BANGKOK, Aug. 28 (Xinhua) -- Thailand's new deportation regulation took effect on Friday, formalizing procedures for expelling foreign nationals convicted of crimes once they have served their sentences, according to a notice published in the official Royal Gazette.
Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul signed the regulation, empowering the interior minister to order the deportation of foreign nationals whose conduct is found to violate public order or good morals and separately covering foreign nationals convicted under a final court judgment.
The regulation lists six categories of offenses triggering deportation once a sentence is completed: unlawful entry or presence under immigration law, illegal employment, illegal business operation, forging or using forged official documents, offenses carrying a prison term of five years or more, and acting as a principal, instigator, or accessory to such offenses.
The regulation also mandates coordination between the Department of Corrections and the Ministry of Interior, requiring prison authorities to share information on foreign inmates ahead of release so deportation reviews are not delayed.
It further outlines procedures for returning individuals to their home country.
Government spokesperson Rachada Dhnadirek said relevant agencies are coordinating enforcement against tourists whose conduct disturbs the public, disregards Thai law or culture, or causes distress to other visitors, overseeing the process from investigation through prosecution to repatriation.
Rachada noted that the regulation will help the government manage foreign nationals more consistently, close procedural gaps, and make law enforcement clearer and faster, while balancing public order, public safety, and the appropriate use of state resources. ■