Suvarnabhumi International Airport in Bangkok. (Wikimedia/Vyacheslav Argenberg)
On August 28, Thai Prime Minister and Interior Minister Anutin Charnvirakul signed new regulations governing the deportation of foreign nationals, with the Office of the Prime Minister’s Regulation on Deportation B.E. 2569.
The regulation establishes administrative procedures for agencies handling foreign nationals who violate Thai law or engage in conduct considered contrary to public order and good morals. The government said the framework addresses the previous lack of a clearly defined administrative process and is intended to make deportation procedures more coordinated and efficient.
The measure was first approved by the Cabinet in draft form on July 14, following a June directive that assigned Deputy Prime Minister Pakorn Nilprapunt to coordinate with relevant agencies on reforms concerning immigration and deportation procedures.
The final regulation covers six categories of cases: illegal entry or stay; unlawful employment; business activities violating foreign business laws; forgery or use of forged official documents; offences carrying a prison sentence of three years or more; and acting as a principal, instigator or supporter in any of those offences.
Under the new rule, the Ministry of Interior, Department of Corrections, Immigration Bureau and other relevant agencies are required to coordinate information and prepare cases before eligible foreign nationals are released from prison. This is intended to reduce delays between the end of a sentence and the deportation process.
Foreign nationals subject to deportation will generally be returned to their country of nationality or, where nationality cannot be established, their last country of residence before entering Thailand. The regulation also provides for possible transfer to another country or international organisation in specific cases involving protection from torture, cruel or inhuman treatment or enforced disappearance, subject to the required conditions and consent.
The government has also said that relevant agencies will work towards completing deportation within 30 days of an order where applicable, including arrangements for individuals who cannot afford their own return travel.
The regulation formalises the administrative process surrounding deportation and strengthens coordination between Thailand’s interior, correctional and judicial authorities. Its implementation will determine whether the new framework improves consistency and reduces delays while ensuring deportation decisions remain compatible with Thailand’s existing laws and international legal obligations.
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