Advice needed regards DMK

[TroyC]

Hi there, just after some advice from those with more experience than myself.

 

Im 44 year old Brit. First came to Thailand on 27th Feb 2018 and departed 25th March 2018 back to UK on a visa exempt. Then returned on 11th June 2018 and departed on 1st August 2018 on a SETV issued London. Then returned to Thailand on 10th October 2018 and departed 8th December 2018 on another SETV issued London. 

 

Now back in Thailand, arrived 7th March 2019 on a METV issued London. Have booked to go to Da Nang with my Thai gf on 22nd April for 10 days - flying from DMK. But have been browsing some of the threads here regarding problems with immigration at DMK - just wish i had seen them before i booked my Air Asia return flight from DMK to Da Nang. Should i be concerned about having problems re-entering the Kingdom when i return back to DMK on 2nd May? I have calculated that when i re-enter i would have spent a total of 152 days within the Kingdom in the last 365 days.

 

I have no extension stamps in my UK passport - just one VOA, 2 SETVs and 1 METV.

 

I am debating if i should fork out on a new flight from Da Nang to Swampy or just wait and see what happens when i return to DMK.

 

Any thoughts/advice/opinions greatly accepted.

[JackThompson]

As you have not stayed continuously, I would have said, "No problem at all," to your return if you asked about this 2 years ago.  But due to the increase of recent reports of problems, you might encounter friction.  But with an METV, and non-continuous stays, it is still highly unlikely you will be denied-entry.  I would not switch to Swampy from DMK, as that is only slightly better, in terms of reported problems.

 

It is even unlikely they will ask any questions at all, but you should be prepared to be interrogated, to be on the safe-side.  Start with being prepared to state what you intend to do / where you will go during your then-current visit to Thailand, and your source of long-term income/financing (why you don't need to work, even though your travel schedule proves you could not be working here).

 

As to the "180 days," not only is this not applicable to any legal reason to deny-entry, but IOs have been known to keep counting back over 12 months to get to an "over 180" number.  It's a rigged-game - there is no decency, honor, honesty, etc with that crew - so no "rules" one can follow, to satisfy their whims.  More relevant, is how many detention-spaces are free (they charge for those).

 

To minimize the risk:

• Be sure to be carrying 20K Baht worth of cash or travelers checks on your person when you arrive.  This is Rule #1 for entering by air with a Tourist type visa (SETV or METV). 
• I would also carry proof of where you will be staying in Thailand on that return - a hotel-booking of a week or so (free, and could be canceled if not needed) will work.
• Do you have plans for your next trip out of Thailand?  If so, having a ticket-out within 60-days to show would greatly reduce the likelihood of rejected-entry on your return to DMK.  They may whine that 60-days is "too long" (they disagree with the Tourist-Visa permitted-stay rules and the immigration-law they are supposed to be enforcing generally), but this could still be helpful.
• The last possible "odds helper" would be to use a VIP service at the airport - so you go through the VIP line.  I am not sure what is still available at DMK in this regard (some services only serve 1st class / business customers now).

The only way to avoid all risk is to enter at a sane entry point - where the actual laws on-the-books are followed by law-abiding IOs - such as Chiang Mai airport, or any land-border other than Poipet/Aranyaprathet.   I generally advise to stick to land, as this avoids the risk of detention and being force-flown somewhere.

[elviajero]

I doubt you’ll have s problem entering using a METV at either DMK or BKK.

 

In case you do get questioned it would be worth carrying a letter from your girlfriend stating you’re visiting her and staying with her in Thailand; along with copy of her ID.

 

They are mostly trying to stop people living in the country, not frequent visits for tourism.

[TroyC]

Many thanks for your replies I will be carrying at least 20k Baht cash with me (always make sure i do when going thru immigration) and have proof of my return flight back to the UK at the end of May as i need to return for a couple of weeks business before coming back to Thailand. Will also do a hotel booking as you recommended that i can cancel. So hopefully that will help.

 

i have emailed a few companies to see if they are offering priority lane service thru DMK immigration and wait to hear back.

 

i was not sure if i should mention about the Thai GF to immigration, as thought it would mean that i was not really a true tourist. But i will take your advice regarding getting her to write a letter and a photocopy of her id card to show the io.

 

[BuckBee]

I would not mention GF, can get messy and sometimes they want call the GF, seen it cause issue few times at land borders .

Doubt you have much of an issue if well prepared and have polite manner should get questioned .

[elviajero]

1 hour ago, TroyC said:

i was not sure if i should mention about the Thai GF to immigration, as thought it would mean that i was not really a true tourist. But i will take your advice regarding getting her to write a letter and a photocopy of her id card to show the io.

If you were to get questioned you need to come up with a reason for your frequent visits, and visiting your girlfriend is justifiable reason.

 

It would be far better than trying to convince the IO you love visiting temples.

 

There is no definition of what a ‘tourist’ can/can’t do beyond not being able to work,