Interior Minister Anutin Charnvirakul has officially rejected the deportation appeal of French national Kevin Dimino, leaving the Administrative Court as his final avenue to remain in the country.
The September 30 decision, reported by the Pattaya Mail, highlights a hardening stance on immigration enforcement. It arrives just weeks after a new national regulation concerning the deportation of foreign nationals quietly came into effect on August 28.
According to Prachatai English, the August rollout proceeded despite warnings from civil society groups that the updated framework could weaken due process and undermine existing protections for foreigners facing removal.
What this means for you
While the specifics of Dimino's case remain in the courts, the timeline of these events signals that Thai authorities are actively utilizing their updated deportation framework. For expats and long-term residents, the margin for error regarding visa compliance and legal standing is shrinking.
If you are living in Thailand, here is what you need to know about the current enforcement climate:
- Appeals face high hurdles: The rejection of Dimino's appeal at the ministerial level shows that administrative relief is not guaranteed, often forcing foreigners into lengthy and expensive Administrative Court battles.
- Due process concerns: With civil society groups flagging the August 28 deportation regulations for potentially weakening due process, foreigners may have fewer procedural protections if targeted for deportation.
- Heightened scrutiny: The Interior Ministry is simultaneously tightening checks on other fronts, including active probes into foreign land purchases and suspected nominee company networks in southern Thailand.
A wider crackdown on foreign activities
The deportation updates are part of a broader wave of regulatory scrutiny directed at foreigners. The Interior Ministry is currently investigating reports of foreign networks utilizing Thai nominee structures to purchase land in the south of the country.
According to the Thai Examiner and Pattaya Mail, government officials are applying closer checks to these nominee networks. Expats utilizing complex company structures to hold property should ensure their setups strictly comply with the Foreign Business Act, as the government is actively probing these arrangements.
Meanwhile, Thai courts continue to process other high-stakes immigration and detention cases. On October 9, the South Bangkok Criminal Court is scheduled to rule on whether Bai Zhaodong, a Chinese journalist and UN-recognised refugee currently held in immigration detention, is being unlawfully detained.
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