9 hours ago, Briggsy said:

Your immigration file has been flagged. You have even been denied entry once already. You continue to enter repeatedly using tourist options. 

 

How are you not surprised at being questioned? 

 

What nationality do you hold? What is your country of residence? How do you fund your lifestyle? 

 

My nationality is "Dutch" and I'm from "The Netherlands", which is also my country of residence. That's why I was there from 1 March till the end of August (almost 6 months). But even after being 6 months in my country of residence, the Thai immigration still took me apart and questioned me again on my 2nd entry to Thailand (by air).

9 hours ago, KhunBENQ said:

 

Quite sure this poster is on some list and has a long story since at least 2023.

 

Link already above.

 

Pretty weird if they flagged me for staying 4 months / year in Thailand in 2023 when other people easily stayed up to 6-9 months / year during that time. After that I entered by air without any problems but didn't stay too long and booked a flight to my country of residence.

 

In 2023 an immigration friend of a Thai lawyer friend looked in the systems and said: I haven't been flagged in the system / no notitions in the immigration system about a denied entry. Neither have I ever been given an official denied entry stamp. I think you also have to sign a document if you have been denied entry / deportation?

1. You are way below retirement, way below.

2. You are spending 50% of your time in South East Asia.

3. You have been doing this for a number of years.

4. You are making more than one entry to Thailand in a year. 

5. You are doing this on tourist permissions to stay (VE, SETV)

6. You are flagged despite what a third party says. It doesn't matter that you don't have a denial of entry stamp and you have never signed anything. You are flagged.

 

Apologies if I have got anything wrong here. You have a profile of an illegal worker / somebody de facto living in Thailand on tourist visas. It is irrelevant what the facts are, your profile mean you will be pulled out of the line and questioned.

 

I don't care what you are doing in Thailand. It is not my business. However expect to be pulled up and questioned and eventually denied entry again.

 

Get a DTV. Or

Use the safe entry services. Or

Get an Elite visa. Or

Get a work permit and a non-imm B. If you want to be left alone.

 

How do you fund your lengthy trips?

Why is the Netherlands and Dutch in inverted commas. It is a real country. 

 

I hope this helps.

1 hour ago, ChinChan said:

 

My nationality is "Dutch" and I'm from "The Netherlands", which is also my country of residence. That's why I was there from 1 March till the end of August (almost 6 months). But even after being 6 months in my country of residence, the Thai immigration still took me apart and questioned me again on my 2nd entry to Thailand (by air).

There's been a few Dutch naughty boys in the headlines recently. 

Probably not helping your cause. 

 

22 hours ago, ChinChan said:

 

I have a white skin, from Europe, 30-35 years old. I would describe my style as casual / business (long pants, casual business shirt, no flip flops). Shaven face. Especially when visiting immigration officers I always like to look fresh. I have read the stories that sometimes they target Indians / begpackers (tourists with no money) / dirty looking foreigners.

Nah, you're dressing like a foreign schoolteacher, they assume you're working.

Arrive wearing shorts and a t-shirt to avoid problems.

18 hours ago, Briggsy said:

6. You are flagged despite what a third party says. It doesn't matter that you don't have a denial of entry stamp and you have never signed anything. You are flagged.

 

Apologies if I have got anything wrong here. You have a profile of an illegal worker / somebody de facto living in Thailand on tourist visas. It is irrelevant what the facts are, your profile mean you will be pulled out of the line and questioned.

 

Correct answer. After consulting a visa-agent who called her contact at Thai immigration to check my profile in the immigration system, they basically said the same thing

An expat friend in Thailand advised me to visit a visa-agent to check my profile in the immigration system. I did that and things finally became clear. Her contact at Thai immigration said:

1. Now the rule is that tourists are allowed to stay in Thailand up to 150 days per year without encountering any problems.

2. If you have ever stayed more then 120 days per year in Thailand your profile can be flagged as 'not a real tourist' and they might suspect you of working online or having a business in Thailand.

