Entry to Thailand denied at the Poipet Cambodia border

[jacob29]

2 hours ago, DrJack54 said:

I have no idea what you are saying. 

Many folk spend 6 + months in Thailand year after year. 

Even an METV gives 9 month stay. 

I never said people aren't doing just that. I even explicitly said that could be the case, I only have a limited sample size. What I did say, is that I've personally witnessed many people having problems and having to leave, due to spending the great majority of their time in Thailand. As such it does not seem statistically probable to characterise the problem as a tiny ratio.

 

Now if the original statement I was addressing, indirectly meant that most people aren't trying to essentially live in Thailand on TVs, that seems like a fair statement, and maybe what was intended.

Edited January 9, 2023 by jacob29

[lamyai3]

On 1/8/2023 at 5:05 PM, malone99 said:

So they count back the days one had in the last 12 month, and not per calendar year?

But still, 4 month? I thought you can stay 6 months or exact half a year but not a day longer... (within a twelve month period) 

There used to be a rule on the books between 2006-08 which had a limit of 90 days out of every 180. Although rescinded 15 years ago it still gets mentioned, and some border officers no doubt use it as an unofficial rule of thumb. 

[malone99]

15 minutes ago, lamyai3 said:

There used to be a rule on the books between 2006-08 which had a limit of 90 days out of every 180. Although rescinded 15 years ago it still gets mentioned, and some border officers no doubt use it as an unofficial rule of thumb. 

Interesting. But from personal experience i know from 2009-20011 it was possible to stay in thailand only from tv/exemptions/extensions.. 

and it was just go get the sticker/stamp, no questions asked. 

They started a bit later making it hard... 

And then harder and harder.. 

[alex8912]

17 hours ago, Caldera said:

It's not an urban myth. If Aranyaphratet / Poipet wasn't stricter than other border crossings, visa run companies would still be going there, if only because it's quicker to get there from Bangkok.

 

WHY they are stricter is anyone's guess. Maybe they're just lazy and don't like being overrun by border runners.

It sure sounds like an urban myth. Not one single person including you can explain it. Have you seen it? 

[freedomnow]

On 1/8/2023 at 12:11 PM, JoseThailand said:

The only official rule that exists is no more than two land border entries per calendar year.

For visa-exempt...all else, no such 2-hit limit.

[JoseThailand]

1 hour ago, freedomnow said:

For visa-exempt...all else, no such 2-hit limit.

Of course, it's only for visa-exempt entries.

[StayinThailand2much]

On 1/10/2023 at 6:24 AM, malone99 said:

Interesting. But from personal experience i know from 2009-20011 it was possible to stay in thailand only from tv/exemptions/extensions.. 

and it was just go get the sticker/stamp, no questions asked. 

They started a bit later making it hard... 

And then harder and harder.. 

Wasn't there a crackdown in 2015?

Edited January 22, 2023 by StayinThailand2much

[JoseThailand]

4 hours ago, StayinThailand2much said:

Wasn't there a crackdown in 2015?

That's when the "2 land border entries per year" law came about. But for Poipet crooks it seems not enough and they're making up their own rules.

Edited January 22, 2023 by JoseThailand

[BritTim]

On 1/8/2023 at 7:02 PM, malone99 said:

That is bad. 

So what is the general opinion here, for how many days per 12 month you can stay in thailand on tv or exemption, until you run into problems? (poipet excluded) 

I still think after 180 days it gets critical. 

probably an interesting question for many, not just me.. 

It depends on where you enter Thailand, although (in some cases) it can vary depending on which immigration official you encounter. Historically, with actual tourist visas, I told people they were safe at most land crossings, and also when flying in to Chiang Mai or U-Tapao. When using visa exempt entries, they were safe using their two per calendar year by land almost everywhere, but to avoid Poipet like the plague. Visa exempt entries should not be used at airports at all once your immigration history becomes questionable, though I never heard of a denied entry at U-Tapao.

