Tanis
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Quick update. We did the Pattaya -> Cambodia border run today with absolutely zero problems. There were probably 200 foreigners there of all nationalities and not 1 person was hassled or turned away. We extended 30 days with no issues what so ever.
Try another run in September and report back, it won't be the same, I can promise you that.
Sent from my SM-P601 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app
Maybe so, maybe not. One thing for sure. Actual reports from the border like gadabout's are worth a hundred of the gratuitous comments, predictions, warnings and editorials. 'Have to applaud the efforts of those like ubonjoe who do yeoman service cleaning up the misinformation and wild speculation that regularly finds its way here as well.
Well I just left Thailand the other day and I had an interesting encounter at immigration at Suvarnabhumi. My wife (Filipina and who had worked in Thailand for 9 years) and I queued up in the same line and she went through with no problems whatsoever. For 25 minutes (I counted) they scrutinized every page of American passport like I was some sort of criminal. They did not know what to do with me since I had a number of tourist/border visas in addition to my many expired non-immigrant b visas. It should be noted that these two were probably new since they wore yellow signs around their necks stating that there were "trainee". Their frustration with me grew every time I said "nit noy pasa Thai" even though I understood them quite well. They then called over their supervisor who took me over to her desk. She then proceeded to ask me a number of questions about my stay in Thailand and more specifically if It was currently working in Thailand. I kept my answers short and simple: no, I am not working. my contract expired in Feb and I had done 3 border runs since then It should be noted that I do have a number of border runs/tourist visa over the years for various of reasons in additions to my non imm b visas. She finally gave up and waved me through. Thankfully I came early because I spent 45 minutes at immigration. gah
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I was reading somewhere else that Pol Maj Gen Chatchai said The clampdown does not affect holders of non-immigrant visas or holders of tourist visas.
absolute hogwash. Among the ones most adversely affected by these changes are legit teachers who are not trying to abuse the system. Here are a few examples of that happening1: schools being too lazy or too incompetent to fill out the correct paperwork. Incompetency on the part of the school can be somewhat mitigated by experienced teachers. Laziness........ good luck!.2: Teacher's license / Khrusapha. Many assumed that the death knell of the teaching industry would be the implementation of this useless license. They were wrong. This does not change for one second the complexity of obtaining one of these license if you are new to the country and do not possess teaching creds from your home country. I saw many good intentioned teachers resort to tourist visas/border visas while waiting for the application to be processed. I strongly doubt that bkk has gotten any better at processing these.3: Termination/quit. Some people have experienced a wonderful time with wonderful schools whist here in Thailand. A good deal of others (dare I say a majority?) have experienced working with a horrible employer. Many have been terminated from their job or decided to quit on their own accord. What then? Some have suggested that teachers go to the nearest consulate and get a 60 day tourist visa. Speaking as a person who lived in Hatyai for a number of years and frequented Panang this is not possible. The Penang consulate will not issue a tourist visa to those who previously had a Non Imm B visa. I have personally known two teachers both of whom have lived in Thailand for a number of years and had Thai wives/familes, who were rejected a tourist visa in Penang because they were coming off of a Non-Imm B visa. Also if I am not mistaken, I saw a thread on Thaivisa addressing this issue not a long time ago.4: Contracts starting in May and ending in March the following year. What options do teachers have for March/April if they are not allowed to get tourist visas?The key word is In-Out.
Like I said in another thread. People are realy kidding themselves if they think that they will not be affected on a multiple entry non imm or tourist visa. Visa runs on multi-entry visas are not in the spirit of immigration policy. The authorities didn't create multiple entries so people could walk over the bridge and turn back around.
People on multi-entry visas will likely be the next hit.
agreed!Not that I have any first hand knowledge (as I'm not a teacher), but my friends who are say that almost every school has a couple of Filipina teachers who do border runs every 15 days and that all those girls will be stuffed as the schools do not get them work permits.
I'm guessing this new ruling will cause issues for thousands of people living here and relying on visa runs.
Many different issues could be at play here for Filipino teachers being consistently forced to do 15 day border runs some of which I addressed above.
