20 hours ago, Aussie999 said:

I have also seen for "security" reasons, but have never seen any explanation ss to why those on visa free are more of a security risk than anyone on any other visa...I do wish someone could explain it...I am full of questions.

It was/is the new countries who became entitled to VE entry that became the "risk".....that was made clear by Thai authorities when the problems became apparent and they decided to take action.

Under pressure from one newly VE entitled huge country, that was supplying proportionately huge numbers of criminals, seeing a proportionately large number of expulsions and suffering a concomittant loss of face, they subsequently rowed back on that.

To placate that country Thailand undertook to throw out/restrict as many "others", on a one for one basis, irrespective of their innocence, as it did criminals from that huge and highly "influential" country.

Thus previously acceptable and innocent Westerners became disproportionately

targeted

Thus it "threw out the baby with the bathwater".

On 2/16/2026 at 9:16 AM, FritsSikkink said:

30 million tourist is enough, 40 million was a headache.

We need better tourists, not the fighting and stealing ones.

You should have saw the quality couple that got on to our flight from the Philippines to Bangkok two days ago. I don't think they had enough money to do their hair or to wear proper clothes.

On 2/16/2026 at 9:30 AM, NanLaew said:

My experience when "flipping" passports before re-entry at DMK a few years ago was similar in that I needed "secondary inspection" before it was politely allowed. I told them the other passport was full.

Several years before that, while doing the passport flip on re-entry at BKK, I was told that I could only use the passport that had a visa in it. If I insisted on using the other passport for a visa-exempt entry, they would cancel the visa in the other passport.

That's very harsh but then there's still that old old b**** that's working in Don mung airport. She appeared from nowhere came and asking all the young officers what's going on.

1 hour ago, Enoon said:

It was/is the new countries who became entitled to VE entry that became the "risk".....that was made clear by Thai authorities when the problems became apparent and they decided to take action.

Under pressure from one newly VE entitled huge country, that was supplying proportionately huge numbers of criminals, seeing a proportionately large number of expulsions and suffering a concomittant loss of face, they subsequently rowed back on that.

To placate that country Thailand undertook to throw out/restrict as many "others", on a one for one basis, irrespective of their innocence, as it did criminals from that huge and highly "influential" country.

Thus previously acceptable and innocent Westerners became disproportionately

targeted

Thus it "threw out the baby with the bathwater".

Where's the proof they are visa free, bare in mind a tourist visa isn't expensive.

On 2/13/2026 at 1:50 PM, DrJack54 said:

In reality the average tourist spends 9 days in Thailand as pointed out in this:

Source: GoWithGuide https://share.google/owrJMiZ3moLOIRhwn

If Thailand reverted to 30 day for visa exempt for 93 countries that still provides a stay of 30 + 30 (with extension)

But immigration could not cope with hundreds of 30 day stayers doing an extension. It’s bad enough a queue as it is.

Also, has the 60 days to 30 been confirmed yet ?

12 minutes ago, geisha said:

Also, has the 60 days to 30 been confirmed yet ?

No it has not.

Keep in mind that SETV eVisa is an option.

Provides 60 day stamp and can be extended by 30.

37 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

No it has not.

Keep in mind that SETV eVisa is an option.

Provides 60 day stamp and can be extended by 30.

It doesn’t concern me, but the 60 days V exempt can be extended 30 days too . At least for the moment.

6 minutes ago, geisha said:

It doesn’t concern me, but the 60 days V exempt can be extended 30 days too . At least for the moment.

The ve change to 60 basically made the SETV obsolete.

IMO a silly short sighted move to give ve 60 days.

All this is just back to the norm.

Why are folk surprised.

On 2/15/2026 at 2:04 PM, Chivas said:

Course they are still tourists if they spend months in country.....why should I apply for a retirement visa (probably wrong terminology) when I dont want to retire here ?? I have private income now plus very shortly British Government Pension but if I choose 6 months a year I will....

