BritTim

If you have a long history of previous visits to Thailand, all bets are off. This is especially true as you are a Nepalese citizen. In theory, a visa guarantees you entry unless you satisfy one of the reasons under Section 12 of the Immigration Act for denied entry. However, Immigration in recent times has taken to making itself the arbiter of whether the consulate should have given you a visa. The consulate was correct to give you a Non O visa which is abrogated by Immigration much less often then tourist visas.

With no or limited prior visits to Thailand, you should be fine. Immigration does not second guess the visa issuing processes of consulates for infrequent visitors.

12 hours ago, ThaiBrian said:

I have a ticket to go back home in 3 months. My parents are telling me to leave now ???? because of the scaremongering. I admit, its nothing to take lightly but I'm hopeful things will turn around. But, I just found out the Pentagon setting up 11 Quarantine camps within 11 major airports and it makes me wonder how I'll be treated. I could be labeled a special case because of my journey back. My itinerary shows me going through China. I have 3 connecting flights and will be landing in 2-3 airports with a 17 to 20 hour layover all together. ????

 

I just hope it dies down in 3 months and I won't have to be quarantined... I'm okay with self-isolation and will actually stay home as I'm very much an introvert, living in a small town. 

There will still be virus infections in three months, but the irrational panic will hopefully have subsided somewhat. If you are planning layovers at Chinese airports, enforced quarantine is a possibility. You will need to wait until closer to your departure to judge. I assume you have also investigated whether there is a way of rerouting your journey to avoid China. While infection three months from now at a Chinese airport is not particularly likely (depending to some extent on which airport)  bypassing China might be prudent.

16 hours ago, 5633572526 said:

It also says from airport to residence or hotel so not really clear.

My understanding of 'round trip from airport to hotel or residence' is that it applies in both directions. Indeed, I do not know what other meaning 'round trip' could have. The only way I can see where you would not be entitled to the limo service is if this is a misprint in the fact sheet, but surely it would have been corrected long ago if that were the case.

The decision by the Phuket official was extremely non standard. I would be interested in knowing if this particular non standard rule has ever been applied before, even in Phuket.

1 hour ago, SCOTT FITZGERSLD said:

if you are not worried about the virus, than why will you keep your hands away

from your face?

The main reason, in my case, is not the coronavirus which you are highly unlikely to contract, but other infections (respiratory of otherwise) including the relatively dangerous seasonal flu (which has killed over 10,000 people worldwide since October. No one has died from the coronavirus in Thailand, and (so far) only Chinese citizens have died. I fully expect the number of deaths outside China from the coronavirus to rise, but it is unlikely to reach the level of deaths from lightning strikes or horse kicks.

8 hours ago, Julistan said:

My friend who has already used all his overland entries asks between Penang and KL, which one of these consulates is the easiest to get a 60 days thai visa? 

I recommend Kuala Lumpur. That is a big change from several years ago when Penang was preferred. If unsuccessful in getting a visa in Kuala Lumpur, your friend could consider flying to U-Tapao where denied visa exempt entry is less likely than at Suvarnabhumi or Don Muang.

If you are currently on your first visit to Thailand:

• Fly to and from Siem Reap.
• Get a 30-day visa exempt entry on your return to Thailand, which you can extend by a further 30 days at the immigration office on payment of 1,900 baht

As others have indicated, there is no rail service to Siem Reap. While possible (and very cheap) to take the train to Aranyaprathet about 6 km from the border, the trip is slow and dusty

If you have a prior travel history to Thailand, it might be worthwhile (albeit uncertain) to muck around with agents in an attempt to get a tourist visa while in Siem Reap. For someone on their first visit to South East Asia, the visa exempt entry should be safe, and is easiest.

17 hours ago, DrJack54 said:

Tim...just for the forum, do you have any knowledge of what happens after blacklisting. Meaning let's say he was given the 12 month, is there a way to check if your A OK to return.

I do not know how this is handled administratively. In theory, the blacklisting ought to automatically expire at the end of the blacklisting period. I am pretty sure that if you arrive at a crossing point, and the system indicates you are still banned, it would be possible to resolve the problem and (in principle) be allowed to enter. A big problem can be the advance passenger information system the airlines use to communicate with immigration. It is possible immigration might send back a "do not board" instruction to the airline, which comes with no reason or possibility to appeal. If worried about this possibility, maybe you should fly to a neighbouring country, and enter by land.

