Denied LEAVING Thailand at land-border crossing

[Red Phoenix]

A recent thread on the Visa Forum featured the experience of a Canadian senior citizen that was denied LEAVING Thailand at the Ban Pakkard or Ban Laem Thai-Cambodian border-crossing. 

The thread got 54 responses  < https://aseannow.com/topic/1295224-denied-permission-to-leave/ > before the background was fully clear and the strange reason for him being denied LEAVING Thailand as he was told that he could only leave Thailand by AIR.  

= = =

OP is already +5 year on an unbroken chain of Permits to Stay based on his Non Imm O-A Visa, and in those +5 years he never left Thailand.

He wanted to do a quick border-run (leaving Thailand and re-entering VisaExempt).  His Permit to stay was still valid for 2 more months, he had NO overstay or any criminal record nor a Re-Entry Permit that would have blocked him from re-entering VisaExempt.  Edit: And his passport was still valid for 8 more years with 30+ empty pages.

The reason for the border-run was simply that he wanted to 'kill' the Permit to stay from that Non Imm O-A Visa, this in order to get rid of the mandatory Non Imm O-A required Health-Insurance policy.  He would after having crossed the border, simply return VisaExempt and then apply at his local Imm Office (SriRacha) for the 90-day Non Imm O Visa (retirement) and subsequently apply for the 1-year extensions from that Non Imm O Visa without the need for the mandatory Non Imm O-A Health-Insurance policy. 

 

However, the Thai border-Immigration Officer at the crossing told him that he could NOT leave Thailand by land, because he stayed already more than 5 years in Thailand on extensions of his Non Imm O-A Visa, and THEREFORE could only leave Thailand by air!

 

There were many border-runners at the border-crossing, and all of them - including everyone on the bus with which he came - crossed the border and returned VisaExempt, except the OP because of the above reason.

I have previously NEVER heard about being denied to LEAVE Thailand, so it would be interesting to receive info whether this is an actual border-immigration rule. and if so providing the link to the Police-Order or other Thai Immigration rule/regulation that prohibits you from leaving Thailand at a land-border and forces you to book an outbound flight.  

[DrJack54]

7 minutes ago, Red Phoenix said:

I have previously NEVER heard about being denied to LEAVE Thailand, so it would be interesting to receive info whether this is an actual border-immigration rule

There would be no such rule.

All I can think of is the chaps pp did not have 6 months validity. 

[Red Phoenix]

4 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

There would be no such rule.

All I can think of is the chaps pp did not have 6 months validity. 

I queried him about this PM and he replied that his passport is still valid for 8 more years and has 30+ empty pages. 

Note: I edited my OP and added that info.

[KhunBENQ]

All I can contribute: I left for a border hop after 10 years of retirement extension on Non O-A in July 22 at >Nong Khai<.

In a way they didn't want to let me leave without a re-entry permit thinking I was a bit "uninformed". Cost me some explanation that I DO want to leave without and that's it.

No mention of 5 year or other nonsense.

 

[LOG54]

Hello

Did the same at Ban Pakard end of 2022.. Was in Thailand without exiting since 2008.. No problem

Have a good weekend 

[CMBob]

A CM friend, who's been here for 10 years on O-A annual extensions, just did a border run in February for the very purpose of killing off his O-A (returning visa exempt, converting to a Non-O, and getting his annual extension just this week).  No nonsense about being denied leaving.

Think the guy was confused (and KhunBenq has likely guessed the reason).

[Sheryl]

18 hours ago, DrJack54 said:

There would be no such rule.

All I can think of is the chaps pp did not have 6 months validity. 

I think the issue wss thst yhey knew he jntended to turn around and immedistely re-enter visa exrmpt and would deny him  re-entry since his visa history made it clear he was living in Thsiland long term.

 

Might also be related to his not coming on an agent tour.

 

 

[Tod Daniels]

I read that post and thought it was quite the conundrum as well.

I can only think he bounced on his own without a service to get him out and back. Those services grease the wheels to get people back in the same day and I think they wouldn't have let him ON the bus if they couldn't bounce him out and back 

Also there is a HUGE difference between the Ban Laem/Duang and Ban Pakard/Phsar Prum borders, FEW border bounce companies will use Ban Pakard even though it's closer to some places because of the sketchy way they enforce policy. 

