Coming to Thailand

[thaiasia]

Hi there, I was wondering if I'll experience any problems coming back to Thailand, considering my history.

 

I was in Thailand between October 2022 and July 2023 (9 months visa exempt) and then again between December 2023 and June 2024 (6 months also visa exempt). The entire covid time I was here in Finland (where I'm from) but I also spent longer periods of time in Thailand between the years 2016 and 2019. Now I've been in Finland for about 4 months.

 

I'm planning to come back to Thailand soon and I was wondering if, with that history, it's safe to fly directly to Suvarnabhumi, or if it's better to first fly somewhere else, like Hong Kong, and continue to Thailand from there? No visa this time either. What do you guys think?

[DrJack54]

7 minutes ago, thaiasia said:

December 2023 and June 2024 (6 months also visa exempt). T

So your last stay ended  June 2024.

Should have no issue flying direct to BKK airport. 

With any questions from io on arrival it's good idea to have clear itinerary eg accommodation etc..

Airline at departure may/will required proof of onward flight.

Here is one option "onwardticket.com" 

 

[raz0r21]

OP, I have basically the same history of stays as you, and i got through without presenting any outbound ticket, hotel reservation or 20k baht in cash. I did bring it all with me though, just in case.

 

However I was questioned. They asked who I came with, how long I am staying, and why I had changed my passport so often.

[Rob Browder]

On 10/9/2024 at 9:57 PM, thaiasia said:

I'm planning to come back to Thailand soon and I was wondering if, with that history, it's safe to fly directly to Suvarnabhumi, or if it's better to first fly somewhere else, like Hong Kong, and continue to Thailand from there? No visa this time either. What do you guys think?

The "odds" say it is unlikely you would be denied entry.   That said, I would never fly into Thailand with a long-stay tourist-type-entry history. 

Having a Tourist Visa would improve your odds considerably, though I personally would still not risk it. 

Coming from Hong Kong would not change this - other than a shorter-flight back there, vs Finland, if denied-entry.  

There is no way to know what daily "marching orders" will be given to the IOs on-duty when you arrive.

 

If flying to a neighboring-country and entering by-land is too inconvenient, there is a way to enter by-air without worry - a process which is apparently what airport-immigrant are after with all this hassling:
https://aseannow.com/topic/1336926-setv-metv-still-around-now-that-visa-exempts-are-now-60-days/?do=findComment&comment=19217493

 

[thaiasia]

Thanks for the replies, everybody 🙂

[thaiasia]

5 hours ago, Rob Browder said:

The "odds" say it is unlikely you would be denied entry.   That said, I would never fly into Thailand with a long-stay tourist-type-entry history. 

Having a Tourist Visa would improve your odds considerably, though I personally would still not risk it. 

Coming from Hong Kong would not change this - other than a shorter-flight back there, vs Finland, if denied-entry.  

There is no way to know what daily "marching orders" will be given to the IOs on-duty when you arrive.

 

If flying to a neighboring-country and entering by-land is too inconvenient, there is a way to enter by-air without worry - a process which is apparently what airport-immigrant are after with all this hassling:
https://aseannow.com/topic/1336926-setv-metv-still-around-now-that-visa-exempts-are-now-60-days/?do=findComment&comment=19217493

 

 

I guess I would have to go all the way back to Finland, if they denied entry? They wouldn't let me go to a neighboring country or even further, like Japan instead?

[thaiasia]

On 10/10/2024 at 1:19 AM, raz0r21 said:

OP, I have basically the same history of stays as you, and i got through without presenting any outbound ticket, hotel reservation or 20k baht in cash. I did bring it all with me though, just in case.

 

However I was questioned. They asked who I came with, how long I am staying, and why I had changed my passport so often.

I wonder if changing the passport would help? I have quite a lot of stamps in my passport but thought changing it would be useless if they can see all the previous entries in their computer anyway. 

[soi3eddie]

If you were denied entry to Thailand, the only country that you are guaranteed entry to is your home country. Finland in this case. If Thai Immigration denied you and then allowed you to go onward to any other country, should you be denied there too, you would be returned to where you came from (Thailand in that case). Far easier and safer for the Thais to send you to your home country.

