21 minutes ago, NoDisplayName said:

 

Not always.

 

I prefer to fly into a country with my bicycle and riding gear and then cycle back home.

 

When I was living in China, I'd fly one-way to Singapore or Cambodia or Thailand and return by land.

 

Yes, an outlier, but I do see entire families doing similar.

Having a bike under your arm at customs, is pretty good evidence of your plans, dont you think?

bit different to looking Shaggy with extremely vague plans over stay

15 minutes ago, Free the 115 said:

Why is that going to affect genuine tourists?

 

Genuine tourists might travel around in Asia, entering Thailand more than two times a year. They might stay 2 weeks or so each time. If immigration puts a firm limit at maximum 2 visa exemptions a year, it could create a problem. Who wants to risk being denied entry, and then deported, at their third attempt to enter Thailand..

This is what the visa agent Mark at One Stop Visa in Pattaya says is the guidelines at the moment. Two visa exemptions a calendar year, and that's it. No exceptions.

 

I would think they do this on an individual basis, and allow short staying tourists more than 2 entries, or those with good reasons, but he is saying otherwise in the video on page one.

1 hour ago, Free the 115 said:

Why is that going to affect genuine tourists?

 

If immigration insist on seeing a full itinerary, hotel bookings, travel plans then yes it will have an impact on those wishing to come here and move around without firm plans on how long to stay where.

Not everyone comes here, stays in one location, one hotel for the full duration of their stay.

1 hour ago, Free the 115 said:

Having a bike under your arm at customs, is pretty good evidence of your plans, dont you think?

bit different to looking Shaggy with extremely vague plans over stay

 

Customs comes later, and they rarely bother anyone going through the "nuffin to declare" lane.

 

Immigration officers ask the questions and stamp passports prior to heading to the baggage claim carousels.

 

At that point I'm just a random tourist with a carry-on and no visa, claiming I'm going to ride a bicycle to China.

 

I have no address in Bangkok, no hotel bookings.  I'll assemble my bike in the taxi pick-up area and then exit the airport at Lat Krabang road, heading towards Chachoensao.  

 

Find a hotel at the end of each day's ride, location depends on how far I can make it considering terrain and weather.  No definite route, which can change at any time for any reason.

I’m all for immigration being more thorough in their duties. If you’re legit you’ll have no problems. Time has shown that some are abusing the system to gain entry and some individuals profiting from it. Don’t assume they’re all quality tourists either. 

“Additional measures target counterfeit or unpaid return tickets, with immediate deportation for violators”.  Just wondering who pays if they don’t have the means to purchase the immediate deportation ticket?  

som nam na if youre not 50+

7 hours ago, ryandb said:

7 hours ago, stevenl said:

No, it will not make genuine tourists reconsider.

Of course it will; people will see the stories and think twice about potential hassle at the airport, which is something no one wants during a holiday. If they came in Jan and wanted to come again in November the same year, they'll likely go somewhere else for the 2nd trip to avoid being questioned.

Your scenario is that of a genuine tourist, especially if they return to their home country from Feb to October.

IE, they are living (working or retired) outside Thailand and are fortunate enough to take multiple holidays in a year.

 

If, additionally they stay in hotel, boarding house type accommodation and have a return ticket then they are the very definition of a (wealthier than average) tourist.

Or am I missing something here?

8 hours ago, mikeymike100 said:

Maybe, but surely they are 'real' tickets, with real PNR's,  just short lived?

 

 

No, and more widespread than the article suggests. 

Today just did a Ranong to Myanmar river run for my DTV. Was asked so many questions on exit, had to write plan for my entry stamp upon return. I live around half the time in Sydney and due to fly back shortly. No queues in Ranong, so 30 mins working through their re-entry process in readiness for my return in 90 mins. Glad I had my wife and yellow book with me. 

Immigration folk were nice and explained they'd been directed this week to screen much more closely. They advised that land border, one day runs are no longer doable, not sure if this is accurate. Would effect those into Laos and Cambodia. 

Paid 1,000 baht for the return boat trip and there were two perfunctory checks on small islands along the way. Took 2 mins to process in Kawthaung, Myanmar cost 500 baht and 30 mins wandering around

3 hours ago, hotchilli said:

If immigration insist on seeing a full itinerary, hotel bookings, travel plans then yes it will have an impact on those wishing to come here and move around without firm plans on how long to stay where.

Not everyone comes here, stays in one location, one hotel for the full duration of their stay.

If you have seen other stories, fair enough… but I didn’t see “full itinerary “ in this story. 
“crack down on visa misuse, targeting individuals using visa-free entries improperly”

they seem to be targeting people with no money and preparing to doss anywhere they can. 
Not a bad idea after reading the stories on here ad nauseam

2 hours ago, NoDisplayName said:

 

Customs comes later, and they rarely bother anyone going through the "nuffin to declare" lane.

