whitemouse

13 hours ago, JensenZ said:

Correct me if I'm wrong, but don't all the Pattaya visa runs go to the Pailin border crossing? It has been a long while since I crossed there.

 

The way I see it, this is not a common crossing that tourists use and is a bit of a backwater. It's kind of a purpose-built, money-generating crossing mainly used by Visa-run services. The chances of being turned away if you're with a group would be small. The agents can probably determine the success of a visa runner before they embark on the run.

Yes, that's the border crossing. 

The way agents fill the TM6, agents pointing you towards next booth window on Thai and Cambodian side, it is well oiled money making machine.

I didn't see anyone actually travelling to Cambodia after the border police booth, everyone turned around and returned back to Thai border. Officers did not go throu passport pages like they always do at Thai airports.

It's a well oiled money generating machine. But so cheap, 3000 b includes Cambodia visa, and there is no visa sticker, stamp only.

Flying may sound better than minivan trip, but 3.5 hour one way is not too bad. Fligh takes much longer, we think that Siem Resp is only an hour flight, but travelling to Bangkok airport, be there 2 hours before flight, all the super annoying security search... flight may be 1 hour but I'm fact you lose all day. 

For strictly 30 days stamp I much prefer minivan trip to border. Also, no chance of entry denial, agents practically run this place.

6 hours ago, Ohyesuare said:

 

It's actually the opposite. You're more likely to get denied at a land border, telling you to fly in instead. Of course, I'm sure using an agent at the land border to do the trip helps since everyone gets their kickbacks. 

In 20 years of border runs to land border Cambodia I've yet to experience questioning by  border police. I have never heard a single report of difficulty on the land border crossing, except than one known crossing.

I have been questioned several times at BKK and DMK airports, all my friends have had many such experiences at both Bangkok airports. There are constant reports at Aseannow visa sub forum of people being turned away and denied entry at airports.

When you say land border crossing are more difficult, you are giving very bad advise to people planning a visa run.

Obviously every visa run is accompanied with a Thai agent, why would anyone try this alone. 

I have never heard of questioning  at Thai Cambodia border, 20 years of 6 months visits to Thailand. Obviously avoiding the one very well known and very difficult border crossing.

So, anyone with many entries to Thailand with tourist visa or visa waiver, 4th or 5th entry to Thailand via air will be coin toss, you can be denied entry for no reason, and you'll be deported. The usual 'reason' to deny entry is 12/2, 'lack of funds to sustain stay in Kingdom'.

19 minutes ago, Gottfrid said:

You can see it how you wish to see it. If you stay in Thailand more than 180 days, you are considered a tax-resident. Something that means you are basically living in the country. Therefore, they will no longer see you as a tourist. Something that will also mean you should obtain another visa that is to be seen as the right choice for such purpose.

Please call it baseless if you want. Up to you!

No. It is not how I choose to see it. Thailand has laws. OP can stay as a tourist as long as Thailand allows him.

I'm staying here every winter for 6 months as a tourist.

You may think that only 2 week package holiday makers are tourists, most likely because before your retirement you couldn't take 6 months holidays.  I can. I am a tourist in Thailand for 6 months, lawfully.

5 hours ago, raz0r21 said:

 

I know its not supposed to be like this, but it is.

 

Just FYI (I am sure there are many I have missed):

 

• Thai embassy/consulates in Vietnam: overly complicated visa applications. Started with this policy around 2019 afaik.
• Poipet border in Cambodia: avoid at all cost. Many horror stories in this forum about this border crossing.
• Ban Laem border in Cambodia: still ok, but only with VISA run company (as far as I know).
• Thai embassy/Friendship bridge border in Laos: Mostly ok.
• Chiang Mai airport (CNX): ok.
• Bangkok  airport (DMK): avoid if you have a long history of tourist stamps.
• Bangkok airport (BKK): avoid if you have a long history of tourist stamps.

All valid points. I simply did not know specifics of embassy and consulates in Vietnam, counting on having all the paperwork won't raise any issues. But it did. Hanoi embassy website does not stipulate that in order to apply for 60 days TR one needs a reservation to cover the whole period of stay.

To add to list, but this information may be dated and hopefully someone can join and confirm, Kuala Lumpur embassy is the absolute worst. It is the only embassy I walked out without a visa. 20 winters in Thailand, 6 months out of the year, nothing like this has happened before and since.

