Entry into Phuket

[Johnson81]

Hi,

 

I've been staying in Phuket for just over 2 years, and have been using mainly Tourist visas for my stay (Vientiane, Penang, etc)

 

Next month I'm flying to Singapore for a couple of days on the 12th (my visa doesn't finish until the 28th)

 

I'm just wondering will I get grief when I enter back into Phuket, even if I can provide the an onward ticket, 20k (plus I have a thai bank book showing transfers in from the UK, as I'm not working in Thailand)...FYI I've never been questioned when entering visa exempt before

 

Just a little apprehensive as I've not done a visa exempt entry in an airport for almost 10 months.

 

Thanks,

 

 

[elviajero]

Who knows! The longer you stay as a tourist the higher the chance of getting questioned and or denied entry.

 

I wouldn’t show the Thai bank book unless absolutely necessary. Tourists don’t need bank accounts. That just underlines you’re living in the country, which is what they are clamping down on.

[Johnson81]

Just now, elviajero said:

Who knows! The longer you stay as a tourist the higher the chance of getting questioned and or denied entry.

 

I wouldn’t show the Thai bank book unless absolutely necessary. Tourists don’t need bank accounts. That just underlines you’re living in the country, which is what they are clamping down on.

Thanks so just the 20K plus flight out of the country?

 

[elviajero]

42 minutes ago, Johnson81 said:

Thanks so just the 20K plus flight out of the country?

 

I’d also have a hotel booking or an invitation letter from the person you’re staying with confirming where you’re staying. Have a copy of their ID and Tabian Baan too if possible.

[Johnson81]

19 minutes ago, elviajero said:

I’d also have a hotel booking or an invitation letter from the person you’re staying with confirming where you’re staying. Have a copy of their ID and Tabian Baan too if possible.

Just out of interest, apart from the person from Poland who was refused entry into Phuket only this March, have you heard if any other people being refused entry into Phuket? Previously I've not heard of many.

 

And going back to the guy from Poland (which I was reading earlier) I wonder whether it being his first visa exempt entry, while all others were on TR, was the mistake....perhaps it's best to have a mix of visa exempt, TR, some land crossings...or in your opinion does it not matter?

 

 

 

 

 

[JackThompson]

10 hours ago, Johnson81 said:

Next month I'm flying to Singapore for a couple of days on the 12th (my visa doesn't finish until the 28th)

 

I'm just wondering will I get grief when I enter back into Phuket, even if I can provide the an onward ticket, 20k (plus I have a thai bank book showing transfers in from the UK, as I'm not working in Thailand)...FYI I've never been questioned when entering visa exempt before

  

Just a little apprehensive as I've not done a visa exempt entry in an airport for almost 10 months.

I would not try it.  Even a re-entry on your existing Tourist Visa could be problematic - and Tourist Visa entries are generally safer.  They don't care if you have enough money or are not working illegally, so any evidence you (attempt to) present would likely be ignored (per reports to-date).  They want us longer-term people either gone, or paying them off for some sort of extension-via-agent, or the massive elite-visa payoff.

 

Have you ever taken the train from Singapore through Malaysia to Thailand?  It is an interesting experience - see a lot you don't see from the highways.  You could also fly to Penang, then train through Pedang Besar (entry-point), then train onward to Surat Thani, then bus to Phuket - or bus from Pedang Besar -> Hat Yai -> Phuket.   If doing this Visa-Exempt, you should have 10K Baht worth of cash (no bank-books or plastic), plus a flight-out in 30-days, plus evidence of where you will be staying (can be an online hotel-booking).  At that entry point, they might consider evidence you have foreign-income - unlike the entry-points that just don't care.

 

Better to pick up a Tourist Visa along the way, but I am not sure if the visible-history in your passport would allow one at KL or Penang.   If you have a "remark stamp" on a TR Visa ("this person travels to Thailand frequently..."), then forget it.   But if your passport only has a couple Tourist Visas in it, recent reports indicate KL seems to be a bit more friendly than Penang.

[Joe Mcseismic]

Why don't you get yourself a single re-entry permit and fly back in before your visa expires on the 28th?

[stevenl]

38 minutes ago, JackThompson said:

I would not try it.  Even a re-entry on your existing Tourist Visa could be problematic - and Tourist Visa entries are generally safer.  They don't care if you have enough money or are not working illegally, so any evidence you (attempt to) present would likely be ignored (per reports to-date).  They want us longer-term people either gone, or paying them off for some sort of extension-via-agent, or the massive elite-visa payoff.

 

Have you ever taken the train from Singapore through Malaysia to Thailand?  It is an interesting experience - see a lot you don't see from the highways.  You could also fly to Penang, then train through Pedang Besar (entry-point), then train onward to Surat Thani, then bus to Phuket - or bus from Pedang Besar -> Hat Yai -> Phuket.   If doing this Visa-Exempt, you should have 10K Baht worth of cash (no bank-books or plastic), plus a flight-out in 30-days, plus evidence of where you will be staying (can be an online hotel-booking).  At that entry point, they might consider evidence you have foreign-income - unlike the entry-points that just don't care.

 

Better to pick up a Tourist Visa along the way, but I am not sure if the visible-history in your passport would allow one at KL or Penang.   If you have a "remark stamp" on a TR Visa ("this person travels to Thailand frequently..."), then forget it.   But if your passport only has a couple Tourist Visas in it, recent reports indicate KL seems to be a bit more friendly than Penang.