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Last week I sent my marriage photo, with frame, back to America. It weighed 6 kg (roughly 15 pounds) and I was charged 1300 baht. I should have it within the next 3 months
how wide/long is it? and how did you package it - i mean did you use a box and bubble wrap etc? did you just take ti to post office - EMS or whatever?
would appreciate any advice
thanks
sorry for the delayed response. the marriage frame was approx. 37 inches wide/24 inches long and 1 1/2 inches thick.
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Such attention to detail. We have posters who know in which room the president was while Benghazi was happening. They know what he was thinking, what he was doing and how he slept.
Your zeal in going after the President is admirable, your lack of concern for the security of the Embassies is noted.
We know where he was not and should had been: the situation room
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Having worked in Thailand as well as lots of other countries, why on earth would one want to work in LOS?
My wife just got her IR-1 visa to america and she will be granted her Green Card upon arrival. going through the paperwork was somewhat of a hassle but it was a relatively easy process. I much rather deal with the american immigration restriction than Thailand's immigration. This latest crackdown is a prime reason why
Adding that the process your wife went through is a one-time deal which "sorts" her for life, without ANY additional processes EVER.
Sorry to bust your bubble but there will be a few more hoops to jump threw, a friend of mine married a Philippino 3 years later they were still having to do paper work and confirm her status in the states and that was only a couple of years ago
i never said it was easy or hassle free. There were many hoops we had to jump through and the waiting time was nearly unbearable. The last obstacle for us was me re-establishing "domicle" since I had lived in Thailand for seven years. The last package that I sent was nearly four inches thick with evidence that I was planning on moving back. It's not a walk in the park nor would I recommend anyone doing this on their own if they do not have an eye for detail or outside legal help. My point that I was trying to make is that American rules are black and white with very little gray area whereas Thai immigration rules are entirely in gray.
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So you are saying that they refused her entry because she was Russian and not because she was in violation of numerous laws?I believe the shit may well hit the fan over this incident and the inevitable others which will follow.
I hope she's already notified the Russian Embassy about this as I believe she was singled out for being a Russian. If she wasn't a russian it wouldn't have happened.
Note to Mariia when you read this - please contact your Embassy to make an official complaint about this incident.
Note to Maria when you read this - please follow the rules.
I wonder how many non Russians have been deported at the airports since this crackdown started...
Your timeline is off. This incident is not directly related to the current land crossing issue. This is a simple case of an individual failing to follow numerous requirements of entry:
--Not having a "return/onward ticket"
--Not having "Proof of sufficient funds"
Both of these are required by most every country in the world.
Showing them your bank statement is not sufficent enough? I too would be reluntant to carry 20k on me personally.
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As soutpeel states, there's much more civilised countries with much more draconian immigration restrictions. I have worked legally in the US on two occasions and legally in Thailand on 3 occasions. Collectively, it took about a year for the US approvals whereas the Thai ones were in place within weeks.
Having worked in Thailand as well as lots of other countries, why on earth would one want to work in LOS?
My wife just got her IR-1 visa to america and she will be granted her Green Card upon arrival. going through the paperwork was somewhat of a hassle but it was a relatively easy process. I much rather deal with the american immigration restriction than Thailand's immigration. This latest crackdown is a prime reason why
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Tanis, on 10 May 2014 - 18:34, said:QuoteI've worked here in Thailand for nearly seven years and these border runs have saved my bacon several times due to the incompetence of agencies and schools trying to process work permits and teacher's license. The ones that will be most affected by this dumb rule enforcement are those who are trying to work here legit. What about those who are fired by their school for whatever reason? What recourse do these teachers have other than packing up their bags and going back to their home country? I just love the double standards that Thais employ against foreigners and I love their apologists. Fortunately, I am going back to America next week.
The ones who have had their work permits cancelled still have the option of leaving the country and getting a tourist visa or, simply fly out/fly in to tide them over for an extra 30 days.
The same as they would have to do before the new rules if on an extension of stay based on their work permit. If they have a multi-entry non-O, then they have no problems.
If said teachers were working, having to do border runs to remain in the country, then they ain't doing it right in the first place.........
You are incorrect. Teachers at Bangkok University in recent times, have been required to make 15/30 land crossings, despite legitimate employment at established universities.
