New requirement to show air ticket at land border

[oMega69]

Better to forget VisaRunns...

And go to Laos to get TouristVisa 2times in a row then go to Penang 2times and then back to laos and soo on !

Can stay in Thailand forever but it will cost littel bit more en the old style cambodia visarunns.

This is to get rid of the blacklisted and peopel that are wanted by FBI/Interpol, etc. .

[Lippy]

I wonder how they would have looked at someone who came in Oct 11th on a tourist visa.. Then did 3 x 30 day runs (and some additional day padding with an extension).. Technically his 'block' would also have finished.. Would they give him a 4th 30 day stamp in a row as the block is now cleared ??

My interpretation of the counting at ranong at least was that he looked to the date of my 1st 1 month stamp since the changes and counted forward 6months.So i summise that with the above senario,they would look to the starting date of the 1st 30stamp made after the tourist visa and consequent extentions and count 180days/6months from that point.

As far as extentions of a tourist visa extention,i seem to remember getting a 30day ext then being allowed a 15 day followed by a 7day but this was some yrs ago.I phoned singkorn office and ranong office and was told that 15day wasnt an option but both offices would issue a 7day ext.Infact it appeared that ranong had even set up a little side office to cater for 7day extentions.I chose to go to Hau Hin mainly because they seem to have alot of dealings with expats living there and of course, as it's a big tourist town they probably do a fair few extentions of that kind.For anyone not knowing where the immigration office in Hau Hin is,its inside the main police station there.

[tijnebijn]

Went today to the Maesai border and NO SIGNS of any airticket showing,no mentioning whatsoever.

Seems like the embasseys,that the officials at immgr places can make their own rulings (some allready existing but not to much enforced)cause they thing they need the ruling to check some people out they might find a bit suspicious in whatever field.I would like to know if at Poi Pet they really ask everyone to show one,or that it is like the money showing thing,they ask it only when they think they should .I have never been asked something at anytime ,border,airport or embassay or consulates.maybe lucky but I think it is just a thai thing to look clean and well spoken ,like an I like you attitude more then make difficult for you one.

First i though the whole soty could be a hoax what clearly shows now it isn't,so the only conclusion to me would be the poipet imm found it necessary for their staff to put this ruling in(maybe to many runners),maybe I am wrong maybe I am not.If I am correct me,I just do not want everybody to get in panick so quick cause of some new policies,it is madness,and afterall not as bad as it seems,maybe change the visarun to different places all the time,not so boring as well???

[larvidchr]

Went today to the Maesai border and NO SIGNS of any airticket showing,no mentioning whatsoever.

Seems like the embasseys,that the officials at immgr places can make their own rulings (some allready existing but not to much enforced)cause they thing they need the ruling to check some people out they might find a bit suspicious in whatever field.I would like to know if at Poi Pet they really ask everyone to show one,or that it is like the money showing thing,they ask it only when they think they should .I have never been asked something at anytime ,border,airport or embassay or consulates.maybe lucky but I think it is just a thai thing to look clean and well spoken ,like an I like you attitude more then make difficult for you one.

First i though the whole soty could be a hoax what clearly shows now it isn't,so the only conclusion to me would be the poipet imm found it necessary for their staff to put this ruling in(maybe to many runners),maybe I am wrong maybe I am not.If I am correct me,I just do not want everybody to get in panick so quick cause of some new policies,it is madness,and afterall not as bad as it seems,maybe change the visarun to different places all the time,not so boring as well???

Where I went it most certently did not have anything to do with your looks, the man in front of me was a very presentable elderly American gentleman, he was told "next time bring ticket" and I can assure you that I my self cleanshaven, short hair, white pressed shirt, and extremely polite, can walk in anywhere without anybody lifting an eyebrow, Thankyou very much You stand corrected Sir.

Edited April 12, 2007 by larvidchr

[CyberViking]

Hello all. First post here, hope this is useful.

I made a visa run to the Ban Laem border crossing on Thursday, April 11. Signs were posted, though not prominently, at various locations around the checkpoint about the onward travel document requirement. The immigration officers didn't appear to be asking everyone for proof of travel, however. The traveler in line in front of me was asked, but didn't know anything about it. The immigration officers let him through with a warning that he would need one the next time he came through. They didn't ask me for any proof of follow-on travel right away, as I had other issues (which I will explain in a second), but they told me to make sure I had proof of travel if and when I returned. I did have a print-out of my online booking confirmation to Pinang with Air Asia.

