History of Thailand Immigration? Old-timers please

[scorecard]

On 11/3/2018 at 12:24 PM, watcharacters said:

 

I wouldn't say your post was misplaced but  I will look forward to the day you are able to contribute photos to the forum to share with others about  history regarding Thailand.     This is all about historical records.

 

Well I can remember when Pattaya was a tiny sleepy fishing village, and the road from Bkk was a 2 lane tarmac with no division barriers, not all that much traffic and passing on the other side of the road did happen of course but not enough to be a serious problem and the last 10 - 15 kilometers was all dirt and quickly impassable in heavy rain. You had to sit and wait or if possible go back to Sri Racha or wherever. Sorry no photos.

 

[MyFriend You]

1970 - I came in only US Military ID card, same as 72,73,74,75 - skip to 1980, they let me in on my Mil ID card but said I need a passport now - went to Embassy applied and passport was mailed to them I picked it up on my way out 2 months later (still have it, green passport) - had to 'donate' to the police school's soccer team  for uniforms- 2000 baht (20 baht to 1 $$)  almost a months pay - the US Embassy sent a Consular Officer with a 100 dollar bill and I had to sign an agreement to pay it back when I could.  I had a friend lived in Pattaya who came into Thailand in 1969 off a cargo ship, decided he had enough in 1992, had to go to Immigration Court - told his tale and the Judge just shook his head and said "Unbelievable"  fined him 4000 baht, the US Embassy issued him a travel passport, only had about 3 pages in it.......and off he went.  Why I remember shi'its like this is beyond me.

[dbrenn]

On 11/3/2018 at 5:13 PM, PoorSucker said:

18 years ago.

No need to leave the country, fixers went down to the border with hundreds of passport, you stayed 

I knew a couple of fixers, both of whom got busted in an early 90's crackdown. There were also reports of people getting arrested because some of the fixers used forged stamps  

[dbrenn]

You only had to show 100k for a marriage visa extension. Early 90s. Lots of people living in Thailand for years on border runs and never getting hassled.

 

Only problem was that Malaysia was the only option for border runners. Laos, Cambodia Myanmar and Vietnam were pretty much closed unless you went with an expensive package tour. 

[HAKAPALITA]

2 hours ago, dbrenn said:

You only had to show 100k for a marriage visa extension. Early 90s. Lots of people living in Thailand for years on border runs and never getting hassled.

 

Only problem was that Malaysia was the only option for border runners. Laos, Cambodia Myanmar and Vietnam were pretty much closed unless you went with an expensive package tour. 

Cant remember Burma being closed apart from occasionally.Was amazed they spoke such good English.

[dbrenn]

40 minutes ago, HAKAPALITA said:

Cant remember Burma being closed apart from occasionally.Was amazed they spoke such good English.

Back then I recall two choices for visits to Burma: a day visit pass to Tachilek that wasn't much use for visa runs as your passport wasn't stamped; and a 7 day visa flying to Rangoon, while having to change a minimum amount of dollars into Foreign Exchange Certificates at a dismal rate. Nobody used to go there for visa runs. 

[JimmyTheMook]

Was the old immigration in Pattaya on Soi 7 or Soi 8?

 

There was a price list for extensions and you walked in and paid for what you wanted.

 

Indefinite was not available but sort of remember getting up to 60 day extensions for a

counter fee.

 

 

 

 

[Cricky]

1 hour ago, JimmyTheMook said:

old immigration in Pattaya on Soi 7 or Soi 8

Soi 8, down from the Sailor bar. I think its accomodation for the Jomtien Immigration Staff now.

[BritTim]

1 hour ago, dbrenn said:

Back then I recall two choices for visits to Burma: a day visit pass to Tachilek that wasn't much use for visa runs as your passport wasn't stamped; and a 7 day visa flying to Rangoon, while having to change a minimum amount of dollars into Foreign Exchange Certificates at a dismal rate. Nobody used to go there for visa runs. 

Certainly, Myanmar was useless for visa runs in the early 1990s. For actual tourists, it was worse than you suggest. The FECs that came in later were a big improvement on the ruddy foreign exchange forms. Basically, you were forced to change foreign currency into kyat at an official exchange rate that was absolutely ridiculous (compared to the black market, real rate). All expenses had to be recorded on your foreign exchange form (which was carefully checked on exit). You were only allowed to stay at government approved hotels, which were almost universally overpriced and grotty.