Exactly. I have been director of a seasonal business in the south of France since 1980. As I had 4 months winter holiday, I traveled a lot. Discovered Thailand in 1984. Mostly Phuket at that time in my life. Made a lot of friends there in the same situation as myself. I was lucky to rent a beautiful condo near the beach, one of the only that existed at that time, I would say apartment. The owner was abroad and had 2 of them.

I ate everyday in a restaurant, went on trips elsewhere , north Thailand and whatever other islands that were reachable at the time. Extended my stay in Phuket town . Also did outside trips to Singapore , Malaysia and Myanmar and further. Japan , Australia, Ceylon. My friends did similar, mostly retired, but not all. A few are still there.

Personally I don’t think we did anything wrong, never had a problem, never broke any laws, and spent a lot of money in Thailand too. Not as cheap Charlie’s as we call them.

Most of us had double entry stamps. Nowadays there are many many retired snowbirds who have bought condos , and also stay only through the western winter, especially Scandinavians. They don’t need or want a retirement visa , or a DTV . Neither do I. So what sort of Visa will be offered to those , who have invested in condos ? Will the METV or something else fit the purpose, time will tell.

But for those who say people only «  need » 2 or 3 weeks holiday , it’s not true . And we’re not stuck on bar stools either.

23 hours ago, Andrew Satterley said:

Disagree with you. When I was working I used to visit twice a year for 6 weeks each time for a number of years. Now that I am retired I visit here for 90 days once a year. To overcome this hysteria about will they or won't they revert the visa free period back to 30 days, I get a 60 day SETV and get a further 30 days once I am in Thailand.

I am definitely a tourist.

You told us what you aren't but what are you then?

"noun

One who travels for pleasure.

One who makes a tour, or performs a journey, especially for pleasure.

Someone who travels for pleasure rather than for business."

90 days in Thailand and 275 days some where else where you home is I assume. Smells like tourist to me. If not what category do to fall into.

2 minutes ago, Geoff914 said:

You told us what you aren't but what are you then?

"noun

One who travels for pleasure.

One who makes a tour, or performs a journey, especially for pleasure.

Someone who travels for pleasure rather than for business."

90 days in Thailand and 275 days some where else where you home is I assume. Smells like tourist to me. If not what category do to fall into.

He states he is a tourist ! We used to say long Stay . He’s not sleeping on the beach . Does that annoy you?

On 2/15/2026 at 8:43 PM, CM Dad said:

Good!

Why is that good? Why are you hateful?

On 2/16/2026 at 2:03 AM, technoronin said:

To do that I would have to pull $30K out of my retirement account, which has tax consequences here in the US.

tough. if you want to live/spend extended periods here here follow the immigration rules, there are several options available, it's really not difficult.

Japan, Malaysian, Singapore. I get 90 days; in Europe I get 180 days on my passport. So 30 days when in Bangkok is enough.

41 minutes ago, geisha said:

He states he is a tourist ! We used to say long Stay . He’s not sleeping on the beach . Does that annoy you?

No skin off my nose at all. I thought he said he wasn't a tourist because somebody staying more than 2 or 3 weeks wasn't a tourist. How does the saying go, if it looks like a duck, quacks like a duck. Just would like to know if somebody staying 60 or ninety days what category are they in if not a tourist?

3 hours ago, it is what it is said:

tough. if you want to live/spend extended periods here here follow the immigration rules, there are several options available, it's really not difficult.

As far as I am concerned it isn't about the 800,000 baht needed to have the privilege of retiring in Thailand it is about needing it up front. Why is a monthly income in excess of 66,666 baht not good enough? And why set it at such a high figure. The marriage visa is only 400,000 baht, correct? Out of interest what are the several options?

31 minutes ago, Geoff914 said:

Why is a monthly income in excess of 66,666 baht not good enough

It is.

For annual extensions retirement using "income method" is an option.

65k per month

14 hours ago, DrJack54 said:

No it has not.

Keep in mind that SETV eVisa is an option.

Provides 60 day stamp and can be extended by 30.

If you can get it. I tried in 2023 and kept going around and around with the differences between what they asked for and what they actually wanted. I finally came in on a 30 day exemption.