"They want us longer-term people either gone, or paying them off for some sort of extension-via-agent, or the massive elite-visa payoff."

All they want is long term stayers on long term visa or extensions of stay.

[Johnson81]

1 hour ago, JackThompson said:

I would not try it.  Even a re-entry on your existing Tourist Visa could be problematic - and Tourist Visa entries are generally safer.  They don't care if you have enough money or are not working illegally, so any evidence you (attempt to) present would likely be ignored (per reports to-date).  They want us longer-term people either gone, or paying them off for some sort of extension-via-agent, or the massive elite-visa payoff.

 

Have you ever taken the train from Singapore through Malaysia to Thailand?  It is an interesting experience - see a lot you don't see from the highways.  You could also fly to Penang, then train through Pedang Besar (entry-point), then train onward to Surat Thani, then bus to Phuket - or bus from Pedang Besar -> Hat Yai -> Phuket.   If doing this Visa-Exempt, you should have 10K Baht worth of cash (no bank-books or plastic), plus a flight-out in 30-days, plus evidence of where you will be staying (can be an online hotel-booking).  At that entry point, they might consider evidence you have foreign-income - unlike the entry-points that just don't care.

 

Better to pick up a Tourist Visa along the way, but I am not sure if the visible-history in your passport would allow one at KL or Penang.   If you have a "remark stamp" on a TR Visa ("this person travels to Thailand frequently..."), then forget it.   But if your passport only has a couple Tourist Visas in it, recent reports indicate KL seems to be a bit more friendly than Penang.

 

It's a new passport (only 1 year old).

 

It's has 1 TR from Vientiane, and 1 TR from Penang + 1 land crossing at Ranong

 

Sounds like flying to KL to get a new TR shouldn't pose any problems?

 

Any advice on how long it takes in to get a TR in KL, plus requirements?

 

 

[JackThompson]

9 hours ago, Johnson81 said:

It's a new passport (only 1 year old).

 

It's has 1 TR from Vientiane, and 1 TR from Penang + 1 land crossing at Ranong

 

Sounds like flying to KL to get a new TR shouldn't pose any problems?

 

Any advice on how long it takes in to get a TR in KL, plus requirements?

KL is apply on day one, and pick up the next-day, but you do need to bring all required items. 

 

Here is their list (hat-tip UJ in another thread):

http://www.thaiembassy.org/kualalumpur/contents/images/text_editor/files/Notes_1_1 Toursit TR_1_0 application(1).pdf

 

Here is a recent report:

Note they included a bank-statement, even though not on the form for the single-entry TR Visa.   I would do this as well.  The more money in the account the better.

 

I cannot say what they will do if all your time in Thailand on those previous entries (shown in your passport) is "back to back," with only short breaks out - they might say "no" - but worth a try.

[BritTim]

11 hours ago, Johnson81 said:

 

It's a new passport (only 1 year old).

 

It's has 1 TR from Vientiane, and 1 TR from Penang + 1 land crossing at Ranong

 

Sounds like flying to KL to get a new TR shouldn't pose any problems?

 

Any advice on how long it takes in to get a TR in KL, plus requirements?

You should be able to get a visa in Kuala Lumpur. Your next decision is whether to fly back to Phuket. Over the years, there have been some bad reports. With a visa, flying KL to HKT is probably worth risking. Worst case, you should only be forced back to KL and can make other arrangements. As Jack has explained, a land crossing at Pddang Besar after a train trip is your safe alternative.

[Johnson81]

29 minutes ago, BritTim said:

You should be able to get a visa in Kuala Lumpur. Your next decision is whether to fly back to Phuket. Over the years, there have been some bad reports. With a visa, flying KL to HKT is probably worth risking. Worst case, you should only be forced back to KL and can make other arrangements. As Jack has explained, a land crossing at Pddang Besar after a train trip is your safe alternative.

Any reports on what it's like (I.e any reported requirements) to cross Pddang Besar on Visa exempt?

[JackThompson]

11 hours ago, Johnson81 said:

Any reports on what it's like (I.e any reported requirements) to cross Pddang Besar on Visa exempt?

A couple recent reports indicate their is a more strict boss-lady there now - but only enforcing the actual published rules.  You would need to have the cash (10K Baht worth - though more is generally better), a flight out of the country within 30 days, and proof of where you will be staying (can be an online booking printout).  

 

If you were denied-entry with those 3 requirements met, it would be the first report of this at that location in recent years - but it could happen, of course, as there is no oversight from the top to ensure that the published rules are followed uniformly. 

 

I'm not sure if the reported change (recent reports) affects immigration at the train-crossing, or just the walk/drive crossing folks.  The reports seemed to indicate those crossing by foot/moto.

[Johnson81]

13 hours ago, BritTim said:

You should be able to get a visa in Kuala Lumpur. Your next decision is whether to fly back to Phuket. Over the years, there have been some bad reports. With a visa, flying KL to HKT is probably worth risking. Worst case, you should only be forced back to KL and can make other arrangements. As Jack has explained, a land crossing at Pddang Besar after a train trip is your safe 

 

Ok I'm probably just going to fly into Phuket from SG visa exempt.

 

I'm only going to SG for 2 days for conference. I can perhaps show the IO my email invite for the conference, plus I will flights booked out to KL, and onward to SG again in June...so I'm clearly a) not working in Thailand b) have plans to be out of the country over the next few months

 

Anyway I'm sure it will be fine, I'll be smartly dressed in suit....fingers crossed.