Immigration online guest registration for hotels/guesthouses

[buksida]

My neighbours run a small 4 room hotel and have recently been given hassle from immigration when one of their guests wanted to extend a tourist visa for 30 days. Apparently they're now checking whether the guests have been registered at their accommodation before issuing extensions. Immigration threatened an 8,000 baht fine and refused to extend the visa.

Neighbours are computer illiterate so have asked me to help with this online reporting of guests at their hotel. I've scoured google, the immigration website and the visa forum for the link and they all point here which is dead: https://extranet.immigration.go.th/fn24online

Anyone any ideas how to report guests online without having to fill out TM30 forms for each one and go to immigration every day?

[hhinner]

I think the business has to register. Go to http://immigration.go.th
You can enter he site in either Thai or English. On the left side of the main page choose "Notification of residence for foreigners" in the blue contents column. This takes you to a page that describes the process, which involves providing a blank CD. The same details are given in the Thai language page. Hope this helps a bit.

[buksida]

Ok, yes, this is for businesses, but they only have four rooms and so come under the limit for a hotel license (5 rooms and above). Apparently people renting houses also have to report who is staying there, but they wont all have businesses or company papers.

[Big Boy]

Apparently people renting houses also have to report who is staying there, but they wont all have businesses or company papers.

Also private home accepting visitors (friends and relatives). Process is a doddle in person at Immigration, but no idea what's involved in the online process.

[hhinner]

Ok, yes, this is for businesses, but they only have four rooms and so come under the limit for a hotel license (5 rooms and above). Apparently people renting houses also have to report who is staying there, but they wont all have businesses or company papers.

But isn't it still a business that has to be registered even if not as a hotel?

[buksida]

Technically yes, but how many are?!

[hhinner]

So what are their choices? Register their business properly, pay whatever taxes, and register with immigration for online reporting. Or stop taking foreign guests who might cause them problems with immigration. Or register guests using form TM30. Or do nothing and pay the occasional fine.

[lomuamart]

I've had a friend crashing here for 3 nights.
Am I in transgression of this antiquated law?
Probably, but I don't care about that. We haven't done anything wrong. We both spent loads of money propping up the local economy.
So, sod it.
It's all about control. And, well that's that.

[Big Boy]

OK, you weigh the 5 minutes at Immigration against the risk of being caught, which is very unlikely. It's all down to personal choice. Different in buksi's OP because he lives so far from his local office - they were caught, and the threat of the fine has fired them into action.

[buksida]

So ... back to my original question, does anybody know how to report guests staying online?

Can immigration really expect all hotels/guesthouses/house owners living over an hour away to make this journey with a fist full of futile paperwork every day? What year are we living in?

[Big Boy]

I don't know the answer, but it must be possible. They don't get many walk-in visitors and the large(ish) staff in the Investigations Office at Hua Hin Immigration all seem to be manning computers. I'm sure they must get used for something.

Isn't there an Immigration helpline you can phone? I'm sure I've seen a number somewhere. This is the number for your local office 0-3261-9038. They also give this number 032-810-565. However, I can feel your frustration as the actual helpline number seems to have disappeared. I've tried to find a Hua Hin Immigration number, but Google searches have been hijacked by law firms saying 'You can't contact Hua Hin Immigration by phone, but we can help.'

The information given by hhinner seems to be as good as it gets . I'd guess if they aren't a business, they must fall into the private residence category, and the only alternative is to report to Immigration, or run the risk of being caught.

You can look at it the other way

Apparently they're now checking whether the guests have been registered at their accommodation before issuing extensions. Immigration threatened an 8,000 baht fine and refused to extend the visa.

I assume these people have paid good money to their hosts, and didn't expect the bullshit of refusal because their hosts hadn't done their job properly. Maybe your neighbours need to factor this extra expense into their room rates. Harsh, I agree 100%, but these are the silly games the Thai Authorities like us to play.

[buksida]

Phoned Bangkok immigration ...

"Website broken, you need to take TM30 to local immigration office when you have new foreigners staying."

Unbelievable.

[VincentD]

Most, if not all, government departments still use that archaic device called a fax machine. Get their fax number, and fax them copies of your guests details. A fax modem and a scanner is probably all you'll need..

[Big Boy]

You seem to be a fairly tight knit community down there. Can't one of the hotels give any advice?

[Roel]

As far as I know in order to be able to do the online reporting first Immigration must assign you a login code and password. So go visit them. I can imagine that you need the house-book etc. Nothing to do with being a business or not, just for them to check that the authorized person/owner is doing the reporting. Without a login code anyone could do your reporting for you.

Once you got that reporting is easy. They ask about TM-card and Visa details etc., but that is not mandatory. If I remember correctly it is only Name, Nationality and Passport number that has to be provided. You must do the reporting within 24 hours, so if you report today the arrival date is automatically set to 6 Jan. and you can only go 1 day back to 5 Jan. but not further. No need to indicate how long guests will be staying and no need to report again when they leave.

From time to time you will get stuck and a box with a long Thai message will pop up. Do not panic. That is a prompt that you must change your password.

Now the hard part could be explaining to the Immigration official what a login for online reporting is. Good luck!