 

Immigration officers ask the questions and stamp passports prior to heading to the baggage claim carousels.

 

At that point I'm just a random tourist with a carry-on and no visa, claiming I'm going to ride a bicycle to China.

 

I have no address in Bangkok, no hotel bookings.  I'll assemble my bike in the taxi pick-up area and then exit the airport at Lat Krabang road, heading towards Chachoensao.  

 

Find a hotel at the end of each day's ride, location depends on how far I can make it considering terrain and weather.  No definite route, which can change at any time for any reason.

Wasnt arguing with you. I was dating that you would stand out from all of the visa runners

Just now, Free the 115 said:

Wasnt arguing with you. I was dating that you would stand out from all of the visa runners

Saying ……not dating

ooh err missus!!

11 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

God forbid people stay longer and spend alot of money supporting the local economy. What a crime. 

Those engaging in border runs and onboard tickets that are not intended to be used are not genuine tourists, so they are not abiding by the rules. 

12 hours ago, Kandinski said:

Bad news for the crowd  working rotation abroad.  Fewer in the bars and more condoes for rent soon I'll guess

why?  They can get a visa.. 

 

I have few friends that work rotation. They all have visas, actually the one is now a Thai citizen. 

They all have wives and have a Non-imm visa. 

12 hours ago, hotchilli said:

Imagine working all year, saving funds, booking a trip to Thailand for what might be the most of your holiday allocation.

Arriving in  Thailand and being denied entry because your itinerary is less than perfect and an officer is having a bad day?

 

a person that saves and plans a trip is a real tourist and shouldn't have an issue.

I believe, as it has been they will focus on people that are in and out on a regular basis weather using visa exempt or a tourist visa. 

 

You guys talk like this is something new, Thailand has been hard on frequent travelers (especially visa exempt) since the early 2000's. 

We all know how thing work in Thailand, show some force and over aggressively enforce the rules and then they start being lazy again and let things go. until someone says something and they crack down again. 

 

It's a cycle..  We need tourist relax visa enforcement.....Ho no we have a bad tourist, crack down on overstays, visas and entrance.  

 

 

12 hours ago, parafareno said:

i am a genuine tourist....and i consider now going to phillipines that does not <deleted> with tourists like this....

i mean they change these rules every few months...then they cry not enough tourist come and <deleted>...it is pathetic

what rules have been changed every few months?  

 

The Philippine has some nice places, but for me I dont feel safe there.  It's not has bad as it was 30 years ago, but still not a place a prefer.

No way would I be out drunk walking a street in the Philippines at night. It really makes me uncomfortable when McDonalds has armed security guards.

Last time I worked there (6-7 yrs ago) they still had brown outs.

 

If you're not happy with Thailand I would look at Vietnam or Malaysia before the Philippines.   I feel allot safer in Vietnam than the Philippines. 

English in Vietnam is ok, cleaner than the Philippines and cheap. Malaysia is nice and clean, but feels more formal not laid back like Vietnam.

 

6 hours ago, Suetape said:

“Additional measures target counterfeit or unpaid return tickets, with immediate deportation for violators”.  Just wondering who pays if they don’t have the means to purchase the immediate deportation ticket?  

Then you'll be sent to Bangkok Hilton, IDC. You'll get a few days at detention at the airport, then you'll be transferred if not sorted.

10 minutes ago, thaibreaker said:

Then you'll be sent to Bangkok Hilton, IDC. You'll get a few days at detention at the airport, then you'll be transferred if not sorted.

a person is not going to Bangkok Hilton (Bang Kwang) as that is a prison. 

a person will go to IDC (immigration Dentation center).  which one depends where they are and will stay there until they have a paid flight out.

 

 

10 hours ago, ryandb said:

And once again how it's applied is never 100% followed so it may become inconvenient to people who have multiple legit holidays in a year, like say an offshore worker who spends their downtime here, comes 3 times a year, suddenly they get questioned, next year they go to vietnam or PH instead

This is Thailand you know nothing is even done 100% and rules are enforced depending on the mood of government offical at the time.

 

they are not after the people coming every few months. 

They are after the people that do boarder runs. Go to Cambodia, Vietnam etc for a few days or a week and return. 

It's been a like this for decades now.

First it was so many days in a 6 months period, then cash in hand, then return flights.

There has been no change, they are now going to implement checking that the return ticket shown is valid. you needed it before it's just now it will be validated. 

The party is over!

10 hours ago, thaibreaker said:

Genuine tourists might travel around in Asia, entering Thailand more than two times a year. They might stay 2 weeks or so each time. If immigration puts a firm limit at maximum 2 visa exemptions a year, it could create a problem. Who wants to risk being denied entry, and then deported, at their third attempt to enter Thailand..

