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I will be very near to Aranyaprathet around the time of my second 45 days visa exempt after arriving from UK on my first visa exempt and it would be very convenient to do a border hop at this same time. This would not be normally my first choice but given the situation of my location it would be useful to gather some data in understanding If the Poipet border run is as bad as they say? If it is a bad border hop - what is the most probable downside? a) Refusal of the second Visa exempt (Also then what are the options when stuck in no mans land) b) Payment of Tea money (Cambodian side) OR stay one night in Cambodia. c) Payment of Tea money (Cambodian side) AND stay one night in Cambodia. d) Only simple manageable scams that just needed watching out for. I am assuming that if the Poipet border is really as bad as they say then because of a reasonable volume of people doing a run at this border there will be plenty of instances that demonstrate the norm.

Thanks Joe, Not recommended because it would be something that border / Airport immigration are not used to managing and hence easier to reject or is that there is a specific issue that might make the visa void?

Could this be used as a legitimate way to overcome the need to visit a border consulate i.e Apply for the tourist visa, then enter Visa exempt, then do a border run and use the visa?

Thanks sidgy for taking the time to respond - Appreciated.

I called my airline Saudi Air yesterday and asked if I checked in online if I needed to visit the check in desk since had no hold luggage and was told I am not required and I can go directly to immigration, hence no one can check the onward flight out of Thailand. My experience might be different to others if the airline is different, if they allow online check in singularly and if actually have in hold luggage needing to check in. I am only providing this information since it might help others while possibly not be directly applicable to the poster, flying AirAsia.

Really - Wow! Is this just in Thai banking business hours / before a certain time - or is this anytime?

The last time I transferred from my Wise account into Kasikorn Bank account was nearly three years ago I would normally make the transfer at between 9pm - 10pm UK Time ( 4am - 5am Thai Time) and the funds would show up in my Kasikorn account sometime after lunch time (Thai Time). I am about to start making more regular transfers, being back in Thailand and I read that expectations are 1-2 working days. The way I think about this is that any delay is because time required for Wise to made the transfer to the Thai bank and then the bank needs time to process the transfer, hence probably its unlikely to be within the same hour from send to received. What are other peoples experience of the time taken after transfer instruction for funds to be in your Thai Bank account?

Yes - I get your point, but sometimes the obvious is much more likely. i.e just because its possible doesn't make it actual. I recently had to provide copy of my passport to a UK bank and while they might check my Visa status in Thailand, they are extremely unlikely to do so. I am not arguing one way or the other - I have no idea if the Visa is checked. I am providing what I though might be useful information for others to make up their own mind - On the basis of probability.

It would also identify who I am.

Not sure if this helps since different bank (Kasikorn), but I am in the same situation and I got an email from Kasikorn Bank customer support after requesting how I should get a new ATM since my existing one had expired. "According to your enquiry regarding to renew debit card, in this case, you can bring original passport and passbook contact any Kasikornbank branch in order to re-issue the new debit card with our staff directly." There is no mention of Visa status in the response, but I also never asked.

Thanks flexomike That is a very good point!

Yup - correct Peterw42 It is unlikely Immigration would be interested. The time when a transfer of funds might be scrutinised is if claiming withholding tax at a Thailand Income tax office where a specific officer separate to the claim officer can ask questions on Tax of earnings based upon transferred fund sources, especially for expats. If you are unlucky to be asked, when answering you can claim to have two bank accounts in your home country - One you use for all financial payments (this can include earned income) for a previous year then at the end of a full tax and either some or all of the funds are transferred into the second account. These funds in the second account are then used as the source which is transferred into to your Thailand account. No retrospective previous years of income can be taxed when paid into your home Bank account for a previous year. Basically this ensures that no income has been mixed into the account that has been used for the transfer in the current tax year and hence no further questions about taxable income should be made.

Ahh - Interesting. A friend of mine in the UK who retires in 14 months time will move to Thailand. He does not want to use the 800K in Bank method, but rather the 65K transfer from the UK every month into his existing Thai Bank account. He didn't know if he did start the transfers now for the regular 65K if he will be able to convert a Visa exempt to the O application, based upon the income method when he arrives. Obviously 13 x 65K = 845K and hence 800K in Bank would be satisfied. However he might have to send back to UK the majority of these payments through DeeMoney in 9 months time. Based upon what you identified - If he simply continues paying the 65K he will not need to find the 800K when he arrives - Thanks for that.

I have responded before seeing your last post. Hopefully - My post has framed the actual requirements correctly.

Thanks EVENKEEL So in essence: Convert to Non O - Show 800K in Bank. Apply for 1 yr Ext - Show 800K in Bank. On the next 1yr Ext - Only then can use 65K/m - Must show 12 months of transfers.

No - The Embassy does not provide an income letter - UK passport

If arriving back into Thailand on a Visa Exempt and applying for a change to O Visa (also for 1 year extension afterwards), can the 65K Thb income method be used? Or is this option only available for the renewal of the extension - 1 year later? .

Was the proof of vaccine enough - or was it required to be certified (as identified by UbonJoe in the image) - I am assuming that this means notarised?

The summary of the other thread identified by RedArmy Using the Train: Getting out of Thailand and into Malaysia is obviously not an issue. Coming back using the train is not as straightforward. I was surprised to read on the thread that many experienced trying to get back into Thailand, immigration was not open on many occasions. This seems odd since the Komuter train from Hat Yai it would be pointless as the station is on the Malaysian side, or for the Butterworth train since many on this train would be crossing the border into Thailand. There was one comment that said the Thai immigration in the station was closed in the evening. The issue seems to be about the train timetables either side of the border at Padang Besar and then getting a suitable train leaving for Hat Yai. The main issues is the time limitation between getting off the Komuter train coming from HatYai and getting on a train going back to Hat Yai since the train leaves about 20 mins after arriving and possibly there might not be sufficient time to get both immigration stamps. I am guessing here that the timetables have not been organised for border runs, but rather single journeys coming into and out of Malaysia. From your post - You seem to be saying that you will walk across the border and hence doing the border run will probably not be an issue. Taking the road down from the railway station, exiting Malaysia and entering Thailand used to be simple, but recent times might have changed and the issue with new immigration might be different since there has been few border run reports in the last few years with Covid. The concern would be if it was now the same as the Wang Prachan border where one night is required in Malaysia. As a result the visa run companies in Phuket charge 5,000 Thb to do a visa run to Wang Prachan and the van companies are saying that immigration require a re-entry permit charge 2,500 to be paid to overcome this issue. You are probably aware, but after walking back into Thailand via the roadway, down from the station there is a bus every hour that takes you into Hat Yai for 42 Thb.

Brilliant clarification Onerak - Thanks for that.

I only got up to 50cc on license.

Ha - Yup - You are right Kwasaki - It's between a rock and a hard place decision. Life is just a Dilemma!

After reviewing supply online it looks like there is nothing but a very old Honda Dream that for sale, obviously not worth considering. The other option is eBike, known as 'electrically assisted pedal cycles' ( EAPCs ). In the UK You do not need a licence to ride one and it does not need to be registered, taxed or insured. My assumption would be that this is the same in Thailand?

Ha - Nice comment scubascuba3 - Sounds like a plan - Thanks

Good point Enoon about the insurance needs a license to cover the same vehicle.