Nong Khai Border Bounce. Avoid !!!

[thai006]

19 minutes ago, Briggsy said:

@thai006 

 

Don't fly in. Just relax and cross over at Nong Khai in 2 days.

 

I will stay until 31 to laos and hope everything will going well 

 that guy treat me like a criminal  took picture of myself and so rude ,he didn't want to know anything just go back to laos

I stay in Thailand for 16 year and I never been treating like this 

[Briggsy]

There are also international border crossings at Beung Kan, Nakhon Phanom, Mukdahan, Chong Mek and also the other way into Loei, Nan, Chiang Rai but trickier to get to. Regular buses to Paksan (Beung Kan) and south.

[DrJack54]

Post suggesting illegal activity removed

[Caldera]

2 hours ago, Briggsy said:

There are also international border crossings at Beung Kan, Nakhon Phanom, Mukdahan, Chong Mek and also the other way into Loei, Nan, Chiang Rai but trickier to get to. Regular buses to Paksan (Beung Kan) and south.

 

That's worth a shot, if the OP is willing to hop on a bus to Paksan tomorrow morning, chances are he'd be able to get in at Bueng Kan without further delay. 

[BangkokReady]

3 hours ago, terryq said:

Visa Exempt entry has to satisfy money and ticket out conditions. What is not usually considered is that VE is also for 'strictly tourism purposes only'.  Personally I have never seen any official statement by Immigration defining what that means.

 

Immigration could argue that returning immediately indicates living here and not tourism.

 

In this case the OP states his reason was 'to visit wife and family' which, to me would not satisfy tourism purposes.

 

It sounds like the new visa options have meant that the average spend is going down.  Perhaps there are some backhanders flying around and the IOs want to keep things so that you have to spend a few days (and a few Baht) in a hotel in Laos.

 

Previously, if everyone had to apply for a visa, that meant a few nights in a hotel with associated income for the people in Laos.  I guess they have some pull with the IOs on the Thai side.

[DrJack54]

8 minutes ago, BangkokReady said:

Previously, if everyone had to apply for a visa, that meant a few nights in a hotel with associated income for the people in Laos

Don't follow.

The thread is about border bounce not trip to Laos to obtain a Visa.

Previously this was zero issue at Nong Khai.

Seems now things have changed

[thai006]

My wife call the himigration in nong khai  they say the new government of Shinawatra they don't want people do go and back same as before 

[Briggsy]

13 minutes ago, BangkokReady said:

I guess they have some pull with the IOs on the Thai side.

I very much doubt hoteliers in Vientiane care much about visa runners and they certainly don't dictate Thai immigration policy.

 

This is part of a 30+-year trend to balance the promotion of mass tourism whilst restricting people staying for a long time outside of the in-country immigration system. Expect it to continue and to become tighter. The trend has been one way for a very long time. I could probably quote over 20 points at which the system has tightened up.

 

The instruction will have come from somewhere within the Immigration Police.

[BangkokReady]

11 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

Don't follow.

The thread is about border bounce not trip to Laos to obtain a Visa.

Previously this was zero issue at Nong Khai.

Seems now things have changed

 

They've made a few changes to visas recently.  Mainly the availability of visa-free entry has increased.  This now means that more people will be doing a "border bounce" who may have previously had to apply for a visa and stay in Laos overnight.

 

My suggestion is that change has led to a loss of income, and perhaps this has caused the IOs on the Thai side to request that people stay a couple of nights in Laos in order to make that "border bounce".

[BangkokReady]

6 minutes ago, Briggsy said:

I very much doubt hoteliers in Vientiane care much about visa runners

 

I'm fairly sure they do.

 

Have you ever been to the border towns in Laos and stayed in the hotels there?  Often they have many people who are apply for visas at the Thai consulate.  If less people are having to stay, then that means less money.

 

6 minutes ago, Briggsy said:

and they certainly don't dictate Thai immigration policy.

 

 

Did I say they do?  And is it immigration policy that people have to stay a couple of nights in Laos as the IOs are telling people?  Apparently not.  So I think you're a little off the mark here.

[DrJack54]

16 minutes ago, BangkokReady said:

My suggestion is that change has led to a loss of income, and perhaps this has caused the IOs on the Thai side to request that people stay a couple of nights in Laos in order to make that "border bounce".

