Thaiquila

A handful of friends and I are in the same boat as you guys. We visit Thailand much more than 3 times a year and stay for a week at a time and average at least 200K BHT per visit ... we can afford it. Too bad this had to happen but we'll abid by the decision of the country. We talked about visiting other ASEAN countries and I guess now we'll be actually visiting instead of talking about those visits. Good luck to LOS on their decision.

If you spend 200k per visit, then I'm sure the 1000 baht fee for a tourist visa before you come will be no problem.

If all it takes is an expenditure of 1K BHT for a toursist visa to extend beyond the 3 visits per year, it is no problem.

Huh?

That sounds silly.

You have to leave Thailand to get a tourist visa.

And nobody knows whether Penang will issue tourist visas to people with passports full of 30 day chops, now, do they?

OK, so Thai immigration reads this board.

Hello Thai immigration!

It is your country and your right to make the rules.

PLEASE decide and tell us CLEARLY exactly what the rules are. Otherwise, mass confusion and alot of people get hurt, including Thai families of farangs and Thai small businesses.

Otherwise, these things will happen:

-- Embassies and consulates all over the world won't know whether it is OK or not OK to grant tourist visas on many passports with many existing stamps/ tourist visas. There is a lot of confusion about whether time in Thailand on real tourists visa is counted in this crackdown.

-- Airlines won't know whether to board passengers with passports with many existing stamps/visas; they will likely unjustly deny boarding to many

-- You might consider, after clearly communicating the new rules, to offer a six month grace period of nonenforcement so that those that wish to and can get different kinds of visas can do so with the minimum amount of emotional and economic disruption

Well, thats a start of my list, I am sure there are others.

And while immigration might be reading, how about trying a modification of the Philippine system? Allow people to stay as long as one year one one month extensions to their 30 day stamps, and make such people visit immigration and pay a rather hefty monthly service fee. The fee after 90 days would include a much larger "investigation fee" in which an officer would interview the applicant about their activities in Thailand and proof of funds coming from abroad. Those suspected of illegal working could be selected for further investigation and prosecution. This way, Thailand would get rid of undesirable people and still keep the people who love Thailand very much, are spending their money in Thailand, and don't qualify for a more long term visa.

Oh, and while we are at it. How about lowering the retirement visa age to 30? That visa is mostly about showing money and not working in Thailand, yes? There are lots of Westerners who have the money and desire to retire in Thailand before age 50.

Rent a cheap appartment in Laos. Here is not all that problems. And its even cheaper than Thailand.

3 month here and then 3 month in Thailand. ....lol

Funny thing, I just had that idea.

For the true visa runners who can't manage or don't want to manage another kind of visa, I propose Thaivisa start a new forum for called Visa Runner Apartment/Country Exchange.

Heres the concept.

Hook up with another runner. Runner A rents an apartment in Thailand. Runner B rents an apartment in Cambodia, Laos, or Malaysia. Like clockwork, every 3 months, MUSICAL CHAIRS!

Kind of like timeshare. What dya think?

What about the retired US military who do not meet the monetary requirement for a retirement visa and have 12 months of back to back visas? Will they say sorry you have too many stamps at the end of the month you must leave and oh by the way, you will lose your deposit on your apartment.

How much is your military pension? If it is under 800K per annum, I suppose your only option is go back to the US and save the money to make up the difference for the Thai bank account. Then you can come to Thailand. Just checking to make sure you understand the financial requirements ... if you have a pension, you might not be far off qualifying.

There will be so many vacant condos maybe they could be re-purposed as karaoke bars or storage units.

Not a crisis? Are you serious?

Absolutely serious. I've come in on the 30 day stamp, and I have gotten 60 day tourist visa, and the non-o that I am on now.

Oh, I see: it'll only become a crisis when they next change whatever law/rule/regulation that affects YOU!

Then who will be the chump, hmmm?

Its not a crisis for him. Its not a crisis for me either because there happens to be a long term visa I can get. However, it is a crisis for many farangs on this board. Lets hope there really are reasonable alternatives that continue to be options, such as multiple entry tourist visas from Malaysia. I also think this could be a real downer for the condo market, sales and rental, in farang popular areas.

