Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul has delivered a blunt warning to foreigners who break Thai law or exploit Thai people, saying those who do not respect the country should leave.
Speaking at the Interior Ministry at around 8.30am today, September 17, Anutin said foreigners who make an honest living in Thailand and do not exploit Thai people are welcome to stay, but those who act aggressively, threaten or intimidate others should face full enforcement.
He specifically referred to Phuket and Surat Thani, along with other provinces facing similar issues, and told governors to use their legal powers fully.
Anutin also addressed religious sites and a recent request to establish a private cemetery.
“You cannot simply set up a religious site on your own. Whatever form it takes, it must respect Thai society and culture. I have recently heard that there is also a request to build a private cemetery. That is going too far.
“They are already fortunate to be allowed to come here. If they come, they should make an honest living.
“If they are going to die, they should go die back home, not here. And do not come here to take advantage of people.
“As for a place that has permission to operate as a restaurant but has a religious site inside, that is not allowed either,” Anutin said.
He said Thailand remained willing to welcome foreign visitors and investors where the relationship benefited both sides.
Tourism and investment brought spending into Thailand, he said, but that did not give anyone the right to exploit people or carry out illegal activities.
Anutin stressed that his comments were not directed at people from a single country, saying cases involved foreign nationals from Asia, the Middle East, Central Asia, Europe and Africa.
Anutin told governors and district chiefs to stop dealing with problems case by case and instead use the law to bring the situation under control quickly and effectively.
He said he had signed an Interior Ministry deportation announcement and told officials to act immediately when cases meet the criteria. Governors should not delay deportations simply because they were unsure who would pay for the flight, he added.
“You don’t need to ask me where the money will come from to pay for the plane ticket when someone is deported. That’s not a well-thought-out question. It sounds like you’re trying to pass the responsibility on, and that’s not acceptable.”
“Deportation means that once you take action, that person must leave the country. I will take care of the expenses, but do not use that as an excuse. Sometimes it almost feels like an insult to our intelligence.”
“You cannot say you are unable to sign the deportation order because you do not know who will pay for the plane ticket. No. The province can pay first, and we can work out how it will be reimbursed later.
“If I were you, I would pay out of my own pocket. These people are in your province and are already a bad presence in our country. Why would you keep them? So do not worry about the cost. If their conduct meets the criteria, take action immediately.”
“If we bring these people into legal proceedings in our country, even if they have done wrong, and we keep them here for prosecution instead of deporting them, we still have to feed them.
“We have to provide them with our food, our water and our accommodation. There is no benefit in keeping them here. If their conduct is undesirable, there is only one option: leave. That is all. Do not worry. If they appeal, that is no problem,” Anutin said.
Anutin also addressed signs barring Thai people from premises, saying governors should personally remove them.
According to him, Thai people should generally be able to enter premises across the country, with private residences being the exception. However, the owner of a private home should not be allowed to display a sign saying Thai people were not welcome.
Anutin said anyone willing to put up such a sign should face closer scrutiny, with officials instructed to investigate whether they had committed other offences and, if grounds existed, use the law to remove them from Thailand.
He also ordered governors to closely monitor offences involving foreign nationals, including the use of Thai nominees, landholding, fraudulent business activities, working without permits and using Thailand as a base for crime.
The story ‘They should go die back home, not here’: Anutin warns offenders as seen on Thaiger News.
