Thailand: tougher rules on foreign overstays proposed

Immigration police say these are just a few of the estimated 800,000 foreigners who are in Thailand on passports and papers that have expired (Source :Bangkokpost)

New tougher rules proposed barring foreigners overstaying their permits in Thailand from re-entering the kingdom for a longer period of time.

Accordingly, the Thailand Immigration Bureau proposed on October 25 that Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha issue stiffer bans on foreigners found guilty of overstaying in the country for one to 10 years.

The move is aimed to cut 80 percent down from the current crop of overstays, which is estimated at 800,000 people.

The bureau chief, Lieutenant General Nathathorn Prousoontorn, said in cases of overstaying of more than 90 days to one year, the re-entry ban will be one year.

In cases of overstaying between more than one year and three years, the ban from re-entry will be three years, while those found guilty of overstaying between more than three years and five years will face a five-year re-entry ban.

Those found guilty of overstaying more than five years could be prohibited from entering the country for a decade.

He added that 9,265 foreigners have been arrested in a nationwide crackdown on illegal migrants, 97.5 percent of whom were accused of violating the immigration law.-VNA