This requirement is probably enforced to fix the l influx of Indians working illegally and is most likely also triggered if you don't have outbound airfare documentation.

25 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?

you appear to have picked up the wrong stick altogether     try showing a bank statement     do please let us know how it works out for you

3 hours ago, JamesPhuket10 said:

 

You are assuming that a blogger who makes money out of blogging negative stories about things could not be lying there are always two or more parts to any story. 

It's nothing to with the blogger or this case.  The cash rule has been a rule for many years.

17 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.

Well said Bill. Enforcement is irrelevant

There is a visa waiver agreement in place and those that wish to make use of it should abide by the rules, or get a visa.

It is a sad reflection on the forum when there are so many sympathisers and rule benders dishing out advice.

7 minutes ago, transam said:

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

Regardless of it being a requirement, most tourists don't need to show it in reality.

Just now, Liverpool Lou said:

Most tourists don't need to show it in reality.

Correct.  It's rarely enforced and when it is, it's just a convenient way to deny entry.  @Tod Daniels can probably quote the section of the law that is used.

Just now, Liverpool Lou said:

Most tourists don't need to show it in reality.

I never have with all my comings and goings over many years but, this thread shows it is still alive and well if needed...🤗

32 minutes ago, mikeymike100 said:

 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,"?

its something that used to be called "a coppers nose" in the UK    I am sure they develop an instinct for the wrong'uns and if they occasionally get it wrong I doubt they are particularly bothered.    The alternative airport thing is a bit strange though

2 hours ago, mrmicbkktxl said:

TAT is begging for tourists and then shi. like this happens??

its not TAT who want to  see that you have the 20000 it is immigration and they are not in the habit of begging for tourists

45 minutes ago, Liverpool Lou said:

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

No !

46 minutes ago, Liverpool Lou said:

8 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?

 

An error on what ?... the only form to fill out is the DTAC form...   I'm sure errors are made all the time and they are easily rectified with a few key-strokes, or a new DTAC can be submitted on arrival - there and they.

 

So - if an error was made on the DTAC - its hardly cause for Immigration to search for a reason to refuse entry.

 

So... what was the 'real' reason for refused entry ???...    I'm thinking Briggsy is correct - and the Immigration officer saw too many Thailand entries / or length of time in Thailand and decided to get awkward but needed a reason...

i.e. was she refused entry for 'border bouncing' and they used the lack of cash as the official reason ?

 

 

7 hours ago, Sig said:

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

 

I actually walked around with 20k baht back in early 2020 when arriving visa-free. I was quizzed once in Bangkok, then later was almost refused at the other airport, even though I had a flight out on the same day (from the second airport). Also interviewed at a land border after that. In none of these conversations was I asked 'whether I had enough money', so the cash didn't do me any good. Fed up with all this, I went the 'agent route' for the first time...

9 hours ago, Mangkhut said:

Who carries cash in 2025???

It depends on where I am going.  Arrived in BKK last month with both cash and cards because I was aware of the out dated regulation.  

1 hour ago, Bday Prang said:

The alternative airport thing is a bit strange though

 

Not really. They're sending a message that if you want to use OUR airport then you must pay for OUR entry service 🙃

5 hours ago, SunsetT said:

Just in case no one else has posted this, It does not have to be in Thai baht, It can be in any currency.

 

I doubt that they would accept left-over Vietnamese dong, or Lao kip...

 

Even in Australia, when I arrived there and was asked 'how much cash in AUD' I had on me, the custom's officer had no clue about the exchange rate of NZD to AUD.

14 minutes ago, Suetape said:

It depends on where I am going.  Arrived in BKK last month with both cash and cards because I was aware of the out dated regulation.  

if you were so aware you would not be expecting to satisfy them with a card    its cash only    although any cash is acceptable 

6 hours ago, alex8912 said:

It's stupid. It's also 2025 and cash is not king.  Who wants to carry that much cash with you when you're out and about out visiting Vietnam or wherever or even have to worry about leaving cash in your room!  I don't care about you!

 

Of course it's stupid! The money can easily get stolen (even at the airport), or lost... (Have they heard of credit cards in Thailand?) 😆

 

Immigration rarely asks to see the cash, even though 'no money' is sometimes used to refuse entry. I presume that Immigration wants to push the use of 'safe entry' services, so that IOs can benefit 'directly' from tourism... 😆

9 hours ago, Mangkhut said:

Who carries cash in 2025???