Both the departure and re-entry queue was moving much slower than usual. Whereas we used to be back on the road by 11:35 or 11:45, this time we didn't clear immigration until well past noon. The immigration officers were *scrutinizing* passports to make sure that everyone met the 180-day requirement. Three in our group, including myself, proved to be short. I had 3x 30-day entry permits starting October 21, a 60-day tourist visa, and a 30-day extension to the tourist visa. Because I had departed Thailand for my tourist visa "early" in that particular 30-day block, however, I was some 11 days short. I was aware of this, but was acting on information -- perhaps outdated and in any event inaccurate -- that a tourist visa "re-set the clock". I've since been re-educated, so let's not dwell on that gaff.

The immigration officer -- who was quite amicable and helpful -- gave me a 5-day stamp, told me to get a 7-day extension (1,900 baht) at an immigration office, and then return to the crossing before the end of those 12 days. Having met the 180-day requirement by that time, he would then give me another 30-day entry stamp.

The other two individuals were about 5 or 6 days short, with their 30-day tourist visa extensions expiring the day of the visa run. The immigration officer would not even permit them to exit Thailand, telling them instead to get a 7-day extension before the end of the day, and then return to the crossing before the end of those 7 days for another 30-day stamp.

I've since done the 7-day extension locally and am good until April 22. I plan, however, on changing my outbound ticket (originally flying May 9) to depart on or before April 22, go to Pinang, apply for another 60-day tourist visa (my second one from down there), and then return. The constant changes in immigration rules, and the seemingly ad-hoc interpretation and enforcement of the same, are making the Cambodia visa runs way too iffy for me. I'll spend the extra money and go to Pinang.

Realize that a lot of this echoes what's already been posted. Thanks for listening.

[tijnebijn]

Went today to the Maesai border and NO SIGNS of any airticket showing,no mentioning whatsoever.

Seems like the embasseys,that the officials at immgr places can make their own rulings (some allready existing but not to much enforced)cause they thing they need the ruling to check some people out they might find a bit suspicious in whatever field.I would like to know if at Poi Pet they really ask everyone to show one,or that it is like the money showing thing,they ask it only when they think they should .I have never been asked something at anytime ,border,airport or embassay or consulates.maybe lucky but I think it is just a thai thing to look clean and well spoken ,like an I like you attitude more then make difficult for you one.

First i though the whole soty could be a hoax what clearly shows now it isn't,so the only conclusion to me would be the poipet imm found it necessary for their staff to put this ruling in(maybe to many runners),maybe I am wrong maybe I am not.If I am correct me,I just do not want everybody to get in panick so quick cause of some new policies,it is madness,and afterall not as bad as it seems,maybe change the visarun to different places all the time,not so boring as well???

Where I went it most certently did not have anything to do with your looks, the man in front of me was a very presentable elderly American gentleman, he was told "next time bring ticket" and I can assure you that I my self cleanshaven, short hair, white pressed shirt, and extremely polite, can walk in anywhere without anybody lifting an eyebrow, Thankyou very much You stand corrected Sir.

I am sorry but I meant the saying in the line of,when they do not particularly ask for these rulings(money to show and now airticket)cause they do not inforce them that much until now.I stay long enough in Thailand to know this,they do,but not only when their superiors tell them to do so differently,what now clearly does,will not surprise me that in the near future this nwe requirement will end like the money showing thing,and then my present writing comes into effect,I noticed that they ask it more regularly(moneything )to elder expats or tourists,to be sure that they have enough I guess,when you look older things you cannot manipulate or look as fresh as you think you look.Things like this is up to the officer infront of you,and in maesai it clearly does not bother them too much.So it it is not that funny as you asume,it really works like that,until their superiors tell them to do otherwise,we are all in the same boat.

[Thai-Spy]

A bit of a tangent perhaps, but you have to wonder if and when visa run operators are going to lose patience. From various sources it sounds like they now spend a fair bit of time explaining the new visa regs, interceding with Thai Immigration examiners at the borders and so forth. Although most reputable operators do their best to be helpful, they've started to move well away from their original charter which was simply to get you to the border, grease the process into and out of Cambodia, and get you home. You might anticipate a day where they stop and think about this and subsequently raise their prices especially if the operators start to compare notes and form a cartel.

