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

[Bundooman]

5 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.

I don't.

Yes, the ATMs are after Immigration, but not where they each came from, where you could reasonably expect all of them to have had something ion their person, prior to leaving their last port of call.

Who arrives in a foreign country without an money at all, or ATM cards, Traveller's cheques, or currency, (except for migrants/Immigrants)?

[SchuetzRob]

5 hours ago, stillhereandlovinit said:

And so it should, either money in the bank or mandatory insurance.

Or should it be both? Be careful what you wish for......

[Mitkof Island]

4 minutes ago, PoorSucker said:

Any currency is accepted as is travelers checks. 

Just ask this guy. "Don,t leave home without them"

[Chelseafan]

5 minutes ago, PoorSucker said:

Any currency is accepted as is travelers checks. 

Yes but I don't want to be carrying money. Period.

 

I transfer spending money to an account in Thailand which my Thai friend opened for me (in her name), obviously I do not want to be showing this to the IO as it could lead to all sorts of questions.

 

 

[PoorSucker]

Just now, Chelseafan said:

 

I transfer spending money to an account in Thailand which my Thai friend opened for me (in her name), obviously I do not want to be showing this to the IO as it could lead to all sorts of questions.

 

 

You should also not be telling this on Thaivisa as it could lead to all sorts of laughs. 

[GroveHillWanderer]

2 hours ago, Just Weird said:

Says who?  That has not been mooted anywhere.

If we're talking about travel insurance for tourists (and I think we are) it's been mooted repeatedly for years and years.

 

Here's just a few examples:

 

Travel insurance to be compulsory (2013 story)

Travel insurance to be compulsory (2017 story)

Travel insurance to be compulsory (2019 story)

[abrahamzvi]

5 hours ago, davethailand said:

Agreed.

????

If one carries a Thai Passport, one has to prove financial means before getting visas to the EU, US, Australia and other countries. Why shouldn't Thailand act likewise?

[mogandave]

5 hours ago, KittenKong said:

The carrying cash requirement is straight out of the dark ages. Thailand really needs to wake up.

 

I spent three entire months in the US and Europe armed with just three credit cards and the equivalent of 100USD in cash. At the end of the trips I still had 80USD cash left, as all my expenditure had been done with cards. That included hotels, car rentals, fuel, all meals ......

They have no way of knowing if the cards are good or have any remaining credit. 

[Briggsy]

25 minutes ago, abrahamzvi said:

If one carries a Thai Passport, one has to prove financial means before getting visas to the EU, US, Australia and other countries. Why shouldn't Thailand act likewise?

I proved my financial means (£5000 minimum balance for a period of 6 months ) when I obtained my METV as long with many other documents. And yet I was denied entry on the grounds of "having no means to support myself."

 

Thailand's Immigration is acting in a capricious, arbitrary and extra-legal manner. 

 

It is ludicrous to compare the actions of Thai Immigration with accountable counterparts from developed countries who must follow the law.

 

This is the point.

[bander]

Good work from immigration police, no money mean begging, stealing or selling drugs in Thailand. Maybe our immigration in Europe, Australia and US have something to learn from Thailand?

[RJRS1301]

6 hours ago, stillhereandlovinit said:

And so it should, either money in the bank or mandatory insurance.

Both, money in the bank for living, travel/health insurance for accidents and emergencies

 

[White Christmas13]

59 minutes ago, HiSoLowSoNoSo said:

They are still in the dark ages!

Don't agree with you I do not have a credit/debit card so I do rely on cash

[RJRS1301]

1 hour ago, PoorSucker said:

Any currency is accepted as is travelers checks. 

Who uses travellers cheques these days??

 

[reargunnerph3]

To enter Australia you need to be able to show enough cash or access to enough money to pay for your holiday. Thai Immigration don't allow you to show access to sufficient funds they want cash up front or if they don't like you it won't make any difference anyway. Not a very friendly welcome to the land of smiles.

[bust]

Why would you fly into Suvarnabhumi when you share a border with LOS with no scrutiny? Doesn’t make sense ????

[mogandave]

I proved my financial means (£5000 minimum balance for a period of 6 months ) when I obtained my METV as long with many other documents. And yet I was denied entry on the grounds of "having no means to support myself."
 
Thailand's Immigration is acting in a capricious, arbitrary and extra-legal manner. 
 
It is ludicrous to compare the actions of Thai Immigration with accountable counterparts from developed countries who must follow the law.
 
This is the point.

So have you had to show ฿20K in currency at immigration?

~20 years of going in and out at least five times a year and I have never been asked to show any money.

[White Christmas13]

10 minutes ago, reargunnerph3 said:

To enter Australia you need to be able to show enough cash or access to enough money to pay for your holiday. Thai Immigration don't allow you to show access to sufficient funds they want cash up front or if they don't like you it won't make any difference anyway. Not a very friendly welcome to the land of smiles.

