Thailand will tighten its Visa-on- arrival (VOA) regulations for nationals of 41 countries to prevent foreigners from extending their stay for an unlimited term, according to Thailand's Immigration Police Bureau (IPB).

Foreign nationals from the 41 countries, including the United States, China and India, will be able to stay longer but with fewer chances of renewing the VOA.

Nationals from those specific countries are currently allowed to remain in Thailand for 15 days maximum after the VOA is granted. The VOA is normally renewable once, according to IPB commissioner Suwat Tumrongsiskul, quoted by newspaper Bangkok Post on Sunday.

However, said Suwat, some foreigners including tourists "tiptoe around the law" by resorting to so-called visa runs to extend their stay. They would take a bus to a border, check out of the country and then return the same day to have the VOA renewed.

They repeat the practice many times to enable them almost unlimited stay in the country, Suwat said, adding that the policy is largely intended to serve tourism.

In future, foreigners from those 41 countries will be able to stay in the country for 30 days from the first VOA stamp, which will be renewable twice at most, each time for a maximum of 30 days. In other words, a foreigner will be permitted to remain in Thailand for no longer than 90 days in total after three VOA stamps.

Suwat said the new VOA rules will be put into effect once approved by the Royal Thai Police Office.

He said more information technology will be employed in the blacklisting system. The IT-operated immigration clearance system is now in use at 15 out of 55 checkpoints nationwide to check in tourists and screen out undesirable individuals. The technology lets the bureau enlarge its database of foreign visitors to identify those on the blacklist and expel them.

Suwat said more authority to issue visas will be delegated to regional IPB offices. At present, IPB chief inspectors are authorized to grant visas, and in future their deputies will also be able to approve visa requests.

(Xinhua News Agency September 11, 2006)