A smart visa run operator might also see the value in initiating a special service on a twice-weekly basis for a limited clientèle -- one specifically for those on formal visas (B and O mostly) who just require stamps and who are not on overstay. There would probably be some appeal to these clients: not to have their visa run subject to undue delays caused by "tourist" issues; having to wait in the sun/heat/rain while "tourists" have their passports scrutinised and calculations done, etc.

If done by one operator, it's likely that they'd be able to fill that coach once or twice a week and maximize their profits. Thai Immigration would probably welcome it as an improvement and it would certainly simplify their workload, perhaps even to the point of dedicating one service window for the 20 minutes or so required to do the very straight-forward processing involved.

[LPCustom69]

Better to forget VisaRunns...

And go to Laos to get TouristVisa 2times in a row then go to Penang 2times and then back to laos and soo on !

Can stay in Thailand forever but it will cost littel bit more en the old style cambodia visarunns.

This is to get rid of the blacklisted and peopel that are wanted by FBI/Interpol, etc. .

For now, this may work. But who knows about the future. I wouldn't be surprised to see this being the next "target."

[Humanoid]

I crossed at poipet about a week ago, to leave thailand.  Indeed, there are signs everywhere about the new air ticket rule.  Also, I was asked to show an airline ticket upon _leaving_ thailand.  They said if I don't have one, I have to buy one NOW.  In fact, they had a desktop computer behind the checkpoint officers.  There was a couple sitting at the computer there, and the officer told me that the couple were on the computer buying themselves an airplane e-ticket so that they may return on the 30 day stamp.  So if you don't have an airplane ticket, and don't mind being forced to buy an airplane ticket at the border on their computer, you _might_ be able to still go to the border and buy the ticket there while exiting.  I find it strange that they had the computer in the office for exits, rather than in the office for entries (on the other side of the road).

They just assumed I was going to cross back into thailand on the same day because of all the visa stamps, without even asking me.  But I already knew about the airplane ticket rule, so my plan was to get a tourist visa at phnom penh.  So after gathering all that information from the officer about the air ticket rules, I told him that I'm going to phnom penh to apply for a tourist visa, and asked him if I need an air ticket for that, and he said no, so they let me leave thailand.  Though they still stapled the rule about airplane tickets to my passport.  

Anyways, I got the tourist visa at phnom penh but I strongly discourage anybody from trying.  A guy in front of me was denied the tourist visa.  I was given the visa, but in my passport, they stamped _3 times_ in red: "DO NOT APPLY NEW VISA AT PHNOM PENH AGAIN" (sic).  Plus they stapled a piece of paper with the same message on the front cover of my passport as well.

I returned to poipet and was able to enter thailand using the new visa without problem, though they again stapled a note with the rule about the air ticket into my passport.  I still had to wait over an hour in line to get in, because it took a

very long time for others to get in.  An officer shouted out the message to everybody in line: "If you don't have a visa, you must show your airplane ticket to the officer."  I suspect that people were still allowed in without an airplane ticket, as I think some of them didn't have a ticket (from what I could overhear), and I didn't see anybody turned away.  But that's only my suspicion.  I don't encourage anybody to take that chance.  You are most probably going to be denied entry into thailand, and be stuck in poipet.

About the 90 day rule.  It is surely enforced.  A guy I met was forced to sleep in poipet for several days until his new 180 day period began.

- Humanoid

Edited April 14, 2007 by Humanoid

[LivinLOS]

I wonder how they would have looked at someone who came in Oct 11th on a tourist visa.. Then did 3 x 30 day runs (and some additional day padding with an extension).. Technically his 'block' would also have finished.. Would they give him a 4th 30 day stamp in a row as the block is now cleared ??

My interpretation of the counting at ranong at least was that he looked to the date of my 1st 1 month stamp since the changes and counted forward 6months.So i summise that with the above senario,they would look to the starting date of the 1st 30stamp made after the tourist visa and consequent extentions and count 180days/6months from that point.

OK of course.. I didnt think that one through clearly.. Heres a better example..

Enter Oct 11th on a 30 day stamp.

Then 60 day tourist visa extend 30 days then extend 7 days.

Then 2 x 30 day stamps.

At this point the 6 month block has now finished.. So can the person do 3 x 30 days stamps again ??

What I am trying to say is either they treat blocks as static blocks (hence the giving people only x amount of days from a 30 day stamp) or they are rolling blocks (in which case days should 'count down' as they expire and they should be giving people full 30 days stamps)... Logic (western not Thai) says they cant have it both ways, however thats what they seem to be doing.