 

One option for risk takers was to get a letter of introduction from the KNLA representative office in Bangkok, and cross into rebel controlled territory. You did not get to see much. Traveling around (even leaving aside the obvious dangers) was difficult, with no real roads, just logging tracks. It was a real adventure though, something to talk about later.

[watcharacters]

On 11/3/2018 at 1:05 PM, GroveHillWanderer said:

I'm sorry watcharacters - irony doesn't come across very well in writing, but are you seriously saying that you don't know what year 9/11 occurred? Or alternatively, that you don't know how to subtract 18 from 2018?

 

I get what you're saying GroveHillWander.  On the surface it looks pretty idiotic of me or a poor attempt at humor.     I even questioned myself at the time of posting.    A few words  for clarification.   

 

Sept. 1, 2001 was a benchmark  event that  most people will and do remember.  When I asked HAKAPALITA if his reference  to 18 years was before or after 9/11,  I was really asking if he "arrived here" as he suggested before or after that tragic event.    I should have formulated the question differently.

 

 

[HAKAPALITA]

1 hour ago, dbrenn said:

Back then I recall two choices for visits to Burma: a day visit pass to Tachilek that wasn't much use for visa runs as your passport wasn't stamped; and a 7 day visa flying to Rangoon, while having to change a minimum amount of dollars into Foreign Exchange Certificates at a dismal rate. Nobody used to go there for visa runs. 

Mae Sot was the best. 

[BritTim]

4 hours ago, dbrenn said:

Only problem was that Malaysia was the only option for border runners. Laos, Cambodia Myanmar and Vietnam were pretty much closed unless you went with an expensive package tour. 

From 1989, Laos was an option. One of my most interesting trips ever was visiting Laos through Nong Khai just after the country opened up to tourists. To say infrastructure was limited is a big understatement. There were officially three international phone lines for the whole country, but the two through Vietnam were permanently out of service. Only the single line through Thailand was working. Even in Vientiane, booking an international call took days. Most people who needed to make an overseas phone call crossed to Thailand to do it. There was a single traffic light in the entire country, and it was a tourist attraction for Lao visitors from up country. I was given a tour of the Vientiane polytechnic, the primary technical college in the whole country (there was no university). The highlight was their computer lab consisting of a motley collection of half a dozen, mostly old, donated PCs.

 

Cambodia was extremely dangerous, but theoretically possible for visa runs starting about 1993. You needed a Cambodian visa in advance. On arrival at Poipet, you needed to wake up Cambodian immigration to stamp your passport (paying a small fee). Most short term visitors just went in and out without any immigration formalities. Did I mention that Cambodia was dangerous at that time?

[watcharacters]

On 11/3/2018 at 1:02 PM, Thaidream said:

1971-  entry was 15 days max for Americans and UK Citizens-  If one wanted to extend and stay in Thailand- a $1,000 Bond was required to be placed in a Thai Bank- No Embassy Involvement. The 30 day entry started about 1987 when Thailand officially opened for mass tourism.

 

60s- don't know the exact year but Thai Government wanted foreigners to stay in Thailand and offered Permanent Residency  at no cost as well as lifetime Work Permit-  I know 1 person still alive and still has it. but I can't remember the exact year. There were few  foreigners in Thailand that wanted to stay and Thailand was looking for  people with certain technical skills.

 

80s or 90s-  The Embassy letter that one sees today  is not the original Letter- The original letter was an affidavit where you wrote in the income and it has evolved into a separate letter addressed to Thai Imm. I can't remember the date - but I have to believe it evolved as more and more people were coming to Thailand to retire.

 

Just as an aside- hardly anyone came to Thailand to retire  before the 70s and  the only foreigners  one saw were military  on leave for  7 -15 days.  All entered on military orders via the Military airports or Don Muang- most didn't carry passports and were stamped in on their orders for 15 days- max.

 

 

Thank you Thaidream.

 

I certainly didn't find that kind of information on my Google search so without your offering it, we'd all be left in the dark.

 

[watcharacters]

On 11/3/2018 at 1:37 PM, Toosetinmyways said:

In the late 70s the visa exempt was only 15 days. Staying one month at a time had to pay 100 baht a day fine. Imigration used to laugh and joke about it.

