Thailand has approved new and tougher penalties for tourists who overstay their visas after several people, mostly Indians, were recently charged with violating the country's Immigration Act.
Immigration chief Gen Nathathorn Prousoontorn said this was a part of the bureau's "Good guys in, bad guys out" operation aimed at catching foreigners who overstay their visas.
Most of those found to have overstayed their permitted period were from India, African countries and Bangladesh, Prousoontorn said.
The nationwide operation, which was launched last Monday and ended yesterday rounded up 9,265 foreigners.
Of the total, 9,038 people were charged with violating the Immigration Act by overstaying their visas, 18 were charged with committing criminal offences and 209 others had committed petty offences.
Prousoontorn said overstaying a visa was the most common offence because the penalty is weak.
An offender is currently fined 500 baht (USD 14) per day, up to a maximum of 20,000 baht(USD 563) before being deported but could still be allowed to return to Thailand as long as the person is not barred by immigration officials.
For those who have no money to pay the fine, their time in jail is considered equal to 200 baht (USD 5) a day, Prousoontorn said.
Under the tougher regulations now being considered by premier Gen Prayut, offenders who turn themselves in would be barred from re-entering Thailand for one year if their overstay period exceeds 90 days.
The ban extends to three years if the overstay is more than one year.
Violators exceeding three years will be banned from re-entering for five years, while those who overstay more than five years will be prohibited from returning to the kingdom for 10 years, starting from the day they leave Thailand.
Offenders arrested for overstaying less than one year will be barred from re-entry for five years and those overstaying more than one year cannot come back for 10 years.
Prousoontorn earlier said Interpol had agreed to allow the Thai Police to use the agency's database of international arrest warrants and a memorandum of understanding will be signed by the two sides soon.
The information link would help prevent foreigners on the run from entering Thailand and going into hiding in the country, he added.
