Kammie Posted December 8, 2019 Share Posted December 8, 2019 Hello everyone, So I arrived at Suvarnabhumi this week and was taken aside by immigration. I'm coming to Thailand for 8 years now without a visa (I'm Dutch), each time staying no more than 60 days with a flight after 30 days to Cambodia. My last visit was the longest (May to Sep. this year), about 4 months with 2 border runs to Myanmar and a 30 days extension at the Chiang Rai immigration office. So when I was taken aside this week (for the first time) they wanted to know what I was doing for so long in Thailand, I honestly told them I love the country, people, weather, food and so on. I think my first mistake was that on the arrival form under lenght of stay I wrote 90 days instead of 30 as I always did. The first officer was very blunt and harsh saying 'you have to go back to your country'. After a while another officer came to talk with me. He said this is not your country, we can only let you stay 30 days if you can show an exit flight within 30 days. So bought a ticket to Cambodia and he gave me the usual 30 day stamp. Obviously a bad start which all in all took more than 3 hours. As I see it I'm in the 'system' and when I leave Thailand either on land or via airport I have to go to a Thai embassy for a visa. Is that the case now? Is there anyway I can extend my stay for this trip? Or am I really obliged to leave after 30 days and stay away for at least 2 months? Am I now flagged? Or is this just a scare tactic. Any tips or tricks are truly welcome. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post sanemax Posted December 8, 2019 Popular Post Share Posted December 8, 2019 Extensions should be no problem , extension refusals are unheard of, as in, it never happens 1 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post cheynewalk Posted December 8, 2019 Popular Post Share Posted December 8, 2019 Thailand is not discriminating against genuine tourists. Genuine tourists vome to thailand for mybe 2 to 3 weeks and go home. They don't use 30 day visa exempts to stay long term in the country. Please get it right before criticising! 8 1 4 3 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post sanemax Posted December 8, 2019 Popular Post Share Posted December 8, 2019 32 minutes ago, cheynewalk said: Thailand is not discriminating against genuine tourists. Genuine tourists vome to thailand for mybe 2 to 3 weeks and go home. They don't use 30 day visa exempts to stay long term in the country. Please get it right before criticising! To whom are you talking to ? Are you replying to anyone or just posting randomly in threads ? 2 3 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post cheynewalk Posted December 8, 2019 Popular Post Share Posted December 8, 2019 I was referring to posters who complain that authorities are clamping down on foreigners and then extrapolating that to explain why less tourists are coming. The fact is the vast majority of genuine tourists have no problem coming to thailand. The authorities are clamping down on foreigners using visa exempt entries to stay long term in thailand. 3 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fishtank Posted December 8, 2019 Share Posted December 8, 2019 It might help if you posted this in the correct forum. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
metisdead Posted December 8, 2019 Share Posted December 8, 2019 Moved to the Thai Visas forum. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jacko45k Posted December 9, 2019 Share Posted December 9, 2019 Usually a 30 day extension is issued without the slightest problem... so long as your 'hotel' has done the TM30! The problem does seem to be with the immigration at the airport being difficult. Yes a TV might help, but most travelers couldn't be bothered. Someone coming to spend 2 winter months here should not hassled. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post NoshowJones Posted December 9, 2019 Popular Post Share Posted December 9, 2019 10 hours ago, cheynewalk said: I was referring to posters who complain that authorities are clamping down on foreigners and then extrapolating that to explain why less tourists are coming. The fact is the vast majority of genuine tourists have no problem coming to thailand. The authorities are clamping down on foreigners using visa exempt entries to stay long term in thailand. So what if they are, why should it be so hard for under 50's to stay in Thailand long term? If the authorities would get of their ??s and crack down on illegal workers, and real overstayers instead of harassing long stay tourists who are contributing to the economy. 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post PingRoundTheWorld Posted December 9, 2019 Popular Post Share Posted December 9, 2019 12 hours ago, cheynewalk said: Thailand is not discriminating against genuine tourists. Genuine tourists vome to thailand for mybe 2 to 3 weeks and go home. They don't use 30 day visa exempts to stay long term in the country. Please get it right before criticising! What are you on about? The guy is clearly a tourist. It's always amazing how many expats here hate other foreigners because "they didn't get the right visa". Don't you have better things to do with your life? To the OP: no problem getting a 30-day extension. Ignore what they told you at the airport, if they didn't write it in your passport, it didn't happen. 3 4 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post noone223 Posted December 9, 2019 Popular Post Share Posted December 9, 2019 To the OP: Personally, it happened to me too, its humiliating, and a country that treats you this way CLEARLY doesn't need, want nor deserve you and the money you're spending. Enjoy Taiwan. You'll look at Thais differently afterwards, its a promise. 4 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PingRoundTheWorld Posted December 9, 2019 Share Posted December 9, 2019 10 hours ago, jacko45k said: Usually a 30 day extension is issued without the slightest problem... so long as your 'hotel' has done the TM30! You don't need TM30 for a 30 day extension. They don't ask. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PingRoundTheWorld Posted December 9, 2019 Share Posted December 9, 2019 1 minute ago, noone223 said: Personally, it happened to me too, its humiliating, and a country that treats you this way CLEARLY doesn't need, want nor deserve you and the money you're spending. Good point. It happened to me too a couple of times and is one of the reasons I have decided to give up my condo here and spend more time in other countries next year. Your loss, Thailand. