New start with visa exemption

[pparker]

My back story:

I had lived in bangkok for few years already.  I was denied entry at don mueang in jan 2018 due to many tv and visa exemp in the past...i also stayed for 300 days in 2017. They stamped at the last page of my pp stating that i was denied because i did not have enough funds.  I came back in feb 2018 with tourist visa planning to get ed visa in bangkok .  Then went to vientiane in end of april  to get the ed visa but rejected due to i could not provide my past ed certificate. I came back to bkk using another tourist visa and almost got another denied entry but i was allowed entry after telling my story in vientiane.

 

Now i am back in indonesia my home country.  I am planning to return to bangkok in 6 months.  My plan is i will only stay for 10 days in my future visits using visa exemption and return to bkk again after 2 months. So in one year i will visit bkk 5 times for 10 days/visit. I will also use a new passport.

 

Can i return to bangkok earlier and will they allow me to enter the kingdom ?

 

[pparker]

In 2018 i already stayed for 110 days

[JackThompson]

2 hours ago, pparker said:

Then went to vientiane in end of april  to get the ed visa but rejected due to i could not provide my past ed certificate. I came back to bkk using another tourist visa and almost got another denied entry but i was allowed entry after telling my story in vientiane.

Denial with a Tourist Visa at Nong Khai bridge is very rare (I've never read of this, other than blacklisted persons).  Because you had a previous denial, this may have triggered them asking some questions.  If you flew in to Bangkok, that would explain it, given both Bangkok airports claim imaginary laws exist, and then deny people by stamping a denial in their passport for something else.

 

When entering Thailand, always be prepared to explain:

• how you have the money to spend time in Thailand / where it comes from
• what you plan to do in Thailand on this trip
• where you will stay (have a booking receipt or rental-contract)
• when you will be leaving (do not plan to extend)

 

2 hours ago, pparker said:

My plan is i will only stay for 10 days in my future visits using visa exemption

Given your history, I would not recommend trying to enter visa-exempt by air.  Visa Exempt entry is the easiest to deny, as it is granted or denied by immigration (not the ministry of foreign affairs, like visas), and there are ministerial orders regarding it's "abuse" (their view). 

 

2 hours ago, pparker said:

In 2018 i already stayed for 110 days

Others have reported that Bangkok airport immigration will whine, moan, and threaten-denial, citing a longer-stay history from past-years, when they cannot find "enough days" in the current year to justify a denial (there is no "days limit" in the law or currently-active ministerial orders, but they will claim such exists).

 

Fortunately, most entry-points to Thailand follow the actual laws on the books, and you can enter via these locations without a problem.  I would enter via a friendly land-border (not Aranyaprathet/Poipet) and take a bus, train, and/or domestic air to Bangkok after crossing the border (no immigration involved).  You can do 2 visa-exempts by land per-year, and will be given these without hassle provided you are carrying 10K Baht worth of cash (can be another currency).  You can do unlimited Tourist Visa entries by land without hassle, provided you are carrying 20K Baht worth of cash.

 

If coming from Indonesia, flying to Penang, and entering by Train at Pedang Besar, is a good option.  Flights out of Hat Yai to Bangkok are frequent.   I used this route frequently, when I was spending a lot of time in Thailand using Tourist Visas.  Don't forget to have the cash to show - they ask to see it frequently when entering across the Malaysian border.

 

----------------------------

 

Also, can you please explain this (in bold)?  It might help others who intend to get an ED Visa, at some point.  Were fresh docs from a school not sufficient?  Did you have another old ED Visa in your passport?

 

2 hours ago, pparker said:

went to vientiane in end of april  to get the ed visa but rejected due to i could not provide my past ed certificate.

 

Edited June 11, 2018 by JackThompson

[pparker]

I always fly when travelling. Never use border crossing. I flew back to bkk from vient.

 

They saw my previous ed visa on my pp and asked for the certificate of graduation from the school.  I did not have it..and the school is closed already then they said i could not apply for any ed visa again.

 

Are you sure that i can do unlimited tourist visa entry by land for the next 2 or 3 years? For future visits. I will only stay for 7 or 10 days..and will always have 20k baht n return ticket with me

Edited June 11, 2018 by pparker

[BritTim]

3 hours ago, pparker said:

Are you sure that i can do unlimited tourist visa entry by land for the next 2 or 3 years? For future visits. I will only stay for 7 or 10 days..and will always have 20k baht n return ticket with me

Nobody can guarantee problem free entry with tourist visas years ahead. Currently, you would normally have no problem entering Thailand with a tourist visa at most border crossings, regardless of prior stay history. Your prior denied entry (visible in immigration's system when you are entering the country) is a possibly complicating factor. You should be OK, but make sure you have 20k cash, a good explanation of what you will be doing during your visit, and proof that you can easily meet the costs of your visit without illegal working.

[pparker]

What if i go to other cities than bangkok by air  with visa exemption. I have never flown to other cities before.  Then return to my country from bangkok.