I agree with your first sentence but must add for Australian visa you must also

prove that you go back to Thailand need to have a sponsor also the amount of

cash is not the important part of the visa

[bander]

1 hour ago, Mitkof Island said:

Can you blame the Thais ??? This is becoming a common sight. If you want someone to blame have a chat with this guy or the next Full Moon Party loser you see on the streets. They are easy to spot.

I don't blame Thais, finally they do something to stop the scumbags from entering the kingdom. (like the one on the pic. covered in his own blood)  

[KittenKong]

2 hours ago, Tropicalevo said:

This may come as a surprise but Thailand is not the US nor is it Europe.

 

Credit cards are NOT widely accepted in Thailand. Ergo - you need cash.

I find that cards are widely accepted here. Certainly all large shops and all decent hotels and restaurants accept them without any trouble. And you can even use them for home grocery deliveries from Tesco.

 

Anyway, if you find yourself in a place that does only accept cash then you just use your card in an ATM. That's what they are for.

 

No one needs to carry large amounts of cash on them here, and for Immigration to encourage it is just plain stupid.

[jlwilliamsjr18]

5 hours ago, Sticky Wicket said:

The insurance thing keeps popping up.

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

Perhaps you're right, but what happens as I was just recently told, insurance is available up to 70.  Of course outrageous premiums are there to be paid beyond 70.  Anyone thinking of moving to Thailand for the R&R, should just forget it.  There's many other places to live a decent lifestyle.  And much easier too.  The writing is on the wall, tourist only.  The rest of us invested in love, family and etc... well each day is another barrel of monkeys. 

[TonyR101]

5 hours ago, KittenKong said:

The carrying cash requirement is straight out of the dark ages. Thailand really needs to wake up.

 

I spent three entire months in the US and Europe armed with just three credit cards and the equivalent of 100USD in cash. At the end of the trips I still had 80USD cash left, as all my expenditure had been done with cards. That included hotels, car rentals, fuel, all meals ......

Perhaps if the visitors involved had been able to present a few valid credit cards it might have helped their case. My wife recently spent a few days in hospital, and I had to pay the best part of 100,000 Baht cash for her treatment. I've no sympathy for visitors arriving without insurance or other means of paying their bills.

[Don Mega]

1 hour ago, Chelseafan said:

I suppose they asked them to show funds and they couldn't.

 

Reading the between the lines (as you have to do with Thais sometimes all the time) I think that they were refused as they were planning to work in Thailand. If that's the case then this is a non-event, having said that, I'm travelling in a few weeks and am nervous that I wont be able to show 20,000 other than bank statements. Looks like I am going to have to change money before I travel which is a pain in the backside. Rules are rules I suppose.

 

 

Am sure they would be happy with the equivalent in cash of what ever your home currency is.

[KittenKong]

40 minutes ago, mogandave said:

They have no way of knowing if the cards are good or have any remaining credit. 

That didn't seem to worry them.

[mogandave]

I find that cards are widely accepted here. Certainly all large shops and all decent hotels and restaurants accept them without any trouble. And you can even use them for home grocery deliveries from Tesco.
 
Anyway, if you find yourself in a place that does only accept cash then you just use your card in an ATM. That's what they are for.
 
No one needs to carry large amounts of cash on them here, and for Immigration to encourage it is just plain stupid.

Have you ever been asked to show cash at the border?

[brianj1964]

5 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

You don't need to have Thai Baht with you just the equivalent of in any major currency, don't bring Scottish notes, they don't like them here. Unless it's changed 

[reargunnerph3]

8 minutes ago, White Christmas13 said:

I agree with your first sentence but must add for Australian visa you must also

prove that you go back to Thailand need to have a sponsor also the amount of

cash is not the important part of the visa

This is not just for Thai's it's for all nationalities and even if you have a visa you may be asked to show a means of financial support for the duration of your stay.

[RJRS1301]

1 minute ago, mogandave said:

 

Have you ever been asked to show cash at the border?

 

Never, but always have a reasonable amount in either USD or AUD ready to show just in case

 

[KittenKong]

1 minute ago, mogandave said:

Have you ever been asked to show cash at the border?

In 45 years of travelling to several dozen countries I have never been asked to do that, apart from in the US as I mentioned where they did ask me and were entirely satisfied with my USD100 cash and three cards.

[Straight8]

3 hours ago, Briggsy said:

Do I have millions of baht in bank accounts? Yes, sure do.

Do I have lots of credit cards? Yes

Was I denied entry for "having no means to support myself"? Sure was. ????

 

Nothing was ever asked about money. Just a bogus reason stamped in the passport and held in detention till the flight out.

 

Trust me, Mr Mcseismic. It happens every day.

 

 

Just goes to show, at any given time, anyone one of us could be the next 'Briggsy'

[holy cow cm]

6 hours ago, Sticky Wicket said:

The insurance thing keeps popping up.

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

It will if it keeps on getting brought up into the limelight. Knock on wood it won't!