Thailand to dole out severe punishment to visitors who overstay visa.
Thailand’s authorities are all set to enforce stringent rules for travelers/visitors who overshoot their official stay duration in Thailand. Erring visitors will be bared by the authorities from returning for between one year and a whole decade.
The re-entry ban will be extended according to the length of the overstay. The ban will be imposed from August 29, 2014 and will be imposed on any foreigner who has overstayed his or her visa-exemption period.
The decision was taken by the Immigration Bureau to impose such tough punishments after the current penalty of 20,000 Baht had failed to serve as a sufficient punishment.
According to official records, in 2013 a total of 70,715 foreigners were charged with overstaying. In 2014, the number of foreigners who overstayed reached 30,359 between January and June.
Colonel Worawat, Amornwiwat the division spokesman said, “We have asked the Interior Ministry to approve harsher punishment”. The spokesman added that foreigners who had turned themselves in will be banned from re-entering Thailand for one year if the overstay times extends 90 days.
The ban will be valid for three years if the overstay period exceeds a year. Erring tourists who overstay for more than three years will be banned from coming to Thailand for a full five years and if the overstay extends to five years then their re-entry to Thailand will be prohibited for the next ten years.
Photo Credits: National Multimedia
