Questioned and nearly denied entry at BKK

[tmax]

I was kind of expecting this to happen. I have been in Thailand for over 2 years on covid extensions, visa exempt stamps, and tourist visas. My passport is new so there is only 2023 stamps and visa in there. Anyway, I had a SETV from phnom penh this time and risked it going to BKK because going there by land would have taken a very long time

 

The youngish male IO asks my purpose of visit and I say travel. He then says you need to talk to my supervisor and hits the yellow button on his desk. The supervisor was a very tall man. They talk to me for 45 minutes. Saying that my border bounces to laos were 'illegal', of course I did not contest anything they said. They also said that because I am on short term visas and I have not returned to my home country in a while the immigration views my passport sub optimal. They also told me they don't like student visas. I had 20K baht on me but was never asked for money, they asked if I had a flight out. I said yes to a neighboring country, they said that's not ideal but did not ask for proof. They also asked if I have hotel booking and I showed them my last TM30 and said I stay there. I explained my main reason for being in Thailand is I have a Thai girlfriend and we might get married soon

 

In the end, they let me in. If I continue staying on short term visas I'm never flying in again. Land borders only

 

 

 

[JoseThailand]

46 minutes ago, tmax said:

In the end, they let me in. If I continue staying on short term visas I'm never flying in again. Land borders only

 

They can do the same at land borders too.

[daveAustin]

Not surprised. Tougher nowadays with lots of stamps. You should get a real visa through marriage, that’ll satisfy them. Only problem is you’ll have to put up with wives and families n shiit. 👍

[flyingtlger]

Thai Immigrations is now much more sophisticated with face scans and fingerprints and everything is centralized. It doesn't matter if you do border runs via land, air or sea. Unfortunately you may be on the "watch" list now....

[Tod Daniels]

3 hours ago, tmax said:

I was kind of expecting this to happen. I have been in Thailand for over 2 years on covid extensions, visa exempt stamps, and tourist visas. My passport is new so there is only 2023 stamps and visa in there

 

In the end, they let me in. If I continue staying on short term visas I'm never flying in again. Land borders only

 

 

 

You knew your previous entry/stay history when you decided to fly in and you picked the worst possible airports to fly into (BKK / DMK).

 

Face it milking covid extensions free stamps and tourist visas is not a viable long-term way to stay here.

 

You could have gotten two free 30-day entries by land in a calendar year and extended each of those by 30 days, and the good news is Jan 1 the calendar resets and you can have two more free Visa exempt entries by land.

 

You would have skated through on a land entry with the tourist visa without any issue at all you just didn't want to take the time to do it. At least now you know at some point in time trying to come back in by air especially in Bangkok is most likely going to get you denied entry and shipped back.

 

Glad you made it in live and learn, thanks for the update

[VinnieK]

2 hours ago, JoseThailand said:

 

They can do the same at land borders too.

True..but you can turn back at no cost and say gbye to this rigmarole.

I hear ,a neatly folded 500b item in the pport, can perform wonders.

As others have said..if you have abused the visa system,avoid coming in by plane.

[Tod Daniels]

I think you're confused,

 

Immigration officers don't like to see people flying back in on ED visa with reentry permits, because if you're on an education visa they feel you should be here studying not flying in and out.

 

Plus they know every Tom, Dick, and Somchai jumped on the back door, under the table, bs, education visa during the covid lockdown so all education visas now are given extra scrutiny.

 

 

[Skipalongcassidy]

Why don't you just follow the rules and get the proper visas... 

[JoseThailand]

23 minutes ago, VinnieK said:

True..but you can turn back at no cost and say gbye to this rigmarole.

 

At no cost? Imagine being stuck at some Cambodian border in the middle of nowhere. Getting to a nearby border will cost like a flight ticket

[Celsius]

You should get I have a gf visa

[bamnutsak]

4 hours ago, tmax said:

They talk to me for 45 minutes.

 

 

I'm amazed that it took two Immigration officers forty-five minutes to decide on whether to grant you entry, or not.

 

 

That seems like a waste of the one limiting resource - staff.

 

You'd think they'd have a process/guidelines/metrics with which they could make a decision within minutes.

 

 

4 hours ago, tmax said:

they asked if I had a flight out. I said yes to a neighboring country, they said that's not ideal but did not ask for proof.

Did you have proof of an onward flight?

 

 

 

 

[CartagenaWarlock]

My guess is that by 2005, it (entry denial) would explode for tourist visa holders. They may start asking for tax payments. For other visas, proof of tax payments may be required during renewal time. 

[bigt3116]

8 minutes ago, CartagenaWarlock said:

My guess is that by 2005, it (entry denial) would explode for tourist visa holders. They may start asking for tax payments. For other visas, proof of tax payments may be required during renewal time. 

 

Couple of things, 2005 was a long time ago

 

Second, they will never ask for tax payments from tourist visa holders

[CartagenaWarlock]

14 minutes ago, bigt3116 said:

Second, they will never ask for tax payments from tourist visa holders

Not normal tourist visa holders but perpetual tourists. The IO can do a quick calculation to figure out if you have lived more than 6 months or not

[JimTripper]

6 hours ago, tmax said:

The supervisor was a very tall man. 

