Rob Browder

For those spending considerable time in Thailand, and who wish to re-enter as a Tourist (Visa or Exempt), the best peace of mind is always flying to a neighboring country, and entering Thailand via a land border (other than the infamous Poipet/Aranyaprathet crossing). If your plans to be here are extended, look into the 5-year multiple-entry DTV, which is available at nearby consulates, or from your passport-country. If you spend time in your passport-country, the METV is also an option, with a lower "money in the bank" requirement - though involves more border-bouncing and extensions at immigration.

I'd use Nong Khai for a switch to 60-day, and any of the Friendship Bridges for a Non-O-ME border-bounce. Maybe Koh Kong doesn't do this, and can use a Cambodian eVisa there, but still have the "must stay overnight" fee to deal with - or just spend the night.

Vs "Bone Spurs" draft-deferment Trump? The Rs had a chance for a good candidate - solid on every conservative policy + a military-record - in DeSantis, but there were too many Trump "fan" fools in the R-Primary, who think this is some sort of "rah-rah my team" event - the sort who think WWF wrestling is "real." Granted, the "Orange Man Bad" types are equally clueless - just flip the "face" and "heel" roles in the WWF-Ring. American politics are a sad, sick joke, now.

This isn't complicated. Few Americans want Trump OR Harris. Harris's support is those who hate Trump / Rs more than her - and Trump's support is those who hate Harris / Ds more than him. As for Trump, he betrayed his base on everything Americans who supported him voted for in 2016. Then, he ran the Covid train-wreck - listened to the "experts," who are now proven liars - though anyone with the Internet could look up the sordid histories of the major players in that - and the histories of all his crappy deep-state hires from the start, as well. There was no point in the Trump presidency when he stood up to the "swamp" he promised to drain. He caved every time, on every issue. Worst of all, his "fans" cheered him screwing us over at every stage - making up the most ridiculous excuses - and they still are. But, to spite his "fans," he lost to Biden because he sold out, and enough of his 2016 voters saw that, and didn't bother even voting in 2020. "Vote for me and we can go back to not-as-bad," doesn't create the greatest "get out the vote" energy. He can't work the border issue as well, because he said on video to "business leaders" (generally hated as traitors by the D and R bases), that he wants to hand out Green-Cards** to anyone who can get a 2-year community-college degree or better. That means Americans can forget prosperous careers - EVERY type of career, from welder to doctor. Such a bill would be harder for a D-President to get through Congress, so you vote for slightly less-bad, but get worse. **(Green-Card = Permanent Residence in the USA - and just a few years to get citizenship, from there)

The turn-backs happen almost exclusively at the Bangkok airports, sometimes Pukhet, and the Poi Pet crossing. We do not hear a lot about other border-crossings, because fewer reports of bad things happening. If they have an issue, you could ask them if a visa would make any difference. Let us know what happens, in any case. I don't know how long until you are 50, but there is also the DTV to consider - and those have been issued in Phnom Penh.

I don't know if "Lucky Lucky Motorcycle Shop" still does Thai visas in Phnom Penh - were the best in the old days. But, it will not save you that big Visa sticker eating a full passport-page. The only way to avoid that is coming in Visa-Exempt. The best thing about entering by land, if you were refused, you just walk back and cancel your exit-stamp - no detention at the airports, etc - then try another entry-point. The exception is Poipet, where they actually put a refused-entry in the computer and on your passport.

I would have told mini-van guy to refund my fee, because he failed to warn of this, and drop me off in Chanthaburi. Then, take a local mini-bus / songthiew to the other checkpoint in that area. And not because it was 'so much money', but because I wouldn't want that (expletive) IO to get the 2K Baht. You had a legal multiple-entry visa, and were doing nothing wrong. During that time - early covid, before the borders were closed - I also had that type of visa, and used the Myanmar border near Kanchanaburi. I had to pay the same agent as the people doing visa-exempt runs, but no more than that. There, the agent put a little stamp on your TM-6 card, which clues the local IOs you paid their agent, and they would let you cross and return. Sadly, that border is closed to all but locals, now.

