BANGKOK, Thailand – Thailand’s cabinet approved a decree that speeds deportation of convicted criminals within 30 days and allows immediate expulsion for behavior incompatible with Thai morals.
The draft decree lists six categories that justify deportation, including illegal entry, visa overstay, unauthorised employment, illegal business activities and document forgery. Convicted serious criminals must first face criminal proceedings, then be deported within 30 days after serving their sentence.
Six crime categories trigger deportation
The decree defines six categories of offences that make a foreigner deportable: illegal entry, overstaying a visa, working without permission, running illegal businesses, and forging documents.
Convicted serious offenders must go through the criminal justice system first. Once a deportation order is issued, they are removed within 30 days of completing their prison term.
State now foots the bill for removals
The government will use state funds for deportations. Deputy Prime Minister for Legal Affairs Pakorn Nilprapunt gave a blunt reason.
Repatriation is more cost-effective than prolonged incarceration.
said Pakorn Nilprapunt.
The old law required deportees to be sent back the same way they entered – transport companies had to pay. But airlines are increasingly refusing to do so.
Old law out of touch with reality
Pakorn admitted the decades-old rule no longer reflects reality. Many undocumented migrants entered long ago without the means to return.
The current deportation law also lacks clear administrative procedures. In practice, the Immigration Act has largely replaced deportation – illegal immigrants are prosecuted, jailed, and then deported.
Prisons must alert ministry before release
The decree orders the prison authority to inform the Interior Ministry before a foreign inmate is released. Only then can a deportation order be issued.
The draft cleared the cabinet on July 14 in principle and is now being reviewed by the Office of the Council of State. It is classified as an urgent matter, signalling speed.
Vague definition leaves room for abuse
What exactly counts as “deviant” or incompatible behaviour remains undefined. The decree itself offers no definition of these fuzzy terms.
The government gives itself wide discretion to remove foreigners without a court hearing – a novelty in Thailand’s deportation system.