Thaiquila

In the US under the current system if you show up at an airport with either a 1 way ticket or return ticket which returns OVER 30 days, WITHOUT A VISA, you most definitely WILL NOT BE ALLOWED ON THE AIRLINE. I think the same from UK as well? So IT IS THE AIRLINES BUSINESS, OK?????

The ticket agents have information for each target country, and in the US anway, they ENFORCE the rules. That is because if they board you and you don't get in, they will be liable for all of the expenses to get you home. Understand now?

Those rules are super simple. The new rules are super complex. The airlines will not be bothered with studying every stamp in your passport.

Comparing with Western countries where any long stay permission means government medical insurance, un-employment benefits, emergency social help and so forth, all paid by the tax payers, is just plain silly. Cheers!

Exactly. Thailand is not a western country.

People keep saying that Thailand is now a rich country and can act like a rich country.

Sorry, I don't see it.

Just look at average salaries.

Acting like a rich country is basically just putting on airs, puffery not based on reality.

Talk to us in 50 years after you have invested in upgrading your education system ...

Well, I will admit 3 m isn't much, but it is something.

People on other financial requirement visas shouldn't be too comfortable now. Such as retirement and 2 million baht business formation.

We want you. But we don't want you.

Sort of. Kind of. Figure it out. Up 2 Us.

Am I the only one that is feeling that Thai visa policies are starting to feel "Kafkaesque"? At the very least, rather schizoid, passive aggressive, and rather crazy making.

As Gertrude Stein once said, maybe it can be applied to Thai immigration policies: "Is there a there there?"

Errm....US$75,000 is peanuts when it comes to foreign investments.

And how does you home country ease the plight of foreign investors with as much as US$75,000? Allow them to stay 12 months of the year and let them do visa runs?

PLEASE let us put to BED once and for all direct comparisons between THAILAND and first world countries in the west.

Consider the massive difference in MEDIUM INCOME for a Thai versus an American or a Swede.

It is a factor of how many times? Many, many.

So an investment in Thailand of 3 million baht is actually much more significant than the same investment in the west. The Thai elite, hisos etc. don't see it that way, but they are a small minority.

Very interesting topic for me as I am wanting to find an alternative place to Thailand for the months of January through to July each year. Brasil and Argentina seem to have cooler climates too, but what about the cost of living. Anyone got accurate information? How much more expensive are these places than Thailand? I intend to travel to Brasil in January, buy a car and travel around to have a look for myself, but meanwhile would welcome the information. Last year I travelled through Central America on the same mission but everywhere was just too hot, apart from northern Mexico, which I didn't really like.

Brazil is more expensive than Argentina, mainly because their currency has greatly strengthened. I can speak about Argentine costs in Buenos Aires. Decent apartments in decent neighborhoods are priced similarly to Bangkok. It is hard to get the local price on low end rentals though. There are frustrating traditions and bureaucracies there. Food is a great bargain at the middle level. Not much at the very low end. In other words, you won't find satisfying 20 baht meals, but great food starting at 100 to 200 baht. Of course, costs would be lower in provincial cities and country.

As in Thailand, locally produced stuff is a great deal. Imports are overpriced. Medical care is good and well priced. As in Thailand, you can buy most of what you need without a scrip at a pharmacy.

For Americans, Argentinians are very much anti American, but as warm as you can imagine in person to individuals. If you are a man, be ready to kiss alot of men.

BTW: You MUST learn Spanish.

My conclusion is that it is a great place for the mid-wealth level people up to wealthy, but not so great for the poor expat. Drop by www.baexpats.com, a great little expat community.

So, lets get this clear.

It is now COUNTING DAYS, not STAMPS, correct?

Or is it????

Have heard it is stamps from other authoritative posters on this board.

The airlines are going to push back. I can see them saying no boarding of people with multiple stamps without a visa.

They cannot be expected to inspect passports to count days and make these arcane rulings.

Great for tourism numbers!

Oh, the airlines are gonna love this! How are airlines supposed to know whether to board or not?

If you like to travel and have the money, you can set up two new homes, one in Thailand, and one in a neighboring country like Cambodia, and just shuttle between the two as necessary for short term visa validity, playing the new Visa Home Run Game (trademark pending)! Two countries for a little more than the price of one!

Try it, you'll love it. As far as I can tell, this would be totally legal, but clearly not for everyone.

Yep. Thai teachers are lining up to replace NATIVE ENGLISH SPEAKING teachers who travelled across the world to work at wages that would be considered sub-poverty level in their home countries. What will these farang criminals do next?

Anyone can post.

And don't forget the immigration officers will also interpret the rules according to their own special understanding as well.

Big fun!

.

