CaptainKiiNiaw

With all the recent reports of regular visitors to Thailand being rejected over the last few months, I think it would be useful to share info about which airports have immigration officers who regularly deny entry.

My impression:

Don Mueang: One of the worst.

Suvarnabhumi: Quite bad but better than DMG

Phuket: Quite bad. Maybe as bad as DMG

Chiang Mai: Quite good.  Few rejections

I'm interested in reports about Hat Yai and Pattaya.  Feel free to share your experiences.

I'm new to the South, but I just heard this one today: สูบบุหรี่ (suup buri - to smoke) is duup buri or dtuup buri in the southern dialect.  I told the mae ban I wanted a non-smoking room ไม่สูบบุหรี่.  She didn't understand at first but finally got it and radioed the office staff to inform them I wanted 'mai duup buri.'

This is my first time to the far south, I had no idea the southern thai was so different from central thai.  Good on you for trying to learn the local dialect.

I know most rental shops in Thailand require renters to leave their passport as collateral, but I refuse to do it.  I've found shops in Chiang Mai and Isaan who will accept a cash deposit in lieu of a passport, but I haven't had any luck in Hat Yai.  Any recommendations?

1 minute ago, starky said:

The 3900 is for registration and all your course material

3900 will pay for 13 hours of private lessons at most schools.  Why would I want to pay that if I just want to try it out?  What if my teacher is a dud?  Also, their preschool-level course material would most likely be completely useless to me.

On 12/30/2017 at 4:44 PM, starky said:

learnthaistyle.com

Looks interesting, but they want 3900 THB in initiation fees in addition to 300 THB/hour.  3900 THB isn't a huge amount if you know you're going to take classes for a while, but I tend to move around from place to place, so I'm not sure it would be worth it.

On 12/30/2017 at 7:12 PM, NiwPix said:

https://www.facebook.com/engthaicenter/

This looks great.  I plan on traveling down to Ubon this month.  I'll check it out.

Can anyone recommend a language teacher in Isaan?  I'd like to take private lessons. I can already speak, read, and write Thai, but I'm trying to reach fluency as quickly as possible. The teacher doesn't even need to have experience teaching foreigners or speak english.  An elementary school teacher or a college student would be fine.  Preferably Nong Khai, Udon, Khon Kaen, Sakon Nakon, Nakhon Phanom, but I'm willing to relocate.

Thanks

On 12/22/2017 at 12:08 PM, allane said:

From a former Roi-etian who once travelled to Udon by bus: Departures throughout the day, every 90 min. or so, from about 6 a.m. to about 6 p.m., on the Pink Bus. I believe that Udon has 2 bus terminals, and that it leaves from the smaller one,somewhat removed from the downtown area.  

Good info, but arriving at bus station 2 in Udon is a pain because you have to take a ripoff samlor/tuktuk to the city center.  They often want more than the you paid for the bus ticket.

There is minivan service from bus station 1 (150 meters from Central Festival) as well.  I've seen the udon-roi et vans.

As for hours, I agree with allane, they usually run every hour or two, but sometimes the last bus departs fairly early in the afternoon.

Here's an old post about the minivan service: https://th-th.facebook.com/roietpictures/posts/897859333565251

รถตู้โดยสารสาย 233 
ร้อยเอ็ด-สารคาม-บรบือ-บ้านไผ่-ขอนแก่น-อุดรฯ เปิดให้บริการแล้ว
รถออกเวลา 04.50น ,06.20น, 07.20น 08.20น,11.20น,12.20น , 13.20 น, 14.20น, และ 15.20 น. 
ที่สถานีขนส่งผู้โดยสารร้อยเอ็ด 
โทร061-0799553

ข่าวจาก กิตตินันท์ อึ้งสำราญ

translation:

minivan by bus line 233

roi et-sarakham-bonbu-banphai-khon kaen-udon thani open for service 

van leaves 4:50, 6:20, 7:20, 8:20, 11:20, 12:20, 13:20, 14:20, and 15:20

from the roi et bus station

phone: 061-0799553

news from <some thai name>

Here's a two-year old post about tour bus service between the two cities: https://pantip.com/topic/33831121

departs udon at 9:30am and arrives in Roi Et at 1PM

departs Roi Et at 11:20am and arrives in Udon at 2:45PM

Thanks for the info, guys. 

I'll update this thread if I find any new shops in the next few weeks.

I'm looking to spend some time in a few different Isaan cities, and would like to rent a motorbike, so I'll be able to get around.

I know Nong Khai and Udon Thani each have several rental shops, but I didn't see anything in previous trips to Nakhon Phanom or Maha Sarakham.

If you know of any rental shops in Isaan please let me know.

Interested in Khon Kaen, Kalasin, Maha Sarakham, Sakon Nakhon, Nakon Phanom, but if you know of rental shops in other Isaan cities, please post them as the may be of interest to other readers.

I'll start:

Udon Thani:

Many shops on Soi Sam Pan (Samphan Thamit Alley) and around the corner on Watthananuong Road.

Nong Khai:

can't remember the name, but if you contact Mut Mee Guesthouse, they can refer you or even help you book a rental.

9 hours ago, juice777 said:

print out a bank statement at least 20000THB in it. [...]
 

Is a printed page from my bank's website sufficient?  I have U.S. bank accounts and don't receive any paper mail in Thailand.

