Help! Canadian Arrived Chiang Mai Today Given 4days

[ChokChaiChas]

Than they explained that , visa free entry will be given within a fixed six-month period.

If you enter 5.10.06 yr period ends on 4.4.07 , hence Immigration will not give you more than to the 4th of April ,even you consumed only 10,45 or 72 days.

I

Pity the poor sod and his wife who previously arrived on a package tour on 02-10-06 and, even as I write, are in a BKK immigration queue blissfully unaware that they are about to be stamped permitted to stay until 01-04-07 and told they will have to leave Thailand by 2359 tonight. If the officer is generous he may tell them to hang around until 0001 tomorrow and present themselves again to be stamped in for a full 30 days. I think not. Unless thaey think a great idea for an April fools joke.

It is possible, I suppose, that Immigration Officers have been told to use this interpretation with discretion and only for persons they suspect are not genuine tourists.

My money is on the OP having the issue resolved in her favour.

[jaiyen17]

With the amount of business you are doing, and the fact you have had a fever, and the amount of worry you are putting into this issue, IMHO it'd be cheapest for you to just overstay, do your business, pay the fine, and leave.

Not possible...... I have three flights ... one to bangkok , one to samui, one samui back to bangkok before I return to the states. They would check my passport at each stop. Also, I very much prefer to stay on the up and up in the kingdom and don't want to live my life in fear for the remainder of my trip. I feel jinxed enough as it is right now and don't need the thought of a thai jail looming in the back of my mind. Thanx for the advice though. It's worth any amount of money to me to get this right and back on track so I can enjoy the rest of my time here.

[misterme]

All that would be required is for you to visit a Royal Thai Consulate in Vientiane, Savannakhet, Penang, Kl, Singapore or a few other countries and obtain a tourist visa if all else fails. These are normally issued the next day and you could immediately return to Thailand.

Op, did you see this post? Here is the answer.

Tomorrow, fly to Vientiane, Laos... Tuesday apply for tourist visa... Wednesday visa ready and return to Thailand.

[LivinLOS]

With the amount of business you are doing, and the fact you have had a fever, and the amount of worry you are putting into this issue, IMHO it'd be cheapest for you to just overstay, do your business, pay the fine, and leave.

Not possible...... I have three flights ... one to bangkok , one to samui, one samui back to bangkok before I return to the states. They would check my passport at each stop. Also, I very much prefer to stay on the up and up in the kingdom and don't want to live my life in fear for the remainder of my trip. I feel jinxed enough as it is right now and don't need the thought of a thai jail looming in the back of my mind. Thanx for the advice though. It's worth any amount of money to me to get this right and back on track so I can enjoy the rest of my time here.

They dont check your stamps on domestic only the fact you have ID.. You can even fly with just photo ID.. I have flown around Thailand not carrying a passport only a DL..

[jaiyen17]

It is possible, I suppose, that Immigration Officers have been told to use this interpretation with discretion and only for persons they suspect are not genuine tourists.

My money is on the OP having the issue resolved in her favour.

This is an interesting perspective and one that I really have to take into consideration. I am on the last three pages of my passport. For the last three years I have spent at least 4 months a year in thailand traveling to laos, cambodia, and mynmar to stamp my passport. It is full of border run stamps and visas and re-entries. I do not look like your typical thai tourist. I speak a lot of thai which I used with them at the airport checkpoint.... polite and considerate of course. I am forty years old and don't look like a hippy backpacker, kind of a bohemian style traveling with a backpack and a laptop... anyway this little bit of insight may be completely unimportant or it could be relevant if the above theory is correct that they are selective about who they implement their new visa laws with.

Anyway, tomorrow morning will be very telling for all. I just sent an inquiry to sunbelt to see if anyone here in chiang mai is interested in meeting me and looking over my case. Maybe they'll take me on pro-bono for the benefit of knowledge for themselves and all their clients and people on this forum. & Mr. Greg Lange if you're reading this do you remember me? Pocky & I .... Jai Yen International?

Drop me a line if you do.....

[lamphun]

Let us know how you get on.

This interpretation of the rules is 180 degrees opposite of the reasoning for enforcing these rules in the first place. This was to prevent long term stayers doing continuous borders runs on Visa Free Entry.

The only victims of this odd interpretation would be genuine tourists. Border runners will have all they're days worked out, get the full 90 days then go for a tourist visa.

Tourists stand the chance of being turned away even if they've only spent 1 or 2 days in the last six months in the country.

