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How strict is immigration currently?


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In pre-covid times you could get in trouble if you overused tourist visas and could face questioning / denial of entry.

 

How are experiences now, did anybody face any problems?

 

I'm asking because I'm thinking about STV visa, but have almost been denied entry on METV pre-covid.

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I came back in July  on a tourist visa after being out of the country for 18 months. I'd spent about 70% of the 2 years previous to that here on tourist visas. Before that I hadn't been in Thailand for 4 years. I've never overstayed, never had a problem.

 

On arrival I had 2 Immigration officers trawl through my history on their pc for what seemed like an eternity. Asked me for a contact number of someone in Thailand.  They were perfectly polite, but left me in no doubt that the pre covid crackdown on people deemed to be spending too much time in Thailand on tourist visas/visa exemptions is alive and well.

 

 

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8 minutes ago, mockingbird said:

They were perfectly polite, but left me in no doubt that the pre covid crackdown on people deemed to be spending too much time in Thailand on tourist visas/visa exemptions is alive and well

Disregard your experience. The io had no reason to take time with your passport, especially given that you had a visa along with your history.

 

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6 hours ago, tonray said:

The real question is why do you think you were 'almost' denied entry on a METV ?

Io didn't like my history, said "no", sent me to another desk where another io told me I'm not a tourist and need another type of visa. Then I got 30 days visa-exempt entrance instead of METV entrance.

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9 minutes ago, mockingbird said:

2 of them Jack????, one sitting, the other standing, and both of them pointing at the screen.

 

I put it down to a semi deserted airport, and a couple of bored IO's.

Don't get me wrong. Didn't doubt your account one bit. 

All I could come up with was something such as a more experienced io giving some advice/tips to less experienced guy.

Pre covid I was flying constantly to Vietnam and back. Have dealt with couple of green horns.

Have had to show one or two where my reentry permit was. The heads up should be the TM6.

Good they let you in to the promised land.

 

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2 hours ago, mockingbird said:

On arrival I had 2 Immigration officers trawl through my history on their pc for what seemed like an eternity. Asked me for a contact number of someone in Thailand.  

Thank you for sharing. Did you provide them with a number? Was that in Phuket, BKK used to be strict, I hoped Phuket would be more easy going.

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1 minute ago, DrJack54 said:

Don't get me wrong. Didn't doubt your account one bit. 

All I could come up with was something such as a more experienced io giving some advice/tips to less experienced guy.

Pre covid I was flying constantly to Vietnam and back. Have dealt with couple of green horns.

Have had to show one or two where my reentry permit was. The heads up should be the TM6.

Good they let you in to the promised land.

 

Yea, maybe you're right, but they had me standing there for a long time. Then asking me to write down the phone number of a contact in Thailand on a piece of paper...

It didn't seem like green horn training to me, but who knows.

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3 minutes ago, buknecerze said:

Thank you for sharing. Did you provide them with a number? Was that in Phuket, BKK used to be strict, I hoped Phuket would be more easy going.

This was at Bangkok, and yes I did provide them with a number.(I wasn't going to take a stand over that)

Like DrJack said, it may have been new staff training.

 

How long have you been out of Thailand?

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1 hour ago, mockingbird said:

How long have you been out of Thailand?

I've been out for 1.5 years now and I was planning to go to Phuket sandbox. Perhaps I'll just get a normal 60 day visa. Denial of entry is probably not fun when the nearby countries are closed.

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30 minutes ago, buknecerze said:

I've been out for 1.5 years now and I was planning to go to Phuket sandbox. Perhaps I'll just get a normal 60 day visa. Denial of entry is probably not fun when the nearby countries are closed.

I wouldn't worry about it. They're not going to deny you entry after 18 months out of the country.

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7 hours ago, BritTim said:

First, if those using Special Tourist Visas are not tourists, how would you categorise them? Illegal aliens? Personally, I have never had a problem with the term "long stay tourists". It accurately describes those with disposable income who like to fully experience countries they like rather than arrive for a photo op and leave.

Broadly agree but for those "long stay tourists" who do not have a disposable income, can't afford the full "experience" and just come and squat in Thailand longtime on the dirt cheap, I categorize them as chancers.

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1 hour ago, buknecerze said:
2 hours ago, NanLaew said:

Broadly agree but for those "long stay tourists" who do not have a disposable income, can't afford the full "experience" and just come and squat in Thailand longtime on the dirt cheap, I categorize them as chancers.

Currently you need no proof of money on your bank account for STV. But you do need proof that you don't have third stage syphilis and/or elephant leg syndrome.

So you're saying that chancers don't get the clap?

 

Amazing Thailand

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22 hours ago, mockingbird said:

I came back in July  on a tourist visa after being out of the country for 18 months. I'd spent about 70% of the 2 years previous to that here on tourist visas. Before that I hadn't been in Thailand for 4 years. I've never overstayed, never had a problem.

 

On arrival I had 2 Immigration officers trawl through my history on their pc for what seemed like an eternity. Asked me for a contact number of someone in Thailand.  They were perfectly polite, but left me in no doubt that the pre covid crackdown on people deemed to be spending too much time in Thailand on tourist visas/visa exemptions is alive and well.

 

 

If any tourist is here legally, his passport will say that, if that is the case, the IOs should come off their power trips, and just accept that they are tourists legally in Thailand, long stay or not.

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