lemonwaterjoe

12 minutes ago, Don Chance said:

They just want people to have the right visa. If you are living in Thailand they want you to have a long term visa. etc.

Exactly!

12 minutes ago, Don Chance said:

If the situation gets really bad there will be problems with the airlines because they are on the hook for a return flight so they will require thai visa's for travelers. This would be seriously hurt tourism.

I guess so far the amount of people "not let in" must be far too small compared to the amount of people that are "let in". Training and checking employes for checking proper visas and/or installing software to look this up at hundreds of airports most likely cost a lot of more money than flying back the few that aren't let in. Beside that: if you are not let in you need to buy or pay for your return ticket anyway, so the airline is not losing any money here.

3 minutes ago, mockingbird said:

If , like me, you come for 3 months, go home for 2 months, on a cycle, then who knows?

Since when are you doing so and what kind of Visa you use if I may ask?

On 9/29/2019 at 4:43 AM, mngmn said:

I have made six VE entries since April without so much as a raised eyebrow from the IO. Each time stayed less than 30 days.

How many days are "less than 30 days"? 5 days? 29 days? That can make a huge difference I guess.

I have been coming to Thailand on visa exempts (never used any visa) 6 times this year 2019 and stayed 14-19 days per visit. No issues. Last year I had 8 stamps staying in total 122 days in Thailand, in 2017 I had 7 stamps and always stayed around 2 weeks....never had any issue. Always fly in via Suvarnabhumi airport.

2 minutes ago, sillyfool said:

thought you might be older. my mistake. 

No problem.

That's why I don't understand why I never had any issues with my "history", as written:

4 minutes ago, sillyfool said:

if i may. how old are you ? 

I'm 38. Why?

How many days did you (asking the user that opened this thread) stay in Thailand on your visas in 2018 and 2019? That would make things much more understandable I guess.

My passport looks really funny and got 15 pages full of Thai stamps from the past 5 years. I have been coming to Thailand on visa exempts (never used any visa) 6 times this year 2019 and stayed 14-19 days per visit. No issues. Last year I had 8 stamps staying in total 122 days in Thailand, in 2017 I had 7 stamps and always stayed around 2 weeks....never had any issue. Always fly in via Suvarnabhumi airport. Am I just lucky? Or am I staying too less days per year for causing me any trouble witht he IO?

45 minutes ago, RAZZELL said:

Famous last words 

 

RAZZ

Why?

In my passport I have over 20 (!) pages with stamps from Suvarnabhumi airport officers showing my "record" of the past 5-6 years: I never ever had or applied for a Visa, I always present my passport at immigration at Suvarnabhumi airport and get a stamp (Visa Exemption) that allows me to stay up to 30 days. I never ever was questioned about my strange looking passport with tons of stamps and even more the huge entry list the computer must show the officer that checks/scans my passport. I come to Thailand by plane 7-9 times every year and stay between 15-20 days per trip.

42 minutes ago, cornishcarlos said:

 

You're magic wouldn't work if you arrived at Krabi airport ????

Why not? Last year I was flying to Krabi with Qatar Airways (scored a great promotional fare that was way cheaper than flying into Bkk) and had no issues.

But 95% of all my entries are at BKK, had one in Utapao once Qatar did service that airport and 3 or 4 in Phuket/Koh Samui.

Please have a look at my topic here: they don't seem to care about how often you come but always how srong you "squeeze out" the days you are allowed to stay max. I always leave after 15-20 days doing this since years, no issue:

https://forum.thaivisa.com/topic/1084220-entry-denied-because-you-come-too-often-whats-the-deal/

Just to add a little update here with regards to my initial post https://forum.thaivisa.com/topic/1084220-entry-denied-because-you-come-too-often-whats-the-deal/

In the meantime I came 3 more times to BKK always staying between 15-20 days and then being back in Europe for 4-6 weeks. Never had any issue same as since years.

The "magic" really seems to be not to stay as long as the visa allows you.

6 hours ago, DK2223 said:

As for me i always used a personal debit/credit card to do any purchase internationally and used company account to pay back to the cards i used. This is a way and less hassle for me. 