[PeaceBlondie]

I'm sure maestro's explanation makes sense out of it, but I can't see it. Perhaps I'm blind-sided by the phrase we're using in English, a rolling 180 day period. Perhaps that's not in the Thai language or the prior vocabulary of immigration police. Maybe nobody understands how this was intended to work, and the higher-ups aren't giving out a national interpretation. It reminds me of that band from Austin: Asleep at the Wheel.

Good luck to jaiyen. I'm tempted to tell her to get a business visa for her business, and a work permit, and 4 Thai employees and a tuk-tuk, but I'll bet that's either difficult or impossible.

[ericsshop]

Hello to all! I am totallly and completely confused by what happened to me today with the chiang mai airport immigration. ...

I was out of thailand more than 90 days running my retail store in America.

....

Can anyone make any sense out of this for me. I have a lot of business to conduct here in chiang mai and don't have time for yet another border run. I have learned my lesson and will definately apply for the 60 day tourist visa next time but I am never here longer than 60 days and usually fly to laos to buy silk so figured I didn't need to go that route.

...

Do you think you may convince the Immigration officer of not running a business in Thailand?

If all she is doing is buying for export, there is no need for a work permit etc. You are allowed to buy in Thailand, but, all packing, shipping etc, must be done by Thais.

Embassy in Washington DC went through the entire thing with me and provided me with 2 letters one in Thai and one English to show anyone giving me any guff here. Been doing it for 6 years now, not a problem.

[JimsKnight]

Wasn't it originally supposed to be that only land border visa runners had the 90 day 6 month visa problem conundrum. If you fly in / fly out via airport visa control this rule DOESN'T apply. At least thats how I've had it explained to me...

Is this still the case?

[ciooni]

....The idea that someone could spend 1 day inside Thailand (starting a 6 month) and then be given only a 1 day stamp (if he timed it to arrive precisely 6 months minus 1 day later) is completely idiotic and even too dumb for Thai immigration.

This is not how its being done as yet for anyone I have spoken to (who it would have applied to) and I feel this way will not be implemented.

I completely agree with you.

Two months ago I figured out how they would count days and (fixed) six-months periods

.................

This is what immigration officers do (presumably):

- check the 6 months frames (months not days as the rule explicitly states, and for easier calculation); starting day is the first entry AFTER 1 October 2006

- check the length of previous stays/remaining days (.....);

- if, say, 12 days (out of 90) are remaining in a (fixed) six-months period, the immigration official will give 12 days maximum;

- or can give the usual 30 days permit if a new six-months block begins in the meanwhile i.e. some days are taken from your ending six-months/90 days quota and some days are taken from your fresh six-months/90 days quota

I've always disagreed with the mainstream interpretation of the regulation, accepted and spread by almost everybody in this forum (i.e. rolling six-months periods) and i've brought solid logical, practical and LEGAL reasons to support an interpretation based on FIXED six-months periods, which now seems to be implemented by immigration officers as well (not so clearly actually...).

You may want to look at my posts in this thread for explanations:

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?sh...05052&st=30

[ChokChaiChas]

Its 10.04 and still Jaiyen17 has not reported back. The tension is unbearable: worse than watching a repeat of Apollo 13 when I still wonder if they are going to make it back earth safely. A lot of forum members credibility rest on whether or not she is the proud possessor of a correction stamp in her passport.

[Prakanong]

Dear all ,

I went to the new Immigration Office in Bang Na today and discussed various cases with the senior staff there.

We had plenty of time and 2 senior staff cfmd that the Officer in charge did interpret the ruling correctly.

We have been all wrong in our assumptions.

Hi Visarunner,

Can you help me a bit and elaborate on your meeting with the bang na staff and explain why they said the officer interpreted the ruling correctly when I only had 72 days out of 90 in 180 when I arrived in chiang mai. The 1111 immigration officer today seemed to elude to the fact that it was incorrect and I should go to the other chiang mai office (away from the airport) on Monday. Do you think if i leave for laos on the 3rd that I'm going to get back into bangkok on the 5th. It's a new 6 month period right? this is scary~ my ticket home to SF isn't until the 25th of April.....

The new office is called Suvanabumi Immigration Checkpoint and is located opposite of Central Bang Na in the tall white Building on the 17th Floor , open for business only since January 07 hence not busy .

Upon entry I explained to the receptionist that I would like to talk about the new visarule , and she guided me to 2 english speaking male officers , surely no clerical staff.

We went through a couple of examples mainly abouts persons with 3x30days ,extension and TV extension , we talked about timing possibilities to stay,etc.

Than they explained that , visa free entry will be given within a fixed six-month period.

If you enter 5.10.06 yr period ends on 4.4.07 , hence Immigration will not give you more than to the 4th of April ,even you consumed only 10,45 or 72 days.

I personaly always thought if you are not over 90days you should have no problem , but Immigration said it's maximum 90days in any fixed six-month period.

At all times they had the complete set of latest Immigration rules ready.

If you leave Thailand on the 3rd , you can re-enter Thailand on the 4th which would be the begin of a new six-month period.

I understand your position on this now and still fail to believe this is what will be processed..

I know for a fact that this has not been done on either my brother or my offshore working buddy.. Both have been in Thailand in Oct (starting a 6 month period).. In and out multiple times.. Back in Thailand in March and given full 30 day stamps that extend PAST the end of a fxed 6 month period.

The idea that someone could spend 1 day inside Thailand (starting a 6 month) and then be given only a 1 day stamp (if he timed it to arrive precisely 6 months minus 1 day later) is completely idiotic and even too dumb for Thai immigration.

This is not how its being done as yet for anyone I have spoken to (who it would have applied to) and I feel this way will not be implemented.

My own experience matches what you are saying - I have 6 entry stamps since October and the longest time in Thailand was Christmas and New Year - they counted the actual days.

[jaiyen17]

Its 10.04 and still Jaiyen17 has not reported back. The tension is unbearable: worse than watching a repeat of Apollo 13 when I still wonder if they are going to make it back earth safely. A lot of forum members credibility rest on whether or not she is the proud possessor of a correction stamp in her passport.

Sorry to keep those of you who have been so much help to me hanging this morning but I've been scrambling to purchase airline tickets to depart the kingdom by tomorrow. April 3rd. I arrived at chiang mai immigration this morning and had my answer within about 2 minutes flat. I approached the window repeating "jai yen" "jai yen" to myself and calmly told the officer that I had been given a stamp upon entry at the chiang mai airport and was very confused by it. The 1111 immigration hotline had reccommended that I come to see them first thing on Monday to find out why I wasn't given the full 18 days or 30 day stamp on my passport and that I was hoping it may possibly be a mistake.

He looked at it very matter of factly and announced that I would have to leave the country and come back in on April 4th to enter into my new 6 month period. I was only given the number of days (which was five) to finish my 6 month timeframe in thailand after entering the first time on Oct. 4th. I asked if I had only had 30 days out of 180 in the same 6 month time frame or let's say 15 days in and out starting Oct. 4th if this scenario would be the same and he said yes!! So folks...... they are not counting days!!!! I have to admit that I am still confused I had three 30 day stamps in my passport.... with 71 days used on those stamps. what if I had only had two and come back in to chiang mai on the 30th... would they still have only given me 5 days... what an absolutely "f-cked up" system this is and I can only imagine how much worse it's going to get for unsuspecting travelers before they decide to change the rules.. I'm just sorry I have to be one of their guinee pigs~

So nothing to do but leave for Laos tomorrow and fly back in through Bangkok. The underlying question in my mind now is if I come into Bangkok on the 4th of April are they going to treat that as a new 6 month period or should I play it really safe and come in on the 5th? I asked the officer in chiang mai three times about the fourth and he said it was fine but I just don't trust this whole system right now. I fly to Samui on the 6th so it would be nice to have the extra time in Bangkok to get some stuff done instead of hanging out in Luang Prabang (where I just came from) what a bleepin' nightmare.

Word to the wise....... OBTAIN TOURIST VISAS WHEN TRAVELING TO THAILAND......

I want to express my utmost gratitude to all of the folks at thai visa that have taken their precious time to help me with this utterly frustrating and very confusing situation.

I hope my problems with immigration will save time, money and frustration for others and now I'll post this and let the discussion begin

[jaiyen17]

I decided to start a new post as I feel this is very important info for everyone at Thai visa.com.... For those who need to be brought up to speed on this topic here is the original link to the post that started three days ago. http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=113805

Sorry to keep those of you who have been so much help to me hanging this morning but I've been scrambling to purchase airline tickets to depart the kingdom by tomorrow. April 3rd. I arrived at chiang mai immigration this morning and had my answer within about 2 minutes flat. I approached the window repeating "jai yen" "jai yen" to myself and calmly told the officer that I had been given a stamp upon entry at the chiang mai airport and was very confused by it. The 1111 immigration hotline had reccommended that I come to see them first thing on Monday to find out why I wasn't given the full 18 days or 30 day stamp on my passport and that I was hoping it may possibly be a mistake.

He looked at it very matter of factly and announced that I would have to leave the country and come back in on April 4th to enter into my new 6 month period. I was only given the number of days (which was five) to finish my 6 month timeframe in thailand after entering the first time on Oct. 4th. I asked if I had only had 30 days out of 180 in the same 6 month time frame or let's say 15 days in and out starting Oct. 4th if this scenario would be the same and he said yes!! So folks...... they are not counting days!!!! I have to admit that I am still confused I had three 30 day stamps in my passport.... with 71 days used on those stamps. what if I had only had two and come back in to chiang mai on the 30th... would they still have only given me 5 days... what an absolutely "f-cked up" system this is and I can only imagine how much worse it's going to get for unsuspecting travelers before they decide to change the rules.. I'm just sorry I have to be one of their guinee pigs~

So nothing to do but leave for Laos tomorrow and fly back in through Bangkok. The underlying question in my mind now is if I come into Bangkok on the 4th of April are they going to treat that as a new 6 month period or should I play it really safe and come in on the 5th? I asked the officer in chiang mai three times about the fourth and he said it was fine but I just don't trust this whole system right now. I fly to Samui on the 6th so it would be nice to have the extra time in Bangkok to get some stuff done instead of hanging out in Luang Prabang (where I just came from) what a bleepin' nightmare.

Word to the wise....... OBTAIN TOURIST VISAS WHEN TRAVELING TO THAILAND......

I want to express my utmost gratitude to all of the folks at thai visa that have taken their precious time to help me with this utterly frustrating and very confusing situation.

I hope my problems with immigration will save time, money and frustration for others and now I'll post this and let the discussion begin~

Edited April 2, 2007 by jaiyen17

[ovenman]

He looked at it very matter of factly and announced that I would have to leave the country and come back in on April 4th to enter into my new 6 month period. I was only given the number of days (which was five) to finish my 6 month timeframe in thailand after entering the first time on Oct. 4th. I asked if I had only had 30 days out of 180 in the same 6 month time frame or let's say 15 days in and out starting Oct. 4th if this scenario would be the same and he said yes!! So folks...... they are not counting days!!!!

While it doesn't help you today or in the near-term, I cannot imagine that this interpretation of the rules will apply long-term or will be applied across-the board. There has been talk all along that these new regulations would not affect the legitimate tourists but as this is presented, I cannot see how it won't... Imagine the person who passed thru Bangkok for a single day last October, now coming to stay in Thailand for a couple weeks in April being told that they are only going to be stamped in for three days (or whatever) because their "six months" is almost finished. Apply this rule strictly to a couple of tour groups as a group, let the word start to circulate amongst the travel industry about Thailand becoming a "difficult" destination (whether that appellation is actually justified or not), and the Thai authorities may well get the desired drop-off in the number of thirty-day entrants into the kingdom.

[jaiyen17]

Imagine the person who passed thru Bangkok for a single day last October, now coming to stay in Thailand for a couple weeks in April being told that they are only going to be stamped in for three days (or whatever) because their "six months" is almost finished. Apply this rule strictly to a couple of tour groups as a group, let the word start to circulate amongst the travel industry about Thailand becoming a "difficult" destination (whether that appellation is actually justified or not), and the Thai authorities may well get the desired drop-off in the number of thirty-day entrants into the kingdom.

I still can't believe this could happen to the short term tourist with a couple of days in the fall and a few in the spring and only two entry stamps..I have to believe that it somehow has somthing to do with my three 30 entry stamps to thailand... I do however believe it could easily happen to a traveler who has taken 6 months to travel abroad and wants to use bangkok as a central hub to Cambodia, laos, india, vietnam. Maybe that person only spends a total of 30 days in thailand in those six months but has come through many times.. These are the people who should be worried about this new rule. As well as any frequent travelers for business of pleasure who are currently using visa exempt entries.

[ChokChaiChas]

He looked at it very matter of factly and announced that I would have to leave the country and come back in on April 4th to enter into my new 6 month period. I was only given the number of days (which was five) to finish my 6 month timeframe in thailand after entering the first time on Oct. 4th. I asked if I had only had 30 days out of 180 in the same 6 month time frame or let's say 15 days in and out starting Oct. 4th if this scenario would be the same and he said yes!! So folks...... they are not counting days!!!!

While it doesn't help you today or in the near-term, I cannot imagine that this interpretation of the rules will apply long-term or will be applied across-the board. There has been talk all along that these new regulations would not affect the legitimate tourists but as this is presented, I cannot see how it won't... Imagine the person who passed thru Bangkok for a single day last October, now coming to stay in Thailand for a couple weeks in April being told that they are only going to be stamped in for three days (or whatever) because their "six months" is almost finished. Apply this rule strictly to a couple of tour groups as a group, let the word start to circulate amongst the travel industry about Thailand becoming a "difficult" destination (whether that appellation is actually justified or not), and the Thai authorities may well get the desired drop-off in the number of thirty-day entrants into the kingdom.

I am truly sorry for Jaiyen17, for what that is worth.

I agree with every word that ovenman has written.

For reasons stated in the other thread that I shall not repeat here, I think it reasonable to assume it is not being similarly interpreted at BKK. No consolation to OP.

[meadish_sweetball]

It's unfortunately not uncommon that different immigration offices have different ideas about the interpretation of the rules. These new rules still seem to cause confusion as to how they should be applied.

I am really sorry to hear of your troubles too, jaiyen17. Thank you for updating to let everybody else know.

[Crossy]

For reasons stated in the other thread that I shall not repeat here, I think it reasonable to assume it is not being similarly interpreted at BKK. No consolation to OP.

Unfortunately I wouldn't be so sure

I cannot be certain because I'm not 100% sure of the circumstances, but whilst I was having my altercation with immigration on saturday there was another farang who'd been given 4 days when he wanted 15, he was convinced he had sufficient left of his 90 day allocation.

The ruling definately states 'six months starting from the first entry to the kingdom' (or words to that effect anyway).

[PattayaXpat]

Help with math, Counting the days!!

When I count Jai Yens days with 5 oct. being the first i come up with 180 on 2 April! Am I counting wrong??

I'm leaving for cambodia tomorrow due to a similar problem, my first stamp was on 9 Oct 06, so 180 should be on 6 April 07. I was going to play it safe and come back on the 7th.

Is my math wrong???

[ChokChaiChas]

Help with math, Counting the days!!

When I count Jai Yens days with 5 oct. being the first i come up with 180 on 2 April! Am I counting wrong??

I'm leaving for cambodia tomorrow due to a similar problem, my first stamp was on 9 Oct 06, so 180 should be on 6 April 07. I was going to play it safe and come back on the 7th.

Is my math wrong???

It is a 6 month period - NOT 180 days. You will be playing it safe if you return on 9 April irrespective of the interpretation being used by immigration.

[PattayaXpat]

Help with math, Counting the days!!

When I count Jai Yens days with 5 oct. being the first i come up with 180 on 2 April! Am I counting wrong??

I'm leaving for cambodia tomorrow due to a similar problem, my first stamp was on 9 Oct 06, so 180 should be on 6 April 07. I was going to play it safe and come back on the 7th.

Is my math wrong???

It is a 6 month period - NOT 180 days. You will be playing it safe if you return on 9 April irrespective of the interpretation being used by immigration.

I understand what you're saying! I'm not sure where I came up with 180, but obviously I was wrong. Wouldn't the 9th be exactly 6 months, so I would need to come back on the 10th?

What a disaster!!

[ChokChaiChas]

Help with math, Counting the days!!

When I count Jai Yens days with 5 oct. being the first i come up with 180 on 2 April! Am I counting wrong??

I'm leaving for cambodia tomorrow due to a similar problem, my first stamp was on 9 Oct 06, so 180 should be on 6 April 07. I was going to play it safe and come back on the 7th.

Is my math wrong???

It is a 6 month period - NOT 180 days. You will be playing it safe if you return on 9 April irrespective of the interpretation being used by immigration.

I understand what you're saying! I'm not sure where I came up with 180, but obviously I was wrong. Wouldn't the 9th be exactly 6 months, so I would need to come back on the 10th?

What a disaster!!

I would argue that 6 months finishes on 8 April, so 9 April starts a new period. But I will not be the smiling man in brown waiting to greet you and welcome you back into Thailand with a wai and a casual flourish and imprint of his permission to stay stamp.

[PattayaXpat]

Help with math, Counting the days!!

When I count Jai Yens days with 5 oct. being the first i come up with 180 on 2 April! Am I counting wrong??

I'm leaving for cambodia tomorrow due to a similar problem, my first stamp was on 9 Oct 06, so 180 should be on 6 April 07. I was going to play it safe and come back on the 7th.

Is my math wrong???

It is a 6 month period - NOT 180 days. You will be playing it safe if you return on 9 April irrespective of the interpretation being used by immigration.

I understand what you're saying! I'm not sure where I came up with 180, but obviously I was wrong. Wouldn't the 9th be exactly 6 months, so I would need to come back on the 10th?

What a disaster!!

I would argue that 6 months finishes on 8 April, so 9 April starts a new period. But I will not be the smiling man in brown waiting to greet you and welcome you back into Thailand with a wai and a casual flourish and imprint of his permission to stay stamp.

The same nice man who gave me a 6 day stamp last week and said "Thank you for visiting Thailand!"

[OneeyedJohn]

What Jaiyen says above is true and disturbing for it makes no sense for visa exempt individuals using BKK as a hub, to have these problems. It is turning everything written here since Oct 1 on its head.

Are those that visit Thailand frequently going to have to split their thinking into 6 month segments just to please immigration. It doesn't make sense to me at all.

Jaiyen ,,you sound like a good benchmark for finding out the truth of this nonsensical interpretation of the visa exempt rules.

In the early eighties we used to fly over from the middle east for dirty weekends every month without even a thought for visa's and such like.....sigh

[pibill]

Sounds like Maestro got the immigration officer's interpretation right and although it doesn't help Jaiyen17's situation, maybe we should all use this interpretations as it appears to be the worst case scenario. Hopefully, with enough complaints from tourists the regulation will be revised to make it less open to individual interpretations by officers.

[gust]

I just read the regulation again and I came up with another, possibly even more devious scenario. Who says, that just because your previous 6 months period will be over soon, then a new 6 months period will begin? If you continue coming to Thailand regularly, will Oct 4th forever (or as long as your passport is valid) be the date of reference? Then, every time you come back to Thailand in the next few years they would have to check all your entry stamps back until October 2006. Wouldn't make much sense either... In the law it says 'counted from the first day within a 6 months period'. That would mean, if you would come back on 28 April you would again get only four days because your first entry in the last 6 months was 2nd November. Just a thought...

Another thing (but that may be an old consideration - sorry I was not following the issue from the beginning) is that, whereas the English translation says "period of stay not exceeding 90 days", the Thai version doesn't. It could well be interpreted to mean '90 days of permission', in which case you might not have been allowed to enter at all, as you had got 3 times 30 days permission already.

Third, and last, the regulation says "permission of which must not exceed 30 days". There is no entitlement whatsoever to get these 30 days in case of doubt.

[Pi Sua]

I started a topic 2 weeks ago about this 6 months period...

Caution With The Voa !, 3 VOA stamps + 60 days Tourist visa + 30 days extention NOT ENOUHT to...

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=111394

Edited April 2, 2007 by Pi Sua

[Maestro]

Jaiyen17, I logged in late on Monday (after 11:30 pm Thai time) and all I can say is that I am extremely disappointed to read about the unfavourable decision you got at the Chiangmai Immigration office.

It is only now that tourists are getting to the end of the first 6-month period starting with their first entry after October 1, 2006 and as another member said, you have indeed been a guinea pig in testing this rule.

Whether other immigration posts will apply the rule the same way remains to be seen. I remember reading a post shortly after October 1 saying that the chiefs of immigration offices were called to Bangkok for a briefing on this rule (608/2549), and also on the other rule about annual extensions (606/2549). Therefore, it seems that an effort was made to establish a uniform implementation. Was it really the type of implementation as applied to Jaiyen17? The coming days and weeks will tell, a pattern will probably emerge.

Jaiyen17, you have my sympathy, and I wish you all the best.

--

Maestro

[gust]

I started a topic 2 weeks ago about this 6 months period...

Caution With The Voa !, 3 VOA stamps + 60 days Tourist visa + 30 days extention NOT ENOUHT to...

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=111394

Okay, maybe I was not very clear... I just wanted to point out that the assumptions made above to the effect that on April 4th a new 6 months period will begin might be too optimistic.

I assume, every time one enters the Kingdom, they will look at the last 6 months before that date.

For a person who comes to Thailand regularly, say for 1-2 weeks each month, this strange interpretation of the rule would mean that there would always be a 6 months period be about to run out in the near future, so (s)he could get into this awkward situation all the time! Not only every 6 months.