8 hours ago, DrJack54 said:

It is.

For annual extensions retirement using "income method" is an option.

65k per month

Sounds good in theory, but everyone I have spoken with says it isn't accepted by Immigration. I would consider that if it was an option.

6 minutes ago, technoronin said:

Sounds good in theory, but everyone I have spoken with says it isn't accepted by Immigration. I would consider that if it was an option.

I use income method at CW.

Most offices should allow income method.

Some offices are bit fussy regards combo method and insist on certain mix.

Offices that just refuse combo is down to it being more work.

Note some offices require some sort of proof of the source of the income.

The word pension is often tossed around. In reality the income does not have to be from Pension.

As always the case in Thailand folk need to be aware requirements of their particular imm office.

Note: For my income method at CW, I supplied 12 month bank statement showing 12 monthly transfers on 14th of every month shown as an international transfer.

To transition from money in bank method you need to overlap both methods for a period.

That's a topic in itself

12 hours ago, Geoff914 said:

No skin off my nose at all. I thought he said he wasn't a tourist because somebody staying more than 2 or 3 weeks wasn't a tourist. How does the saying go, if it looks like a duck, quacks like a duck. Just would like to know if somebody staying 60 or ninety days what category are they in if not a tourist?

The E-Visa site states the Tourist Visa as being appropriate for "Tourism/Leisure" purposes.

I entered Thailand (SETV) in order to enjoy 55 days of leisure.

If I were to get an extension it would be to enjoy more days of leisure.

Category.......Person of Leisure.

On 2/15/2026 at 4:45 PM, Bday Prang said:

the official answer i saw was " for security reasons" or similar wording, is that not good enough for you? How about "because they say so" does that satisfy your curiosity ?

No

Maybe this is it. Authorities determined 60 days did not increase tourism at all but gives malefactors more time to operate without hassle. It is a shame because I don't think many aged Westerners in particular are coming to Thailand to make mule account fraud, prostitute themselves on lower Suk or sell drugs but the retired who want to Snowbird the whole winter away in Thailand can still apply for a tourist visa then do the 30 day extension.

2 hours ago, ricky52 said:

No

good i'm glad

On 2/16/2026 at 9:15 AM, arick said:

Because people are abusing the system. They're staying for their 60 days and then coming in again on a 60 days and then applying from their own government a new passport. Start the process over again.

If you get a new passport, are the details of your old one not connected via Immigration's system.

9 hours ago, technoronin said:

Sounds good in theory, but everyone I have spoken with says it isn't accepted by Immigration. I would consider that if it was an option.

Right so we come back to having 800,000 baht sitting in a bank account doing sod all. Not to mention if you release £20,000 from a UK pension you have to pay 40% tax then the Thai tax office will probably want a cut of the money that you send to Thailand.

19 hours ago, Geoff914 said:

No skin off my nose at all. I thought he said he wasn't a tourist because somebody staying more than 2 or 3 weeks wasn't a tourist. How does the saying go, if it looks like a duck, quacks like a duck. Just would like to know if somebody staying 60 or ninety days what category are they in if not a tourist?

One can stay 90days on a Tourist Visa, 60+ 30 extension.

You can stay 60 days Visa Exempt ,and extend 30 days at immigration. You are still a Tourist.

Both classify you as a Tourist..

49 minutes ago, geisha said:

One can stay 90days on a Tourist Visa, 60+ 30 extension.

You can stay 60 days Visa Exempt ,and extend 30 days at immigration. You are still a Tourist.

Both classify you as a Tourist..

So we agree they are tourists. There was a suggestion that people who stay longer that the 15 days of your average tourist were not tourists. I was just asking that is they weren't tourists what were they.

16 hours ago, wil iam not said:

If you get a new passport, are the details of your old one not connected via Immigration's system.

Not connected but in the system

For example when you leave the country at the automatic gates at bkk all the tourists will just have scan their passports and walk through if you're on a non o you'll have to scan your passport and your boarding card. And your immigration picture that is file immigration picture will pop up on the screen.