 

He said I can also come to Thailand again next year but it's better if I don't stay too long in Thailand this trip. Well that was already the plan and I certainly don't want to push my limits any more. Finally I got some clarification!

 

Thank you to everyone for your comments and opinions! Maybe this information can be helpful to some other people in the future.

21 hours ago, ChinChan said:

My nationality is "Dutch" and I'm from "The Netherlands", which is also my country of residence.

 

In that case, I trust that you are equally sympathetic to the plight faced by Thai nationals when entering your home country at Schipol, thanks to excessively inquisitive immigration officers acting at the behest of  the EU and its Schengen shambles!

The "problem" is, Immigration are trying to pressure you to use agents to facilitate your entry - so-called "safe entry" if by air - so they get a brown-envelope payoff.  That's all they care about - not the law, not "right or wrong," or what you do here.

 

Those who are not a "rarely visit" type - once a year or less - are randomly targeted.   You seem to be on their extortion-list (maybe a note in your file), even though your visits are not back-to-back - and you didn't even extend your 60-day entries.

OP, I do not believe your story.

Got anything better to do?

Check the Stay Until date on the rubber stamp the immigration officer put in your passport. You mentioned he said 10 days. 

On 12/11/2025 at 1:34 PM, ChinChan said:

Her contact at Thai immigration said:

1. Now the rule is that tourists are allowed to stay in Thailand up to 150 days per year without encountering any problems.

 

Great info. Was it mentioned, whether this is 150 days per calendar year, or counted over the past 365 days?

On 12/11/2025 at 2:36 PM, OJAS said:

 

In that case, I trust that you are equally sympathetic to the plight faced by Thai nationals when entering your home country at Schipol, thanks to excessively inquisitive immigration officers acting at the behest of  the EU and its Schengen shambles!

 

Technically, this forum is neither the 'EU Visa Forum', nor is it the 'Schengen Forum'... 😆

On 12/12/2025 at 4:05 PM, lemonjelly said:

Check the Stay Until date on the rubber stamp the immigration officer put in your passport. You mentioned he said 10 days. 

 

He said he gave me 10 days but upon entering Thailand I checked my passport and saw I got a 2 month TR visa stamp

I smell something here 🤔

 

 

On 12/13/2025 at 1:15 AM, StayinThailand2much said:

 

Great info. Was it mentioned, whether this is 150 days per calendar year, or counted over the past 365 days?

It will depend on how much the I.O. enjoyed his/her last coffee break!

 

On 12/11/2025 at 4:26 PM, Rob Browder said:

The "problem" is, Immigration are trying to pressure you to use agents to facilitate your entry - so-called "safe entry" if by air - so they get a brown-envelope payoff. 

Exactly. Just watch the appropriate queue. Entrants arrives at RV, met by agent, escorted through. Multiply the number you saw by the time waiting in your queue to get the number per hour, multiply by 24, it is a lot.

On 12/9/2025 at 8:11 PM, ChinChan said:

After another weird experience with Thai immigration while trying to enter Thailand, I want to share my experiences and get your opinions about it.

 

1st time trying to enter Thailand about 1 year ago on a visa exemption: at the immigration checkpoint I got stopped and taken apart. I had to wait 45 minutes till an officer took me to the office of the supervisor. He asked some basic questions like: Why I come to Thailand? What places I plan to visit? Do I work in Thailand? Then he wanted to show my hotel booking confirmation. It took about 10-15 minutes time to find and open the hotel reservation, but then he didn't even want to look at it and he said ''nevermind, it's fine, you can go now''. Total duration of my stay: 2 months (no visa extension).

 

2nd time trying to enter Thailand about 6 months later on a visa exemption: at the immigration checkpoint I got stopped again and was taken apart again (in a room with a Cambodian man and a Burmese man who also had troubles to enter Thailand). I thought this might be serious, but I'm a genuine tourist who has nothing to hide. After 60 minutes of waiting a supervisor took me to his office. He asked me at which hotel I'm staying. I named the hotel and then he said ''ok you can go now''. I told him this also happened the last time I was entering Thailand. Is there anything wrong or have I stayed in Thailand too much? He said ''nothing is wrong. Just for answering some general questions''. This time also no visa extension as I didn't feel welcomed by the Thai immigration and choose to stay not for too long as I wanted to avoid any problems / suspicions to enter Thailand in the future.

