Arriving on a METV -- Best arrival airport in Thailand?

[wasabi]

After having spent 4 years outside of Thailand my wife and I (In our 40s)  were recently in Thailand on Multi Entry Tourist Visas from May 1 2018 - Feb 28 2019, a total of nearly 9 months. We are presently in the USA. We were both in Thailand solely in a tourist capacity and have no interest in working in Thailand, and that includes no remote work. I previously read articles about stretching METV's for 9 months and that's what we did. What I hadn't read about was the increasing hassle and hostility we got from immigration officers when returning to Thailand from trips abroad. We ended up leaving and returning 4 times in the course of using our METV. Every time we left was brief and the grilling upon return ramped up. We first arrived in Phuket without issue, but all subsequent entries were at BKK airport. The final time we were interrogated at a little desk for about 45 minutes and finally allowed to enter the country. I now know this duration of staying in Thailand on a METV and frequency of going in and out was a mistake and I don't plan to stay so long on a METV again.

 

We would like to return to Thailand on the METV in early December 2019 for 6 months and then get Elite Visas. At that point we will have been out of Thailand for 10 months but will have been in Thailand 2 months of the previous 365 days. Is there any benefit to initially entering Thailand in Chiang Mai or airports other than BKK if one wants an easier time with immigration? I am hoping being out of the country for 10 months will be sufficient and further hoping an airport other than BKK lessens the odds of any problems with immigration. I would love to just get the Elite visas now but the funds to do so won't be available til the middle of next year and want to be in Thailand til then. Understand nothing I am doing has the intent of being illegal or sneaky but immigration is what it is and I want to reduce stress if I can.

Edited September 27, 2019 by wasabi

[WeekendRaider]

oh, this is real easy.  FD2953  after a few days in Macau, maybe a fan boat ride to and from Hong Kong included.  you don't arrive in Bangkok, but the "weeahng" of Chiangmai instead.  another plus probably.  

Edited September 27, 2019 by WeekendRaider

[ubonjoe]

You might be asked what you are doing here but I cannot see them denying your entry with your history.

They certainly would not be able to use the false reason saying you have been in the country for more than 180 days this year.

Just be prepared to show the equivalent of 20k baht in cash and maybe a ticket out of the country.

Best to border runs for your subsequent entries than at an airport.

[DrJack54]

CM

[wasabi]

33 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

You might be asked what you are doing here but I cannot see them denying your entry with your history.

They certainly would not be able to use the false reason saying you have been in the country for more than 180 days this year.

Just be prepared to show the equivalent of 20k baht in cash and maybe a ticket out of the country.

Best to border runs for your subsequent entries than at an airport.

I hope not but per my original question is there a decreased risk of getting grilled at Thai airports OTHER than BKK? 

[ubonjoe]

15 minutes ago, wasabi said:

I hope not but per my original question is there a decreased risk of getting grilled at Thai airports OTHER than BKK? 

Chiang Mai does not have a history of making a problem when entering.

Also some of the smaller airports like Hat Yai, Utapao and Surat Thani but the most flights to those airport originate in Malaysia. 

[wreckingcountry]

What is “metv”


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[spiekerjozef]

Utapao pattaya

[ubonjoe]

8 minutes ago, wreckingcountry said:

What is “metv”


Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect

Multiple Entry Tourist Visa

[onera1961]

I don't see any issue with your entry in Bangkok airport. All the issues I noticed are for people who are trying to live in Thailand (and most proably working remote). Reading all these reports I am guessing that IOs have become very adept at recognizing people who live here on tourist visas. Anoher plus point is you're coming with your wife and that elminates the reason for staying in Thailand for a single person on tourist visa who has succumbed to the  lure of Thailand and its brothel culture. Remember that close to 40 million people pass though Thailand's airport and they deny only a fraction (less than 1%) and IOs can smell the people as on as they present their passport. 

Edited September 28, 2019 by onera1961

[JackThompson]

11 hours ago, onera1961 said:

I don't see any issue with your entry in Bangkok airport. All the issues I noticed are for people who are trying to live in Thailand (and most proably working remote). Reading all these reports I am guessing that IOs have become very adept at recognizing people who live here on tourist visas.

The fact they are hassling good people like the OP, coming with his wife, shows all they are interested in, is forcing people who stay more frequently into agent-procured / money-in-their-pocket extensions-of-stay or Elite Visas - which are NOT required by law for tourist-length visits of 60 (extendable to 90) days.  This is a RACKET - not a legitimate activity.

 

Quote

 

Anoher plus point is you're coming with your wife and that elminates the reason for staying in Thailand for a single person on tourist visa who has succumbed to the  lure of Thailand and its brothel culture.

You have it backwards.  Immigration happily let in party-brothel people on their short visits, while denying-entry to those staying longer, who are much less likely to be involved in that sort of thing.

 

Quote

Remember that close to 40 million people pass though Thailand's airport and they deny only a fraction (less than 1%) and IOs can smell the people as on as they present their passport. 

Most are short-term visitors - the ones who fill up Walking St every night.  Those folks get in w/o a word.

 

Edited September 28, 2019 by JackThompson

[wasabi]

6 hours ago, JackThompson said:

The fact they are hassling good people like the OP, coming with his wife, shows all they are interested in, is forcing people who stay more frequently into agent-procured / money-in-their-pocket extensions-of-stay or Elite Visas - which are NOT required by law for tourist-length visits of 60 (extendable to 90) days.  This is a RACKET - not a legitimate activity.