Ir would be better to get a 30-day extension of your permission to stay at the immigration office (1,900 baht) rather than burning your last visa exemption by land for 2020. Going forward keep that visa exempt entry by land for emergencies, and plan on travelling to a consulate for a visa.

7 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

What site states that. 

On the official site it states this for the most exclusive visa. 

Source: https://www.thailandelite.com/at-your-service/card/elite-ultimate-privilege-membership?locate=en&popup=false

Go to the bottom of the page https://www.thailandelite.com/at-your-service/card/elite-easy-access-membership?locate=en&popup=false (about Easy Access visa)) and click on the Fact Sheet.

I agree that the information seems a bit contradictory.

14 minutes ago, BritTim said:

We need a Thailand Elite member to confirm this, but my recollection is that (at least in the past) the limo was in both directions. Arrival, I think, is more important, as it ensures speedy passage through immigration.

This seems 100% clear: Note that it states round trip

Quote

We need a Thailand Elite member to confirm this, but my recollection is that (at least in the past) the limo was in both directions. Arrival, I think, is more important, as it ensures speedy passage through immigration.

1 hour ago, Vascoda said:

On 2/8/2020 at 7:47 PM, Max69xl said:

First of all, it's not Buddha's birthday on Monday.

It's Makha Bucha Day (or Magha Puja Day in some countries). It is the day when Buddha delivered his first sermons to a gathhering of 1200 monks in Rajgir, India.

Saturday was Makha Bucha day. Monday is a public holiday (substitution for Saturday) but not a Buddhist holiday.

5 hours ago, Elkski said:

Suspected cases are over 500.  Buts it's been days.   But tests only take hours so Wztzf? 

An initial negative test is not taken as definitive especially if people are showing symptoms and/or have had close contact with those known to be positive. Most showing symptoms will turn out to have the common cold or seasonal flu, but only additional testing will eliminate the coronavirus.

You are correct. Single entry Non O is available, but no multi any more from the UK. If you want a multiple Non O based on marriage, you can do this in Savannakhet or Ho Chi Minh City. 

If worried about risks to your health in Thailand, I would be more worried about events like the shooting in Korat that just killed 12 people. No one has died from the coronavirus in Thailand. There have been no known cases of person to person transmission in Thailand except taxi drivers in en enclosed vehicle for long periods with Chinese visitors.

At most land crossings, they will give you the two visa exempt entries by land in a calendar year without any issues. However, at airports, immigration is under instructions to prevent people from using visa exempt entries to stay longer than necessary for regular tourism. Especially if you try to use back-to-back visa exemptions, you are very likely to be quizzed, and possibly denied entry.

1 hour ago, ChipButty said:

It was Thai Airasia 

Ah, yes. QZ 256 to Don Muang.

Get to Chaengwattana fairly early in the day. The whole process should be easy, but may be time consuming.

4 hours ago, SnugglePuma said:

I'm staying in a hotel so I assume the TM30 stuff is taken care of and they give me the benefit of the doubt.

You should be fine. Take proof that you are staying in a hotel.

The denial stamp is an absolute mess. Besides the confusion over dates, it also refers to flight number Q2 256 (as far as I can see, a flight that does not enter Thailand). I cannot even figure out if the denial was at Suvarnabhumi or Don Muang.

Whether you have a visa or not, do not try to fly into Suvarnabhumi, Don Muang, Phuket or Krabi.

With a tourist visa, you should be OK flying into some of the other airports. However, better is to enter at a friendly land crossing. Most convenient would be if you can fly to Vientiane and enter via the Friendship Bridge to Nong Khai.

4 hours ago, SnugglePuma said:

I read that if they deny me an extension I will automatically get an extra seven days to depart.  Is that true?

Generally, yes, but see my comment about the TM30. Some offices will refuse to provide any service whatsoever if a TM30 notification has not been done.

Leaving it to the last day is not a good idea, but should normally not be a problem. If you are not staying in a hotel, ensure a TM30 notification was done by the housemaster wherever you are staying (not required at all immigration offices, but necessary at most).