My conclusion form the way they are making it as bad as possible in every interpretation is they are simply trying to make the 30 day stamp too inconvenient to use. The repercussions on the regular tourist and contract workers who spend downtime (and significant cash in direct foreign exchange) in Thailand are pretty large for the tourist based economies of some specific parts of Thailand (where I live) yet that does not seem to bother them.

[lopburi3]

It appears at first light to be static block but we do not have enough reporting to be sure that everyone is reading the same playbook. Until the dust settles strongly recommend having a tourist visa.

[vanalli]

One thing that confuses me about all of this, is how is anyone supposed to utilize the 90 day rule if every time you use 30 days you have to have a flight out of Thailand for within each 30 day period. How does this work?

[jeebusjones]

One thing that confuses me about all of this, is how is anyone supposed to utilize the 90 day rule if every time you use 30 days you have to have a flight out of Thailand for within each 30 day period. How does this work?

It would seem that they are trying to do away with back to back visa exemptions. The rule may be less strictly enforced for someone who appears to be a "genuine" tourist.

The rule is only being enforced at Poipet and Ban Leam. Let's be honest: how many "genuine" tourists go on visa runs to Poi Pet?

[Temporaneo]

Better to forget VisaRunns...

And go to Laos to get TouristVisa 2times in a row then go to Penang 2times and then back to laos and soo on !

Can stay in Thailand forever but it will cost littel bit more en the old style cambodia visarunns.

This is to get rid of the blacklisted and peopel that are wanted by FBI/Interpol, etc. .

I simply do not understand why a general increase in Visa expenses should get rid of blacklisted and people wanted by FBI and Interpol.

To my opinion the continous shake up of visa regulations is just the evidence of Thai xenophobia , they quite simply want us all out, and I am afraid the next move will be instructing neighbouring countries embassies not to issue visas to people that just stayed 90 days inside the kingdom.

[Temporaneo]

One thing that confuses me about all of this, is how is anyone supposed to utilize the 90 day rule if every time you use 30 days you have to have a flight out of Thailand for within each 30 day period. How does this work?

It is not supposed to work. It is supposed to give further troubles to both residents and tourists to keep them out of Thailand.

Anyway, the law does not state you have the right to make three visa runs in a row. It simply states you have the right to stay 90 days on 6 months period on visa exemption. The way xenophobic Immigration likes you to use such concession is just staying a weekend, then going out and come back for next weekend. They don't like tourists to stay too long, they don't like foreigners thinking of Thailand as their new home. Thailand is for Thai only

Edited April 18, 2007 by Temporaneo

[Jimjim]

One thing that confuses me about all of this, is how is anyone supposed to utilize the 90 day rule if every time you use 30 days you have to have a flight out of Thailand for within each 30 day period. How does this work?

It is not supposed to work. It is supposed to give further troubles to both residents and tourists to keep them out of Thailand.

Anyway, the law does not state you have the right to make three visa runs in a row. It simply states you have the right to stay 90 days on 6 months period on visa exemption. The way xenophobic Immigration likes you to use such concession is just staying a weekend, then going out and come back for next weekend. They don't like tourists to stay too long, they don't like foreigners thinking of Thailand as their new home. Thailand is for Thai only

Giving problems to visa runners should not affect true residents who would or should have proper visas.

[permanent_disorder]

One thing that confuses me about all of this, is how is anyone supposed to utilize the 90 day rule if every time you use 30 days you have to have a flight out of Thailand for within each 30 day period. How does this work?

It is not supposed to work. It is supposed to give further troubles to both residents and tourists to keep them out of Thailand.

Anyway, the law does not state you have the right to make three visa runs in a row. It simply states you have the right to stay 90 days on 6 months period on visa exemption. The way xenophobic Immigration likes you to use such concession is just staying a weekend, then going out and come back for next weekend. They don't like tourists to stay too long, they don't like foreigners thinking of Thailand as their new home. Thailand is for Thai only

Giving problems to visa runners should not affect true residents who would or should have proper visas.

sure? how you can exclude that maybe just the beginning of make it more and more harder?

and it's affect not only so called 'visa runners'. it affect real tourist as well. like a very genuine backpacker, travel around SEA in his gap year with a one year ticket. let him start in singapore, in malaysia he will get only a single TR visa, then going to cambodia, he face trouble to come back to thailand.

or look at foreigners, who work, live in cambodia or laos. their occasional trip to thailand become difficult, very difficult. for example some ngo volunteers.

how long it will take that we hear, no visa in vientianne, phnom phen and malaysia anymore?

