lyricalgee99

30 minutes ago, elviajero said:

METV

 

Tourism

 

You are visiting for tourism and to see your girlfriend.

 

It is mostly people staying too long using visa exempt entries that they seem to object to. As long as you enter with a visa it's highly unlikely you will get stopped.

 

There is no benefit to mentioning your courses. Stick to tourism being the reason for your visit. 

 

IO's quoting this "rule" has been reported many times at different border crossings over the past few years. There is no official set 180 day rule/limit, but immigration officers are clearly (from the number of reports) under orders to scrutinise anyone spending more than 180 days in the country as a tourist. It's an unofficial line at which point it is reasonable to assume the person, like you, is not visiting for tourism.

Appreciate the advice. Although I just realized I dont qualify for the METV anymore as I am no longer a student. Interesting that money in the bank and a condo isn't enough. I suppose the only other option is to get a 2 SETVs?

Thanks for the reply ubonjoe. According to the immigration official wouldn't I be breaking his 180 day rule if I go back soon? Not sure where this rule has cropped up from.

To esso49 - I just opened one in Bangkok Bank's head office in Silom - no issues.

A brief visa history:

After finishing university in the UK in 2014 I got a METV and I spent about 9 months travelling with my girl friend around SE Asia and Japan - no issues coming in and out. 80% of my time was spent in Thailand where I bought a condo  and began a renovation project.

After my METV expired, I flew to Malaysia and back to get a 30 day exemption and 30 days extension - no issues.

On a second attempt to get a 30 day exemption after a flight to KL and back I was stopped when entering Don Meuang airport. I was taken aside and sent off for interrogation by the guy's superior. I was told I was going to be detained and would have to fly back to my home country (England) because I had been in Thailand for more than 180 days as a tourist. I showed him that I had 20000 cash on me but he wasn't interested. I think he suspected me of working - the concept of a year travelling without working seemed very strange to him. When I showed him my ticket back to the UK in 21 days plus pictures of my condo renovation, this seemed to be enough to convince him that I intended to go home and that I wasn't working here. He took took a copy of my girl friend's ID and tabian baan then wrote a few notes down on it. No notes made in my passport however. He allowed me entry but warned me I should be married and have a non-immigrant O visa if I wanted to carry on like that.

Some questions:

I flew back to the UK where I have been for the past 5 weeks. I now plan to go back to Thailand for about 5 months to see my girl friend and her family (possibly propose!), go to a meditation retreat, complete an Intro to TESOL and then do a CELTA. I then plan to apply for a job and get a work permit to teach. Given the unpleasant interogation I am wondering.

1. Which visa to get (SETV, METV, ED)?

2. What reason to give for coming to Thailand - visit gf and fam, spiritual enlightenment, teacher training + letter of exceptance on courses, tourism??

3. If I do get a visa what to say to officials at the airport if they interrogate me again?

I really dont want to arrrive in Survarnapum and find that they send me back the same day. I am not sure whether to mention the TESOL and CELTA or not as this may bring up issues of work again (even tho it is only training) but this is the really reason I will be here for the next few months.

Any suggestions welcome.

any?

Nisa you've missed the point.... the topic is not about literacy rates, it's about the ability of Thais to read critically.