With the Philippines banning POGO (Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators), many grey industry companies are seeking to relocate to Thailand, further increasing the risk of potential illegal activities. The ETA system will review entrants' criminal records, travel history, and passport information, ensuring that criminals find it difficult to enter, while also providing a quick clearance QR code service.
Currently, Thailand implements a 60-day visa exemption policy for 93 countries and regions. Some criminals exploit this by frequently entering and exiting to avoid overstaying restrictions, even using Thailand as a transit hub for transnational crimes, including telecommunications fraud and illegal labor. The implementation of the ETA system is expected to effectively curb such activities, while still providing convenience for legitimate tourists.
The ETA system will undergo a trial run in December 2024 and will be fully operational by June 2025, with a transparent and free process. The Thai government emphasizes that this measure aims to enhance national security and maintain the international image to prevent becoming a new crime hotspot in Southeast Asia.
The Thai Immigration Bureau points out that the next steps will particularly focus on the following groups:
1. Illegal labor groups: Those who overstay illegally within 60 days will be identified as undocumented.
2. Telecom fraud and grey industry personnel: Using Thailand as a transit to commit crimes in Cambodia, Myanmar, and other places.
3. Illegal surrogacy individuals: Those involved in the illegal "desire for children industry chain."
Individuals with criminal records will be banned from entry regardless of passport renewal or name change.
Thailand's visa exemption policy will continue under the premise of ensuring safety, but future reviews will be stricter.
No wonder Thai immigration has been conducting thorough checks recently, it turns out that the Philippine gaming groups are preparing to move through Thailand to Myanmar and Cambodia!
With the Thai government taking such actions, the Philippine gaming groups don't have much time left...