Good point.

Something that I did not consider.

May get worse as I no longer see places such as Savannakhet good option for Non O as not so simple. It's messy eVisa application. 

[thai006]

Really I don't care to spend 2 days in laos but I hope on 31 they will not say anything just crosss finger 

[DrJack54]

1 minute ago, thai006 said:

Really I don't care to spend 2 days in laos but I hope on 31 they will not say anything just crosss finger 

Good luck.

Please update forum when you are back in Thailand. 

[Peabody]

6 hours ago, Nick Carter icp said:

 

   I was at the C.K border a few weeks  ago and they did want to see a flight back to my home Country within 60 days .

   They wouldn't stamp me in unless I showed them a flight back to my own Country ,

   They wanted to see a flight ticket and proof of money paid for the ticket , not one of those $16 fake flight tickets 

This is a thing now to combat the rented ticket. They cannot tell that it's a rented ticket because it shows up as valid even using the airline software.

Early this year my GF flew in. They asked for and she showed the $16 ticket. They demanded to see the receipt for payment. She said blah blah blah, my BF bought the ticket, no receipt. They eventually let her in.

Yesterday was a different story, however. I might post that in a different thread.

[Phillip9]

7 hours ago, Peabody said:

They cannot tell that it's a rented ticket because it shows up as valid even using the airline software.

 

It's actually quite easy to tell.  With the rented fake "ticket", you never get a ticket number because no ticket is ever created.  You only get a booking reference.  If you purchase a real ticket, you get a booking reference and a ticket number.

 

If she showed them a real ticket, I doubt they would be asking for proof of payment. 

 

[Tod Daniels]

Both Chiang Khong and Chaeng Saen (up in Chiang Rai province) have restrictive "rules" in place for people bouncing themselves (they want you to stay out 1 or 2 nights, show where you're going to stay for the next 60 days AND want proof you're going back to where you come from (not just onward travel) in the 60 days they will stamp you in

This is why I always recommend using a service to bounce you at the Chiang Khong border, they have the "wheel greased" so you get out, back in, aren't asked for proof of lodging, OR that you're going back to your country. That's why you pay a service

Many times those "I will bounce myself and save money" ideas turn into not saving you any money and costing you quite a bit more than using a service to bounce out/back would cost you

AND

We have gotten more and more reports from Nong Khai that it is no longer the "soft touch" border it used to be before free stamps went from 30 to 60 days. People are being turned back to Lao regularly, being told to spend xxx days there before trying to come back OR being told outright go to vientiane and fly back in. 

AFAIK there is no agent operating up at the Nong Khai border that can "facilitate" someone bouncing out and back in the same day. 

[VintageTQ]

22 hours ago, Nick Carter icp said:

 

   I was at the C.K border a few weeks  ago and they did want to see a flight back to my home Country within 60 days .

   They wouldn't stamp me in unless I showed them a flight back to my own Country ,

   They wanted to see a flight ticket and proof of money paid for the ticket , not one of those $16 fake flight tickets 

I was again very lucky because I did give him one of those fake $16 tickets and clenched my ass cheeks as he looked at it hoping he wouldn't smell a rat 5555

[VintageTQ]

21 hours ago, thai006 said:

I will stay until 31 to laos and hope everything will going well 

 that guy treat me like a criminal  took picture of myself and so rude ,he didn't want to know anything just go back to laos

I stay in Thailand for 16 year and I never been treating like this 

Yes that's the same guy I met. Just a horrible human being who loves his power trip.

[thai006]

41 minutes ago, VintageTQ said:

Yes that's the same guy I met. Just a horrible human being who loves his power trip.

 Unbelievable how this guy think he is so powerful  I try to explain him my family children is  waiting for me in nong khai  he don't want know anything. Just go back to laos and come back in 2 days  ,that the land of smile really ? Lol

[DrJack54]

4 minutes ago, thai006 said:

Unbelievable how this guy think he is so powerful  I try to explain him my family children is  waiting for me in nong khai  he don't want know anything.

The treatment you received is horrible.

One point since you pointed it out the Thai family waiting would perhaps hurt your cause. 

