Long Stay vs Frequent Visitor

[2rist]

Hi there, I see many people having issues with "back to back" visa runs and I wanted to know how long people typically stay out of the country in between visas?

 

I typically stay away for a month (at least 14 days, usually closer to 30, depending on where I went and how fun it was) away on average before going back for one or two months. Does that make me more of a frequent visitor? I mean I do spend a fair bit of time inside Thailand, but never consecutively.

 

I assume other visa runners do 3 months, take a 2 day break in Laos, then head back for another 3 months. I would consider this as a consecutive stay, something I would avoid doing.

 

Would they give me trouble at the airports?

[Myran]

The immigration officers won't care if you take a small break in-between your visits. You're just as much of a "back to back" visa runner in their eyes as people who only stay out for a couple of days.

[2rist]

7 minutes ago, Myran said:

The immigration officers won't care if you take a small break in-between your visits. You're just as much of a "back to back" visa runner in their eyes as people who only stay out for a couple of days.

Do my chances improve if I visit two instead of one country in the "break"?

[Thailand Outcast]

Many of the the offshore oil rig guys do 1 month on and 1 month off. They would stay in Thailand for their 1 month off.  They are all but gone now.

 

Many miners, particularly from Australia, were the same.  They have also been forced out.

 

Your circumstances are not much different.  

[BritTim]

I do not think there are any hard and fast rules that can be given of when airport immigration is liable to target you. The most important factor (excluding things like your nationality) is probably total time spent in Thailand over the last year or two. Coming straight back within a day or two after months in Thailand may well be a trigger for some officials. Using visa exempt entries (especially back-to-back) is riskier than entering with tourist visas. In the end, though, unofficial rules probably vary significantly from official to official, reflecting their own views about desirable and undesirable tourists.

[Darkside Gray]

15 hours ago, Thailand Outcast said:

Many of the the offshore oil rig guys do 1 month on and 1 month off. They would stay in Thailand for their 1 month off.  They are all but gone now.

 

Many miners, particularly from Australia, were the same.  They have also been forced out.

 

Your circumstances are not much different.  

I would disagree with this comment, Im an person working in the Oil and Gas industry and I and many of my fellow workers are still rotating in and out of Thailand.

[Yeahbutwhytho]

It doesn't matter, if you visit more than once a year you are now a target

[Thailand Outcast]

16 minutes ago, Darkside Gray said:

I would disagree with this comment, Im an person working in the Oil and Gas industry and I and many of my fellow workers are still rotating in and out of Thailand.

Of the few I met, they saw the writing on the wall and went next door.  They told me of others in the industry not coming to Thailand on their rotation as well.  Miners, particularly from Australia, were the same.

 

For how much longer do you think you will be able to get away with it?

[Stocky]

1 hour ago, Thailand Outcast said:

For how much longer do you think you will be able to get away with it?

Getting away with what?

 

As a geologist I worked FIFO with Thailand as my base, I don't understand what you're supposed to be getting away with. You work outside Thailand, you're not taking away any work from the locals, just bringing money into the country. I worked even rotations so could only ever spend 6 months total in Thailand within the year. In my dealings with immigration they understood this. My circumstances changed when I married a Thai, I still work contracts outside Thailand but now use a marriage based Non-O Multi-Entry.