Back you go! Thirteen foreigners with no money denied entry to Thailand

[StayinThailand2much]

3 hours ago, legend49 said:

One question. How does the " tourist" know this. When did boarding stage of their country did the airline check they met these requirements? Normally they may ask for your passport to check you have a visa.

Even as a tourist you're supposed to know (published) entry requirements.

 

However, what you can't know as a tourist is random 'misuse' of immigration law to fill quotas of 'undesirables', contrary to what is (not) stated in immigration law.

[emptypockets]

3 minutes ago, Whyamiandwhatamidoinghere said:

For those who have gotten a visa for Thailand from their home country they should be allowed to enter without showing cash because the submitted financial proof in order to get the visa. For visa free stamp they will ask for 20k. But to help those who do have access to fund, they should put atms on the arrival side before you get to immigration. If they want you to show then you can access funds. 

'Visa free' they may ask. But never in my experience. I always have about the equivalent of 30,000baht In a mixture of baht, US and Aussie dollars (for other reasons not related to Thai immigration). Never been asked to show cash. Not once. Ever.

[elliss]

11 hours ago, Sticky Wicket said:

The insurance thing keeps popping up.

It's a slow burner but it's coming soon for everybody!!

 

No smoke , without fire.  

 

[Traubert]

14 minutes ago, CNXexpat said:

When my wife and me travelled for one week from Chiang Mai to Hanoi only with hand luggage, we had only a few Baht with us - but a Credit Card with which we took money in the airport. But behind the immigration.

That sound like on the way out.

 

Was the ATM near the Duty Free shops?

[lkv]

1 minute ago, elliss said:

 

No smoke , without fire.  

 

Yeah, if they follow this route, in 6 months time, we will be saying:

 

You don't have insurance? But it was always a requirement.

 

Same like with TM30.

 

All they need now is a few more stories about foreigners not paying their hospital bills, both tourists and pensioneers,  played for a few weeks or so in the local Thai media, and the issue will be taken care of.

[CNXexpat]

1 minute ago, Traubert said:

That sound like on the way out.

 

Was the ATM near the Duty Free shops?

I don´t remember. But yes, on the way out.

[emptypockets]

9 minutes ago, elliss said:

 

No smoke , without fire.  

 

I love the smell of burning rubbers in the morning.

[Bastos60]

11 hours ago, darksidedog said:

I find it hard to believe that so many people in one day arrived without any money. As we all know the ATM machines are located AFTER immigration, and we have all heard of countless occasions when people with plenty of money have been denied before they got that far. As for being denied for no insurance, I wasn't aware that had become mandatory yet.

It didn't say it was mandatory, it just said they didn't have insurance either, I think it was for just pointing out these people don't have enough money to even be able to travel for tourism.

[Razek]

I wonder if they will do it with the clochard and vagabond from western country

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

8 hours ago, geronimo said:

I doubt if any person with no funds could enter any country these days .....

 

I've traveled to many countries around the world over many years, including dozens of trips back and forth to Thailand back in my tourist days many years ago now. And I've never carried more than a token amount of cash with me.... and many many years ago, at times also some traveler's cheques, which are almost extinct these days.

 

For all my travels, a small bit of cash -- just to get thru the airport and maybe a taxi to the hotel -- along with credit and debit cards was ALWAYS enough... except apparently in Thailand these days.

 

[elliss]

4 minutes ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

 

I've traveled to many countries around the world over many years, including dozens of trips back and forth to Thailand back in my tourist days many years ago now. And I've never carried more than a token amount of cash with me.... and many many years ago, at times also some traveler's cheques, which are almost extinct these days.

 

For all my travels, a small bit of cash -- just to get thru the airport and maybe a taxi to the hotel -- along with credit and debit cards was ALWAYS enough... except apparently in Thailand these days.

 

 

        Quality foreigners , are welcome .

        The writing is on the wall..

 

 

Edited July 29, 2019 by elliss

[doontp]

I have a question.

 

I live in the US and maintain a bank account in Thailand.  I don't like to carry much cash and prefer to transfer money to my Thai bank account in excess of 20,000 baht before departing the US.  I always leave a small amount in the account upon departure from Thailand.  Obviously, I cannot update my bank book until I enter Thailand.  

