Immigration Act B.E. 2522 (1979)

Chapter 2 — Entry into and Stay in the Kingdom

An alien may be refused entry if he or she has no genuine passport, no sufficient means of support, is mentally ill or has a prohibited disease, has been convicted of an offence (with exceptions for petty offences and traffic offences), has been previously deported, has been previously denied entry by a foreign government, has insufficient funds, or is reasonably believed to be involved in prostitution, human trafficking, narcotics or terrorism.

Chapter 2 — Entry into and Stay in the Kingdom

An alien entering the Kingdom must have a visa, but nationals of countries specified in a Ministerial Regulation may enter without a visa for a defined period (typically 30 or 60 days), or may obtain a visa on arrival for a shorter period. The visa-exempt and visa-on-arrival lists are revised periodically by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Cabinet.

Chapter 2 — Entry into and Stay in the Kingdom

An alien refused entry may appeal in writing to the Minister of Interior within 48 hours of being notified of the refusal. The Minister's decision is final. The alien must remain in custody at the port of entry while the appeal is considered. This provision is rarely used in practice but provides the formal route to challenge a refusal at the border.

Chapter 3 — Stay in the Kingdom

Every alien who stays in the Kingdom for more than 90 consecutive days must notify the Immigration Bureau of his place of residence (form TM47) and continue to do so every 90 days thereafter. The reporting requirement is established by Ministerial Regulation under the rule-making power in Section 37(5). TM47 may be filed in person, by registered post, by an authorised representative, or online via the Immigration Bureau e-service.

Chapter 3 — Stay in the Kingdom

An alien permitted to stay temporarily in the Kingdom may apply (form TM7) for extension of stay. The application must be filed before the expiry of the current permitted stay and is subject to the conditions set out in Ministerial Regulation No. 27/2546 (e.g. financial requirements for retirement and marriage extensions, contract and tax-payment requirements for work-based extensions).

Chapter 3 — Stay in the Kingdom

An alien permitted to stay temporarily is subject to the conditions specified by the competent official, including the obligation to notify a change of address, to undertake only the activities for which the visa was granted, not to engage in prohibited activities, and to comply with the reporting requirements made under sub-paragraph (5) (which is the source of the 90-day report). Breach of these conditions is a ground for revocation of stay and deportation.

Chapter 3 — Stay in the Kingdom

The house-master, owner or possessor of a residence, the manager of a hotel or licensed accommodation, who provides shelter to an alien staying lawfully in the Kingdom, must notify the local Immigration office of the alien's stay (form TM30) within 24 hours of arrival. Failure to notify is punishable by a fine of THB 2,000–10,000. Enforcement was strengthened in 2019 but subsequent clarifications have reduced the practical impact for short stays in hotels.

Chapter 3 — Stay in the Kingdom

An alien who holds a temporary permit to stay in the Kingdom and wishes to leave and return without losing the unused balance of his stay must obtain a re-entry permit before departure (single or multiple). Failure to obtain one means the permission to stay automatically lapses on departure, even if the visa is otherwise valid.

Chapter 4 — Deportation

An alien who enters, attempts to enter or is found in the Kingdom in breach of the Act, or whose stay is revoked, is subject to deportation. The Immigration Bureau may detain the alien pending deportation; in practice, an alien who has overstayed and presents himself voluntarily will usually be permitted to pay the overstay fine and depart on his own ticket, while an alien arrested by police or immigration is liable to detention at the Immigration Detention Centre.

Chapter 7 — Penalties

An alien who remains in the Kingdom after the expiry of the permitted stay is liable to a fine of THB 500 per day of overstay, up to a maximum of THB 20,000. In addition, an alien who overstays may be subject to entry bans of one to ten years, depending on the length of the overstay and whether the alien surrenders voluntarily or is arrested.