1 hour ago, LivingNThailand said:

That’s only about $650. If you don’t have that you shouldn’t be on an international flight and stay home.

You have to have it on you, and be able to show it on demand. Many tourists, and returning expats for that matter, don't fly in with cash.

2 hours ago, BarraMarra said:

How did the Immigration recognise he had insufficient funds did they rifle therough his wallet.

it doesn't matter exactly how much money he did or did not have , insufficient funds is just a "polite" way to refuse entry.

20,000 baht is the advisory limit but having that amount, or even more, on one's person does not guarantee entry will be granted, it's "up to them" every time.

It is possible (theoretically) to appeal, but many if not most people finding themselves in that situation , unknowingly sign forms (written only in Thai) which seals their fate

8 minutes ago, KhunHeineken said:

You have to have it on you, and be able to show it on demand. Many tourists, and returning expats for that matter, don't fly in with cash.

and 99.9% never get asked to show it , I have never been asked in 30 years, but generally keep the equivalent amount in cash on me , just in case

14 minutes ago, KhunHeineken said:

They only got him on being drunk and not having 20,000 baht cash. How many guys coming to Thailand for a 2 week holiday arrive drunk from a long haul flight and without 20,000 baht in their wallet?

If he's a visa runner, he may have had a later flight out that day, or early morning flight the day. He would have already had the return ticket.

As I said in another post, he may be just a drunk visa runner, and not someone who was deported from Vietnam by authorities.

If he was doing a visa run, when he presents at Vietnam immigration, sober, on what grounds can they detain and deport him?

I think they have the right to refuse entry to anybody they choose, I doubt they even need to explain why.

Immigration officers are generally granted a large amount of discretion, this is not the "woke" west ,

Good luck to anybody hoping an immigration lawyer will be provided free of charge, It aint gonna happen, not in Vietnam and certainly not here.

20 minutes ago, KhunHeineken said:

If he's a visa runner......

Then he is clearly a very stupid one, smart dress and unfailing politeness would be the approach adopted by normal people doing visa runs, especially these days what with all the well publicised crackdowns

27 minutes ago, KhunHeineken said:

You have to have it on you, and be able to show it on demand. Many tourists, and returning expats for that matter, don't fly in with cash.

I believe it is 20,000 or the equivalent. ATM, credit card, bank app or whatever is used now. Not a lot for starting a holiday in a foreign country. Besides he was drunk, wasn’t wearing any clothes which is also not a good way to start a holiday in a foreign country 😂. And arriving at immigration.

6 minutes ago, LivingNThailand said:

I believe it is 20,000 or the equivalent. ATM, credit card, bank app or whatever is used now. Not a lot for starting a holiday in a foreign country. Besides he was drunk, wasn’t wearing any clothes which is also not a good way to start a holiday in a foreign country 😂. And arriving at immigration.

As far as I know it has to be in cash, ATM/ credit cards are not accepted and neither are there any ATM machines available to withdraw cash prior to passport control

23 hours ago, John Drake said:

Seems these type stories get published a lot these days. Need to make air travel much more expensive. End the era of flying busses. Make people wear decent clothes, keep their hands and feet to themselves and within the confines of their seat, ban foul smelling people, and make air travel the luxury it used to be.

And no children under 12 years old.

1 hour ago, John Drake said:

Your flight on Spirit Airlines awaits you. That is unless you get caught up in one of its brawls at check-in.

Mate, I fly Thai airways to and from Bangkok and have never had an issue with anyone acting out on a flight despite the price not having moved all that much pre covid. I don't do airlines which don't offer food and alcohol.

27 minutes ago, LivingNThailand said:

ATM, credit card, bank app or whatever is used now.

How do they know how much money one has in their account that the ATM card is attached to?

28 minutes ago, LivingNThailand said:

Not a lot for starting a holiday in a foreign country. Besides he was drunk, wasn’t wearing any clothes which is also not a good way to start a holiday in a foreign country

You have put forward another theory. He was here for a holiday. This is why I posted, "no mention of luggage."

If you were doing a visa run from Thailand to Cambodia, for example, as in, an out and back, either buy land or air, how much Cambodia Riel would you need? Zero, right?

Some have suggested he was deported from Vietnam and he chose Thailand.

I suggested he was doing a visa run from Vietnam.

You have suggested he came to Thailand for a holiday.

The nature of his visit to Thailand would be good to know, but I would say he's a visa runner.

54 minutes ago, Bday Prang said:

Then he is clearly a very stupid one, smart dress and unfailing politeness would be the approach adopted by normal people doing visa runs, especially these days what with all the well publicised crackdowns

You are assuming he is visa running Thailand - Vietnam - Thailand.

I'm suggesting it's Vietnam - Thailand - Vietnam.

No crackdown in Vietnam that I know of.

1 hour ago, Bday Prang said:

and 99.9% never get asked to show it , I have never been asked in 30 years, but generally keep the equivalent amount in cash on me , just in case

As posted, I've only been asked once, and I wasn't drunk or looking like a backpacker. All I could do was pull out my ATM card and he just stamped me through. He may have been inexperienced.

Once clearing immigration, I went to the Kasikorn Bank ATM and pulled out cash with my Kasikorn ATM card, whilst waiting for my luggage.