This is what the visa agent Mark at One Stop Visa in Pattaya says is the guidelines at the moment. Two visa exemptions a calendar year, and that's it. No exceptions.

 

I would think they do this on an individual basis, and allow short staying tourists more than 2 entries, or those with good reasons, but he is saying otherwise in the video on page one.

They aren't looking for someone staying a week or two in Thailand and then bounces around. They are looking for people that stay long term in Thailand on Tourist visa or visa exempt. 

This has been a issue forever, Thai immigration has said for decades you want to stay in Thailand get the correct visa. 

 

They are talking about 2 consecutive visa exemptions in a row, this wont effect a normal tourist. 

If a tourist wants to bounce around to  Laos, Vietnam, Philippines etc. they can get a METV, not an issue or they can get a standard Tourist visa for the intail entry and then still have two visa exempt available. If they use them then they can get another tourist visa. 

 

Some of these Visa shops (guys) omit things or twist things to meet their agenda.  

Remember these visa guys are in business, they are not there to help you! 

 

 

1 hour ago, ericthai said:

a person is not going to Bangkok Hilton (Bang Kwang) as that is a prison. 

a person will go to IDC (immigration Dentation center).  which one depends where they are and will stay there until they have a paid flight out.

 

 

I wrote IDC, if you cared to read.  Been there, done that. 

Bangkok Hilton is not a real name for any prison.

33 minutes ago, ericthai said:

They aren't looking for someone staying a week or two in Thailand and then bounces around. They are looking for people that stay long term in Thailand on Tourist visa or visa exempt. 

This has been a issue forever, Thai immigration has said for decades you want to stay in Thailand get the correct visa. 

 

They are talking about 2 consecutive visa exemptions in a row, this wont effect a normal tourist. 

If a tourist wants to bounce around to  Laos, Vietnam, Philippines etc. they can get a METV, not an issue or they can get a standard Tourist visa for the intail entry and then still have two visa exempt available. If they use them then they can get another tourist visa. 

 

Some of these Visa shops (guys) omit things or twist things to meet their agenda.  

Remember these visa guys are in business, they are not there to help you! 

 

 

I know perfectly well what they are after. My comment was about what Mark, the visa agent owner of One Stop Visa in Pattaya, stated in the video on page one.

He states that immigration now is giving two visa exemptions a calender year, that's it. No exceptions. Not my words, but his.

 

My take was that I didn't agree, because of those short staying, genuin tourists coming frequently. But fact is that no one knows yet.

56 minutes ago, ericthai said:

First it was so many days in a 6 months period,

You mean 90 days maximum in a 180 days period?

That has never been enforced as a rule in Thailand. Just rumours, and a few embassies even posted it on their website many years ago.

1 hour ago, thaibreaker said:

You mean 90 days maximum in a 180 days period?

That has never been enforced as a rule in Thailand. Just rumours, and a few embassies even posted it on their website many years ago.

yes, I believe that is correct. I cant recall as it was decades ago and I had a B visa so didn't do visa runs.

The rule was enforced when it was first started around 2003-2004. Thaksin got tuff on immigration with overstays and then focused on boarder runs and visas. 

The boarder crossings were a nightmare as IO's were flipping through pages trying to count entries.  I believe after a few weeks or maybe a few months 

that stopped. 

42 minutes ago, ericthai said:

yes, I believe that is correct. I cant recall as it was decades ago and I had a B visa so didn't do visa runs.

The rule was enforced when it was first started around 2003-2004. Thaksin got tuff on immigration with overstays and then focused on boarder runs and visas. 

The boarder crossings were a nightmare as IO's were flipping through pages trying to count entries.  I believe after a few weeks or maybe a few months 

that stopped. 

No, it was never enforced. I did visa/border runs those years, and it was never a thing, the 90 days maximum in a 180 days period. It was also confirmed by UbonJoe, the visa guru on this site, that this never happened.

 

Seems not that long ago though, but we're getting old, I guess 😆

23 hours ago, parafareno said:

so onward tickets are for sure banned now? or just counterfeit tickets? Because I want to come with one way ticket for few months and then decide when to go home....

Well you can buy a real ticket to Cambodia for about 1400 Bhat or less than that and trash it. 

I always bought a real, cheap onward ticket 

9 hours ago, pub2022 said:

The party is over!

Yes and about time!!

Hopefully fewer Russians

Can someone please explain to me what the harm is in a tourist deciding to spend an additional couple of months in Thailand and doing a border run to accomplish this?

What is the harm to Thai society?

What are the risks?

Why such a fuss when people want to spend money here and are well-behaved? 

 

This feels more like immigration officials trying to justify their existence, than an action to keep Thailand safe.