Please read the last line of my post; if they are doing 15/30 day border runs to maintain a work permit then they are doing it wrong, school or university, doesn't matter.
If I am not mistaken there was a thread on Thaivisa stating that consulates would not be granting tourist visas to those who previously had non-imm bs. Regardless, I had a couple of friends who had legit non immb visas who were terminated/quit their jobs and weresubsequently denied 60 day visas at the Penang consulate because the immigration officals refused to view them as true tourists. One friend decided to pack his bags and the other decided to do border runs until he could get a new job. Would you consider him abusing the system by going to the border until he secures a job?
edits: grammar
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Hell you can buy a GreenCard for 500,000 usd. Sure let's play devil's advocate for a moment but I am afraid that your logic is about to go up in smoke. Who in their right mind truely believes that a retirement visa to a third world country should cost 1 million usd?
You may want to read the regulations a little closer, because that's not true at all. 1) has to be in an area of economic hardship, 2) you have to invest in an industry in economic hardship within that area, 3) you have to work full-time at that business to create new jobs.
It's not "here's $500k, thanks for my residency". There's a whole lot more to it than that. There was a bill on the floor years ago after the housing crisis first hit, that would have allowed Canadian retirees to say 12 months instead of 6 months/year, if they purchased a house for $600k, but it never even made it for a vote I don't think. Then I think there is one for Chinese, but that requires several million.
most of the major cities could easily qualify for an economic hardship. I mean who can blame them...the dems run them. Here's an easy way of doing it: create a business (cleaning shoes for example....) hire a ceo. The ceo is in charge of the day to day operations. Pay him 80,000 usd. Hire 10 workers at 25,000 usd. Invest the remaining capital into a building/overhead expenses and voila. Welcome to America friend. Just don't forget to pay Uncle Sam every April.
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If you are so tired of seeing people older than you happy, but perhaps poorer than you think you are, then maybe its you who should leave - they are not worried about you, so it's your problem.
However, I do find it absolutely dispicable how many people in this thread are dancing for glee at the misfortunate of many. These new regulations don't affect me, but that's beside the point. If the shoe was on the other foot, and the retirement VISA got put up to 30mm THB, I bet all the people dancing for glee would instantly change to absolute silence and outrage. And don't think it can't or won't happen. Again, 800k THB is nothing compared to what other countries require.
I feel ya m8 but the example that you used is horrible. Sooner or later the shoe is bound to be on the other foot and these poor fools who been gleeful about the misfortunes of others will have a taste of their own medicine
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Last week I sent my marriage photo, with frame, back to America. It weighed 6 kg (roughly 15 pounds) and I was charged 1300 baht. I should have it within the next 3 months
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All the socialist-minded backpackers must now become ruthless capitalists!!! Money will solve many problems. This law enforced will get more money from people who overstay. 500 a day is good income. watch that fine go to 1,000 a day. Definitely the max of 20k is way too low. I predict that will go to 100k.
Let's play devil's advocate here. I think the piddly sum of 800k for a retirement VISA is way too low. That's only about $28k USD, which is nothing. Considering most countries require proof of several million USD before granting residency, I think it's about due time Thailand raised its requirements to 30 million baht for retirement VISA.
I'm getting tired of watching these poor, old schmucks in their wife beaters and shorts, packing their Chang beer around, who obviously don't spend more than their 25,000 THB/month pension here. Let's get rid of them I say!
Hell you can buy a GreenCard for 500,000 usd. Sure let's play devil's advocate for a moment but I am afraid that your logic is about to go up in smoke. Who in their right mind truely believes that a retirement visa to a third world country should cost 1 million usd?
You must invest $1,000,000, or at least $500,000 in a targeted employment area (high unemployment or rural area). In return, USCIS may grant conditional permanent residence to the individual.
http://www.uscis.gov/green-card/green-card-through-job/green-card-through-investment
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There are a lot is similarities between this & watergate. Except that 4 people were not murdered during Watergate. AND the media hated Nixon while they fawn all over the Messiah. Obama was disinterested in the attack. But the real traitor ordered our military to "stand down." One of many pieces of information being covered up by this lawless administration.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app
https://twitter.com/SpeakerBoehner/status/464803245618397185/photo/1
Dun know who is worse: this administration or the keystone cops errrr repubs. This has a feeling of a kangaroo court. Boehner is not doing this because his heart is compelling him to act but rather to look good in the eyes of the public. Going to have to run to the toilet and barf up my supper....never thought I would ever defend Obummer.