1 hour ago, Bday Prang said:

I think they have the right to refuse entry to anybody they choose, I doubt they even need to explain why.

Immigration officers are generally granted a large amount of discretion, this is not the "woke" west ,

I agree, and this is exactly why I don't buy property in Thailand.

We all just have a visa, which is not a right to reside here.

It can be revoked at any time, or the goal posts changed in order to get it.

I accept others feel differently, but without a reasonable pathway to PR or citizenship, I have got nothing I can't walk away from in Thailand. This is by design.

1 hour ago, Bday Prang said:

As far as I know it has to be in cash, ATM/ credit cards are not accepted and neither are there any ATM machines available to withdraw cash prior to passport control

This was in the Phuket News a few weeks ago. Whether the immigration officers at the airport know about it, that's another thing:

As of late 2025/early 2026, the 20,000 Thai Baht (or 40,000 per family) proof of funds required for tourist entry into Thailand does not have to be physical cash. Phuket Immigration clarified that the money simply needs to be accessible, allowing for credit cards, debit cards, or banking app balances. 

• Official Position: While historically rigid, Phuket Airport Immigration Chief Pol Col Rasarin Thiraphatthanakun confirmed in December 2025 that cash is not mandatory, according to a post on Facebook.
  
  

On 2/1/2026 at 9:43 AM, John Drake said:

Seems these type stories get published a lot these days. Need to make air travel much more expensive. End the era of flying busses. Make people wear decent clothes, keep their hands and feet to themselves and within the confines of their seat, ban foul smelling people, and make air travel the luxury it used to be.

Well said, so many people behave like pigs . I’m fed up of the rudeness and lack of manners everywhere.

On 2/1/2026 at 3:43 PM, John Drake said:

Seems these type stories get published a lot these days. Need to make air travel much more expensive. End the era of flying busses. Make people wear decent clothes, keep their hands and feet to themselves and within the confines of their seat, ban foul smelling people, and make air travel the luxury it used to be.

I'm with you on this, except for making flights more expensive.

3 hours ago, Spock said:

Mate, I fly Thai airways to and from Bangkok and have never had an issue with anyone acting out on a flight despite the price not having moved all that much pre covid. I don't do airlines which don't offer food and alcohol.

I've only ever seen a problem once, on a Qatar Airways flight. They were a couple of rows ahead of me from London to Doha. Didn't seem too bad although some of them did disappear into business for a long time. Doha to Bangkok they were directly behind me and seemed to have been drinking. They looked to be picking a fight with a guy, I wouldn't want argue with, after he politely asked them to calm down. The flight crew were doing their best as well. I leaned back and pointed out they could be denied entry and locked up until they could be flown back to Doha where they might not be too welcoming either. They seemed to calm down after that. After we landed I heard one of them asking the flight crew if they were going to have a problem.

drunk russian putin sheep, send him to war zone and problem solved permanently

Another one for the front lines in Ukraine.....Vodka baby!

Off topic troll post removed @Taboo2

3 hours ago, LivingNThailand said:

This was in the Phuket News a few weeks ago. Whether the immigration officers at the airport know about it, that's another thing:

As of late 2025/early 2026, the 20,000 Thai Baht (or 40,000 per family) proof of funds required for tourist entry into Thailand does not have to be physical cash. Phuket Immigration clarified that the money simply needs to be accessible, allowing for credit cards, debit cards, or banking app balances. 

Well that's a surprise, wonder if it applies to all points of entry? Or is it just Phuket?

Anyway I'm sure they must have found another legitimate way of keeping people out who they don't like the look of. I'm all for it , I mean if somebody gives of a bad enough vibe to be denied entry its doubtful whether I would miss them or even like them either

8 hours ago, cynic1 said:

You for real? Geezes we have a couple of aristocratic snobs here today!

Yes, I assure you I am genuine.

15 hours ago, cooked said:

you're supposed to have ฿20 000.- cash on arrival)

Not enough for me to buy anything useful.

Some more off topic posts have been removed.

On 2/1/2026 at 9:34 PM, Fact said:

I prefer business or first-class cabins these days for this reason, and I never fly ultra-cheap carriers.

Want a lend of a megaphone in case any of us plebs didn’t hear you are a Hiso !

5 hours ago, terryofcrete said:

Want a lend of a megaphone in case any of us plebs didn’t hear you are a Hiso !

Sit in the back where you belong.

17 hours ago, Bday Prang said:

and 99.9% never get asked to show it , I have never been asked in 30 years, but generally keep the equivalent amount in cash on me , just in case

Same here, in my 24 years.

11 hours ago, Bday Prang said:

Well that's a surprise, wonder if it applies to all points of entry? Or is it just Phuket?

Anyway I'm sure they must have found another legitimate way of keeping people out who they don't like the look of. I'm all for it , I mean if somebody gives of a bad enough vibe to be denied entry its doubtful whether I would miss them or even like them either

How would immigration know whether a credit or debit card is valid such as hasn't been cancelled?

Great news one less POS Russian working here in Thailand illegally it's high time immigration ended there 1 year visas there are plenty of other countries with good people that can come here not this Russian trash

13 hours ago, geisha said:

Well said, so many people behave like pigs . I’m fed up of the rudeness and lack of manners everywhere.

It seems as this type of behavior is contagious and is spreading rapidly.