Can we have a little more light and a little less heat in this topic please.

Good point.

I am curious whether anyone knows whether this will also mean a change in policy regarding issuing multiple entry tourist visas from the west and Penang?

Have you not got better things to do then antagonise people who are trying to work through a crisis

Crisis? Very melodramatic. A crisis is when you find out you have cancer.

Or

No gas in your flying airplane.

Getting a legal visa is not a crisis. Stop being a baby about it and do the right thing.

More lack of compassion and arrogance concerning the pain of other people who are not you.

Getting a long term visa is not an option for a lot of perfectly fine people.

Many have long term ties to Thailand and many will have to leave the country and often loved ones of their choice.

Not a crisis? Are you serious?

.

Nothing morally or ethically wrong? With lying?

If you are NOT a tourist but are LIVING here, you should have the correct visa. Like all other countries, Thailand has limits on the number of aliens it allows to live within its borders.

This is a good thing and won't affect the REAL tourists any way whatever.

I know I know... you spend a lot of money here. And of course MONEY is the MOST IMPORTANT THING in the world. RIGHT?

Nothing morally or ethically wrong with that, either. Right?

'nuff said

~

Edited by Scouse.

Again, I disagree.

A person can live in Thailand for years and live their life as a tourist. If you are not working, if you are just enjoying yourself, yes, spending money, this is rather like a very long vacation, yes?

And the 30 day stamp says nothing about tourism. No lies there for sure.

The way some of you talk, its like you are TRT functionaries.

How about some solidarity among farangs? I know, an impossible wish.

Think of the farang businesses that are going to be ruined by this change.

With 5 pages of posts, I'm surprised no one yet has put forth the question of why now. I'm betting that this is a response to the idiot Karr of Jon Bonet Ramsey fame.

Anyone disagree?

Agree of course. Also its election season and hassling foreigners is a no lose decision politically. If this is partly about English teachers, it really does need to be easier for teachers to get work permits or there won't be nearly enough English teachers, now that this loophole is being closed.

I still think there is nothing morally or ethically wrong with a person staying indefinitely on 30 day stamps or tourist visas as long as they are not doing anything illegal. My understanding is that in the Philippines, that is what most expats are doing. They just pay a periodic fee to immigration and must exit and re-enter once annually. Why persecute people about this? Why not just go after criminals based on the crimes rather than their visa strategy? I think this is a real shame.

The pool of farangs in Thailand on non-long term visas is large. No money from people with 30 day stamps? I bought an expensive condo with one of those stamps in my passport and I know I am not the only one. Also consider the pool of people who eventually do settle on long term visas has got to start somewhere! That pool often comes from the pool of people testing the waters on shorter term visas such as stamps and tourist visas.

The overall result of this is a less fun Thailand. Its funny. Singapore is becoming more fun, Thailand less so.

Goodness

Far more entertaining than the drivel on UBC this afternoon. A right-royal slanging match is about to ensue. (He says hopefully)

They used to say when America sneezes, the world gets pneumonia.

All a Thai immigration honcho has to do is give a cryptic vague interview to the farang press, and hes got us all wondering if the sky is falling.

Good fun! (For him anyway.)

I knew that John Karr madman was bad news ...

Well, if you are wealthy and under 50 you could try for the 3 million baht investment visa.

Yes, airline will likely allow to board with a visa, though be aware some consulates and embassies won't issue a tourist visa without a ticket out.

I live in CM and there must be hundreds, if not thousands of foreigners living here that do this. Do the Thai government not want these people spending money in LOS?

no they dont and rightly so....if you are on a perpetual rotating tourist visa run (or perpetual visa exempt re-entry merry-go-round), then you are cheating the system and have no right to complain if the authorities decide to stop the cheating (even if you are supporting three buffalos and an entire bar)....

get the right visa and get legal not fair to those who comply with the system and take the time and expense to comply.....