I too was surprised my wife and I got grilled repeatedly when coming into the country. I am American and she is Lao. We both speak Thai very well and our entire discussion with the IO was in Thai. I understand protecting national interests like employment but we are the type of visitors who only benefit the country by bringing money INTO the country. I showed them bank balances, Facebook photos and then some Youtube videos we made of our VACATION in Thailand. It was the Youtube videos that won them over and that is when we were allowed in the country. I asked if we had Thai Elite visas if we could avoid being interviewed and he said yes. We are keen to get the TE visas but as mentioned funds not available until the middle of 2020. However we love Thailand in spite of these hassles so I just want to avoid them as much as possible.

[Peter Denis]

On 9/28/2019 at 2:33 AM, ubonjoe said:

You might be asked what you are doing here but I cannot see them denying your entry with your history.

They certainly would not be able to use the false reason saying you have been in the country for more than 180 days this year.

Just be prepared to show the equivalent of 20k baht in cash and maybe a ticket out of the country.

Best to border runs for your subsequent entries than at an airport.

As usual > correct advice by UbonJoe.

My 2 cents worth > On an METV you do not need an outbound flight-ticket.  However, to avoid any risk of being denied for what is actually not required, you could book a 'burner' one-way ticket (cheapest would probably be the Hat Yai - KL flight).  Obviously, as you need to leave the country after 2 months (or 3 when you extend at an IO}, you could even buy a flight-ticket for the destination you may have in mind already.

Re-entering via the easier airports than DMK or BKK is also an option if you dread the IO grilling, which by the way would be totally inappropriate as the METV is meant for tourists using Thailand as home-base when visiting neighbouring countries.  Land-borders are also way easier IO-wise than via air. 

On top of the cash, and outbound flight-ticket also a hotel-booking for first couple of days would be helpful (which you most probably have already anyway)..

 

Edited September 29, 2019 by Peter Denis

[ian007]

On 9/28/2019 at 1:29 PM, wreckingcountry said:

What is “metv”


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Seriously?? M=multiple, E=Entry, T=Tourist, V=Visa

[Soneva]

I think it's very unlikely BKK would deny entry based on all the information you have provided.  

 

I agree with the advice above to use land borders for subsequent entries on the METV, and many such boarders are convenient and can be combined with nice getaways in the region.  Also, some land borders align conveniently with domestic airports within Thailand, if you are traveling from/to bkk or other airports like cnx.

 

If you do prefer to fly into Thailand for subsequent entries, CNX airport has quite a few direct flights within Asia.

[Boycie]

8 hours ago, Peter Denis said:

As usual > correct advice by UbonJoe.

My 2 cents worth > On an METV you do not need an outbound flight-ticket.  However, to avoid any risk of being denied for what is actually not required, you could book a 'burner' one-way ticket (cheapest would probably be the Hat Yai - KL flight).  Obviously, as you need to leave the country after 2 months (or 3 when you extend at an IO}, you could even buy a flight-ticket for the destination you may have in mind already.

Re-entering via the easier airports than DMK or BKK is also an option if you dread the IO grilling, which by the way would be totally inappropriate as the METV is meant for tourists using Thailand as home-base when visiting neighbouring countries.  Land-borders are also way easier IO-wise than via air. 

On top of the cash, and outbound flight-ticket also a hotel-booking for first couple of days would be helpful (which you most probably have already anyway)..

 

'On an METV you do not need an outbound flight-ticket.'

I thought the rules of a METV when applying is to show a valid return flight ticket?

Just my 2 bobs worth.

 

[Soneva]

3 hours ago, Boycie said:

'On an METV you do not need an outbound flight-ticket.'

I thought the rules of a METV when applying is to show a valid return flight ticket?

Just my 2 bobs worth.

 

 

I always have a departure ticket when I enter Thailand, even if I intend to cancel it.  With all of the unwritten 'rules' in place, immigration is never an exact science.  I think the more supporting documentation one can reasonably have is a good idea.  Then there is one fewer reason the IO could use to potentially deny entry.

 

Sometimes I purchase my actual departure ticket for my next visa trip in advance, and print out that itinerary receipt for immigration/visa purposes.

 

I am a believer in flying into Laos, Cambodia, or any other regional country first, and then working my way to friendly land borders.  It just so happens that there are lots of nice places to visit on both sides of these borders, so it works out very nicely if one can work border/visa runs into nice getaway trips in the region.

 

As an added benefit, sometimes international flights into other cities in the region can be less expensive than purchasing a direct flight to BKK, which can further offset the cost of an additiontal stopover stay.

Edited September 29, 2019 by Soneva

[Peter Denis]

9 hours ago, Boycie said:

'On an METV you do not need an outbound flight-ticket.'

I thought the rules of a METV when applying is to show a valid return flight ticket?

Just my 2 bobs worth.

 

When applying for an METV at the Thai embassy/consulate in your home-country, only an inbound flight-ticket is required.  That's different from an SETV where on application you need show both an inbound and an outbound flight-ticket.

The reason is simple: an METV is intended for tourists that want to use Thailand as their home-base when visiting neighbouring countries.  With an METV you can stay almost 9 months in Thailand, but need to leave the country every 2 months (or 3 when you extended at an IO).

So it's logical that they do not require you to have an outward-bound flight-ticket as your travel planning will often be quite flexible (and of course you could make use of land-borders for crossing to the neighbouring countries) 

Twice I bought my return-tickets in Thailand and so when coming back to Thailand I did not have a return ticket.  Never a problem or asked, neither on flight check-in and Thai Immigration.

Note: However, in the current climate when you have a history of several month stays in Thailand, it might indeed be useful to consider Soneva's advice to avoid being sent back on a flight to your home-country when entering Thailand.