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ResourcesVisa & Immigration LawVisa NewsThai Immigration Authorities to Begin Text Messaging Visa Expiration Alerts

Thai Immigration Authorities to Begin Text Messaging Visa Expiration Alerts

See transcript of the above video below:

As the title of this video suggests, we are discussing Thai visas and Immigration issues.  Specifically we are discussing a recent development which seems to be being brought into effect with respect to Thai Immigration Officials alerting foreign nationals here in the Kingdom as to impending expiration of their visa status.  

Quoting directly from the Bangkok Post, bangkokpost.com, the article is entitled:  “Foreigners to Get Visa Text Alerts”.  Quoting directly, "Police Immigration Bureau offices in Chonburi are set to roll out text message reminders to foreign residents that their visas are expiring and need attention.  Daily News newspaper reported that Hua Hin Immigration offices already have started this service. Quoting further, "Alerts will only be sent to those who have registered their phone numbers with Chonburi Immigration Police when they applied."

So the thing to take away from this in my opinion is, Immigration Authorities are rather intent on, accommodating foreigners here in the Kingdom, specifically foreigners who are adhering to their lawful status; they are maintaining lawful status in the Kingdom.  The reason I bring this up is, “Visa text alerts" I'm going to be curious to see exactly how this is implemented but it gets to me looks like they're at least trying to provide some accommodation, not to be redundant within this video, but  to provide accommodation for those who are keeping their visas renewed etc. Moreover, it provides a, for lack of a better term, it forestalls excuses that "Oh I didn't know my Visa was expired,"  "Well we sent you a text. Here's a copy of the text.”  So I think this could be rolled out in sort of more broad fashion if for no other reason than it provides a very easy or for lack of better word, straightforward way of Immigration saying “there's no way you could have been unaware that your Visa was expiring. We sent you a text 7 days, 10 days, however many days ago, that your Visa was coming up and you needed to do something about it and you have simply opted not to not to deal with it.”

So how this exactly is going to play out remains to be seen but overall I think it's a good development as it shows that Immigration Authorities are willing to accommodate the foreign nationals who are living and working here in the Kingdom of Thailand.