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Posted

Hello guys. Next week i'll do my first visa run to Laos and i need your advice.

Right now i'm staying in Uttaradit with my Thai girlfriend. I'm working online as an advertising manager for Poland company and i have some side income trading cryptocurrency. 

In August i did a new passport and in September came to Thailand. So now i have totally empty passport with one Thai visa and 1 month extension stamp.

 

I've read that consular officer or border officer may ask what are you planning to do in Thailand and what is your purpose of visit.

 

My purpose is clear. Me and my girlfriend are both 22 and she is still studying in University (this is last year) and i'm planning to stay in her city next 6 months till she finish and then we will go to travel to different countries.

 

So my question is should i tell that i go to my Thai girlfriend or tell them that i just wanna spend winter in Thailand? I have nothing to hide and i can tell the truth but i'm wondering will they ask any additional documents about her or not. If they will then we can make a copy of her ID/Passport, registration and anything else needed but i'm not sure what they can request.

 

Another question is related to income source. Like i said i'm working remotely and if somebody asking me about what is my income source and how i live in Thailand can i openly tell that i'm working remotely as an advertising manager for company in my home country? Or they will start complaining about work permit and so on... 

 

Maybe i read too many scary stories and thinking way too much about this but i want to prepare myself to any kind of situation. Thank in advance for help!

 

Posted

If planning to apply for a tourist visa in Vientiane, and enter Thailand via the Friendship Bridge at Nong Khai, you will not have an issue. Given your age, it would be ideal if you have the equivalent of 20,000 baht (any major currency) in cash to show immigration if asked, but it is extremely unlikely to be necessary. If they ask what you are doing in Thailand, tell them the truth: spending time with your girlfriend.

  • Like 1
Posted
1 hour ago, maxwellez said:

I've read that consular officer or border officer may ask what are you planning to do in Thailand and what is your purpose of visit.

Very unlikely in Vientiane.  Could be asked at the border, though.

 

1 hour ago, maxwellez said:

Another question is related to income source. Like i said i'm working remotely and if somebody asking me about what is my income source and how i live in Thailand can i openly tell that i'm working remotely as an advertising manager for company in my home country? Or they will start complaining about work permit and so on... 

Currently, there is no enforcement to stop foreigners working for foreign-companies remotely while in Thailand.  That said, there is also no "work permit" for this type of work.  I would not bring an IO into this quagmire trying to explain it, beyond stating that your money is from contract-work from a company in your home-country.  If you have a business-card or similar, I would present this, if asked.  You could also carry a bank-statement printout from your home-country, showing deposits.  Of course, also the 20K Baht in cash, already mentioned.

 

I have found IOs really appreciate it if you have a printed copy of your address in Thailand, so they don't have to try to read the handwriting in the tiny address-field on the TM-6.  A business-card for your condo tends to make them happy, in my experience.

  • Like 1
Posted

Yeah you are overthinking it. You can simply state Tourism as the reason for your visit and don't mention your girlfriend or that you will be working online. If questioned, which is highly unlikely, just explain you have a job to go back to in your home country when your trip finishes. Have ready a hotel booking to show on a smartphone for your 1st nights stay, but again, unlikely to be asked about it. Enjoy your stay

  • Like 1
Posted

Came through from Vientiane on friendship bridge with visa exemption 3 weeks ago. I had 4 tourist visas and a visa exempt stamp in my passport over the past 14 months. (Back to back visas with extensions) The Thai officer grilled me with questions for about 5 minutes. When asked I told him that I live with my Thai girlfriend and don't work in Thailand. Got the stamp afterwards. 

  • Like 1
Posted
2 hours ago, Bigz said:

Came through from Vientiane on friendship bridge with visa exemption 3 weeks ago. I had 4 tourist visas and a visa exempt stamp in my passport over the past 14 months. (Back to back visas with extensions) The Thai officer grilled me with questions for about 5 minutes. When asked I told him that I live with my Thai girlfriend and don't work in Thailand. Got the stamp afterwards. 

Glad to hear you were given the visa-exempt.  Most reports indicate visa-exempts became less of a problem to receive after the "2x land-border" limit came into effect, but that could be changing.  These are issued at immigration's discretion, so always better to have a Tourist Visa (and 20K Baht worth of cash to show).

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