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gotta love thai logic. They must be sitting in the background laughing themselves silly as we struggle with these concepts and as we bicker amongst ourselves.
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Well as you wish sir
Was only pointing out Nok would cost you 2x2870 this inclusive 2x extra 25kg on top of the 2x15 in the base ticket, thus allowing for 80kgs plus cabin luggage. But you will travel in excess of this, I hope you can get away with all this on Qatar, depending your class of ticket and status;
Have a nice trip.
2 pieces, each not to exceed 23kg (50lb) and a maximum dimension of 158cm (62in)
Check with the online booking agency and confirmed it with qatar via phone. Probably spent 90 minutes on hold. Also double checked with the domestic airlines to confirm the baggage question. wife packed her violin and alot of cooking equipment into 2 bags. Also I had to have my curry. About the only thing that we didn't bring was the kitchen sink. lol.
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Never had stress on a bus. 12 hours is not a big deal to me. I will be up for 48 hours straight playing video games and watching movies, and needless to say, I will be completely dead when I get on the bus. I’ve made this trip several times over the years for various of reasons.
My wife and I will be bringing 4 bags totaling 92 kg + two carry ons 15 kg each. Using the figures that you gave I would estimate that it would cost 3500 baht (875 x 4) just for our luggage. and the plane tickets would be 2870 x 2 (if I understood your figures correctly) which is 5740 baht. Grand total: 9240 baht. A 32 seater from Hatyai to BKK cost a little under 900 baht plus 100 baht per piece of luggage that we put under the bus.
I was even thinking about taking the train up to bkk just to get some nice photos along the way but ruled that out as soon as I heard about the protests. Nokair is probably the best domestic airlines in Thailand but I am an extreme tightwad when it comes to cash.
The only thing that truly concerns me is the protestors. Our friends live near the Ekkamai station.
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People don't understand 'tourist visa' and 'visa on arrival' and frequently interchange them. He says 30 days under G7, if he had a tourist visa G7 and 30 days is irrelevant. It's unclear what he meant. If he has a visa sticker he can go to the border, if he has a 30 day G7 stamp, he can not. Unless they aren't enforcing the regulation by then, which is quite likely.
The rest of your comment is ridiculous and ignorant. I imagine teachers would love to not be without a visa for several months of the year. It isn't possible, it's border runs or tourist visas for them. Same goes for many people working in Thailand when they change jobs. It's just a fact of dealing with bureaucracy and the speed of getting paperwork done.
let's not forget about the evil teachers who are terminated from their jobs. We must remember that the Thais are godlike saints incapable of doing any wrong wherefore we lowly peons must wai and give them the utmost respect
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If you are unable to grasp the difference between enforcement against the abuse of tourist visas and Nazi genocide/political repression, you are truly an idiot.
You must be referring to the USA...
ohhh...don't get me started. I'm flying there on Tuesday with my wife.
@ CaptHaddock
Apparently you have mastered the art of equivocation. Congratulations. Well done my friend. Pleasantries aside only "idiots" resort to vicious ad hominem attacks. Only a "fool" would conclude that I was trying to compare this visa clampdown to that of Nazi Germany or some other vile political repression. I have reported your inappropriate comment to the mods and kindly encourage you to keep your language civil at all times. Thank you
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I am sadden that the prevalent attitude on this thread is to blame the folks who they consider "gaming" the system. Sure, I have known and worked with expats who are total rejects. It sickens me to no end watching a fat 70 year old man arm in arm with a beautiful and young Thai lady. But I know a good deal more who have families here in Thailand who happens to work at various schools. I know of a married Filipino who is seven months pregnant who is employed by a boss from hell who does not want to pay full wages and has threatened this poor Filipino with termination. My biggest fear is that both agencies and schools will start treating their foreign (native and non-native alike) teachers more like slaves. 'Oh, I am sorry Mr. Jones. We will only pay you 1/2 of your salary for this month'. What then? Complain? Protest? 'I'm sorry Mr. Jones, but we will no longer need your services. I will be cancelling your work permit. Please leave the country within 7 days”. We all know that pursing legal options against Thai employers is very difficult if not outright impossible. What chances does a teacher have to pursue these options if they can no longer stay in the country? Your only other options are to either endure that treatment or to quit. Let's not forget about the added bureaucracy and paperwork needed to get this fabled non-immb visa. Other than the school's incompetency getting the visa was relatively easy seven years ago provided that you knew what paperwork to fill out. Now it is much harder unless you are a qualified teacher from your home country . How many people have complained about the Khurusapha? How many horror stories have you heard about getting it? I applaud the new teachers who come here and make it. Come Tuesday I will be on a flight to America with my wife.