With Thai family you have visa + extension options..

[Nick Carter icp]

11 minutes ago, thai006 said:

 Unbelievable how this guy think he is so powerful  I try to explain him my family children is  waiting for me in nong khai  he don't want know anything. Just go back to laos and come back in 2 days  ,that the land of smile really ? Lol

 

   To be fair, those are the rules for everyone and you do not get any preferential treatment just because you have a family .

  Also, you shouldn't mention any family or children because they will expect you to be getting family visa , non O or whatever and not using visa exempts 

[Caldera]

1 hour ago, thai006 said:

 Unbelievable how this guy think he is so powerful  I try to explain him my family children is  waiting for me in nong khai  he don't want know anything. Just go back to laos and come back in 2 days  ,that the land of smile really ? Lol

 

With a power-tripping IO, you're not doing yourself any favor mentioning any of that.

 

Firstly, the IO could reply that any foreigner who is staying with his family long-term instead of merely visiting their family on holiday is supposed to apply for extensions in-country instead of doing border bounces.

 

Secondly, a power-tripping IO in particular might actually enjoy his power trip even more when he can sense real desperation to get back. Ultimately, that is EXACTLY what gives him power over you.

 

Know your opponent!

[Tod Daniels]

Sadly, as people are finding out, it's not so easy "living here" on free stamp 60 day visa exempt entries. Doesn't matter what your excuse is 😮 (married, family, what ever) it cuts no ice with passport control IF you're trying to bounce for a free stamp 60 day entry 

This isn't the thailand it was when they guaranteed you got two 30 day visa exempt entries by land in a calendar year. Once they switched to 60 days they eliminated the guaranteed land entries and you are no better off entering by land than you are entering by air anymore.. 

There's only a couple borders that are "soft touch" and will let people out/back the same day without much trouble at all. 

[Nick Carter icp]

2 minutes ago, Tod Daniels said:

Sadly, as people are finding out, it's not so easy "living here" on free stamp 60 day visa exempt entries. Doesn't matter what your excuse is 😮 (married, family, what ever) it cuts no ice with passport control IF you're trying to bounce for a free stamp 60 day entry 

This isn't the thailand it was when they guaranteed you got two 30 day visa exempt entries by land in a calendar year. Once they switched to 60 days they eliminated the guaranteed land entries and you are no better off entering by land than you are entering by air anymore.. 

There's only a couple borders that are "soft touch" and will let people out/back the same day without much trouble at all. 

 

   Have you heard of any reports of people being refused a 30 day extension on their Visa exempt stamp. due to them not leaving the Country as stated on their return flight when entering ?

  I did hear that some people crossed the land border and showed a flight out of Thailand within 60 days and then got refused a visa extension because they didn't leave Thailand on that flight .

    Have you heard anything similar ?

[DrJack54]

1 hour ago, Nick Carter icp said:

   Have you heard of any reports of people being refused a 30 day extension on their Visa exempt stamp. due to them not leaving the Country as stated on their return flight when entering ?

It will make headlines if that occurs.

Can't imagine that would happen in any situation. 

Anyone with a visa exempt entry and is entitled to 30 day extension.

[Liverpool Lou]

4 hours ago, thai006 said:

Unbelievable how this guy think he is so powerful 

He is!   He's proved it.

[DrJack54]

26 minutes ago, Liverpool Lou said:

He is!   He's proved it.

Don't know why you had 2 sad emoji.

Fact is forever the immigration officer at entry point determines entry or no entry.

Don't wish to gloat but when the word "unlimited border entries" I suggested to chill with this change 

See what happens.

This thread is Nong Khai specific.

Zero issues previously. Now? 

[bigt3116]

10 hours ago, DrJack54 said:

Anyone with a visa exempt entry and is entitled to 30 day extension.

 

Just semantics, but anyone is entitled to apply for an extension, they are not entitled to the extension itself.

 

🙂

 

[SenorTashi]

On 12/29/2024 at 4:26 PM, it is what it is said:

slight pause, knowing look from IO and i said..

I like those rare moments in life where you get to make a second choice.

 

Is that Joe Strummer in your pic btw?

[thai006]

On my way to the border wish me good luck