Just lower wages until locals refuse to work for what is offered - only possible because people from poorer nations will accept the lower wage, and are allowed to work here (legally or illegally). The restrictions on Westerners applying for work-permits prevents this - but that higher-bar does not apply to those from neighboring countries, much less the illegal workers.

They deny people with Tourist Visas also, if they think you are here "enough / often" to force you to pay their agent to get in. And, no, there is no "official line" that you can only use 2 VEs per-year.

That info is incorrect - confirmed by multiple reports. The information on Thai-Consulate websites is often incorrect.

If IOs want to force you to pay their agent to enter trouble-free, they will make up all sorts of things like this. The stamp they put in the passport of someone denied-entry, however, is "Didn't have the money" - because there is no legal reason to deny-entry based on "in Thailand too much/often."

Use an agent border-run service by land and no problem - there is no longer a limit. The agent will let you know if there would be a problem, but we have many reports of folks with two back-to-back 30-day + 30-day-extended Visa-Exempts able to get a 3rd Visa-Exempt entry for 60 days now. If one uses the Airports, that is another thing. I never would, unless I only rarely came to Thailand - OR, I would pay an agent-service which facilitates entering by air, which allows back-to-back Visa-Exempt by air.

Because they rip you off if you do it that way.

Yes, if you go in-person, you have up to 7 days after the due-date w/o a fine.

I doubt that - those already here are likely "set up" - and will primarily be remitting living expenses. That is true - and makes the policy foolish - and will deter some future retirees.

Yes, that was my thinking - and agree the DTV doesn't grant any special tax-benefit. What you describe is a good way to do it, also - but this foolish policy will deter many from making the move. Consider, they can't easily open a bank-account if coming in-advance on a Tourist-Visa in the preliminary-step for their planned retirement here. Even a "one time / one year" tax-exemption policy on bringing in a lump-sum would help.

A "significant portion of the total cost" would be a better description. I do not remember exactly, but was hundreds of baht, which I would rather spend on lunch or similar - plus the satisfaction of not being "ripped off" on an exchange-rate by crooks.

Temple of Preah Vihear. Dean Acheson got involved in 1962, representing Cambodia at the ICJ. Cambodia was given the temple in a ruling at that time, based on a French map. Land around, and a nearby pagoda remained contested, with a border dispute going hot in 2008.

It wasn't pointless when I did it, because it saved a significant sum over Lao Immigration's "conversion" rate. That is why folks did it.

I used to buy dollars from the money-exchanges before my Lao visa runs.

It would suck if in, say, 3 years from now, they put AI to work on all the OECD mandated data of atm-money per foreigner, then hit them with a back-tax bill. Much better not to bet on them "not finding out," IMO.

Similar with the USA's dual-tax agreement (DTA) - I will pay no taxes on Social Security income, remitted to Thailand. Deposited directly will make an easy paper-trail. All with pension income, who are worried about paying Thai taxes, should look up their DTA. They may be able to rest-easy, after that. The tricky part will be for new arrivals and the initial "set up money" they bring in - to buy a condo, car, etc. If I were in that situation, I would get a DTV, then have 5 years to bring it in - minimizing tax due each year on any amount remitted above their pension income.

No chance of that happening, regardless. 🙂 A wife with no income of her own = you support her. If she has income, it will be added to the filing-jointly income. I stand to be corrected, but that is how I read it.

Lao immigration will take a pic of your passport photo and use that on their form for a fee - or has done this in the past - probably what his "agent" arranged, in addition to filing out the form for him.

If this is the case I recall from earlier, the financials were the issue - a screenshot of a Thai banking-page was not good enough. A PDF downloaded / printed might have worked. And a bank-letter signed/stamped by the bank would have surely worked. Maybe even a bank-book shown, along with copies.