Transcript of the above video:

As the title of this video suggests, we are talking about Thai Immigration. I thought of making this video after reading a very good article and recent article from Thai Examiner, that is thaiexaminer.com. As usual, that website does an in-depth look in this article titled: Crackdown on foreign tourism abuses with police in hotspots targeting Chinese and Russian gangs. That is the title of the article. As per usual, we are going to quote a small excerpt here so I can do the analysis on it. This article is pretty broad and it has got a lot of good information in there. I would urge those who are watching this video, go check that out for yourself. Quoting directly: "The crackdown involves targeting firms licensed in the foreign tourism sector run by foreigners that are not on a pre-approved list while police in tourists hot spots such as Phuket are also reining in the illegal involvement of foreigners here, staying on extended visas, in commercial activities related to the industry especially residents from China, Russian and Eastern Europe." Quoting further: "Officers were briefed on 10 different potential offenses as the basis for charges that can be brought against such people under both the Tourism Business and Guide Act and the Immigration Act according to a briefing given to all officers at an assembly held in Phuket on Thursday, April 27th and addressed by the Tourist Police Deputy Chief on his visit." 

So they don't say what the 10 different potential offenses are. I think they are probably not going to tip their hand on that one so to speak. But, bear in mind, yeah Thai Immigration is heightening their scrutiny if you will of foreigners conducting business activities in Thailand with a specific eye on it looks to me like foreign nationals engaging in labour activities that are deemed to be solely within the bailiwick of Thais. So again as usual it kind of comes down, as they say and kind of in the preliminary lead up to the forthcoming election in the United States I have heard a lot of people saying "hey it's the economy stupid!" which is an old trope of American politics if you will. And again I think that Immigration stance with regard to foreign labour in Thailand, it very much comes from the same kind of place. Thailand is very cognizant of its economy; Thai Officials are cognizant of the fact foreign Nationals may want to come here and participate in the economy and there are legal methodologies of doing that but to believe that you can come in and just kind of engage in whatever commerce in Thailand in an unfettered way and there won't be consequences from an Immigration and even Labour Department standpoint, that is pretty naive because as stated a moment ago, and as stated in other videos, Thai Immigration takes this stuff pretty darn seriously. Again I hesitate to use the word protectionism but there really isn't another word for it. Thailand looks to protect its internal labour force and foreign competition in certain areas that are deemed exclusively Thai work can lead you to some real problems.

Now I am sure there are other issues, I have heard tell that there are various jurisdictions, especially some cities here in Thailand especially beach towns and things where they are having problems with reckless driving, drunk driving, things of this nature. Those may be offenses as well that are on this list, I don't know exactly what's there, but bear in mind there is a list out there, there is sort of a playbook they are operating from and it is clear to me at this point that yeah they are looking for foreigners engaged in economic activity here in Thailand who are not in line with the law.