I hate when that happens. It always makes me feel smaller.

[metisdead]

A post with a trolling image has been removed.

[proton]

some people never know when its time to go home

[Pattaya57]

Yet another first time poster stating they had issues on arrival...serms to be a trend of late 🙄 

[Dan O]

6 hours ago, JoseThailand said:

 

They can do the same at land borders too.

and you only get 2 per calendar year

[Phillip9]

7 hours ago, tmax said:

I explained my main reason for being in Thailand is I have a Thai girlfriend and we might get married soon

 

It was a really bad idea to tell them this.  It shows intent of staying long term which is not what a tourist visa is for.

 

It would be much better if you told them you like coming to Thailand for some normal tourist activity like going to the beach or eating the food here.

 

 

[Dan O]

7 hours ago, tmax said:

I was kind of expecting this to happen. I have been in Thailand for over 2 years on covid extensions, visa exempt stamps, and tourist visas. My passport is new so there is only 2023 stamps and visa in there. Anyway, I had a SETV from phnom penh this time and risked it going to BKK because going there by land would have taken a very long time

 

The youngish male IO asks my purpose of visit and I say travel. He then says you need to talk to my supervisor and hits the yellow button on his desk. The supervisor was a very tall man. They talk to me for 45 minutes. Saying that my border bounces to laos were 'illegal', of course I did not contest anything they said. They also said that because I am on short term visas and I have not returned to my home country in a while the immigration views my passport sub optimal. They also told me they don't like student visas. I had 20K baht on me but was never asked for money, they asked if I had a flight out. I said yes to a neighboring country, they said that's not ideal but did not ask for proof. They also asked if I have hotel booking and I showed them my last TM30 and said I stay there. I explained my main reason for being in Thailand is I have a Thai girlfriend and we might get married soon

 

In the end, they let me in. If I continue staying on short term visas I'm never flying in again. Land borders only

 

 

 

Its more about your history as they have full view even though you have a new passport. Depending on how many back to back visits and length of time in and out and or back home its pretty easy for them to see what your doing. They have a job to do, whether people like it or agree with it just like in every country. They are there to screen and look for abuse and determine if you present an issue which sounds like they viewed your activity as suspicious. 

[mokwit]

Key takeway: The days of using a combination of ST visas to stay LT are probably over.

[BigStar]

5 hours ago, flyingtlger said:

Thai Immigrations is now much more sophisticated with face scans and fingerprints and everything is centralized. It doesn't matter if you do border runs via land, air or sea. Unfortunately you may be on the "watch" list now....

 

"Black" list on the way.

[brianthainess]

8 hours ago, tmax said:

The supervisor was a very tall man. They talk to me for 45 minutes. Saying that my border bounces to laos were 'illegal',

Could have asked, if so have the immigration officers working there been arrested ? if not how do you know they were illegal?, was it you that stamped me in?  How's the new Benz? 

Up side while spending 45 min on you, others could breeze in.

[brianthainess]

9 hours ago, tmax said:

My passport is new so there is only 2023 stamps and visa in there.

You are on their data base, new passport or not 

[Mr Meeseeks]

2 hours ago, proton said:

some people never know when its time to go home

 

Would you?

[bbi1]

Another brand new member and the 1st post again is another troll post of BKK denial/nearly denied. I think it's the same dude as the last two times trolling. Probably some old dude with too much times on his hands, keeps creating new accounts.

[NickyLouie]

9 hours ago, tmax said:

I was kind of expecting this to happen. I have been in Thailand for over 2 years on covid extensions, visa exempt stamps, and tourist visas. My passport is new so there is only 2023 stamps and visa in there. Anyway, I had a SETV from phnom penh this time and risked it going to BKK because going there by land would have taken a very long time

 

The youngish male IO asks my purpose of visit and I say travel. He then says you need to talk to my supervisor and hits the yellow button on his desk. The supervisor was a very tall man. They talk to me for 45 minutes. Saying that my border bounces to laos were 'illegal', of course I did not contest anything they said. They also said that because I am on short term visas and I have not returned to my home country in a while the immigration views my passport sub optimal. They also told me they don't like student visas. I had 20K baht on me but was never asked for money, they asked if I had a flight out. I said yes to a neighboring country, they said that's not ideal but did not ask for proof. They also asked if I have hotel booking and I showed them my last TM30 and said I stay there. I explained my main reason for being in Thailand is I have a Thai girlfriend and we might get married soon

 

In the end, they let me in. If I continue staying on short term visas I'm never flying in again. Land borders only

 

 

 

 

Wish they threw your bum self out. Tired of smelling your types about.

[bbi1]

2 hours ago, Pattaya57 said:

Yet another first time poster stating they had issues on arrival...serms to be a trend of late 🙄 

Yep, it's most likely the same troll poster as the past 2 times in the last week.

[JoseThailand]

4 hours ago, Phillip9 said:

It would be much better if you told them you like coming to Thailand for some normal tourist activity like going to the beach or eating the food here.

 

Or show them dozens of bar girl contacts on your Line