 

Would a computer printout of the transfer suffice as proof of funds?

_______________________________________________________________________________________

 

I have another question in regards to entering Thailand.

 

I am Thai/American and officially a dual citizen with both passports.  I traveled to Thailand this past April and the immigration officer would not allow me to enter using my Thai passport.  She insisted I use my US passport.

 

My Thai wife spoke to the officer for several minutes with no success.  I do not speak much Thai.

 

My planned stay was for 27 days and I knew I wouldn't have to deal with any visas, so I handed the officer my US passport and went on my way.

 

I will be moving back to Thailand for good in 2022. 

 

How should I handle the situation shall it come up again? 

 

Thank you.

[elliss]

27 minutes ago, CNXexpat said:

I don´t remember. But yes, on the way out.

 

Fyi , most farangs are on the way out..

 

 

[SteveK]

31 minutes ago, elliss said:

 

        Quality foreigners , are welcome .

        The writing is on the wall..

 

 

As long as you don't come too mutt! 

Edited July 29, 2019 by SteveK

[emptypockets]

13 minutes ago, SteveK said:

As long as you don't come too mutt!

I thought that was the whole idea!

[rvaviator]

Soon it will be much easier, when one GPB is equal to one baht!!!!

Not sure it will be any easier - you have a limit on how many kg you can carry as hand luggage ... paper is heavy you know .... ;-)


Sent from my iPad using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

[dontoearth]

2 hours ago, bimmerbob said:

We are evolving into a cashless society,; why insist upon 20k baht cash being carried by tourists?

   We are evolving into a paperless society.  Many airlines just send e-tickets now and most payments are done by electronic transaction.  How much longer can the thai immigration request cash and mounds of paper in such a world?

[emptypockets]

4 minutes ago, dontoearth said:

   We are evolving into a paperless society.  Many airlines just send e-tickets now and most payments are done by electronic transaction.  How much longer can the thai immigration request cash and mounds of paper in such a world?

Paperless society? really? I reckon the demand on this site alone will fuel the ongoing demand for adult diapers for the foreseeable future.

[Tayaout]

1 hour ago, doontp said:

I have a question.

 

I live in the US and maintain a bank account in Thailand.  I don't like to carry much cash and prefer to transfer money to my Thai bank account in excess of 20,000 baht before departing the US.  I always leave a small amount in the account upon departure from Thailand.  Obviously, I cannot update my bank book until I enter Thailand.  

 

Would a computer printout of the transfer suffice as proof of funds?

_______________________________________________________________________________________

 

I have another question in regards to entering Thailand.

 

I am Thai/American and officially a dual citizen with both passports.  I traveled to Thailand this past April and the immigration officer would not allow me to enter using my Thai passport.  She insisted I use my US passport.

 

My Thai wife spoke to the officer for several minutes with no success.  I do not speak much Thai.

 

My planned stay was for 27 days and I knew I wouldn't have to deal with any visas, so I handed the officer my US passport and went on my way.

 

I will be moving back to Thailand for good in 2022. 

 

How should I handle the situation shall it come up again? 

 

Thank you.

First time I hear about a country denying entry to their own citizen. My guess is they will ask you to apply for a marriage extension with your US passport /s. 

[denby45]

13 hours ago, Badbanker said:

Sadly this Article 12 (2) and (9) has been used against people without them knowing about it on many occasions when arriving in the kingdom.  This has become the most common excuse to deny foreigners entry into Thailand.

 

The real reason is that the person has too many visa exempt entries into Thailand in the computer and in their passport!  

 

I know that in the past year on some days at land borders, 30 plus people were denied entry on visa exempt stamps and sent back.

 

I have gone so far at to recommend that friends who visit Thailand on a regular basis on a visa exempt stamp, actually have the requisite 20,000 baht cash and a return ticket in hand and put them on the counter with their passport when approaching the immigration officer.

 

Most times it works, but sometimes it doesn't!

 

Who in their right mind would pass 20,000 baht to an immigration officer and expect to get it back?

