Transcript of the above video:

As the title of this video suggests, we are discussing well Thai Immigration has a "secret" top 10 list. What are we talking about? Oh my goodness! I thought of making this video after reading a very good article from the Phuket News, that is thephuketnews.com. The article is titled: Tourist Police clamp down on overstay, tourism-related crimes. Quoting directly: "Thailand's Tourist Police have launched a nationwide campaign to suppress tourism-related crime, including overstay and other violations of the law by foreigners in Thailand as well as crimes against them." So for those who are unaware, yeah Thai Immigration has definitely taken a much more active role in Immigration Law enforcement over the past couple of months, we have discussed this at length in other videos. Coming off of high season and the Emergency Decree, we have definitely seen a much more vigorous approach to Immigration Law enforcement here in Thailand. But that is not really the thrust of this video and again I urge those who are watching this video, go read that article in detail. As usual the Phuket News does a really in-depth job of explaining stuff and sort of what is going on down there. And bear in mind, this is Phuket Immigration so that is the local Phuket Immigration Office down on the island of Phuket in Southern Thailand. Different offices do things a little differently sometimes. Phuket most assuredly kind of has its own way of doing things, there is no doubt about that. Quoting further: "Tourist Police reported in a Facebook post, that Officers will crack down on ten types of tourism-related crimes "such as overstay and other offenses affecting all aspects of tourism business across the country." The list of the 10 crimes was not revealed to the public." So interesting stuff going on here. We are looking at a situation wherein Thai Immigration Police again taking a much more active approach. It is my understanding that they are quite concerned with "foreigners behaving badly" that there are having a number of folks coming in oftentimes ostensibly as tourists who end up living here effectively oftentimes in overstay. Not a good idea. Thailand started taking a hard line on overstay some 5, 6, 7 years ago when they sort of introduced The Blacklist, started blacklisting folks for long periods of overstay. Prior to that time it was theoretically possible to overstay in Thailand for a prolonged period and simply pay a fine. Not possible anymore so overstayers be very, very aware that you could be subject to deportation. 

Meanwhile, as we discussed in prior videos, Phuket Immigration is utilizing this red card/yellow card system wherein they are not only citing folks for certain infractions of Thai Law and then noting them in the Immigration database to not allow them to return for at least one trip, that is our understanding as to how it works, but then they can also red card folks for certain violations and immediately deport those folks.

Always something to bear in mind, pursuant to the Immigration Act of 1979, Thai Immigration Officers have a great deal of discretion with regard to public health and safety issues involving National Security wherein they make a discretionary finding that look this person or persons represents a threat to one or either of those things, then that person or persons can be subject to deportation. So something to keep in mind that Thai Immigration is not only taking Immigration Law enforcement very seriously, but they are also vigorously working on dealing with violations of Thai Law in Thailand.