 

[soi3eddie]

On 10/9/2024 at 11:19 PM, raz0r21 said:

However I was questioned. They asked who I came with, how long I am staying, and why I had changed my passport so often.

 

Answer to that would be because you travel so often that your passports get filled up too fast with whole page visas.

 

[thaiasia]

14 minutes ago, soi3eddie said:

If you were denied entry to Thailand, the only country that you are guaranteed entry to is your home country. Finland in this case. If Thai Immigration denied you and then allowed you to go onward to any other country, should you be denied there too, you would be returned to where you came from (Thailand in that case). Far easier and safer for the Thais to send you to your home country.

 

So those who are denied entry will only be sent back to their home country, if that's where they directly flew from? If I fly from Finland to Hong Kong, and am allowed in, and from there to Thailand, and Thailand denies my entry, they are not going to send me to my home country but instead, back to Hong Kong?

[soi3eddie]

16 minutes ago, thaiasia said:

So those who are denied entry will only be sent back to their home country, if that's where they directly flew from? If I fly from Finland to Hong Kong, and am allowed in, and from there to Thailand, and Thailand denies my entry, they are not going to send me to my home country but instead, back to Hong Kong?

 

Whilst I've not had first hand experience with that, from reading this forum for years, it is quite likely that you will be sent to the place where you are guaranteed entry (i.e. your home country). Maybe another here can clarify?

 

Edited October 11 by soi3eddie

[raz0r21]

6 hours ago, thaiasia said:

I wonder if changing the passport would help? I have quite a lot of stamps in my passport but thought changing it would be useless if they can see all the previous entries in their computer anyway. 

 

Nah, they can see all your passports. They even asked me to confirm my picture from one of my old passports from their monitor. But I have changed passports like every 2 years, since I travel a lot. That answer was sufficient. 

[raz0r21]

But if you want to ease your mind OP, contact one of the visa companies in Bangkok. Next time I am entering with DTV, hopefully that will stop all the questioning. But who knows.... 

[Upnotover]

On 10/9/2024 at 9:57 PM, thaiasia said:

No visa this time either. What do you guys think?

I think you should get one.  METV e-visa, takes a few days, less to worry about.

[Rob Browder]

15 hours ago, thaiasia said:

I guess I would have to go all the way back to Finland, if they denied entry? They wouldn't let me go to a neighboring country or even further, like Japan instead?

In almost all reported cases, the person is sent to the last place they flew from.  Better if you were stamped in/out there, also.  Immigration can opt to send you to your passport-country, but usually an airline rep meets you in detention, and arranges a flight back where your last flight began.

 

15 hours ago, thaiasia said:

I wonder if changing the passport would help? I have quite a lot of stamps in my passport but thought changing it would be useless if they can see all the previous entries in their computer anyway. 

I had faster entry with new passports, as they seem to read every stamp on every page in a passport - presumably to see where you have been, other than Thailand.  But, they can see all your Thai entries/exits on their computer.

[raz0r21]

On 10/11/2024 at 11:54 PM, thaiasia said:

So those who are denied entry will only be sent back to their home country, if that's where they directly flew from? If I fly from Finland to Hong Kong, and am allowed in, and from there to Thailand, and Thailand denies my entry, they are not going to send me to my home country but instead, back to Hong Kong?

 

From what I have read, you could be given the chance to fly to a nearby country rather than sent back to Finland.

 

But to be honest OP, you have been out of Thailand for several months. I would not worry about that. Mostly denials happen when people live here back to back and never exit the country. Just prepare yourself to answer questions, 20k baht or equivalent in cash, flight out of Thailand during 60 days, and some hotel booking. Before you get denied you will most probably get a warning first, to switch to another type of visa. 

 

I have been coming and going to Thailand since 2015 (excluding covid years), and so far I have only been questioned why I am here so often during 2019, a time that was quite notorious for that. And that was with a visa exempt flying in. Best to have a tourist visa when you fly to Bangkok, it is much better than just an exempt.