I would imagine there was a good deal of lost in translation, possibly poor border choice & maybe trying to bounce himself in the whole mix.

As people pointed out bouncing out and in by land from an OA visa/extension without a re-entry permit to enter on a visa exempt entry is a common way to get off a visa with punitive insurance requirements so you can get a Non-O inside the country and then the year.

Something threw a spanner in the works on his attempt . . ...  

[thaitom]

I had a similar problem last month at the maesot border, I wanted to cross ending a retirement extension and enter visa exempt.  They kept me in their waiting room about an hour checking every stamp in my passport, they finally said there was a problem with one of my stamps not being recorded in their computer from two years previous, (how did I get extensions since that time ?) I showed them that the stamp was from their office, and how is it my problem.?  Finally, they somehow magically fixed whatever the problem was,   Then asked me why I didn't have a Myanmar visa ? I told them I don't need one.  

[DrJack54]

18 minutes ago, Sheryl said:

I think the issue wss thst yhey knew he jntended to turn around and immedistely re-enter visa exrmpt and would deny him  re-entry since his visa history made it clear he was living in Thsiland long term.

 

Might also be related to his not coming on an agent tour.

 

 

Perhaps choice of border crossing perhaps not using an agent.

 

However certainly not his visa history.

Having been on continuous extensions from a non O-A is very different that back to back tourist visas and visa exempt entries and even non ED.

 

People in their droves have been exiting Thailand and return visa exempt to kill off their non O-A.

Including border crossings. 

 

[Jack Cook]

Sounds like they’re making it up as they go along ????????????

[LOG54]

Hello

The truth is for us in Ban Pakard the IO immediately called an agent sitting just opposite his office..

We didn't think we needed one..but understood we could get in trouble if refusing his services.. I asked him if he would take care of Cambodian side..Answer was yes.. Actually told us to sit there and agent went alone to Cambodia border..10 minutes later, he was back, proceeded with us through Thai immigration.. Total 30 minutes between reaching to Thai border and back in the car with exempt visa..

Have a nice day

[Maestro]

Removed a troll post.

[Danny Australia]

Could well have been an attempt to get a bribe from a lonely traveler but when that failed the IM officer wanted to punish him.

 

Despite the inconvenience, he might try again to resolve his issue by either go back with a girlfriend to do the talking if the same issue happens again, use an agent or try another land crossing.

 

 

[AgMech Cowboy]

wow...  So many, "I think"s. I've no clue either, but the IO wasn't letting him out, end of story. Find a cheap flight or change border points.

[JoseThailand]

I had the same problem at Ban Laem in November 2022. Was doing my first border hop after 2+ years in Thailand on covid extensions (the whole covid period, including the amnesty). They told me I cannot leave by land because "I was in Thailand too much". The issue was solved by contacting the superintendent's office: They promptly let me out (and back in of course).

[thecyclist]

On 5/20/2023 at 9:29 AM, Tod Daniels said:

I read that post and thought it was quite the conundrum as well.

I can only think he bounced on his own without a service to get him out and back. Those services grease the wheels to get people back in the same day and I think they wouldn't have let him ON the bus if they couldn't bounce him out and back 

Also there is a HUGE difference between the Ban Laem/Duang and Ban Pakard/Phsar Prum borders, FEW border bounce companies will use Ban Pakard even though it's closer to some places because of the sketchy way they enforce policy. 

I would imagine there was a good deal of lost in translation, possibly poor border choice & maybe trying to bounce himself in the whole mix.

As people pointed out bouncing out and in by land from an OA visa/extension without a re-entry permit to enter on a visa exempt entry is a common way to get off a visa with punitive insurance requirements so you can get a Non-O inside the country and then the year.

Something threw a spanner in the works on his attempt . . ...  

I think Ban Laem and Ban Pakard, although 20 km apart, belong to the same immigration jurisdiction/office, Ban Nam Ron. The stamp you are getting at the two border crossing both say Ban Nam Ron. On the Cambodian side they are different though. 

[The Theory]

It could be just wrong time, wrong IO at wrong counter and what the OP was going to do (exit without reentry permit at land border) sounded strange (to that particular IO), he could be wanted (he will be caught at airport). 
maybe so, maybe no

[zzzzz]

I appreciate the immigration officials at Ranong, who will NOT let you leave, if they wont let you back in>