Trying to be legal they said why bother just over stay much easier.

Changed days for sure

 

Moving from a fairly small fine for overstay  to jail time is quite a change in attitude.

[Bredbury Blue]

Details are a little hazy but back in the 90's there was a little service of: Fly in the morning to Narathiwat, picked up at the airport, taken across the border, wait at a coffee shop while the lady agent went to renew the visa, taken back to catch the evening flight (can't remeber if it was from Narathiwat or Hat Yai, think the latter). It was the only way I think to go apply for and get a visa and back to BKK IN A DAY without having to spend an over night outside Thailand so the Embassy could receive one day and issue the next day (I assume this must have been after the days of agents sending your passport overseas while you stayed here, mentioned earlier by posters). Then the troubles blew up in the south again and it was to dangerous to do this trip and the service stopped. We went to spend a Songkran in Narathiwat back then, it was very nice and quiet place - haven't been back since.

[Bredbury Blue]

When did the Baht 100 change to B200 for overstay? I pretty sure I paid B100 in the early 90s.

Edited November 5, 2018 by Bredbury Blue

[BritTim]

2 minutes ago, Bredbury Blue said:

Details are a little hazy but back in the 90's there was a little service of: Fly in the morning to Narathiwat, picked up at the airport, taken across the border, wait at a coffee shop while the lady agent went to renew the visa, taken back to catch the evening flight (can't remeber if it was from Narathiwat or Hat Yai, think the latter). It was the only way I think to go apply for and get a visa and back to BKK IN A DAY without having to spend an over night outside Thailand so the Embassy could receive one day and issue the next day (I assume this must have been after the days of agents sending your passport overseas while you stayed here, mentioned earlier by posters). Then the troubles blew up in the south again and it was to dangerous to do this trip and the service stopped. We went to spend a Songkran in Narathiwat back then, it was very nice and quiet place - haven't been back since.

At the time, Penang (and I think Kota Bharu also) would issue visas the same day (apply in the morning, passport back with visa mid afternoon). Later, next day service became the norm, but you could often talk Penang into same day service. I cannot remember exactly when same day service became impossible at Penang (somewhere around 2000, I think).

[watcharacters]

On 11/3/2018 at 2:27 PM, delboy said:

In 1997 I only had 170,000 baht, not enough for a year extension, so they gave me an 8 month extension (8 x 20,000 baht per month).  After 8 months I had 40,000 baht, so they gave me a 2 month extension until my pension started to be paid.

 

 

Do I hear 6 1/2 months for ฿130,000?   555    Great post delboy!     Certainly shows immigration in a lighter tone.   Tons of information.

 

 

"I needed a certificate of residence in 1990 for a lifetime driving licence, and that was issued straight away, no charge."

 

delboy, does the administration still honor your lifetime driving license?     I'm guessing you must have been among the handful of people in thailand at the time who even had a driving license.

 

Thank you very much.

 

Edited November 5, 2018 by watcharacters

[HAKAPALITA]

1985 was the start of my Life Sentence, Nov 7. That is why some tales differ. Can remember vaguely Americans seemed to always be twittering at control points, when we Scans just grunted, and were generally ignored by Thais. Had a World Phone back then like a Six Pack, no Google to call . Fun Times.!

[watcharacters]

On 11/3/2018 at 2:55 PM, gamini said:

I came to Thailand in 1963. They gave most nationalities three months visa and it was easily renewable. Immigration officials were really nice. But so were the expats who were mostly well educated , cultured and well-behaved. Things started to change with the massive influx of tourists and would-be residents, many of whom were poorly educated, uncultured sexpats. Also there was a huge amount of criminals on the run and other undesirables pouring into the country.

 

Good golly Miss Molly!     gamini I'm led to believe you must be one of the longest expat visitors in all of Thailand.    Congratulations!!   do you currently know of anyone who has been here longer or who came here prior to you?

 

 From your post it's not clear to me if you've  had Thailand as a home   base since 1963.  Perhaps you came here  intermittently from that year on or made it your home?

 

Besides "Immigration officials were really nice." can you recall anything else about immigration  and its  policies?

[watcharacters]

On 11/3/2018 at 2:57 PM, trawler said:

I first visited in 87 and then worked here from 92-96.The tax return onleaving had stopped around 91 I think.