I personally don't need to do visa runs. But I have in the past taken advantage of tourist visas, multiple entry tourists visas, and occasionally visa runs posing as vacations. I find the self righteousness of people attacking the large segment of people that do use visa runs as garden variety lack of compassion. Do you really think all visa runners are criminals? Are not lots of people on more long term visas also criminals? So you think you are a superior human being because you have a longer term visa? There are lots of countries that offer perpetual tourist visa opportunities, the Philippines, Argentina, and Mexico to name a few. To those that have taken the opportunity to use the liberal interpretation of Thailand's 30 day stamps, I say good on them, and my regrets if this becomes impossible. These are just the shifting sands of rules and enforcement, and to those who feel so secure now with their long term visas, the rules can change to bite you too!

As Trink used to say, human nature? human manure.

How about multiple entry tourist visas? No change there I hope.

Its funny how Thailand wants to bite those who love their country too much. To those that say Western countries are much more restrictive, get real, Thailand is not a Western country and overall does benefit from all kinds of tourists, even perpetual ones.

Hey

The website for USAA is www.USAA.com interestingly enough.

They have eligibility criteria for using their services, all is explained on the website.

The banking side is a Federal Savings Bank and is FDIC insured.

Kind regards

Peter

I called them up and they said you do need a military connection to join and get a bank account with them.

I agree the trays are a great option for many. I was told by my dentist that the trays can never get your teeth as white as the lasers though. Just as there are shades of grey, there are always shades of white.

And the time difference is not trivial. Lasers treatment takes less than an hour. And I really do think people are exagerrating the pain aspect.

In the US I agree Walmarts are good for poor people, keeping the prices down. However, there is alot of evidence the prices are kept low at the expense of taxpayers, Walmart actively assists their "associate" in getting on welfare programs because they know they don't pay a living wage. So this is kind of a shell game. I doubt any of these issues are relevant in Thailand though as there is almost no welfare state in Thailand.

Now that story, I do not understand. Is that common? Killing a card permanently as part of a hold? I can understand a freeze until they hear from you, but why did they kill the card?

That works fine if you have a small carryon bag. My understanding is that these buses did not have any special facilities for carrying large luggage. Beyond stupid!

Wow! and my understanding is that they are the low entry open format busses similar to the ones that take you out onto the tarmac.

Page 7 has nice piccies of the shuttle buses. They are exactly the type of vehicle that you would expect BMTA to operate in the CITY not in an airport (they are low floor though).

Meanwhile, anyone know where short term parking is located??

Thats what I heard to. Do you know if they have luggage racks? This can't be a fast, efficient, or pleasant system with all the long haul travellers with lots of luggage.

Will they still require a 50 Baht surcharge/tax/ripoff to take the taxi from the airport like what is presently done at Don Muang

Now that is a petty complaint, isn't it? Don't the taxis have to pay fees just to be in the queue? Taxi drivers are not exactly rich, give em a break, and heck, give them a tip if they deserve it. Geez.

Wait a day and try another bank. I have had the best luck with Bangkok Bank and Siam Commercial Bank ATMs, especially Bangkok Bank. It is most likely just one of those glitches that commonly happen in Thailand. If not, they have frozen your ATM access, in which case you'll have to call them.

Good luck. I know that sinking feeling all too well ...

Tip, even if you see the message "contact your issuing bank" that does not mean that your bank has frozen your access. I have seen that message many times and just try another bank ATM or wait a day and then it works. Pay attention to the bank ATMs that don't work for you and stop using them.

That works fine if you have a small carryon bag. My understanding is that these buses did not have any special facilities for carrying large luggage. Beyond stupid!

If taxis are available directly at the airport (I sure hope this is true) why would anyone want to take a shuttle bus to get a taxi?

I agree that halting those projects already under construction is massively stupid. As farangs in Thailand, we really benefit from these large chains, mainly because we are treated fairly and equally at those places. I don't agree that the dynamics of these stores is exactly the same phenom as Walmarts in the US, but the part about damaging local retailers sounds similar. Walmart often competes with other quite organized and established large retailers, at least outside of small towns.