I always carry and use cash.

 

Then again, I am not a tourist.

2 hours ago, brewsterbudgen said:

Correct.  It's rarely enforced and when it is, it's just a convenient way to deny entry.  @Tod Daniels can probably quote the section of the law that is used.

https://royalthaipolice.go.th/downloads/laws/laws_03_03-03.pdf

 

Thai Immigration Act Section 12

 

Having no appropriate means of living on entering the Kingdom; (Section 12(2)).

On 12/8/2025 at 4:28 PM, snoop1130 said:

immigration officers barred her due to insufficient funds.

 

She should have chosen Cambodia, no such fund issues here! Everyone welcome!

8 hours ago, Old Croc said:

I've been a tourist in scores of countries, never had a bank account in one.

The only accounts I've ever opened in another country are in Thailand where I live legally on my long term visa.

I opened an account about 12 years ago. Don't ask me how I managed it as I was on a visa exempt entry. So all my holiday money is sent by wise to that account before I arrive in Thailand. I suppose I could find an ATM before Immigration and draw out 10,000 baht but why isn't a statement good enough?

3 minutes ago, Geoff914 said:

I suppose I could find an ATM before Immigration and draw out 10,000 baht but why isn't a statement good enough?

Just bring some cash with you.

36 minutes ago, billd766 said:

I always carry and use cash.

 

Then again, I am not a tourist.

Here in the UK I haven't carried cash in at least ten years. Also so useful when encountering beggars here in the UK.

Just now, novacova said:

Just bring some cash with you.

Well yes, the first thing I do when I get to the baggage hall is get some cash. I didn't realise there were ATMs before Immigration

3 minutes ago, Geoff914 said:

Well yes, the first thing I do when I get to the baggage hall is get some cash. I didn't realise there were ATMs before Immigration

Why not just bring the cash before departure? And why risk it with an atm that may not function.

21 hours ago, Gottfrid said:

 

Yeah guys! What´s the problem of showing 20K baht?! Do you guys know how small that is, even if only going on a 3-4 day holiday?

Where is the problem? Just keep some pocket change, so you can get in!

Exactly what I did for my last entry. It took a while to spend it but not a big deal. I wonder about the rest of her profile though because I have never been asked. Was she doing a border bounce?

7 hours ago, SunsetT said:

Have you never heard of exchanging money when you arrive which is probably what most people do these days? Especially when carrying cash increases the risk of theft. I've been coming to Thailand for 19 years and never been asked to show it on entry by land or air. But for the last couple of years, due to the increased risk of war and the taking down of the internet, I have carried a cash emergency fund on entry.

So despite your bluster, you actually carry cash as well, just in case.

10 minutes ago, Geoff914 said:

Well yes, the first thing I do when I get to the baggage hall is get some cash. I didn't realise there were ATMs before Immigration

Foreign currency equivalent worth over 20k *should* work - Baht can be hard to get hold of overseas.

 

We all use cards, but it's prudent to carry some cash when travelling overseas anyway, just in case there's a bank screw up and the cards don't work. An Australian bank I use has hair trigger fraud detection and has abruptly frozen my cards a couple of times because this or that innocent transaction got flagged for whatever reason. 

6 hours ago, sqwakvfr said:

Ok. Next time I come back in then I will have to carry $627 or more depending on currency conversion rates. Kind of hard to get it all in Baht if one is coming or coming back into LOS. 

Not really. If you know that you are going on holiday to Thailand, when  you book your flight ticket, book 20,000 Thai baht or any currency you want at the bank as well.

 

It is called forward planning, which is what sensible people do.

 

Of course, you could always take a chance, get lucky, then try using your credit card to pay the public transport charge.

 

Cash may not be king in many peoples eyes, but it does grease the wheels in many countries, including Thailand.

18 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. 

I dont recall any IO ever asking for 10K back then or heard of anyone having an issue. I didn't start coming to Thailand until the 90's but even when I first started coming there were barely any tourist back then (4-5 million a year) so they weren't hassled, things were easy, IO's were laid back and they didn't care about overstays. 

 

As I recall this only started in 2006 when they started cracking down on immigration rules increasing overstay fines and penalties, cracking down on boarder runs etc.