4 hours ago, JAG said:

Incidentally,  if you have been through Don Muang recently you will have noticed that "safe entry" is booming business. The queue next to me was all people being met by "escorts" in full view of the desks and whisked through...

 

Ah, the good old days. I used to be met by escorts at Don Muang...

It seems like immigration sit around dreaming up ways to create problems for visitors, most of which spend a significant amount of money on their trips here. While I do agree that 20,000 Baht is a very small sum and fundamentally there's nothing wrong with asking someone to prove that they have a super modest degree of financial solvency, it does appear that these regulations are applied very randomly, like every other law here. 

I arrived 76 times to Thailand.Never been asked for founds or return tickets,

Not at DMK or Suvarnabhumi.I know some people from some countries will be checked.

Also they pick out some because of the clothes and behaviour.
Anyway i really don't understand why people is denied going to a ATM to take out cash.

And why isn't it any ATM at arrival in this airports.In other countries i been to its ATMs everywhere.

 

20 minutes ago, BusyB said:

 

Best baht rate is in Thailand. At least 10% worse in EU at least.

 

When they started pulling people for that a few years ago just b4 the pandemic I started arriving with 600 euros in my pocket but was never asked. Suggests there's another reason/something else going on.

as i said before it gives them an excuse to deny entry to those they consider wrong'uns without them having to say why they consider them to be wrong'uns

5 hours ago, johnnybangkok said:

who doesn't have online banking these days

i had it in thailand, but i had switched off the use of my sim card since it was a constant drain on my acount,

so it only ever worked when at home, in range of the router

3 hours ago, Sig said:

That's a pretty dimwitted comment. No normal person goes around with 20k Baht in their pocket.

Yeah, and you seem pretty dimwitted too. You know, Thailand immigration laws, says that you have to, so you can show if asked when entering. I other case it can lead to refusal of entry to the Kingdom of Thailand.

Now let us ask! Who is most dimwitted. The ones who risk refusal of entry, just because they listen to your comment, that makes them stupid if they protect themselves from refusal? Or it it me, that states the obvious, that you just should carry it, and if you don´t, you take a stupid risk?

Or, might it be YOU, that just made the most stupid reply in this thread? 

And the most dimwitted medal goes to.................Mr Sig! (Hurray)

1 hour ago, ujayujay said:

I know several Westerners who avoid Thailand like the plague because of the harassing treatment at customs, inconsistent interpretation of rules and unclear instructions, definitely not because of the 20k Baht rule!

its entirely up to them I doubt the TAT are losing much sleep over them   I have never heard of anybody being harassed at customs except suspected smugglers In 30 years I don't think I have ever actually seen a customs official  although i don't imagine customs regulations are anymore straight forward than any other regulations

19 minutes ago, norsurin said:

I arrived 76 times to Thailand.Never been asked for founds or return tickets,

Not at DMK or Suvarnabhumi.I know some people from some countries will be checked.

Also they pick out some because of the clothes and behaviour.
Anyway i really don't understand why people is denied going to a ATM to take out cash.

And why isn't it any ATM at arrival in this airports.In other countries i been to its ATMs everywhere.

 

 

I've entered BKK over 30 times visa exempt just since Covid, on Scoot and various Chinese airlines.  I generally get asked for onward travel evidence (They take photos of the 6 digit code).  They reminded me I needed 20K baht about half a dozen times and asked me to flash the cash 3 times in order to even get on the plane.  Never asked at Thai immigration, so YMMV.

 

I'm reading a lot of people claiming how it should be, and I don't disagree with them.  But the pretty lady in the OP just got a dose of the way it is.

 

On an aside, working in the oilfield, I used to go to an annual workshop put on by our corporate security and travel departments, and they could scare the crap out of us with the horror stories that happened to our employees traveling international.  And you'll never read about them in the media because they become diplomatic incidents.  Bottom line, we were required to carry a full fare refundable ticket home and $10K USD cash.  Today, I don't travel in those circles, but I still carry a few thousand $$$ in case I need to get to an airport and out of Dodge (which has never happened).  Or my cards quit working, which has happened.

