I have a 90 day Non Imm type O visa single use (retirement visa that used to be multi entry) , I checked with Jomtien immigration for an extension who said they would only give 7 days but I would get 30 days with a border run. So I booked a visa run with 1stCLASS visa runs Pattaya for mid Feb  but just after I paid they said there may also be an additional charge ie backhander of 1500 to 2000B! Has anyone else had this or is it ripoff.

You didn't say how much you've paid this visa run company so far. The cost of a visa run from Bangkok to the Cambodian border is 2400 baht all-in so you shouldn't be paying any more than that in total.

There have been reports that border bounces with a multiple entry Non O visa now requires the payment of a bribe at that crossing. Your situation is a little different, as you plan to return as a tourist. Are you sure the visa run company understood you exact status. I have not heard of the need to pay a bribe for a visa exempt entry there.

43 minutes ago, BritTim said:

There have been reports that border bounces with a multiple entry Non O visa now requires the payment of a bribe at that crossing. Your situation is a little different, as you plan to return as a tourist. Are you sure the visa run company understood you exact status. I have not heard of the need to pay a bribe for a visa exempt entry there.

The OP is probably just confused. He seems to think he's going to the border to get an extension to his visa. In reality, he's going there for a visa exempt so no bribe needs to be paid.

One interesting aspect of this case is that the OP was extorted with the denial of a departure stamp, not an arrival stamp.

28 minutes ago, Maestro said:

One interesting aspect of this case is that the OP was extorted with the denial of a departure stamp, not an arrival stamp.

Not had my coffée yet. ???? Please, explain what you mean. I can´t get my head around that. Who denied any departure?

Edited January 30, 20206 yr by Matzzon

12 minutes ago, Matzzon said:

Not had my coffée yet. ???? Please, explain what you mean. I can´t get my head around that. Who denied any departure?

The reference was to another thread. Someone with a multiple entry Non O visa was denied the ability to do a border bounce (for a fresh 90-day entry) unless willing to pay a 2,000 baht bribe. He was travelling with a visa run company, and the official was well capable of figuring out the reason for the planned departure (as I wrote, denied without a bribe).

 

The situation of the OP is different. I am unsure if this will eliminate the need for a bribe, but there is a good chance it will.

The OP may have misunderstood the advice from Jomtien and thinks that his single-entry visa can be 'extended' by a border bounce. In reality his current single entry visa has already expired (that happened the day he was stamped in on that visa) and what the Jomtien IO probably referred to is the 30 days he will get from a totally new and unrelated visa-exempt (Note: not a visa) entry.

 

If the OP is truly wanting to maximize his current time in Thailand, he would get the 7-day extension and when that is due to expire, do the border hop and re-enter on the visa-exempt. That would give him ~37 days (and a head start on accruing all the visa-less entries and associated extensions that may result in his being arbitrarily assessed as breaking some nebulous and ill-defined definition of a tourist and thus be denied entry some time in the future).

7 days for extension not accepted 1,900!!

if ur not staying overnight, Cambodian immigration there Sometimes charges 300 baht for an in/out entry

11 hours ago, edwardandtubs said:

You didn't say how much you've paid this visa run company so far. The cost of a visa run from Bangkok to the Cambodian border is 2400 baht all-in so you shouldn't be paying any more than that in total.

I paid 2700B this is a luxury 6 seater bus. I used them before with no problems. They have been going for years so they should know their business.

12 hours ago, edwardandtubs said:

You didn't say how much you've paid this visa run company so far. The cost of a visa run from Bangkok to the Cambodian border is 2400 baht all-in so you shouldn't be paying any more than that in total.

If in BKK you don't go to Cambodia for a border run, you go to Myanmar via Kanchanaburi. 

Edited January 31, 20206 yr by Max69xl

4 hours ago, Westfour said:

I paid 2700B this is a luxury 6 seater bus. I used them before with no problems. They have been going for years so they should know their business.

The issue of those attempting a border bounce, being extorted for a further 2000 baht is relatively new. (Here it has been associated to those using Non-Imm-O ME, trying to get another 90 day permit). You might be right in that they have more experience of the problems, than what has been posted on Thai Visa. You may well have to comply.... or try another border point.

16 hours ago, BritTim said:

There have been reports that border bounces with a multiple entry Non O visa now requires the payment of a bribe at that crossing. Your situation is a little different, as you plan to return as a tourist. Are you sure the visa run company understood you exact status. I have not heard of the need to pay a bribe for a visa exempt entry there.

Good advice thanks, will put it to 1stCLASS visa runs

bangkokbuddy was excellent and I used them twice in the past.  The office manager Tanya I am sure can give you straight answers and arrangements

10 hours ago, Max69xl said:

If in BKK you don't go to Cambodia for a border run, you go to Myanmar via Kanchanaburi. 

Not if you're Russian.

19 hours ago, BritTim said:

The reference was to another thread. Someone with a multiple entry Non O visa was denied the ability to do a border bounce (for a fresh 90-day entry) unless willing to pay a 2,000 baht bribe. He was travelling with a visa run company, and the official was well capable of figuring out the reason for the planned departure (as I wrote, denied without a bribe).

 

Thank you for that. I was indeed mixing up two topics.

Kanchanaburi is the place to go until new problems...

 

 

On 1/31/2020 at 11:14 PM, gk10002000 said:

bangkokbuddy was excellent and I used them twice in the past.  The office manager Tanya I am sure can give you straight answers and arrangements

Guy wants to leave from Pattaya!

On 1/31/2020 at 11:14 PM, gk10002000 said:

bangkokbuddy was excellent and I used them twice in the past.  The office manager Tanya I am sure can give you straight answers and arrangements

he is in Jomtein.

 

OP as your visa is no good anymore, do you have the finances in place for a yearly extension, i assume you are over 50 with a 'retirement' non immigrant visa in your passport and here on a 90 day permitted to stay stamp, some people on here are posting solutions but don't know what you are after, some are posting about trips from bkk, and others about a multi entry visa, which you don't have. help us help you by posting full details of what you are trying to achieve,