’ crackdown

Phuket immigration officers say they are committed to the national crackdown called “Operation X-ray Outlaw Foreigner”, especially on visa overstayers.

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/ ... s/30356544

I have no problem with the authorities having a crackdown on illegal overstayers, but the priorities are elsewhere. It’s a pity that they don’t put that fleet of BMW’s to better use and have them out on the Highways looking for speeding/dangerous/drunk drivers!!

[caller]

That report quotes some serious numbers caught, but not what for or what happened to them?

I wonder if the Thais have ever considered reviewing their regs and considering whether that's where the problem lies? They tinkered with some minor stuff for the Chinese, but otherwise the fact the rules are tighter here, at a time when the number of Chinese visitors is dropping like the proverbial stone, doesn't bode well for future numbers of tourists.

[T.O.M.]

That report quotes some serious numbers caught, but not what for or what happened to them?

I wonder if the Thais have ever considered reviewing their regs and considering whether that's where the problem lies? They tinkered with some minor stuff for the Chinese, but otherwise the fact the rules are tighter here, at a time when the number of Chinese visitors is dropping like the proverbial stone, doesn't bode well for future numbers of tourists.

So according to your 'logic'.....If the Thai's relaxed the rules for Nigerians, Indians, Burmese and Pakistanis, who at the present are staying here illegally, that will to some extent make up for the shortfall of millions of Chinese tourists?
Makes sense.....

[caller]

So according to your 'logic'.....If the Thai's relaxed the rules for Nigerians, Indians, Burmese and Pakistanis, who at the present are staying here illegally, that will to some extent make up for the shortfall of millions of Chinese tourists?
Makes sense.....

No, oh smug one, I was referring to the situation in Phuket and perhaps naively, assuming that as hotels were raided, that many of the overstayers were actually good old fashioned tourists? Admittedly, it's hard to tell from the report, which straightfaced, reports the authorities as saying, 'we also discovered some overstayers' and then states, 'netted 583 overstayers'.

The point I am getting at is that if many are simply overstaying, either because they are under 50 and can't stay here legally for a longer time under the current regs, and assuming they're not all crooks and have sufficient funds to stay here, then maybe consideration should be given to a new category of long stayer?

That's all.

[Khundon1975]

Phuket joins bandit/outlaw/criminal/illegal foreigner crackdown ... Hua Hin next?

Phuket Immigration affirms commitment to ‘Operation X-ray Outlaw Foreigner’ crackdown

Phuket immigration officers say they are committed to the national crackdown called “Operation X-ray Outlaw Foreigner”, especially on visa overstayers.

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/ ... s/30356544

I have no problem with the authorities having a crackdown on illegal overstayers, but the priorities are elsewhere. It’s a pity that they don’t put that fleet of BMW’s to better use and have them out on the Highways looking for speeding/dangerous/drunk drivers!!

If they were to do that, they may well find that fleet of BMW’s are being driven by police and other officials who are drunk, or speeding and driving dangerously, or all three.

[christopher1]

Caller, when I first arrived here to live in 2002, the requirement for retirement was that you had to be 53. They are listening.

[VincentD]

Think there was a short article in either the Nation or The Bangkok Post about a week or so ago where the incumbent PM was moaning re the fate of some 120,000 illegal Thai workers in Taiwan and was trying to negotiate a solution? That article only stayed for a couple of hours and disappeared pretty quickly. One also wonders what happened to the poor hack who managed to dig up that 'newsworthy' article on a slow day..

[buksida]

Maybe he got bundled into a cell with all those criminal teachers and Burmese outlaws trying to make a living here.

[HHTel]

Caller, when I first arrived here to live in 2002, the requirement for retirement was that you had to be 53. They are listening.

Are you sure? I was here in 2002, extensions based on retirement. Thought it was always 50. I was 56 at the time, so you may be right.

[PeteC]

It was once 55 and it was that way for a long time. I don't think it was ever higher than that. Pete

[buksida]

xray.jpg (56.02 KiB) Viewed 438 times

This really is getting beyond a 'big joke' now - according to this social media post they're hitting tourist towns and searching outlaw/criminal/xray holidaymakers.

So glad the Thai immigration police are keeping the streets safe for us all and ignoring all the real criminals in their country, I can sleep better at night now.

[StevePIraq]

Absolutely nothing wrong in checking foreigners visa's in Pattaya or anywhere else. That is why you are required to carry your passport at all times.

Immigration police are not there to deal with "real" criminals, that is the role of the police.

[buksida]

That is why you are required to carry your passport at all times.

And we are all so righteous and law abiding that we all obey this totally ridiculous 'law'.

[StevePIraq]

I carry mine it is really not a problem, if you don't then you may have to deal with the issue one day. This is not the only country that requires a foreigner to carry their passport at all times.

[buksida]

No, I don't carry it - it is too valuable a document to risk losing at the whim of a xenophobic regime. I'll take the risk though I suppose that makes me an 'outlaw' now.