 

When I left Thailand I got stopped at the immigration checkpoint again. Again I had to visit a supervisor, who told me to not come back to Thailand for the next 2-3 months.

 

3rd time trying to enter Thailand about 3 months later (just for a quick shopping trip). With the new and stricter visa rules, I applied for a paid tourist visa and it was approved. You can guess it already, again I was stopped and taken apart by the Thai immigration and again I had to visit a supervisor. He asked me how long I will stay in Thailand? I said not long, I just want to go shopping a few days and maybe a few days holiday. The supervisor told me ''I give you 10 days''. I said okay, thank you. Will I have any problems entering Thailand in the future? When is the next time I can come to Thailand again? He said: don't talk anymore, you can go now''. I entered Thailand and I saw that the supervisor stamped my passport with a 2 month tourist visa. I'm actually confused right now if I can stay 10 days or 60 days? (I don't want to stay 60 days but I might want to stay 12-14 days if my visa allows that ofcourse).

 

Alltogether I found it weird experiences with Thai immigration. Obviously I feel that something is wrong but they don't want to tell anything about it and neither they are refusing me entry to Thailand. It left me with a bitter feeling, this is not how any tourist wants to be welcomed in a country. Well, time to enjoy my quick shopping holiday!

You are on a international watchlist.

On 12/9/2025 at 8:55 PM, ChinChan said:

If I was denied entry to Thailand, I would have indeed gone shopping in Vietnam!

It's certainly cheaper for everything.  The people are where Thais were 25 years ago: happy to see you; genuine smiles; eager to please.

Denying entry and facilitating detention/departure seem like labor-intensive processes for Thai and airline officials.

 

According to published reports ~ 2,900 people have been expelled (at the airports) this year (YTD), so ~ 8 per day, presumably for all int'l airports.

 

I don't think Thai Imm/AoT & airlines have the facilities and staff to handle many more than that per day.

 

Easier to let pretty much anyone in after some questioning and the implied threat to induce folks to get a proper visa in the future.

 

Thai Imm has a goal of clearing arriving pax within 45 seconds, and given the current arrivals figures and lengthy lines, this can be challenging.

 

Maybe they are using APIS and TDAC to highlight some for additional questioning and denial of entry?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

No comment on his entry woes, we all have different experiences of them. I am fortunate enough always to have had the correct documentation and have never encountered these problems.

 

My question would be what do you actually find good value for money here to want to go shopping in Thailand?

 

If you take out the fake football shirts and kits, duty-free cigarettes etc, I actually don't find very much at all to buy here.

 

Clothes, perfume, furniture, footwear, all very much at an inflated price.

 

I even buy my socks and underwear in the UK at Sports Direct or similar, better quality for a cheaper price.

35 minutes ago, bamnutsak said:

I don't think Thai Imm/AoT & airlines have the facilities and staff to handle many more than that per day.

The temporary holding facilities at Suwannaphum alone can easily hold 30 or 40. You are usually only there a few hours or less, depending on the first flight they can get you on. You are charged for everything including water and overnight accommodation if required.

 

Immigration don't do much. Stamp in your passport and then they pass you off to the "travel agent". These folks may be AoT or just a private company. They get details of your ticket and co-ordinate with the airline telling you how much you need to pay to change your ticket or buy a new ticket if you don't have a return leg. 

 

The "travel agent" hands you off to a low-level security agent who takes you to the ATM, to the airline ticketing desk, to the gate. They hold your passport.

 

The security agent hands you off to the cabin crew who also retain your passport.

 

Bottom line. They have the facilities to deny entry to 500 a day or more considering all the international airports in Thailand and the fact that Thailand employs a "user pays" model to denying entry.

On 12/9/2025 at 9:08 PM, ChinChan said:

every time I try to enter Thailand they take me apart

Do they put you back together again?