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Sri Shina Posted December 9, 2019 Popular Post Share Posted December 9, 2019 How rude! I am a legitimate tourist here for 4 months, too. I would not spend 4 days travelling to get here to stay only two weeks. I meet many travellers who are away from their home country for a year. We are not trying to live in Thailand. There are neighbouring countries to visit as well. 4 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post sanemax Posted December 9, 2019 Popular Post Share Posted December 9, 2019 11 hours ago, cheynewalk said: I was referring to posters who complain that authorities are clamping down on foreigners and then extrapolating that to explain why less tourists are coming. The fact is the vast majority of genuine tourists have no problem coming to thailand. The authorities are clamping down on foreigners using visa exempt entries to stay long term in thailand. Many visitors to Thailand are frequent visitors who stay longer than a two week holiday . Stop these people coming and there will be a signifiant drop in the visitors to Thailand . These people will not be replaced by two week holiday makers , as Thailand is no longer a desired holiday destination for people who want a sunny cheap two week holiday 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CHiangMaiMuu Posted December 9, 2019 Share Posted December 9, 2019 7 minutes ago, PingRoundTheWorld said: You don't need TM30 for a 30 day extension. They don't ask. They did it to me last time .Big to do about nothing. The hotel I had moved to did not know what they were doing - I had to go back and get them to download the form and then fill it out and take it to I/O. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post tabarin Posted December 9, 2019 Popular Post Share Posted December 9, 2019 (edited) The thing with Thailand is that it also attracts many people that do semi retirements or are working nearly 24/7 in high seasons back home, to then enjoy the winter here. Others simply keep working at home, but do 60-70 hour weeks, enabling them to do 2-3 month holidays every X months. I think it is funny that the authorities still do not know the slightest of people visiting here, or that such things as above are possible scenarios or passive income / a business that you are not actually working for but have people doing the work, back home. Also if immigration paid a bit more attention, they would have noticed he did go back home in between each time, so clearly he can afford the long haul flights + stays. Can't see how you can consider that as someone (trying) to live in Thailand. Black and white thinking as usual. Obtaining the visa back home for 60 days only, easily costs 5K baht and perhaps a day in free time. Arriving with 30 days + extending for 1900B / half a day, better deal obviously. Edited December 9, 2019 by tabarin 4 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post rabang Posted December 9, 2019 Popular Post Share Posted December 9, 2019 Thailand is so far away for most visitors that a two or three week stay doesn't make sense to me. I know most people can't stay longer than that but personally I find it a really short time. Adjusting after arrival already takes a few days. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tabarin Posted December 9, 2019 Share Posted December 9, 2019 5 minutes ago, rabang said: Thailand is so far away for most visitors that a two or three week stay doesn't make sense to me. I know most people can't stay longer than that but personally I find it a really short time. Adjusting after arrival already takes a few days. I agree but used to know some people that were in love with TH and would work as many hours as they could, not spend anything back home, to then come for 10 days at the time and enjoy the beer and girls in PTY, for them it was worth it. Those would be flagged by IO's now too I guess. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Kammie Posted December 9, 2019 Author Popular Post Share Posted December 9, 2019 16 hours ago, sanemax said: Extensions should be no problem , extension refusals are unheard of, as in, it never happens 53 minutes ago, PingRoundTheWorld said: What are you on about? The guy is clearly a tourist. It's always amazing how many expats here hate other foreigners because "they didn't get the right visa". Don't you have better things to do with your life? To the OP: no problem getting a 30-day extension. Ignore what they told you at the airport, if they didn't write it in your passport, it didn't happen. Yes thanks guys, I went to Chaeng Watthana with hesitation but to my surprise I could get a 30 extension on top of my 30 stamp so all is well. Weird posts indeed, I'm apparently a dumb blond that doesn't know all the rules and therefore should be hanged!? If at any point someone from the border control or immigration would have told me that I could get in trouble at a later point for doing extensions or border runs I wouldn't have done it at all. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martyp Posted December 9, 2019 Share Posted December 9, 2019 28 minutes ago, rabang said: Thailand is so far away for most visitors that a two or three week stay doesn't make sense to me. I know most people can't stay longer than that but personally I find it a really short time. Adjusting after arrival already takes a few days. Most regular working people don't get more than 2-3 weeks of vacation each year, if that. And they spend some of it doing other things. In my entire adult and working life I never traveled longer than 3 weeks. That trip was San Francisco to Spain and back. An equally long distance. And if you are only doing it once in your lifetime then it isn't so bad. Most visitors are coming from closer countries. China, India, Japan, Australia, NZ, etc. Perusing the posts on TVF you would think everyone has 3-6 months of off time and a bottomless bank account. I can sort of understand why a Thai immigration officer would wonder if you have a job back home. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post sanemax Posted December 9, 2019 Popular Post Share Posted December 9, 2019 8 minutes ago, Martyp said: Most regular working people don't get more than 2-3 weeks of vacation each year, if that. And they spend some of it doing other things. In my entire adult and working life I never traveled longer than 3 weeks. That trip was San Francisco to Spain and back. An equally long distance. And if you are only doing it once in your lifetime then it isn't so bad. Most visitors are coming from closer countries. China, India, Japan, Australia, NZ, etc. Perusing the posts on TVF you would think everyone has 3-6 months of off time and a bottomless bank account. I can sort of understand why a Thai immigration officer would wonder if you have a job back home. Many of us are not regular working people . Self employed , working at sea with 6 months on six months off , property owners, on-line businesses etc We can take long holidays without needing to go back to work 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Martyp Posted December 9, 2019 Popular Post Share Posted December 9, 2019 Just now, sanemax said: Many of us are not regular working people . Self employed , working at sea with 6 months on six months off , property owners, on-line businesses etc We can take long holidays without needing to go back to work I totally agree. Many but not most. There were 38 million tourists in 2018. They all aren't working at sea or as consultants on short jobs. It's the vast sea of tourists staying 1-3 weeks, staying in hotels, and living out of a suitcase that Immigration sees most prominently. The fraction that comes year after year, months at a time is not insignificant but is pretty much a blip in the larger picture. The frequent months-long tourist is a gaping hole in Thai immigration policy. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve187 Posted December 9, 2019 Share Posted December 9, 2019 1 hour ago, PingRoundTheWorld said: You don't need TM30 for a 30 day extension. They don't ask. some do 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freeman01 Posted December 9, 2019 Share Posted December 9, 2019 (edited) most thai immgration officer are just rude, nothing personal that's kind of the culture in asia any law enforcement officer will take this stance at first just because ... nothing to do with you. and don't worry about getting flagged, their system isn't that advance. you get flagged if you get something written in red in your passport and even then ... worst case scenario if you get denied a 30 days stamp, go to Penang and get a 60 days visa for about the same cost as an extension and there is no problem. you only need to show a flight out and 10 days hotel reservation, any refundable flight ticket or hotel booking will do. also, you are always able to extend your tourist 30 days stamp or 60 days visa for another 30 days for about 2000 THB, you will never have a problem with that. that said, never overstay even by 1 day, that will get you in trouble and flagged forever. Edited December 9, 2019 by freeman01 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrJack54 Posted December 9, 2019 Share Posted December 9, 2019 Wrong in so many ways it's waste of time to correct them all. Just to pick ONE/2. If denied entry at Thai airport you cannot choose to "just fly to Penang.." You be returned to where you embarked at your cost. Overstay by ONE day flagged forever.... That takes the cake! Must admit, anyone thinking one day they may wish to purchase elite visa avoid overstay. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freeman01 Posted December 9, 2019 Share Posted December 9, 2019 I didn't mean you could fly to wherever if denied entry at airport, sorry if it looks like it, my bad. flagged forever, sorry about that was half joking on this one, in retrospect it might not be obvious at first ???? I meant it though, do not overstay even by 1 day or they will have an excuse to deny you entry if you come and go very regularly and they will. anything else officer ? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EricTh Posted December 9, 2019 Share Posted December 9, 2019 (edited) 13 hours ago, cheynewalk said: I was referring to posters who complain that authorities are clamping down on foreigners and then extrapolating that to explain why less tourists are coming. The fact is the vast majority of genuine tourists have no problem coming to thailand. The authorities are clamping down on foreigners using visa exempt entries to stay long term in thailand. Then there are some 'tourists' in this forum who even boast that they can stay 330 days per year on tourist visa. Please click link below. Edited December 9, 2019 by EricTh Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tabarin Posted December 9, 2019 Share Posted December 9, 2019 (edited) 2 hours ago, Martyp said: I totally agree. Many but not most. There were 38 million tourists in 2018. They all aren't working at sea or as consultants on short jobs. Actually they count each entry while some of us make 5-6 a year already. That aside, the common tourists with the 2-3 weeks a year as you describe have no problems. Amsterdam has like 35 million in that way too, making Thailand not that impressive by numbers as it sounds. + as it is all about the money, I am pretty sure the average long stayer outspends most tourists yearly, certainly with the Chinese now dominating in numbers. Kind of weird to then attack that group of people, longstayers / frequent visitors, as they are the least trouble and easiest ongoing money flow. Is like you are selling western breakfasts, then kick out your 10 year returning customer to make place for a Chinese. Edited December 9, 2019 by tabarin 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
treetops Posted December 9, 2019 Share Posted December 9, 2019 2 hours ago, Martyp said: Most regular working people don't get more than 2-3 weeks of vacation each year, if that. That sounds a bit backwards and I'm guessing covers the USA. I think I started on 5 weeks, could earn another week and could buy a week, plus 8 public days, and I think these UK figures are more typical than yours. Shift work also gave me a 1 week break every 8 weeks without using any annual leave so easy to rack up the visits and fall foul of immigration despite being a genuine tourist here on his legitimate time off from gainful employment. I suspect I'm not the only one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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