In closing I would like to quote Martin Niemolluer
firrst they came for the communists, and I did not speak out—because I was not a communist;
Then they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out—because I was not a socialist;
Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out—because I was not a trade unionist;
Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—because I was not a Jew;
Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak out for me.
Technically speaking it is against the law to wipe your own arse here in Thailand. After all we are prohibited from doing work that a Thai can do aye?
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Lovely. My plane departs at 8:55 pm Tuesday night and I will probably be departing Hatyai around 6 pm ish tomorrow. Without any delays or or bus failures I should arrive to bkk Tuesday around 8:00 am. Should I make a beeline directly to the airport and stay there until my flight departs? I was hoping to visit some family and friends before I leave though it looks less and less likely that will happen
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Thanks for the help guys. I've been reading that the reds are protesting again. Are the protests anywhere near the airport or anything?
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i wonder what brouhgt this on?
decide to hit the Farangs!
One suspects the farangs who work in Thailand illegally, live here long term and do 30 day turnarounds, in effect they are taking the p*ss out of the system, so these things will happen
Yep..it is those younger "english professors" that fall in love, and overstay... just pushing everything to the limit with immigration. Hiding out, teaching english, and..."how evil can it get"....doing border runs every month.
nothing to do with being evil......the visa wavier system is intended for tourists from certain countries, not for living and working in Thailand, one suspects the 'English professors" have had a good run, now its time to pay the piper....
if you are living/working here long term do it properly and don't take the p*ss out the system and get some sort of visa...
I've worked here in Thailand for nearly seven years and these border runs have saved my bacon several times due to the incompetence of agencies and schools trying to process work permits and teacher's license. The ones that will be most affected by this dumb rule enforcement are those who are trying to work here legit. What about those who are fired by their school for whatever reason? What recourse do these teachers have other than packing up their bags and going back to their home country? I just love the double standards that Thais employ against foreigners and I love their apologists. Fortunately, I am going back to America next week.
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I had a ride about town today, the scene of the police station bomb is "fenced" off with green garden screen.
At the old big C and new Tesco's, there were additional security guards with puffed out chests, scooters and cars were given extra superficial checks.
The police roadblocks into town were actively manned, but no cars were being stopped.
Life back to normal.
the windows of the police station were completely blown out while the buildings directly behind the impounded (are they the police barracks?) were severely damaged. The immigration was not damaged to much however. Going to the border later today and I will count the number of road blocks I enounter.
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Hi guys,
Great pics, but topic running here too:
http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/724076-bomb-blasts-rock-hat-yai/
I posted my thread first.
Why the argument? Did you see me close this one? I just made a polite post telling you it's in the news section, by all rights this one should be closed & directed to news, I left it open & complimented you.
Guys please chill out a bit.
I was trying to be a little sarcastic but I came across as a jerk. My apologies.
Final crackdown for border runners - New strict Immigration regulation in force from today
in Thai Visas, Residency, and Work Permits
Posted · Edited by Mario2008
link to o other forum removed
just spoke with one of my friends and he referred me to the thread that he started:
He was denied a double entry 60 day tourist visa off of a non-imm b visa. Sadly, I don't have the contact details of my other friend. I know that penaang can be quite picky at times. around jan of 2012 I got salmonella and I was force to quit. Got two 60 day tourist visas in Penang. May of 2012 I had all the paperwork together to get a 90 day single entry non imm b visa and they nearly denied it. My wife had to fax me a copy of my hospital bill and doctor's note before they even believed me. anyway, i stand corrected.