I do remember after check in with your boarding pass you went to a booth to pay airport tax of 500B for international and 50B for domestic.

Only just recently has my wife done our first TM 30 report as I never stayed longer than a couple of weeks and nobody bothered with it except as others have mentioned in the bigger hotels.

There were a lot of people who filled there passports relatively quickly but never left the country although the passports had high mileage.????

 

Thanks trawler.

 

When you say "tax return" are you talking about the  sales tax refund offered at the airports?      I'm unclear about  this.

 

"nobody bothered with it except as others have mentioned in the bigger hotels."

They certainly bother about it now, I'd say.

 

 

 

 

 

[HAKAPALITA]

13 minutes ago, watcharacters said:

 

Good golly Miss Molly!     gamini I'm led to believe you must be one of the longest expat visitors in all of Thailand.    Congratulations!!   do you currently know of anyone who has been here longer or who came here prior to you?

 

 From your post it's not clear to me if you've  had Thailand as a home   base since 1963.  Perhaps you came here  intermittently from that year on or made it your home?

 

Besides "Immigration officials were really nice." can you recall anything else about immigration  and its  policies?

Hes an adventurer, wrote a book, just stopped here. Read his posts.

[Humid]

I remember doing the Hat Yai/Penang runs in the 80s in big old American cars fitted with small diesels!

Few beers windows down stretched out in the back...

good times

[lopburi3]

11 minutes ago, watcharacters said:

When you say "tax return" are you talking about the  sales tax refund offered at the airports? 

You were required to get tax clearance from revenue department if you had any income or for any stay of more than 90 days.  You would not be allowed to depart the country without it - was notation 6 on the arrival/departure card and was still on my last card from entry in 2003.

[watcharacters]

20 minutes ago, Humid said:

I remember doing the Hat Yai/Penang runs in the 80s in big old American cars fitted with small diesels!

Few beers windows down stretched out in the back...

good times

 

 

Sedan/saloons?    555

 

63  red chevy impala super sport  with black interior?

 

back on topic..

 

Edited November 5, 2018 by watcharacters

[lopburi3]

2 minutes ago, watcharacters said:

 

 

Sedan/saloons?    555

American cars (large by European standards) - they were still the norm into the 90's - believe most lost to the floods of 2000 (was in one a month later and the smell was not nice).

[CGW]

44 minutes ago, watcharacters said:

Good golly Miss Molly!     gamini I'm led to believe you must be one of the longest expat visitors in all of Thailand.    Congratulations!!   do you currently know of anyone who has been here longer or who came here prior to you?

I know only one person who has been here about the same length of time, he was sent here by the US military to assist in the building of U-Tapao airport, then discharged and stayed on, a long time!

[delboy]

1 hour ago, watcharacters said:

 

Do I hear 6 1/2 months for ฿130,000?   555    Great post delboy!     Certainly shows immigration in a lighter tone.   Tons of information.

 

 

"I needed a certificate of residence in 1990 for a lifetime driving licence, and that was issued straight away, no charge."

 

delboy, does the administration still honor your lifetime driving license?     I'm guessing you must have been among the handful of people in thailand at the time who even had a driving license.

 

Thank you very much.

 

I applied in the morning for the driving licence, and went to Chiang Mai to get the residence certificate.  I arrived back at the car registration centre in the afternoon and the licence was issued.  No driving test, my UK driving licence was sufficient.  Cost 1005 baht.  It's still accepted everywhere, but they are no longer issued, so if I ever lose it I would have to apply for a new 5 year one.  When I told my friend about it a day later, he went to the same office to apply, and was told, by the same person that had issued mine, that they don't issue lifetime licences to foreigners.

[watcharacters]

On 11/3/2018 at 8:52 PM, thedemon said:

From a booklet published in 1953

 

 

This is a treasure,  thedemon.    Do you have any idea what a TCS is?   Is  that a local country currency symbol?

[lopburi3]

2 minutes ago, delboy said:

When I told my friend about it a day later, he went to the same office to apply, and was told, by the same person that had issued mine, that they don't issue lifetime licences to foreigners.

Believe they did stop - before they stopped issuing completely.  You may have been lucky.  Mine was issued in 1969 on pink paper - but still usable.