[backflip]

"it affect real tourist as well. like a very genuine backpacker, travel around SEA in his gap year with a one year ticket. let him start in singapore, in malaysia he will get only a single TR visa, then going to cambodia, he face trouble to come back to thailand.or look at foreigners, who work, live in cambodia or laos. their occasional trip to thailand become difficult, very difficult. for example some ngo volunteers."

You're absolutely correct: the 75 people that fit into the catagories you described are unduly burdened. The thousands of guys who live here year around, and describe themselves as "tourists", are not.

[lapamita]

quote

VisaRunns...

To my opinion the continous shake up of visa regulations is just the evidence of Thai xenophobia , they quite simply want us all out, and I am afraid the next move will be instructing neighbouring countries embassies not to issue visas to people that just stayed 90 days inside the kingdom.

]quote

NO THATS OT THE NEXT MOVE

the next one

when the immigrationsystem is online at all checkpoints( and all data names,birthdates are in), you can enter as much as you want with 30 day exemptstamps or touristvisa at any time up to a maximum fo 180 days out of 365.

and if over you need non -o or non-b.

so easy it go in the near future

and thats the end for longstayers here, under 50, no married no baby, its over, even when have money( until now)

in the last 6 month i sold 2 condos,cancelled my broker ac, and all money is already in singapore, and i make a wait and see strategy,,when it is over I am gone! s well so manys who can efford,,, the blacklisted ,crimminals ,poor farangs would stay here, because they have an unlimited special visa until IDC

[Jimjim]

sure? how you can exclude that maybe just the beginning of make it more and more harder?

I'm just dealing with fact instead of paranoid guesses. Deal with that when it happens.

[PeaceBlondie]

It would seem that they are trying to do away with back to back visa exemptions. The rule may be less strictly enforced for someone who appears to be a "genuine" tourist.

The rule is only being enforced at Poipet and Ban Leam. Let's be honest: how many "genuine" tourists go on visa runs to Poi Pet?

jeebus hit the nail on the head. I imagine the only genuine tourists going through Aranyaphet, for example, would be going overland to Angkor Wat. Having done that this year, I doubt there are 90 tourists per day doing that, but there must be 190 farang going through the checkpoint east-bound every hour of the day, who will come back the same day.

If the number of stamp runners decreases from 129 per hour to 9 per hour, the staff at the border crossing remain the same, and get an easier workload. It's not just a simple case of xenophobia; it's a local office manager who's managing his workload under the new autonomy guidelines, it's the MFA and Immigration Police getting more revenue from real visa charges and extension fees; it's Thailand starting to know who its visitors are, like a First World Country. Amazing - at least three, maybe 7, logical reasons.

[dantilley]

It would seem that they are trying to do away with back to back visa exemptions. The rule may be less strictly enforced for someone who appears to be a "genuine" tourist.

The rule is only being enforced at Poipet and Ban Leam. Let's be honest: how many "genuine" tourists go on visa runs to Poi Pet?

jeebus hit the nail on the head. I imagine the only genuine tourists going through Aranyaphet, for example, would be going overland to Angkor Wat.

And maybe a few who have had a change of heart and want to stay in Thailand a bit longer than they initially planned for and want to just get an extra 30 days of holiday time over here before returning home.

But these people would almost certainly have their ticket home (or at least out of Thailand anyway) already. If flight dates need to be changed because of their changed plans then, well they're on holiday, so they have plenty of time to get that small logistical task done.

If they don't have a ticket out then, well, they're approaching the kind of perpetual visa-running "hanger-on" that the government want to try and discourage from staying here.

[StateSix]

Better to forget VisaRunns...

And go to Laos to get TouristVisa 2times in a row then go to Penang 2times and then back to laos and soo on !

Can stay in Thailand forever but it will cost littel bit more en the old style cambodia visarunns.

This is to get rid of the blacklisted and peopel that are wanted by FBI/Interpol, etc. .

I simply do not understand why a general increase in Visa expenses should get rid of blacklisted and people wanted by FBI and Interpol.

To my opinion the continous shake up of visa regulations is just the evidence of Thai xenophobia , they quite simply want us all out, and I am afraid the next move will be instructing neighbouring countries embassies not to issue visas to people that just stayed 90 days inside the kingdom.

