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Do my friends need to file a TM30 when staying in Thailand for my wedding?

TM30Thailand visaimmigration rulesexpat adviceChiang Maitravel regulationshotel stay
Dec 8, 2017
7 years ago
David *******
ORIGINAL POSTER
Bit confused by all this TM30 business :-) So, I have family and friends coming to Thailand for my wedding in April. They will be in Hotel for 4 nights, so guess covered by hotel, but then they go to Chiang mai but not in hotel. Are they expected to do a TM30 and check into immigration to notify they are in Chaiang mai? If so this is nuts. I guess best thing is for them to do nothing and fly out from BK and hope not to get a fine?

Feel free to delete if my post is incorrect? :-)
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TLDR : Answer Summary
The TM30 reporting requirement in Thailand has caused confusion among expats and visitors. While it is stated that any change of address, including moving to a friend's house from a hotel, requires filing a TM30 to inform immigration within 24 hours, many travelers report they have not consistently faced penalties for not doing so. Some argue that hotels typically file TM30s for guests, while staying at a friend's home often goes unnoticed. Therefore, if your friends plan to stay at a hotel for four nights and then go elsewhere, they may not need to worry about TM30 if they do not visit immigration for other reasons during their stay.
Niclas ********
I wouldn't bother and don't do. My mom live in Pattaya and we travel from Bangkok often. I take the punch if it comes but doubt it would cost more than 1000 thb on the spot.
7 years ago
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Paul *******
2000B for not reporting a foreign visitor staying with friends and family... but yes, highly unlikely that anyone would know
7 years ago
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Paul *******
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Ken *********
There is a receipt to say you've filed a TM30 which goes in passport of visitor, so if any visitor were to be passport checked for any reason there would be fines for both the visitor and the house master. And how long will it be before the departure card is cross referenced with TM30 reporting. I take the point, if there is no reason to go to immigration then you are "flying below the radar" so to speak.

But seeing how TM30 reporting is a counter terrorism measure it would only work if all terrorists applied for an extension of stay !
7 years ago
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David *******
ORIGINAL POSTER
My point exactly lol got my answer so will disable psts, thans all
7 years ago
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David *******
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Tod *********
Regardless of how the rule is worded the real fact is IF a person comes to thailand, stays where ever they want but has no cause to go to the immigration office for anything (like an extension, etc.) there is no way immigrations would know if they did or didn't file a Tm.30.

So in the O/P's case with relatives comin' in for a wedding, not tryin' to live here or extend their stay neither the people nor the person they're staying with runs any risk of exposure for failure to file a TM.30
7 years ago
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David *******
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Tod ********
 ah ok i did not rea;ise that , that was my only worry, should be fine then
7 years ago
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Tod *********
@Da***
, TM.30's that are filed online by hotels or in person by people are not in the same database as the information about someone when they stamp in and out of the country.
7 years ago
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David *******
ORIGINAL POSTER
Cheers. I just wasn't sure if it would be picked up with them having stayed in a hotel. Hopefully everyone would be too drunk in CM for songkran and would not notice anyhow lol I know they dont have to do immigration visit for anything was just not sure if BK may pick up on it on exit. Should be ok I guess.
7 years ago
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Paul *******
Agreed... I wouldn't worry about it.
7 years ago
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Paul *******
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Rocky ***************
In my experience, this applies more to hotels by airports. I spoke to a lady who ran a hotel near Don Muang. If there is an extended stay she reports it.
7 years ago
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Paul *******
Are you suggesting that immigration is only concerned about tourists who are staying near Dom muang. Airport ??
7 years ago
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Paul *******
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Francois ****************
7 years ago
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Ken *********
In the regulations it says even if someone stays 1 night it has to be reported,

****************************
7 years ago
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Paul *******
Only if staying with friends or family..
7 years ago
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Paul *******
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John *****
So many versions of this....
7 years ago
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Paul *******
On arrival you fill out the arrival card stating where you will be staying to immigration. ( staying hotel, the hotel doesn't need to. Notify immigration)

You only then have to notify immigration again if you plan to change where you are staying for longer that 30 days. And if you plan to stay with friends or family then they must also notify immigration 24 hours before you arrive, that you will be staying with them.

Someone traveling around the country staying at different locations for a few days does of course NOT have to keep notifying immigration where they are staying.
7 years ago
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Tod *********
@David ******
 the point of the TM.30 in some immigration offices is to generate income plain and simple. I highly doubt ANYONE is doing the data entry on those forms. It's like those old intrusive foreign information forms we used to have to fill out.
7 years ago
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David *******
ORIGINAL POSTER
I thought the point of the tm30 was to counteract terrorism (not money making from fines) by knowing foreginers whereabouts? If this is the case would they think no terrorist would strike if on a 30 day exemption ?
7 years ago
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David *******
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Tod *********
If they are not going to be going to the immigration office for anything I would not even bother to file the TM.30 for them.
7 years ago
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David *******
ORIGINAL POSTER
I was thinking this and all the times I have been I never used a hotel so who would know if I was in the inlaws or Airbnb so no one would know so no issue. My only worry is that they are in hotel 4 days, then hotel will do tm30 but when they checout, they "dissapear" for two weeks until they leave. Hope BK wont notice when they leave lol
7 years ago
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David *******
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Ken *********
Where the problem lies is there is no consistency, some places have TM30 reporting, some don't , but it sounds like the "house master" has to report where you are staying within 24 hrs on arrival , presumably based on landing card date ! So what would happen if you spent a week in Bangkok, where reporting is not required, then stayed in Pattaya , they would say 1 week late reporting !
7 years ago
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David *******
ORIGINAL POSTER
this is my exact point. The inconsistancy of it.
7 years ago
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David *******
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Jacco ***********
I believe it is the responsibility of the person where they are staying. To be honest, I have stayed at friend's homes in numerous places in the country and never had any problems. heck the place in Bangkok where I stayed NEVER even asked for my passport, I just show up and get the key. They did on occasion asked my Lao partner for his passport, but last time when I arrived alone, they just handed me the key and that was it So technically speaking immigration never knows that I stay there.
7 years ago
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Tony *********
Same as that.
7 years ago
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Tony *********
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Tony *********
Are you ment to let immergtion know every time move to a different address ?

I've done lots of travelling over the years here and never let them know where I was.

and I'm sure that goes for alot of others to.

never been fined on the way out.
7 years ago
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Anton ********
You have to check in with immigration for the next 24 hours if you change location. But i guess you will only have a problem if they do a random check
7 years ago
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Tony *********
in person or is a phone call ok.

just letting you know that I'll be at this address for a week.
7 years ago
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Tony *********
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