Edited October 12 by raz0r21

[JimTripper]

On 10/11/2024 at 5:38 PM, Rob Browder said:

The "odds" say it is unlikely you would be denied entry.   That said, I would never fly into Thailand with a long-stay tourist-type-entry history. 

Having a Tourist Visa would improve your odds considerably, though I personally would still not risk it. 

Coming from Hong Kong would not change this - other than a shorter-flight back there, vs Finland, if denied-entry.  

There is no way to know what daily "marching orders" will be given to the IOs on-duty when you arrive.

Correct, Rob. Individual reports mean nothing when policy implementation is inconsistent.

 

That why people keep asking can I do this and that. It's easier to just keep in mind that you can get a bad entry officer or some strange entry rule at any time and there is no real answer to the ongoing immigration questions.

[DrJack54]

On 10/11/2024 at 11:54 PM, thaiasia said:

So those who are denied entry will only be sent back to their home country, if that's where they directly flew from? If I fly from Finland to Hong Kong, and am allowed in, and from there to Thailand, and Thailand denies my entry, they are not going to send me to my home country but instead, back to Hong Kong?

In the main you are sent back to where you departed from.

In the event of an issue with that you would be flown to passport country.

This would be at your cost. 

Sometimes it's not simple to be just returned to place you departed from.

For example being Oz , I require a tourist visa to enter Vietnam.

Hence if I flew out of Saigon to say DMK and denied entry where does airline send me. 

I have no visa to enter Vietnam at that point. 

[NanLaew]

On 10/11/2024 at 11:39 PM, soi3eddie said:

On 10/10/2024 at 5:19 AM, raz0r21 said:

However I was questioned. They asked who I came with, how long I am staying, and why I had changed my passport so often.

 

Answer to that would be because you travel so often that your passports get filled up too fast with whole page visas.

 

Despite their computer showing extended periods NOT traveling while on extensions in Thailand.

 

They've heard all these pathetic excuses before.

[NanLaew]

On 10/11/2024 at 11:33 PM, thaiasia said:

I wonder if changing the passport would help? I have quite a lot of stamps in my passport but thought changing it would be useless if they can see all the previous entries in their computer anyway. 

Correct. The basic biodata of name and date of birth will reveal one's entire immigration record and previous passports.

[Rob Browder]

7 hours ago, NanLaew said:

Despite their computer showing extended periods NOT traveling while on extensions in Thailand.

 

They've heard all these pathetic excuses before.

It is 100% legal to get a new passport, they can see your full immigration history to Thailand, and the only reason they would care is "Where ELSE have you been."  Unless they suspect one of being a terrorist, it's irrelevant.

[Caldera]

11 hours ago, NanLaew said:

 

Despite their computer showing extended periods NOT traveling while on extensions in Thailand.

 

They've heard all these pathetic excuses before.

 

What's pathetic about getting a new passport long before it expires because it's full? That happens to me with every single passport, and it isn't an excuse. What would be the benefit of such an excuse anyway?

[Middle Aged Grouch]

Far to much power given at the sole discretion of the immigration officer in his glass cage at the airport. Those people are free do refuse entry even for people with a valid visa on any absurd excuse. This amongst other absurd immigration hassles or forms,  need urgent reform and change if Thailand wants to get back somewhat of it's past popularity with foreigners (and our money).

[Evil Penevil]

14 hours ago, DrJack54 said:

Sometimes it's not simple to be just returned to place you departed from.

For example being Oz , I require a tourist visa to enter Vietnam.

Hence if I flew out of Saigon to say DMK and denied entry where does airline send me. 

I have no visa to enter Vietnam at that point. 

Normally they'll send you to a country where they are sure you'll be admitted.  If you have a long-term multiple entry visa for a third country, they could send you back there, especially if that's where you began your trip.  They will not send you to a country the IO figures may reject you.  Since you don't have a visa for Viet Nam, they wouldn't send you back there. 