10 hours ago, Lightyear said:

Exactly. It was 20,000 Baht when I first visited Thailand in 1988. That's hardly a fortune, and bringing enough money for your stay as a tourist is typical of immigration regulations in most countries. 

Who the f... walks around with 20000bt cash,it is fu....g 2025 dude.And who the f... knows about those rules?

Why the immigration didn't take her to an ATM???TAT is begging for tourists and then shi. like this happens????

 

 

17 minutes ago, mrmicbkktxl said:

Who the f... walks around with 20000bt cash,

 

People who don't want to be turned away at immigration, that's who.

 

16 hours ago, billd766 said:

What is wrong with these whining people nowadays?

 

They won't let mw in because I cannot produce 20,00 thb or its equivalent.

 

So what was she going to live on for her holiday?

 

Beg for money and food on the street and sleep on the beach or in a park?

 

Grow up, read the rules, and if you don't have the money to live on, don't go on holiday.

 

If you have the money for a mobile phone, and money for the air ticket, but you can't produce 20,000 baht, then you can't afford a holiday.

 

Stop crying and bleating about it because nobody cares about you.

She came to sell not buy 😂 

 

also vajayjay always gets paid for by others when out and about

"......................Experts note that while the regulation is established, enforcement can vary depending on the discretion of immigration officers. In this case, the tourist was advised to enter via another airport,

 

Ridiculous - we won't let you in at this airport but another one will? 🤔

7 hours ago, ricklev said:

I have no doubt that what is happening is the the immigration officers are under pressure to refuse entry to an undefined number of incoming visitors each shift.  Some people are just going to get the short end of the stick for negligible reasons.  

She had already done multiple entries- another begpacker looking for views and sympathy - gen z entitlement sickness

1 hour ago, Bday Prang said:

as i said before it gives them an excuse to deny entry to those they consider wrong'uns without them having to say why they consider them to be wrong'uns

 While i agree with you 100%, the IO's do not as far as I know have ESP, so what makes them pick out certain individuals for further inspection?

Are people being profiled, is it backpackers, who seem to travel on a budget?

What is strange about this particular case is the  " the tourist was advised to enter via another airport,"?

20th of August, returning from Vientiane, exactly the same. That I had a visa card, good for € 5000, two bank cards, with each more money in as the IO will earn for a couple of years, a real estate + shares of a couple of millions in éuros, but all she wants to verify.

That in Bangkok, all goes via QR scans, even the taxi, was something for this lady, probably a fresh catch from the jungle at the Cambodian border, was a too high intellectual level for her.

For me a reason NOT to stay any longer, switch my business to Vietnam, etc, and leave, after I imported many thousands of containers of goods from Thailand to Europe since 1993.

In Laos, I saw, fresh fruits, vegetables and cane sugar was exported to Thailand, to be re-imported as fruit and vegetable products, sauces and.. cane sugar Time to set up some factories there, as.. agricultural products from Laos have ZERO import duty into the EU. For canned pine apple: a difference of 19,2 %

Thailand, la gogne, popkan chat na. ! 

22 hours ago, smedly said:

she had to produce 20kbaht ? 

 

 immigration are being a bit over the top with this nonsense, do Thailand not want tourists

This is nothing to do with the bizarre "doesn't Thailand want tourists"  mantra.  In her video she states that she filled out some forms incorrectly and for travellers to not make the same mistake that she did.   

I think a lot of people are "getting the wrong end of the stick" here! 

 

You do not have to have the cash on your person - as a few peopl heve said - who walks around carrying 20/40,000 baht on their person?

 

From the OP :-

 

"According to the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA), tourists must show proof of at least 20,000 baht per person or 40,000 baht per family to secure entry."

 

Perhaps an up to date copy of a bank statement might be sufficient?