 

The 180 day guideline is used by many immigration officials who believe long stay tourism should not be allowed (in spite of the fact that many senior officials in various branches of government believe long stayers like snowbirds should be encouraged).

 

It is, by the way, perfectly valid for officials at airports to scrutinise requests for visa exemptions. The official is playing the same function as a consular official when you are applying for a visa. This is not the same thing as deciding whether you meet the requirements under Section 12 of the Immigration Act for a denied entry. What is not legal (but as others will point out, nothing you can do anything about) is an official who is opposed to long stay tourism on principle telling you straight that he is denying you entry with a valid visa because you spend too much time here, stamping your passport with a bogus reason for the denial (often, that you are not able to financially support yourself during your stay). Effectively, the official is refusing to honour the visa issued by a Thai embassy. 

 

On 1/9/2023 at 11:49 AM, alex8912 said:

I have read about Poipet as well as other readers have. What I have NEVER seen posted are the reasons this is?  What is the benefit to refuse entry more than other border entries? What is their benefit to be difficult?  I have just never seen any explanation of this on the forum ever. Why would she send him away but not register it? I don't get it. Thanks 

There are two motivations.

 

The first is not logical. Some officials are simply opposed to long stay tourism on principle, and tend to hate foreigners generally. That disease is present in a particularly virulent form in the senior officials at Aranyaprathet.

 

The second is that the officials make a pretty penny facilitating entry for people who are absolutely desperate to enter. If you quietly talk to the fixers on the Cambodian side, they will tell you the cost. This is not just a few hundred baht like with the scam run at Phu Nam Ron (when it was open). Visa run companies would be willing to pay that at Poipet. No, at Poipet, they demand over 10,000 baht for the no hassle experience.

Edited January 22, 2023 by BritTim

[ChaiyaTH]

Secret at borders like this and in south is to put 300-500 baht in your passport, that is what the agents on minivans put in all passports too lol.

[JoseThailand]

1 hour ago, ChaiyaTH said:

Secret at borders like this and in south is to put 300-500 baht in your passport, that is what the agents on minivans put in all passports too lol.

At "easy" checkpoints, like Ban Laem. Not at Poipet haha. And not at Malaysian check points, where the current rate is around 2000 baht.

[alexlm]

On 1/8/2023 at 8:34 AM, ChinChan said:

There will be new Covid19 entry requirements on 9 January 2023

What? To enter Thailand?

I thought I recently read they were dropping every rule related to covid 19 on entry?

[ChinChan]

On 1/8/2023 at 11:45 PM, Caldera said:

So what happened when you returned to Cambodia? Didn't they cancel the exit stamp they had given you? That's what @visarunnerwas referring to.

They cancelled the exit stamp (so I could return to Cambodia on the same previous tourist visa)

[ChinChan]

Sorry for the late response and thank you everyone for commenting / responding!

A follow-up of my story / situation:

I was denied at the Poipet border (Thai side) during my first visa-run / border-run in 3 years because ''I stayed in Thailand too long according to the immigration officer'' (I stayed 2 years in Thailand on a Covid19-visa). Then I fly from Cambodia to Thailand (Bangkok) and upon entering at immigration I was taken apart for questioning. Why I want to stay in Thailand so long, what is my job, am I working in Thailand, do I have friends in Thailand. The immigration officer at Suvarnabhumi Airport was very nice to me. I had to show evidence of a first hotel-night and a flight out of the country. She noted everything in the immigration system and told me to get a Tourist Visa next time and spend some time out of Thailand. Then I was granted entry to Thailand!

[HampiK]

On 1/23/2023 at 5:08 AM, alexlm said:

What? To enter Thailand?

I thought I recently read they were dropping every rule related to covid 19 on entry?

That rule was active only a few hours. But still confused many. Especially for people who already booked their flight.

It was initially created because of the Chinese travelers, but because a country complained about discrimination, they then changed it for all travelers.... I think on the day of starting this rule, they canceled it again.

Unfortunately, not after many were denied boarding in some foreign countries!!!