42 minutes ago, Briggsy said:

They have the facilities to deny entry to 500 a day

 

Agree to disagree.

 

 

 

 

On 12/9/2025 at 9:26 PM, rumak said:

Chin Chan ........ would you be kind enough to DESCRIBE  what your appearance looks like"

Hair ?  Type of clothing?  Race ?   Age ?   Grooming ?   How many eyes ?

 

if known...... maybe we can guess at a reason you are being singled out . 

 

 

Oh as he said 'i am a genuine tourist '....555

On 12/9/2025 at 8:40 PM, ChinChan said:

I have read the stories that sometimes they target Indians / begpackers (tourists with no money) / dirty looking foreigners.

 

I've never been stopped

You must have been flagged for some reason, I think you might have an idea what it is.

 

But I just want to know why you wrote you are "Dutch", and from "The Netherlands". What a weird thing to write. I'm from Norway, not from "Norway".. 

And you wrote you are 30-35 years old, that's how we describe others..

 

I have no problem finding your story credible though.

On 12/9/2025 at 9:08 PM, ChinChan said:

 

I have no idea, that's why I posted my experience on this forum. An expat / business owner in Thailand told me that maybe a visa agent can find out if something is wrong with my case because they have contacts who can run checks through the immigration systems? Do you think that could help? The expat / business owner told me I must have some kind of red flag next to my name as every time I try to enter Thailand they take me apart.

 

On the other side, actually nothing is wrong as I could just enter Thailand every time, after a 45-60 minutes delay without any proper given reason despite trying to ask for any reason multiple times. TiT

Could your name match a person on international watch lists?

I can’t help thinking that there’s stuff you’re not revealing about why Thai immigration has flagged you. Maybe they’re suspicious of your motives or it’s something else they’re aware of. Either way assuming you’ll be able to just rock up and enter Thailand without hassle, despite the verbal warnings given to you, indicates your own naivety or stupidity in comprehending the fact they will keep doing it every time you attempt to enter, as is their right.

On 12/15/2025 at 3:00 AM, Scouse123 said:

My question would be what do you actually find good value for money here to want to go shopping in Thailand?

I actually don't find very much at all to buy here.

Clothes, footwear, all very much at an inflated price.

 

I was on a hiking trip in Laos (jungle / waterfalls / caves) but my hiking shoes broke (old and used). Unfortunately Laos is one of the worst places to go shopping: almost zero official branded shops and loads of fake Chinese stuff around. I want / need quality and semi-technical hiking shoes to continue my hiking trip. The last thing I want is get bitten by a snake or spider, or fall down and injure myself on a slippery jungle path / waterfall trail / cave.

 

A short review of my shopping trip in Thailand: shopping in Thailand completely sucked (again). The staff doesn't know anything about the products they sell (and you are lucky if they speak any English at all, which I always found weird for service staff working in tourist hubs) Expensive prices: I found many shoes 50% cheaper in Malaysia and Vietnam. Many items were out of stock. When I finally found nice shoes, they didn't sell half sizes: shoe size US 8 was too small and size US 9 was too big, so I probably needed size 8.5, which after checking they sold in Malaysia and Vietnam... I also got scammed in the official Nike store: I bought summer socks but the employee staff switched my summer socks for winter socks and put it straight into the shopping bag. I found out 1 minute later when I opened the bag. Then the manager said ''no exchange and no refund''. No more shopping in Thailand for me.

 

I left Thailand after a couple of days and went to do my shopping in Malaysia instead, which was a much better experience! No corrupt Thai immigration officers, went through immigration in 1 minute (e-gate) with a free 90 day visa exemption. Welcome to Malaysia!

On 12/15/2025 at 7:47 AM, thaibreaker said:

But I just want to know why you wrote you are "Dutch", and from "The Netherlands". What a weird thing to write. I'm from Norway, not from "Norway".. 

 

Just to be extra clear. It will suprise you how many people in Thailand are not familiar with the words Dutch / The Netherlands / Holland.