Thanks for your report.  It's interesting how much variation there is in visa policy among the Thai embassies/consulates.

2 hours ago, JackThompson said:

Savanakhet's solution is to issue Tourist Visas indefinitely (according to many reports), but they check all those things upon every application. 

Interesting.  I hadn't heard that, but I'm not as up to date on the issue as some of the TV regulars.  In that case, I might just go get a SETV from Savannakhet.  I only have 3 SETVs in my passport (plus six or seven visa exempt entries).  Seems like a pretty safe bet as long as I have the required documentation.

14 minutes ago, JackThompson said:

This has worked to allow people to get additional Tourist Visas at nearby consulates for years.  The staff at the Vientiane consulate will tell you this is the "solution" [...]

Good to hear. That makes it sound like a legitimate solution rather than a sneaky hack.

9 minutes ago, darrendsd said:

Why would you have to stay in LAos for a few weeks while you renew your PP?

I thought that it would be better do it in Laos because I wouldn't have to worry about transferring my exit stamp to the new passport.  How does that work if you renew in Thailand?  Do you leave Thailand with a new passport containing an exit stamp but no matching entry stamp, or do they transfer your entry stamp to the new passport so that it contains an entry and an exit stamp.  Maybe I'm overthinking this part given @JackThompson 's comment about passport renewal being an acceptable solution in the eyes of the Vientiane consulate.

If anyone has had success renewing their passport in Thailand and getting a new SETV in Laos, please leave a comment.

I have three SETVs from Vientiane in my passport, so I'm probably close to the limit.  I've read on this site and others that you can simply get a new passport and the count is reset.  This seems like a very convenient way to stay in Thailand for quite some time. Get 3-4 SETVs then spend a few weeks in Laos while you renew your passport before starting the cycle again.  Are there any catches to this plan?  Are you at the risk of a IO refusing entry even if you do have a new SETV?  I would like to get a multi re-entry permit and take a few trips to Myanmar, but that would increase my exposure to IOs and the risk of being refused entry.  I'd like to hear stories from people who have replaced their passports and gotten more SETVs.

Update:  I was granted a visa exemption at DMK.  

The immigration officer did count my previous visa exemptions and/or SETVs which prompted her to ask how long I planned on staying this time.  She didn't ask for proof of funds, an onward ticket, or a hotel booking.

3 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

Looking at your I history I would say you should not have a problem getting another visa exempt entry.

Thanks, ubonjoe.  I'm going to give it a try. I'll post an update regardless of the outcome.

The reports of receiving or being denied a visa at a Thai embassy are useful, but there doesn't seem to be much info on visa exemptions.  Since July, 2015 I've spent the majority of my time in Thailand:

--- July 2015 ---

Visa exempt entry + extension

2 months outside of Thailand

Visa exempt entry(left Thailand after 15 days)

outside of Thailand for a month

Visa exempt entry

five day trip to KL

Visa exempt entry

2 months outside of Thailand

Visa exempt entry + extension

2 months outside of Thailand

SETV + extension

SETV

SETV + extension

2 weeks in Laos

Visa exempt + extension

2.5 months out of Thailand

--- I'm here now ---

I'm already in SE Asia and would like to use visa exempt entry one more time before I travel back to America.  What are the odds of a non-hippy-backpacker, mid-30s American male being refused entry if I have a hotel booking, proof of onward travel, and 20,000THB?

The immigration officer didn't ask me anything when he issued my last visa exemption.

Second question:  I've received 3 SETVs from the Thai embassy in Vientiane, but still haven't received a warning stamp.  What are my odds of getting one more SETV there?

I realize that there is a bit of variation depending on the individual immigration officer, but I would like to here other's opinions on the matter.

4 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

Have you gotten a 30 day extension of your visa exempt entry at immigration.

Yep,  forgot to mention that

10 hours ago, JackThompson said:

But, if you have 10K Baht + proof of your flight out in a month, I would be surprised if you had trouble with your first Visa-Exempt at a land-border this year at a Laos crossing.  If you did, you could always go back to Laos, cancel your exit-stamp, and get a TR Visa at the Thai Consulate.

I didn't know you could cancel an exit stamp.  Do you just get on the 15 baht bus back to Laos and ask Laos immigration to cancel the exit? 

I imagine I should stay in Laos for a least one night, right?

1 hour ago, JackThompson said:

...

Thanks for the detailed reply.  What is the required documentation for proof of address in Thailand? I've always only used a street address in Vientiane.  Will I need a lease statement or something else from my landlord?  In regards to the bank statement, I don't have anything official from my US bank account.  Would a print out from online banking be sufficient?

I don't think I have any visa exempt land entries in the last calendar year (only one visa exempt entry at DMK).  Maybe a visa exempt entry is my best bet in this case.

I've done three back to back SETVs from Vientiane followed by a visa exempt entry that expires soon.  I realize that I'm reaching the limit for Vientiane, so I've been contemplating using Savannakhet.  I have heard Savannakhet requires proof of funds and an onward ticket which wouldn't be a problem.

I actually only need a month in Thailand this time as I plan to travel to my home country to visit friends and family, but I already have six recent visa exemptions, so I figured I should probably get a visa.

Any thoughts on the best option?  SETV in Vientiane or Savannakhet? Try for another visa exemption?