Yes, but that can't be a serious option. We could pay 25.000-30.000$ by credit card with that business. I doubt that my private credit card could cover such an amount. But even for smaller amounts it's riddiculous if that really would be the only option.

Hey everybody,

I know many of you are involved in Thai companies. Same as me - even I'm not actively working and only shareholding I'm monitoring what's happening with the business. One thing that really drives me crazy are international payments and credit cards:

"My" company (a Co. Ltd.) is operating in the marketing business and also got some international clients. So it's from time to time needed to make international bank transfers to Europe or the US. For international bank transfers (at least with Bangkok Bank) you always need to walk with the bank-book to the bank and fill out several pages of papers like we did in old Europe 35 years ago. It's also very important that these papers get at least 10 times stamped. And on top there is always one paper needed that confirms the business is stilll active what can't be older than 30 days. Getting this paper cost several hundred or even almost 1000 THB...okay, but that is something we can deal with.

But what makes me really crazy is the situation with credit cards. Is it real that it is more or less impossible for Thai companies to get a credit card that can be used to do global purchases online? I'm even not talking about a real credit card. A debit credit card that only allows you to do purchases if you got enough funds on your account would be totally fine already. We need to register from time to time Domains or buy Server space at AWS (Amazon). They only accept credit card payments. Same as for many other companies. Paypal or bank transactions simply don't work. This is really causing so many issues and harming our business seriously. Is here anybody having a Thai registered business that has a business (debit/pre-paid) credit card that can be used for international transactions? Any help or idea for a a solution would be appreciated.

Thanks for reading & best regards,

Joe

On 2/17/2019 at 9:18 PM, elviajero said:

There is no set limit of VE entries by air. You're quoting an old regulation of 90 days within any 180 days that ended years ago. It is now at the discretion of the IO to decide when enough is enough.

Sorry for replying late on this but I didn't get a notification about your post.

What you wrote shall mean theat people like me are with every entry at risk to get denied. Not sure about that. I just returned from another 19 day trip arriving 27 days after I left Thailand. No isses at all as always. As I wrote before: I come to Thailand by plane 7-9 times every year and stay between 12-20 days per trip.

32 minutes ago, KittenKong said:

It seems to me that they are more interested in people who repeatedly stay for the full 30 or 60 days than those who come and go very often but only spend a week or two here. The latter are more likely to be real tourists and less likely to be working here.

This is what I was thinking but I read over the past weeks that this also happens to people that were out of the country for months when returning.

2 minutes ago, swissie said:

Again, it's at the discretion of the Immi-Officer. Appearing unshaven, unwashed with flip-flops and wearing a T-shirt that says "Long live Thaksin" will not go unnoticed by any Immi-Officer.

Several members that had such issues while (trying to) enter(ing) Thailand confirmed they were smartly dressed. So I don't think that this is the reason in these cases.

Hi everybody,

With some confusion I'm reading more and more comments and see more and more threads coming up from people that do enter Thailand several times per year on Visa Exemption (= allowed to stay up to 30 days for most countries) mentioning that...

- they got refused to enter and sent back

or

- got any stamps/comments/marks under their stamp that their next entry will most likely be dienied because "you come too often without proper visa"

or

- are questioned in a "private room" and let in "1 last time" being told next time they have to come with a proper visa.

I don't know what exactly the deal is or if I'm just a super lucky guy but in my passport I have over 20 (!) pages with stamps from Suvarnabhumi airport officers showing my "record" of the past 5-6 years: I never ever had or applied for a Visa, I always present my passport at immigration at Suvarnabhumi airport and get a stamp (Visa Exemption) that allows me to stay up to 30 days. I never ever was questioned about my strange looking passport with tons of stamps and even more the huge entry list the computer must show the officer that checks/scans my passport. I come to Thailand by plane 7-9 times every year and stay between 12-20 days per trip. Never longer (maybe one time 2 or 3 years ago I did stay 25 days) because I need to take care of my business in Europe as well and that for can't afford to stay 4+ weeks.