2 minutes ago, Graham8888 said:

She had already done multiple entries- another begpacker looking for views and sympathy - gen z entitlement sickness

 

 She wasn't begging for anything ,'

She had enough funds to buy a flight out of Thailand , buy another flight back and then another flight to her eternal destination

2 minutes ago, Harry Vibhavadi said:

20th of August, returning from Vientiane, exactly the same. That I had a visa card, good for € 5000, two bank cards, with each more money in as the IO will earn for a couple of years, a real estate + shares of a couple of millions in éuros, but all she wants to verify.

That in Bangkok, all goes via QR scans, even the taxi, was something for this lady, probably a fresh catch from the jungle at the Cambodian border, was a too high intellectual level for her.

For me a reason NOT to stay any longer, switch my business to Vietnam, etc, and leave, after I imported many thousands of containers of goods from Thailand to Europe since 1993.

In Laos, I saw, fresh fruits, vegetables and cane sugar was exported to Thailand, to be re-imported as fruit and vegetable products, sauces and.. cane sugar Time to set up some factories there, as.. agricultural products from Laos have ZERO import duty into the EU. For canned pine apple: a difference of 19,2 %

Thailand, la gogne, popkan chat na. ! 

 

Huh?

8 hours ago, soi3eddie said:

as the world becomes "cashless"? That is what the elites and governments want to impose on everyone isn't it?

No, it is not.

7 hours ago, ricklev said:

what is happening is the the immigration officers are under pressure to refuse entry to an undefined number of incoming visitors each shift.

Cobblers. 

5 minutes ago, sambum said:

I think a lot of people are "getting the wrong end of the stick" here! 

 

You do not have to have the cash on your person - as a few peopl heve said - who walks around carrying 20/40,000 baht on their person?

 

From the OP :-

 

"According to the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA), tourists must show proof of at least 20,000 baht per person or 40,000 baht per family to secure entry."

 

Perhaps an up to date copy of a bank statement might be sufficient?

 

No...   a bank statement is not sufficient - it has to be cash - 20,000 baht or the monetary equivalent of.

 

This is why the rule is idiotic - it would be very easy for her to prove digitally that she had funds.

 

Immigration used this regulation as a reason to deny entry - all that has achieved is to force her to waste money & buy another set of flights and return to a different airport where the end result is entry to Thailand.... 

 

Immigration have achieved absolutely nothing with this.

 

7 hours ago, Mangkhut said:

Who carries cash in 2025???

When travellong internationally, I'd guess 99% of people carry cash.

Off topic post removed @Harry Vibhavadi

1 minute ago, Liverpool Lou said:

When travellong internationally, I'd guess 99% of people carry cash.

Indeed, who wants to be hassled by a tech hitch at immigration control.....................😬

7 hours ago, Briggsy said:

The real reason was the length of time in Thailand on tourist type permissions to stay.

Where did it state that?   Did you watch the video in which she stated that she made some error and urged travellers not todo the same thing?

1 minute ago, richard_smith237 said:

 

No...   a bank statement is not sufficient - it has to be cash - 20,000 baht or the monetary equivalent of.

 

This is why the rule is idiotic - it would be very easy for her to prove digitally that she had funds.

 

Immigration used this regulation as a reason to deny entry - all that has achieved is to force her to waste money & buy another set of flights and return to a different airport where the end result is entry to Thailand.... 

 

Immigration have achieved absolutely nothing with this.

 

 Well, they have highlighted how ridiculous the whole thing is. but it does show how 'amazing' Thailand really is?

 

 

8 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

Immigration have achieved absolutely nothing with this.

I doubt that Immigration was "trying to achieve" anything apart from enforcing the rules that she admitted she contravened.

1 minute ago, Liverpool Lou said:

I doubt that Immigration was "trying to achieve" anything apart from enforcing the rules that she admitted she contravened.

But, I doubt most tourists don't know they must have 500 quid cash in their pocket to enter...🤫

19 minutes ago, mikeymike100 said:

(...) so what makes them pick out certain individuals for further inspection?

 

Well, I never had a problem until I got a METV... Towards the end of using it, there were signs that they wanted to question my history, and, after it wasn't valid anymore, and I entered visa-free, problems started... (IMHO, those VFE limitations must have started as far back as late 2019, particularly at Bangkok's airports.)