 

If you were living/working in Japan, China, the U.K., U.S., etc. and had the neessary visa or permits, then they would probably send you there, assuming that's where you want to go.  It depends to some degree on why you were denied entry to Thailand. If the IO is convinced other countries will deny you entry for the same reason Thailand did, then it's back to your home country.

Edited October 13 by Evil Penevil

[JimTripper]

2 hours ago, Evil Penevil said:

Normally they'll send you to a country where they are sure you'll be admitted.  If you have a long-term multiple entry visa for a third country, they could send you back there, especially if that's where you began your trip.  They will not send you to a country the IO figures may reject you.  Since you don't have a visa for Viet Nam, they wouldn't send you back there. 

 

If you were living/working in Japan, China, the U.K., U.S., etc. and had the neessary visa or permits, then they would probably send you there, assuming that's where you want to go.  It depends to some degree on why you were denied entry to Thailand. If the IO is convinced other countries will deny you entry for the same reason Thailand did, then it's back to your home country.

Is immigration involved in where you exit to or do they just enforce you leaving? Feels off that they would get involved with flights.

 

It seems like the airline would reject or approve the actual flight out, requiring a visa or not for the arrival. The same as they do for any passenger.

 

If no airline approves then immigration could detain until you managed a flight out somehow on your own.

 

 

Edited October 13 by JimTripper

[bigt3116]

On 10/11/2024 at 11:34 PM, soi3eddie said:

If you were denied entry to Thailand, the only country that you are guaranteed entry to is your home country. Finland in this case. If Thai Immigration denied you and then allowed you to go onward to any other country, should you be denied there too, you would be returned to where you came from (Thailand in that case). Far easier and safer for the Thais to send you to your home country.

 

 

"If the immigration officer decides to deny you entry, you may be asked to leave the country on the next available flight. In this case, you will be deported back to the country from which you flew or your home country."

[Chivas]

I was asked about having a Visa at immigration last Thursday, I had last departed the country on March 17th !

 

Too be fair to immigration officer he didnt push it and stamped me in for 60 days but I was slightly startled

[NanLaew]

20 hours ago, Caldera said:

 

What's pathetic about getting a new passport long before it expires because it's full? That happens to me with every single passport, and it isn't an excuse. What would be the benefit of such an excuse anyway?

 

Happens to me as well. Both my 10-year passports need renewing after about 7 years as they are full because I travel a lot.

 

But none of my passports show that I have stayed in Thailand continuously on visa-exempt entries + extensions for up to 6 months like the OP has done.

 

My point is how can anyone claim to have needed a new passport because it was full when they've been spending up to 6-months each year in Thailand on visa-exempt entries and extensions? For a passport to fill up before its expiration date, it needs visas and entry and exit stamps. You need to be traveling a lot to fill up a passport.

 

Moot point anyway. Regardless of the newness of the passport, the visitors 'priors' are all on file.

Edited October 14 by NanLaew

[Rob Browder]

On 10/13/2024 at 9:02 PM, Middle Aged Grouch said:

Far to much power given at the sole discretion of the immigration officer in his glass cage at the airport. Those people are free do refuse entry even for people with a valid visa on any absurd excuse. This amongst other absurd immigration hassles or forms,  need urgent reform and change if Thailand wants to get back somewhat of it's past popularity with foreigners (and our money).

Thailand's immigration law was written with this in mind - limiting IOs to very specific reasons for denial.  There is no "been here too much" legal-reason for denial.   But, as there is no oversight ("agent fees" pay into a pyramid-scheme, of sorts - so bought-out to the top), they just pretend you "didn't have money," and there is no one to stop them doing this. 

[DrJack54]

On 10/9/2024 at 9:57 PM, thaiasia said:

I was in Thailand between October 2022 and July 2023 (9 months visa exempt) and then again between December 2023 and June 2024 (6 months also visa exempt)

As I pointed out in my first reply you should not have an issue entering visa exempt given you have been out of Thailand for few months.

Then what for next semi extended stay after that? 

Thailand provides options (too many in my book) .....you can obtain a METV that provides a stay up to 9 months. Granted need to bounce every 60/90 days..

Sweet deal.