You guys are forgetting that this does not apply to airport arrivals. Arrive at any Thai international airport and your stamps will not be scrutinized.

They are only after the land crawling - stay ten minutes in cambo and come back in - visa runners.

This was mentioned two or three times earlier or somewhere I dunno anymore.

w.

~

It has also been mentioned a number of times that airport entries DO indeed count. So which is it? Who really knows? Logically, they would count. You can also air crawl, by flying to Singapore and back same day. Whats the difference??????

Nobody said it was a COMMON side effect. Just that its possible.

I had never heard that there was any extra problems with generics. If anyone has any links (other than gossip from a pharmacist who stood to make a bigger profit) showing that this is really the case?

I suppose if the generics were really low quality, fakes, or defective but in Thailand you run that same risk with so called "real" brand name meds. However, I was under the impression that authentic Indian generics were decent quality.

The genuine ones also contain properties to prevent certain side effects relating to the heart / blood flow and effects on the blood vessels.

WRONG!

Any product containing Sildenafil Citrate should not be taken by anyone with heart issues or on any type of heart medication.

I concur. If the generics are authentic, they have the same active ingredient as the original. A big cause of death from these meds are from people taking nitroglycerine for heart pain. Mixing them kills. I am sure there are other contraindications as well. Best of course to talk to a doctor.

Try www.bt-store.com, a consolidator. You found some decent fares. Fares are up.

When you leave, you cannot enter Thailand for 3.5 months without coming back with a visa.

This is an academic question, as I would never try this myself, but deciphering the "logic" of Thai immigration policies makes great sport and I am not into crossword puzzles.

Anyway, back to your examples. New example.

April is a nice time to travel. So traveller Mr. Ateeyem arrives in Thailand (unforgettable as the Hub of Crackdowns) on APRIL 1.

First entry. 2 days. Counts as 30 days.

Second entry. 2 days. Counts as 30 days.

Third entry. 2 days. Counts as 30 days.

OK, this traveller then leaves Thailand on APRIL 7 to his non Thai banishment

1. Does the 3.5 month clock for reentry to Thailand BEGIN on the date of APRIL 7, or does it actually begin 90 days after April 7, because after all immigration just told us each of those tiny entries counted as 30 days?

2. What does 3.5 months mean? Months have a different number of days in them. Isn't the rule rather a SPECIFIC number of days away? And I thought it was 90. 3.5 months sounds quite a bit more than 90 days.

Are these guys trying to impose some kind of math quiz psychological torture on these visa runner "criminals"?

A whole lot of the so called authentic Pfizer products are actually fake. It seems to me there is less motivation to make fakes of actual generics, as the price is cheaper already.

A strategy as simple as obtaining 1 (one) single entry 60 day tourist visa followed by an extension and 2 or 3 border runs, then repeat, was never out of the question.

Please explain your scheme for a 60-day visa following by an extension and 2 or 3 border runs. The new rule says 'no more than 90 days in Thailand every six months'. That sounds pretty clear to me.

The achilles heel of this plan is you don't know whether the consulates/embassies will issue you a tourist visa when you show up with a passport full of recent 30 day stamps. Maybe the first time, then how about the second and the third time? OK if you are travelling light and can easily leave when your time comes. Otherwise, obviously, try to get a proper visa if you can and sleep at least a little better ... for now anyway.

I am getting a little annoyed at this.

If we are talking mainly about YOUNGER backpackers, surely this is a wonderful thing, for young people from all over the world experiencing world travel. Some of these young people grow up to be world leaders and at the very least monied middle age people who come back and spend more money.

Please lets not fall into the trap of thinking that money is everything!

Just a minute there.

Vision issues, even blindness, are a possible effect of using REAL Viagra or Cialis.

If it is a REAL generic, they use the EXACT SAME active ingredient.

The pharma companies of course have a vested interest in scaring you into buying their product, as perhaps so does that pharmacist.

Info here on VISION RISK from these products:

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=100...=top_world_news

Can people doing visa runs open bank accounts, buy property, rent apartments, get utilities in their name?

In any case, I do agree that many people attracted to Thailand would also like Brazil.

Yeah, well you have to pick your spots.

Personally, the only two places in the world I have been mugged in were Rio de Janeiro and Sintra Portugal.

There are some fantastic beach resorts in Brazil.

I found the nicer parts of Buenos Aires OK to walk in even late at night.

I agree Brazil is a great country and yes I have been there. However, 50K isn't chickenfeed, and there are other great South American choices. Like Argentina, where there is no investment required at all for a pensioner, only need to show a rather modest income stream. Also Brazil is now more expensive than Argentina. Also, Spanish is easier to learn than Portuguese.

BTW, I am no fan of Costa Rica. Found it a big bore and the food the most boring in the world. Friendly people though.