[BritTim]

1 hour ago, pparker said:

What if i go to other cities than bangkok by air  with visa exemption. I have never flown to other cities before.  Then return to my country from bangkok.

Returning from Bangkok is definitely OK. In my opinion, flying in anywhere intending to enter visa exempt (when you have many prior visa exempt entries since 2015) involves risk. All might go well at some airports. Some suggest Chiang Mai. However, in your situation, I would not be risking it. If you want to fly in, have a tourist visa.

[pparker]

I will go again in 6 months and only stay for 10 days with 2 months interval afterward.  Tourist visa is too much hassle for this and so is land entry.

[Khun Robert]

Nobody know what the decision will be from the Immigration Officer on the desk where you check into Thailand.

 

You were living in Bangkok for years using the Visa Exempt Entry, tourist Visa and ED visa to allow you to stay.

All your entries, exits and visa's used are in a database of Immigration which shows up on each entry.

 

Immigration Officer can ask for 3 proofs:

1. Proof of funds, so make sure you always have 20.000 Thb or equivalent in cash with you.

2. Proof of accommodation, so bring rental contract or hotel booking.

3. Proof of onward travel. 

 

They most of the times denial you under suspicion of working inside Thailand.

So always bring proof of working abroad and money coming into your bank account from abroad.

Good luck.

 

[pparker]

Thanks to Jack, Brittim and Khun Robert for the response

[darrendsd]

3 hours ago, pparker said:

I will go again in 6 months and only stay for 10 days with 2 months interval afterward.  Tourist visa is too much hassle for this and so is land entry.

Being denied entry again with a Visa Exempt is a lot more hassle, it seems you are taking no notice of what people are trying to tell you

[pparker]

I do fully understand the risk of my decision.  If i use tourist visa again how many tv can i use in one year and number of days which is allowed, time interval between tv. Can i repeat the procedure in the following 2 years.

 

My current plan reflects what a genuine tourist would do. I will also visit singapore vietnam taiwan and japan before my next visit to bkk...all  with new passport.

This year i have not used any visa exemption.

 

 

 

Edited June 11, 2018 by pparker

[darrendsd]

20 minutes ago, pparker said:

I do fully understand the risk of my decision.  If i use tourist visa again how many tv can i use in one year and number of days which is allowed, time interval between tv. Can i repeat the procedure in the following 2 years.

 

My current plan reflects what a genuine tourist would do. I will also visit singapore vietnam taiwan and japan before my next visit to bkk...all  with new passport.

 

 

 

 

Having a new Passport means nothing, as soon as Immigration at the Airport swipe it it will automatically be linked to your old PP and the I/O can see all your previous entry's 

 

18 hours ago, pparker said:

They stamped at the last page of my pp stating that i was denied because i did not have enough funds

This means you had a official denial, again the I/O will be able to see this as soon as your PP are linked

 

Please don't think having a new PP is going to clear all your previous Thailand history, it won't

[pparker]

Btw...i have already entered twice after the official denial, both using tourist visa.  Although on the second one i was pulled out and interviewed again.  The next visit is 6 months away and just for 10 days.

[JackThompson]

On 6/11/2018 at 10:08 PM, pparker said:

If i use tourist visa again how many tv can i use in one year and number of days which is allowed, time interval between tv. Can i repeat the procedure in the following 2 years.

There is no legal-limit on entering with Tourist Visas.  The airport immigration personnel, however, may make up non-existent limits, and enforce them as if they were real laws/regulations.

 

On 6/11/2018 at 10:08 PM, pparker said:

My current plan reflects what a genuine tourist would do. I will also visit singapore vietnam taiwan and japan before my next visit to bkk...all  with new passport.

This year i have not used any visa exemption.

Having a ticket-out of Thailand (at the end of your 10-days) is another helpful thing to have, in addition to the money, hotel-booking, and proof of foreign-income.   You could mention your visits to those other nations (as shown in your passport), as part of explaining that you have plenty of time/money for travel.  If asked about your previous long-stays in Thailand, explain you no longer want to stay in Thailand for longer-periods, due to this no longer being welcome.  (It is really OK by law, but not if you must fly-in, where imaginary laws are enforced).

 

Although your full-history is in the immigration database, I have found a new passport makes for a quicker process (they seem to examine each used-page), and might reduce the "sticker shock" of immigration seeing many Thai visas and stamps.

 

Note that the new passport *would* eliminate the problem of getting an ED visa in Vientiane.  But there is a limit of how long you can study each language, which would be enforced by Immigration when applying for extensions.   I have known under-50 visitors who studied many languages, to work-around this problem. 

 

As to returning from Vientiane (ED or Tourist), the "fly ride" ticket from some airlines is best option.  You cross at the bridge (no hassle with immigration there, since they follow the real laws), take the "ride" part of a fly-ride ticket to the airport, and then your flight to Bangkok.

Edited June 13, 2018 by JackThompson

[pparker]

Thanks again to jack and darren.   I fully agree.