Kuala Lumpur experience was few years ago and may have changed now.

They have list of all necessary paperwork on their web site, that includes recent bank statement. 

So I walked in, only to be told that the bank statement needs to be issued by mu bank in Europe, with s stamp and branch manager signature. I had with me only screen print that shows balance. I though at first she probably made a mistake,  maybe I misunderstood her, something must be lost in translation. But no, they wouldn't budge. A little man joined embassy lady behind protective glass and yelled 'Bank letter, mister! Bank stamp, mister! Bank signature, mister!'

I tried to explain that my bank is in Sweden, how can I get this letter for you. Nothing. This has been the only time I walked out of embassy with no visa. All the fun of extreme humidity, uncomfortably high heat, 1 week wasted. 

Should have consulted here before going. 

Thank you, everyone for useful info.

Ended up using agent, soi Bukhao, if you walk from South Rd to Soi Bukhao, 3 minute walk you'll see a blue sign to your right  'Cambodia Visa', owner is Thai gentleman.

The price is 3000b, seems to be lowest today , many ask slightly more. This includes everything. Pick up was this morning at 5am, driver is good, within speed limit and no dangerous manoeuvres on the road. 

One stop for food and toilet about half way. Border in and out all together 50 minutes, few people waiting in line, several vans arrived same time.

Drive to border took under 4 hours.

It is now 10.20, got the Thai stamp and we are heading back to Pattaya. 

All in all, painless experience.

14 minutes ago, Thaidream said:

It makes peerfect sense if you are Thai.  The insurance  issue is a  pilot project to see what affect this policy has on numbers of O-A Visas issued; how it may or will not  reduce debt to hospitals and how the long stayers will respond.

 

 

Reported yearly loss due to unpaid hospital bills is 100 Million THB.

 Think about that figure. I'm guessing, losses due to expired Aspirin jars in Thai hospital pharmacies amounts to more than 100 Mil THB. 

$3 Mil USD a year, this is pennies. You can't seriously believe it is about $3 Mil.

On 10/16/2019 at 3:30 PM, Isaanbiker said:

A law, or regulation is easily changed. I'm afraid that more visa types will soon be included, otherwise it doesn't make much sense.

 

   They're out there. And they're out there to get you! 

Exactly! It doesn't make sense, buy almost nothing here makes sense, everything is ran by bureocractic machinery, no silly laws can be changed in any way, because, you know, that's just how it's always been. The whole system seems to be like a badly designed robot, incapable of learning, unable to adjust with times and conditions. Even if some civil servant realises how idiotic some regulations may be, he/she knows not to make a peep about it. Initiative is discouraged, and likely penalized.

Everyone wishes to believe that mandatory health insurers will  affect O-A visa holders only, but that makes no sense. It makes much more sense that Bangkok wants every long term visa holder to have this mandatory insurance. It is very  possible that whoever dreamt up  this new insurance requirement, is not aware there is O and O-A visa, he/she may think all retirees are on same visa, same extension. Otherwise this law accomplishes nothing, why should holder of O visa be treated differently than O-A holder.

But then again, nothing here makes sense.

2 hours ago, sillyfool said:

these posts are stupid now.

 

 

No! These posts are extremely helpful. Tourists need to know that Tai immigration does not honour a visa issued by Thai embassies, this is extraordinary. People need to know this! 

4 hours ago, nightfox said:

Surprise surprise....Another falang trying to live in Thailand on a tourist visa being denied. When will people learn that the times have change 

 

I wonder what German immigration will say if a Thai citizen will have a history of tourist visas keep coming into Germany????

German immigration follows German law - a Thai tourist with a valid tourist visa will be granted entry, and Thai tourist stays as long as visa allows. German Immigration Officer follows the law. Travellers history is irrelevant, a valid visa holder is allowed Schengen entry, simple as that.

21 hours ago, MattDM said:

Didn't count really the days in 2018. Two SETV's with extension plus about 5 weeks of the start of the METV

And what harm did his SETV and METV cause to this nation? He spent his money here, just like retirees. Unless his age (under 50) is held against him by our "hang em high" squad, what actual harm did he cause by staying I Thailand, spending his tourist money in Thailand?