Just wondering if anyone got an idea why I never faced any issues why other members here do have so many problems while having far less stamps/entries than me over the past months/years?

Cheers,

lemonwaterjoe

On 12/12/2018 at 8:46 AM, VBF said:

I'm in UK at present, but is the Grab Car app on the Google Play Store, as I cannot find it? I can see Grab Malaysia and Philippines but not Thailand.

Would someone be so good as to post a link please.

 

Oh and from @lemonwaterjoe comment above, can i assume that my UK Uber app will not work in Pattaya?

 

Thanks in anticipation.....

Yes, Uber won't work in Pattaya

Grab Car is very popular among the "taxi mafia" because the "taxi mafia" made so much stress earlier this year that grab car in pattaya is only a bad joke. Depending on your route grab car costs the same or 10-20 baht less than a grab taxi you can order via the same grab app. Previously grabcar was half the price than grab taxi but that changed dramatically after grab overtook uber and had its round-table with the pattaya taxi association or whatever this gang might be called correctly...

seems like that service is suspended and now only available for 1st/business class traveler

8 hours ago, musicscene said:

Did they make money on the conversion rate?

Of course. And that was for sure a lot considering that amount.

I also doubt there was no charge, never saw (beside during a promotion) that you can send money "for free" with them.

5 hours ago, lkv said:

 

 

The issue was that you used visa exempt too many times (six).

 

3 hours ago, elviajero said:

6x30 day visa exempt stays equals 180 days! That’s why the flag is set at 6. 

Hi,

Not sure if this is the issue. I just checked my passport:

2018: Entered Thailand 8 times (2 more trips to come this year) using visa exempt (30 days stamp at arrival at immigration)

2017: Entered Thailand 10 times using visa exempt (30 days stamp at arrival at immigration)

2016: Entered Thailand 9 times using visa exempt (30 days stamp at arrival at immigration)

2015: Entered Thailand 8 times using visa exempt (30 days stamp at arrival at immigration)

I never ever got any problem or were asked any questions. But I have to say I never stayed 30 days, usually I stay 14-18 days and then fly back to Europe and come back 4-8 weeks later.

Cheers

First of all I feel very sorry for the thread starter. I hope he can get things solved, crossing my fingers!

Beside that I would like to "calm down" the situation a bit...reading through some posts in this thread and the other one (kohphanganlover) makes me feel many peope are in a panic mode now and fear leaving or entering Thailand. Of course you can not stay for years in Thailand without having a proper visa. But this you can't do in any country in the world!

But you can come and go (!) to Thailand as often as you want if you stick with the rules. As written in the other thread I'm coming with Visa exempts (arrive by plane, walk to immigration, get a stamp inside my passport and can stay 30 days) since several years to Thailand, always via Suvarnabhum Airport. I never had any issue. I'm from Europa and 35 years old.

I do this for at least 3-4 years now and I always stay between 10 and 15 days (never longer) and then return to Europe for my business/work. In 2016 I entered Thailand 10 times that way, in 2017 already 5 or 6 times and stayed in total around 60 days in Thailand between Jan 1 and July 1 this year.

Not sure about the procedure but if there would be an automatic "flag" I would have been flagged many times already. But never ever. Also I was never asked anything, never ever had the need to show any money.

Edit: I do usally wear a polo shirt when traveling ;-)

4 hours ago, lkv said:

 

 

 

Visa exempts get flagged at 6 and people continue to come in after a talk to a supervisor. That's in the airport.

 

 

This I can not confirm - as written a few pages earlier I'm coming with Visa exempts (arrive by plane, walk to immigration, get a stamp inside my passport and can stay 30 days) since several years to Thailand, always via Suvarnabhum Airport. I never had any issue.

I do this for at least 3-4 years now and I always stay between 10 and 15 days (never longer) and then return to Europe for my business/work. In 2016 I entered Thailand 10 times that way, in 2017 already 5 or 6 times and stayed in total around 60 days in Thailand between Jan 1 and July 1 this year.

Not sure about the procedure but if there would be an automatic "flag" I would have been flagged many times already. But never ever.