 

Den

[mogandave]

I have a question.
 
I live in the US and maintain a bank account in Thailand.  I don't like to carry much cash and prefer to transfer money to my Thai bank account in excess of 20,000 baht before departing the US.  I always leave a small amount in the account upon departure from Thailand.  Obviously, I cannot update my bank book until I enter Thailand.  
 
Would a computer printout of the transfer suffice as proof of funds?
_______________________________________________________________________________________
 
I have another question in regards to entering Thailand.
 
I am Thai/American and officially a dual citizen with both passports.  I traveled to Thailand this past April and the immigration officer would not allow me to enter using my Thai passport.  She insisted I use my US passport.
 
My Thai wife spoke to the officer for several minutes with no success.  I do not speak much Thai.
 
My planned stay was for 27 days and I knew I wouldn't have to deal with any visas, so I handed the officer my US passport and went on my way.
 
I will be moving back to Thailand for good in 2022. 
 
How should I handle the situation shall it come up again? 
 
Thank you.

How did the officer know you had a US passport?

What is the benefit of entering on your Thai passport?

If you truly have duel citizenship, do you not have an National ID card?

If so, next time you come just take both passports and your ID card to immigration when you get here in 2022

[Whyamiandwhatamidoinghere]

2 hours ago, emptypockets said:

'Visa free' they may ask. But never in my experience. I always have about the equivalent of 30,000baht In a mixture of baht, US and Aussie dollars (for other reasons not related to Thai immigration). Never been asked to show cash. Not once. Ever.

Me either. In Thailand they tend to judge you by your appearance. Normally I'm in a nice business suit. Get a smile, stamped and go. 

[elliss]

1 hour ago, SteveK said:

As long as you don't come too mutt! 

 

If you have the money matey , come too mutt , many times. 

  No problem , better than being a bored  Kindler.  555

 

 

Edited July 29, 2019 by elliss

[sunnyboy2018]

12 hours ago, Sticky Wicket said:

Who on earth travels to another country with over 500 quid of foreign currency??

The exchange rates for changing currency in our home countries are beyond brutal!

People come here and then change at Super Rich or other places at their destination

Also why don't they notify all the embassies that this is a prerequisite to entering so they can update their pages.

Most people wouldn't have a scooby about it

Foreign currency counts. Doesn't it? 

[emptypockets]

I vary sometimes jeans and a nice shirt, sometimes jeans and boots and a cowboy hat. Had a couple of yee haaas from the Ios' on occasions as I walked up.

[sunnyboy2018]

14 hours ago, darksidedog said:

I find it hard to believe that so many people in one day arrived without any money. As we all know the ATM machines are located AFTER immigration, and we have all heard of countless occasions when people with plenty of money have been denied before they got that far. As for being denied for no insurance, I wasn't aware that had become mandatory yet.

Are there any examples of people with money being rejected for having insufficient funds?

[emptypockets]

1 minute ago, sunnyboy2018 said:

Are there any examples of people with money being rejected for having insufficient funds?

 Thousands every day if you believe what you read on here,

The reality is very very few people have a problem. Practically zero. They are being rejected because of other reasons. Being an <deleted> is one. I'm sure they also meet other undesirable criteria.

[sunnyboy2018]

23 minutes ago, denby45 said:

Who in their right mind would pass 20,000 baht to an immigration officer and expect to get it back?

 

Den

Never give authorities anything they dont ask for. Its classified as over compliance.  But be ready to show them that which you know may be required. The foreigners in this story were sadly, all from 3rd world countries, many of whom have a reputation for working illegally. 

[mogandave]

The foreigners would be sent back to where they came from - they were three each from Ethiopia, India and Myanmar and two each from Vietnam and South Korea. 

I’m sure they were all wealthy and had multiple high-limit credit cards.

Not

[sunnyboy2018]

13 hours ago, Sticky Wicket said:

They do it all the time. They even knock back people with 20k on them & won't even look at the cash.

They reject people for a variety of reasons but they do not reject people with sufficient funds for having no money. You are confusing the issue of inadequate funds with rejections for valid reasons.