First time sent to inmigration office at Don Mueang airport

[touristraveler]

Dear People. Important News:

There is a new problem by using Tourist-Visa, if you use many times.

I'm early retired but not 50 Years old (to get the retired Thai-Visa). So I come Thailand many times only with Tourist-Visa and 1x by 30 day exemption with Airplaine in BKK. Now this first time send me to immigration Airport BKK this month. They want to talk with me (for what? / i break never Rules) but then she realise, I'm early retired and let me go very quickly.

 

Not funny now for me. In fact, there is a Computer Check for Tourist-Visa behind. They don't know exactly how many (month) I have to stay back in my home country. Now I was the last Year only (about) 120 days in Thailand and despite the Computer pick my out.

That means there is a more strong Rule for Tourist-Visa behind in the Computer than the old 180 day Rule bevore. The Lady there (immigration officer), tell my something with a computer check over the last 20 month but not precise.

 

In the past I often used the Tourist Visa with extension 30 day(that means 3 month Thailand in the end).So, next time I try 4 month go back home and come only for 2 months Thailand without 30 day extension. But Immigration officer could not garantie if this work. I can try, she told me.

 

There is no clear public information about limitation of Tourist VISA and this suspect Computer Check. Never knows this new Tourist Visa Rule exactly in immigration.

Now I'm very worried and frustrated because this trouble on first day.

 

Edited October 14, 2018 by touristraveler
correct mistake

[JackThompson]

9 hours ago, touristraveler said:

Dear People. Important News:

There is a new problem by using Tourist-Visa, if you use many times.

I'm early retired but not 50 Years old (to get the retired Thai-Visa). So I come Thailand many times only with Tourist-Visa and 1x by 30 day exemption with Airplaine in BKK. Now this first time send me to immigration Airport BKK this month. They want to talk with me (for what? / i break never Rules) but then she realise, I'm early retired and let me go very quickly.

Glad to year you got in OK.  The Thais who are employed by your spending are thankful. 

 

Unless you are staying near-continuously by quick "out/in" runs, you clearly could not be holding-down a job.  And since there is no welfare for foreigners here, you would be either starving and homeless or clearly must have your own money.  It would seem that would be obvious, but there is another agenda at-play at that location.

 

9 hours ago, touristraveler said:

Not funny now for me. In fact, there is a Computer Check for Tourist-Visa behind. They don't know exactly how many (month) I have to stay back in my home country. Now I was the last Year only (about) 120 days in Thailand and despite the Computer pick my out.

That means there is a more strong Rule for Tourist-Visa behind in the Computer than the old 180 day Rule bevore. The Lady there (immigration officer), tell my something with a computer check over the last 20 month but not precise.

Yours would not be the first case of less than 180 days - even though there is no published rule about any number of days.  In another case, they were trying to arrive at 180 days, so went back beyond a year to get that figure.  Interesting about the 20-months, but I suspect that was just however far they had to go back to come up with what seemed like a "too many" number.

 

9 hours ago, touristraveler said:

In the past I often used the Tourist Visa with extension 30 day(that means 3 month Thailand in the end).So, next time I try 4 month go back home and come only for 2 months Thailand without 30 day extension.

Entering Visa-Exempt by air is always much more risky than entering with a Visa.  If you wanted to do Visa-Exempt, best to do this up to 2x per calendar-year at a friendly land-border.  If you must fly in, definitely have a Tourist Visa, unless you are only visiting rarely, or for very short durations.   Personally, when I was in your situation in the past (self-financed, under-50, not married to a Thai), I never flew in - Ever.  I used Tourist Visas and entered by safe land borders.

 

9 hours ago, touristraveler said:

But Immigration officer could not garantie if this work. I can try, she told me.

They might as well just say, "Please go to Vietnam or Cambodia, instead - where you will always be welcomed to spend your money and help employ their citizens."  The jobs created by the "new tourists" being prioritized have a much lower job-created-per-visitors ratio, and lower wages, than is the case with those they are driving away.

 

9 hours ago, touristraveler said:

There is no clear public information about limitation of Tourist VISA and this suspect Computer Check. Never knows this new Tourist Visa Rule exactly in immigration.

Now I'm very worried and frustrated because this trouble on first day.

If there were a "new Tourist Visa Rule" authorized by the Minister, it should have been published, but this has not happened.  Given there are no published "new rules" - no reason for a secret "sting operation," and reports indicate it is only being carried out in a few locations, it would appear whoever is funding this effort is either unwilling or unable to buy the top-brass, and has limited their efforts to the supervisors of a few entry-points.

 

Poipet/Aranya is the only land-border which is a known problem.  Both Bangkok airports are compromised.  In the past, we had some rejected-entry reports from the Phuket and Samui airports.  Chang Mai airport might be OK - no horror-stories to-date - but we don't have as many reports to gauge it. 

 

If entering by a safe land-crossing, one can use domestic-air to get to one's final destination.

[touristraveler]

Quote

JackThompson 

Entering Visa-Exempt by air is always much more risky than entering with a Visa.  If you wanted to do Visa-Exempt, best to do this up to 2x per calendar-year at a friendly land-border.  If you must fly in, definitely have a Tourist Visa, unless you are only visiting rarely, or for very short durations.   Personally, when I was in your situation in the past (self-financed, under-50, not married to a Thai), I never flew in - Ever.  I used Tourist Visas and entered by safe land borders

Thanks for your Tips:

This time I flow to BKK with proper Tourist Visa but have problems to talk with officer. This Time I had no Visa-Exempt. I had nearly a new passport so the first officer can not see many entrys. But the computer has registered all my past entrys and beep beep red (I think). Happy new electronic age.

 

So ..... next Time I think I will fly to Cambodia (return Ticket) and stay 4 days there to get a new Thai-Tourist-Visa at embassy there. I will try, but first I go 4 months back to my home.

[BritTim]

4 hours ago, touristraveler said:

So ..... next Time I think I will fly to Cambodia (return Ticket) and stay 4 days there to get a new Thai-Tourist-Visa at embassy there. I will try, but first I go 4 months back to my home.

Be aware that, although subject to change, I do not currently consider Phnom Penh the best place in the region to get a tourist visa. If you really like Cambodia, I guess it is possible, but Laos, Vietnam and Myanmar are better IMHO. Even Kuala Lumpur is probably better these days.

[JackThompson]

4 hours ago, touristraveler said:

next Time I think I will fly to Cambodia ...

Per what BritTim said, read this newer thread - they appear to have become the place NOT to try for a Tourist Visa: