Help! Canadian Arrived Chiang Mai Today Given 4days

[Estrada]

Hello to all! I am totallly and completely confused by what happened to me today with the chiang mai airport immigration. I thought I had researched this up and down and understood the new visa rules for visa exempt entries.

Here are my dates.

I arrived in bangkok on Oct. 4th 2006

I departed for Luang Prabang by air on Oct. 27th (24 days in thailand) and stayed in Laos until Nov. 2

arrived chiang mai Nov. 2nd departed to U.S on Nov. 19th ( 18 days in thailand)

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

I arrived back in Bangkok this time on Feb 28th and was given 30 days. I departed for Luang Prabang on March 28th ( 30 days in thailand) I stayed in Luang Prabang for two days and arrived today at the chiang mai airport to find out they would only stamp my passport for 4 days. My stamp says admitted until April 3rd 2007.

I said I had only been in the country a total of 72 days in a 6 month period and had left for three months in the middle. she kept talking some nonsense about it falling all in 6 months and that I would have to go to mae sai,

cross the border, spend one night and come back in on the 4th at which time my 6 months would start fresh.

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.

Help!!!!!!!!! Should I go to the immigration away from the airport in chiang mai? I'm traveling alone and know nothing about spending one night in Mynamar (can't even spell it yet if I wasn't so freaked out right now I could probably figure it out. Am also running a fever right now and just got back from the clinic on loi kroh where the doctor told me to go straight to bed. Oh what fun!!!! Any help from all of you wonderful people out there at thai visa would be greatly appreciated.

I'll check back in the morning or later tonight.

peace*balance*gratitude

Same happened to me coming into Bangkok Airport on Saturday 31st March. The immigration officer told me that my 6 month period ended on 4th April, as my first entry was on 4th October under the new rules. I told that she had to count the days and then she took me to her immediate superior, who told me the same story. I told her that the regulation was 90 days in 180 days under the Law and that she has to count the days which I had accrued which totalled only 47 days. She said I only had until 4th April then I had to go out and come in again. I told her that coincidently I had a meeting with Khun Chumpon former Head of Thai Immigration on the night of 4th April and he would not be pleased. She then counted the days which came to 47, and then she asked me if I know the regulations. I told her I had a copy ot the Regulation in Thai and the English translation, and that the 6 months is actually rolling and she has to count backwards. She then spoke to a more senior officer who decided that it was OK to let me through. They appolgised profusely and said that they had too much problems with having to count all the days, and could all farangs complain to the higher ups so that they do not have the hassle anymore. So I got my 30 days, but it was a bit touch and go, until I mentioned my connections in high places.

I spoke to Khun Chumpon who told me that there are a lot of new immigration officers who do not know the Law properly, this despite the entry desks being festooned with leaflets that clearly state that the Regutation is a total of 90 days cumutative within a 180 day period.

For safety sake I carry a print out of the Thai Regulation from the Immigration web site with me just in case.

Obviously some of the Thai Immigration Offices are trying to make it easy for themselves by bending the Law to their own convenience, and saying the 6 month period is fixed, and the slate is wiped clean every months. This means that they then only have to bother to count after they see another 3 stamps in the passport. Logically, and legally, we should not need to get out on the expiry of the first 6 month period on 4th April but if immigration wants to operate this system, they only need to separate the pre-4th April days from the post 4th April days which will count to the next 6 month period.

[LivinLOS]

Hello to all! I am totallly and completely confused by what happened to me today with the chiang mai airport immigration. I thought I had researched this up and down and understood the new visa rules for visa exempt entries.

Here are my dates.

I arrived in bangkok on Oct. 4th 2006

I departed for Luang Prabang by air on Oct. 27th (24 days in thailand) and stayed in Laos until Nov. 2

arrived chiang mai Nov. 2nd departed to U.S on Nov. 19th ( 18 days in thailand)

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

I arrived back in Bangkok this time on Feb 28th and was given 30 days. I departed for Luang Prabang on March 28th ( 30 days in thailand) I stayed in Luang Prabang for two days and arrived today at the chiang mai airport to find out they would only stamp my passport for 4 days. My stamp says admitted until April 3rd 2007.

I said I had only been in the country a total of 72 days in a 6 month period and had left for three months in the middle. she kept talking some nonsense about it falling all in 6 months and that I would have to go to mae sai,

cross the border, spend one night and come back in on the 4th at which time my 6 months would start fresh.

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.

Help!!!!!!!!! Should I go to the immigration away from the airport in chiang mai? I'm traveling alone and know nothing about spending one night in Mynamar (can't even spell it yet if I wasn't so freaked out right now I could probably figure it out. Am also running a fever right now and just got back from the clinic on loi kroh where the doctor told me to go straight to bed. Oh what fun!!!! Any help from all of you wonderful people out there at thai visa would be greatly appreciated.

I'll check back in the morning or later tonight.

peace*balance*gratitude

Same happened to me coming into Bangkok Airport on Saturday 31st March. The immigration officer told me that my 6 month period ended on 4th April, as my first entry was on 4th October under the new rules. I told that she had to count the days and then she took me to her immediate superior, who told me the same story. I told her that the regulation was 90 days in 180 days under the Law and that she has to count the days which I had accrued which totalled only 47 days. She said I only had until 4th April then I had to go out and come in again. I told her that coincidently I had a meeting with Khun Chumpon former Head of Thai Immigration on the night of 4th April and he would not be pleased. She then counted the days which came to 47, and then she asked me if I know the regulations. I told her I had a copy ot the Regulation in Thai and the English translation, and that the 6 months is actually rolling and she has to count backwards. She then spoke to a more senior officer who decided that it was OK to let me through. They appolgised profusely and said that they had too much problems with having to count all the days, and could all farangs complain to the higher ups so that they do not have the hassle anymore. So I got my 30 days, but it was a bit touch and go, until I mentioned my connections in high places.

I spoke to Khun Chumpon who told me that there are a lot of new immigration officers who do not know the Law properly, this despite the entry desks being festooned with leaflets that clearly state that the Regutation is a total of 90 days cumutative within a 180 day period.

For safety sake I carry a print out of the Thai Regulation from the Immigration web site with me just in case.

Obviously some of the Thai Immigration Offices are trying to make it easy for themselves by bending the Law to their own convenience, and saying the 6 month period is fixed, and the slate is wiped clean every months. This means that they then only have to bother to count after they see another 3 stamps in the passport. Logically, and legally, we should not need to get out on the expiry of the first 6 month period on 4th April but if immigration wants to operate this system, they only need to separate the pre-4th April days from the post 4th April days which will count to the next 6 month period.

All I can say is that for my friend who has had this happen.. They have told him that even though he is in a fixed 6 month period.. He still cannot come back without a 'real visa'.. So for him it doesnt clean his slate..

He used 43 (I think) days and then was given a 22 day stamp.. He has been told he cannot visa run for another 30..

Also the 'fixed' 6 months period does not get easier as it goes forward.. As they need to look back always to the periods after Oct 06.. To define a fixed period.. Then bring that forward.. Consider how that evolves in to future years ?!?!

Also what happens if you came in on Oct but stay out completely for 6 months (or 9 months or a year).. Do some people end up getting thier slate wiped clean ?? or do they forever have fixed 6 month periods.. This whole fixed block side is fraught with interpretation hassles..

[ovenman]

I told her I had a copy ot the Regulation in Thai and the English translation, and that the 6 months is actually rolling and she has to count backwards. She then spoke to a more senior officer who decided that it was OK to let me through. They appolgised profusely and said that they had too much problems with having to count all the days, and could all farangs complain to the higher ups so that they do not have the hassle anymore. So I got my 30 days, but it was a bit touch and go, until I mentioned my connections in high places.

One wonders whether they granted you a thirty-day stamp because they thought your interpretation of the law was correct, or because they thought you might be a potential source of hassle for them later on. I would suspect the latter.

Edited April 6, 2007 by ovenman

[ChokChaiChas]

I told her I had a copy ot the Regulation in Thai and the English translation, and that the 6 months is actually rolling and she has to count backwards. She then spoke to a more senior officer who decided that it was OK to let me through. They appolgised profusely and said that they had too much problems with having to count all the days, and could all farangs complain to the higher ups so that they do not have the hassle anymore. So I got my 30 days, but it was a bit touch and go, until I mentioned my connections in high places.

One wonders whether they granted you a thirty-day stamp because they thought your interpretation of the law was correct, or because they thought you might be a potential source of hassle for them later on. I would suspect the latter.

The way I read it is they let him through because they knew he was correct. They told him, in not so many words, they couldn't do with the hassle of counting days. Presumably they thought he was a conduit to someone who still had clout in immigration to whom he would voice their greivance.

[jeebusjones]

All I can say is that for my friend who has had this happen.. They have told him that even though he is in a fixed 6 month period.. He still cannot come back without a 'real visa'.. So for him it doesnt clean his slate..

He used 43 (I think) days and then was given a 22 day stamp.. He has been told he cannot visa run for another 30..

Also the 'fixed' 6 months period does not get easier as it goes forward.. As they need to look back always to the periods after Oct 06.. To define a fixed period.. Then bring that forward.. Consider how that evolves in to future years ?!?!

Also what happens if you came in on Oct but stay out completely for 6 months (or 9 months or a year).. Do some people end up getting thier slate wiped clean ?? or do they forever have fixed 6 month periods.. This whole fixed block side is fraught with interpretation hassles..

All of the recent happenings do not bode well for visa runners. The debacle of the fixed 6 month period, stamping people in for four or five days even though they were no where near their allowed 90, the new requirement to show an onward ticket...

It would seem that they are trying to do away with the 30 day visa exemption stamp. I would not be surprised if it was abolished within the year, with tourist visas required for all.

[LivinLOS]

All I can say is that for my friend who has had this happen.. They have told him that even though he is in a fixed 6 month period.. He still cannot come back without a 'real visa'.. So for him it doesnt clean his slate..

He used 43 (I think) days and then was given a 22 day stamp.. He has been told he cannot visa run for another 30..

Also the 'fixed' 6 months period does not get easier as it goes forward.. As they need to look back always to the periods after Oct 06.. To define a fixed period.. Then bring that forward.. Consider how that evolves in to future years ?!?!

Also what happens if you came in on Oct but stay out completely for 6 months (or 9 months or a year).. Do some people end up getting thier slate wiped clean ?? or do they forever have fixed 6 month periods.. This whole fixed block side is fraught with interpretation hassles..

All of the recent happenings do not bode well for visa runners. The debacle of the fixed 6 month period, stamping people in for four or five days even though they were no where near their allowed 90, the new requirement to show an onward ticket...

It would seem that they are trying to do away with the 30 day visa exemption stamp. I would not be surprised if it was abolished within the year, with tourist visas required for all.

That would have very serious repurcussions for genuine tourists and any kill stone dead any idea at all of Thailand as a 'hub' airport.. Even the 2 airport fiasco doesnt fit this plan either..

I could see the back to back of any two 30 days stamps becoming non viable..

[tartempion]

It would seem that they are trying to do away with the 30 day visa exemption stamp. I would not be surprised if it was abolished within the year, with tourist visas required for all.

Indeed, that would be an other tourist killer brilliant idea, I live less than 80km from Laos and never go there because of the hassle to get a tourist visa, In stead I just went to Singapore (2000km?) for a week and spent my money there .

[PeaceBlondie]

My dumb guess is that these actions are intended to be against the persons with multiple (3 or more) 30-day stamps, which in themselves bring in no revenue to the Thai government, and which are abused by false 'tourists.' I'm sympathetic to those who simply cannot get real visas, but I can hardly blame the country for wanting to control its immigration.

[lopburi3]

It would seem that they are trying to do away with the 30 day visa exemption stamp. I would not be surprised if it was abolished within the year, with tourist visas required for all.

Indeed, that would be an other tourist killer brilliant idea, I live less than 80km from Laos and never go there because of the hassle to get a tourist visa, In stead I just went to Singapore (2000km?) for a week and spent my money there .

I have not seen any report of anyone have a problem getting a tourist visa in Laos for several months. They even canned the don't come back again stamp.

[Maestro]

...[The Immigration officers] appolgised profusely and said that they had too much problems with having to count all the days, and could all farangs complain to the higher ups so that they do not have the hassle anymore. So I got my 30 days, but it was a bit touch and go, until I mentioned my connections in high places...

Does anybody have the email address of the Immigration Commissioner? Perhaps it is to him that tourists should make their well-documented reports of being denied 90 visa-exempt days within 6 months.

I know that the website of the Immigration Bureau (www.immigration.go.th, at the moment not accessible, it seems) has a contact form but that may not be suitable for this purpose. The Commissioner has to get to know about it.

--

Maestro

[LivinLOS]

My dumb guess is that these actions are intended to be against the persons with multiple (3 or more) 30-day stamps, which in themselves bring in no revenue to the Thai government, and which are abused by false 'tourists.' I'm sympathetic to those who simply cannot get real visas, but I can hardly blame the country for wanting to control its immigration.

And that fits the profile of my buddy with 42 days ???

If the rule says 90 then it should be 90..

[PeaceBlondie]

My dumb guess is that these actions are intended to be against the persons with multiple (3 or more) 30-day stamps, which in themselves bring in no revenue to the Thai government, and which are abused by false 'tourists.' I'm sympathetic to those who simply cannot get real visas, but I can hardly blame the country for wanting to control its immigration.

And that fits the profile of my buddy with 42 days ???

If the rule says 90 then it should be 90..

You're right, LivinLOS - it probably doesn't fit the profile of some people who are, for no apparent reason, being denied what we think they are entitled to. My dumb guesses are often wrong, or don't apply.

[ChokChaiChas]

That would have very serious repurcussions for genuine tourists and any kill stone dead any idea at all of Thailand as a 'hub' airport.. Even the 2 airport fiasco doesnt fit this plan either..

Persons using BKK as a hub would not pass through immigration.

[LivinLOS]

That would have very serious repurcussions for genuine tourists and any kill stone dead any idea at all of Thailand as a 'hub' airport.. Even the 2 airport fiasco doesnt fit this plan either..

Persons using BKK as a hub would not pass through immigration.

In fact most of the time I cant check my bags all the way through.. Airlines dont have airside transit between many many carriers..

Then add in many local SEA carriers (tiger AirAsia Nok Jetstar ??) will be flying into DM and not the (unspellable ) new place.. People will need to tranist BKK city often between airports.

Edited April 6, 2007 by LivinLOS