Immigration do not have the IT systems, or the time, to make proper checks on people at the land borders. Hence blacklisted/undesirables were previously free to go in and out of the country perpetually on the 30 day waiver of visa. Under the new rules people may be forced to get Tourist visas from embassies where they can be vetted, or leave the country. The fees charged for the visas are also a nice little bit of extra income.

[makrook]

now, I really don't understand how arrogants are some farangs who have their proper visas on this forum.

I received for the last two years money from my gvt, but not reaching 40000bths a month.

so enough to live here with my girlfriend without stealing a single bath in unpaid taxes or anything from thailand, NOT enough to have any kind of long-stay visa even if we would marry (wich I'm considering, beside that) (and I won't apologize to you rich retirees to have such a low level life, my pride and my value, if any, lies elsewhere than in my bank account), I'm not 50, trying to get a job here but can't find a legal one (I'll probably go back to work at home for some monthes because of that), and I know a LOT of people in the same situation as me who are not all stinky scumbags.

now, for those farangs that thinks perpetuals pretending-to-be tourists shouldn't be allowed to stay here and deserve what happen to them, please give me a solution, or say frankly I'm scum that would be fair to expell out of the country, and I would be glad to pursue the argument in PM.

[uilios]

Better to forget VisaRunns...

And go to Laos to get TouristVisa 2times in a row then go to Penang 2times and then back to laos and soo on !

Can stay in Thailand forever but it will cost littel bit more en the old style cambodia visarunns.

This is to get rid of the blacklisted and peopel that are wanted by FBI/Interpol, etc. .

So, as far as I understand, Thai Embassies in the nearby countries will grant 2 consecutive 2+1-months tourist visas? I entered the country 5 months ago, and for 3 months I travelled a bit within Thailand and the countries around, so by the end of the 3rd month of my first entry I had used already the 3x30 days free visas, without actually having stayed in Thailand for the whole time. Then I got my first 2+1-months tourist visa, but it's expiring in 2 weeks, when my flight back to my country is in 1 month.

My question is, will for ex. the Vientiane Thai embassy grant me another 2+1-months tourist visas? I still cannot do another free monthly transit visa because the 6 months from my first entry into the country haven't expired.

Anyone who knows about that please let me know. Uilios

[hyperdimension]

I was stuck for some hours between Aranyaprathet and Poi Pet a few days ago.

At the Thailand Arrivals office I was asked to show travel documents but I insisted that I don't need to.

I argued with the officer and then his boss. The boss told me to go back to Cambodia.

Much later, an officer suggested that I book a flight on the internet.

I went to a casino and the people there directed me to an internet shop.

I booked a flight and printed the confirmation page out.

I went back to the office and was let through.

[Stephen Cleary]

I have a one year visa but would like to ask some info for a old friend (who is rather computer illiterate) who has to get a 30 day VOA this week.

He hasnt the cash to buy an airline ticket.

Am i right in thinking that it is ONLY Aranya Prathet that has claimed down. He was thinking of doing his visa run to Ranong. Can someone confirm that it is all right there now? I mean NOT having to show a ticket out the country.

By the way, what happens if you do a visa run to Poipet with no cash and you dont have a visa card to quickly buy an airline ticket. Would appreciate any links.

Cheers.

[lopburi3]

It appears to only be strictly enforced on the Cambodian border at present. If you do not have the ticket they will tell you not to leave - you will not be allowed to return without it. Have not read any reports from anyone unable to purchase a ticket.

[JoshBKK]

From my own experience, I can second the observation of others that this new rule doesn't seem to be enforced at each and every land border, at least not yet:

I re-entered Thailand in Sadao, coming from Malaysia by van, on Sunday. I didn't obtain a tourist visa in Malaysia this time because I will head back to Europe for a while shortly, so I was quite curious about what the officer would want to see from me for a 30-day visa exemption stamp. Guess what? He didn't want to see anything! No air ticket, no proof of funds. Also, there were no posters or papers informing about this new rule. The newest information being posted at the boarder was still the increase of the overstay fine in early 2006...

Note that except for one young lady from Canada, I didn't spot any other Farang in Sadao, so it doesn't seem to be your typical visa run border checkpoint. Most people crossing the boarder there seemed to be nationals of Malaysia, Indonesia and Japan.

[dantilley]

trying to get a job here but can't find a legal one

What field of work do you specialise in? What kind of job(s) are you trying to find over here?