Leaving And Returning To Thailand W/o Going To Another Country

[anon467367354]

Last week I went to Cambodia for my visa run. I didn't use any service, just took the bus. I left Thailand and crossed to street and returned. I, in my ignorance failed to get a Cambodian visa and pay 1000 baht. No one seemed to notice, I certainly didn't. It wasn't until asking some others when I got back as to who does one pay 1000 baht to. Does one have to actually "go" to Cambodia, or just leave and re-enter Thailand? I was in and out in 10 minutes. Any thoughts about any possible repercussions. thanks!

[naka]

Wow ... Congratulations ! You're the errr ... Gal.

Naka.

Edited September 3, 2007 by naka

[Jimjim]

Well, if you got back into Thailand, best not to do anything about it now.

[womble]

would you not need a stamp into cambodia? You can;t really leave Thailand unless you go to another country. Are you allowed to leave into no mans land then just sign back in? My guess is that you are not allowed to do that.

Why don't they just start giving the extension at the immigration but charge 1000 baht or more for it. That way the money stays in Thailand.

[Crossy]

Well, whilst you are unlikely to get found out, you are actually in Thailand illegally and if the immigration chap notices on your way out liable for up to the maximum 20,000 Baht overstay fine.

Yes, no matter what your stamp says, if you go past the permit you are allowed (rather than what has been erroneously stamped) you are in trouble, in your case you are not permitted any stay (having not been into the other country) and are therefore technically on overstay NOW.

Up2U what you do about it, personally I'd play the dumb tourist if anyone says anything at your next exit point

You should not have been permitted back in the country without the exit stamp from Cambodia, land crossings need the exit stamp from the other country before they will let you enter, otherwise everyone would be doing what you did

[Rimmer]

Many years back I had a regional job in Singapore. If my schedule did not take me out of the country on business I would have to drive across the causeway into Malaysia then turn around and drive back into Singapore. One day I simply did a U Turn after Singapore immigration and went back into Singapore. The Immigration office who was probably more alert than the one the OP bumped into came un glued, He wanted to know where the Malaysia exit stamp is, not finding one he said that since I had come from no where I would have to return there and get an exit stamp before he would allow me to re enter Singapore.

Wasted a whole morning on that so never tried it again though.

[thatguy]

I understand what crossy is saying, but is it anywhere so written? Once you are "stamped out" are you not out? Is this a quasi legal loophole that if noticed by immigration would not be allowed as in rimmers' experience? hmmmmm

[JohnnyThai]

He probably wrote down your passport number and they are going to hit you up on your weigh out and split the money for a night on the town. why are farang always trying to find a way to skirt the law?

[mackayae]

If you have a stamp saying you departed Thailand and another stamp saying you entered Thailand you should be ok. It sounds like Cambodia messed up. But that's water over the dam.

Reminds me of a previous post where this Thai lady was entering Thailand on the Laos bridge after a one day trip. Thailand had failed to stamp her out. Upon reentering the Thai immigration was giving her a hard time because she had never left Thailand. Whereupon, she snatched back her passport and said: silly you, if I have never left Thailand, why are you giving me a hard time and walked away.

[waveydavey]

Last week I went to Cambodia for my visa run. I didn't use any service, just took the bus. I left Thailand and crossed to street and returned. I, in my ignorance failed to get a Cambodian visa and pay 1000 baht. No one seemed to notice, I certainly didn't. It wasn't until asking some others when I got back as to who does one pay 1000 baht to. Does one have to actually "go" to Cambodia, or just leave and re-enter Thailand? I was in and out in 10 minutes. Any thoughts about any possible repercussions. thanks!

Sounds like you were lucky. Last year I did the same thing at Maesai (totally innocently, it was my first visa run and I didn't know the rules) and when I tried re-entering Thailand they noticed I had no entry/exit stamps for Myanmar and sent me back to get them.

Not sure if you'll have trouble when you exit next time or not. Probably better to ask on the visas forum.

[bangkoksingapore]

you are morally responsible to go the nearest immigration or exit point and explain what you did wrong so that they can take the appropriate legal action.

[thatguy]

"why are farang always trying to find a way to skirt the law?"

what law?

"you are morally responsible to go the nearest immigration or exit point and explain what you did wrong so that they can take the appropriate legal action."

what has been done wrong?

you have clearly left Thailand and have the government stamps to prove it.

does any LAW state that you must "leave Thailand AND legally enter another sovereign nation with all due stamps and such nonsense" before reentering. LAW, not what someone assumes must be the case, what a border guard would like to see etc. In black and white, with those little sub clause numbers and all.

[seonai]

Could the OP explain again please what actually happened? Did you get a stamp out of Thailand? It sounds to me like you were in 'no man's land' and then you walked back in knowingly without being stamped

[anon467367354]

Could the OP explain again please what actually happened? Did you get a stamp out of Thailand? It sounds to me like you were in 'no man's land' and then you walked back in knowingly without being stamped

I really appreciate the advice, even if it is all over the board. Yes, I do have an exit stamp from Thailand, yes I have a re-entry stamp on my non imm b visa with another 90 days. I had a friend waiting for me so I just exited and crossed the road and went back to thailand. it never occurred to me that I was doing anything wrong. as far as i could tell, all these visa runner groups i had used were ripping me off. I honestly couldn't figure out who was getting my money. I don't think i'm in violation for overstaying, my passport says i left. my passport says i have until the 26th of november before i have to leave again. I like the idea of just paying immigration 1000 baht and screw the day trip. I appreciate all the information!

[anon467367354]

Could the OP explain again please what actually happened? Did you get a stamp out of Thailand? It sounds to me like you were in 'no man's land' and then you walked back in knowingly without being stamped

I really appreciate the advice, even if it is all over the board. Yes, I do have an exit stamp from Thailand, yes I have a re-entry stamp on my non imm b visa with another 90 days. I had a friend waiting for me so I just exited and crossed the road and went back to thailand. it never occurred to me that I was doing anything wrong. as far as i could tell, all these visa runner groups i had used were ripping me off. I honestly couldn't figure out who was getting my money. I don't think i'm in violation for overstaying, my passport says i left. my passport says i have until the 26th of november before i have to leave again. I like the idea of just paying immigration 1000 baht and screw the day trip. I appreciate all the information!

and just for the record, i wasn't trying to skirt the law

[Aussietraveller]

I think that we are talking about a technicality of Thai Immigration law here.

The OP left the country. Has a stamp to prove it.

Does Thai immigration Law state that she must enter another country before returning to Thailand?

If you go by stamps in a passport it is hard to tell.

I left Thailand 2 weeks ago. Flew to Australia.

Returned to Thailand a week later and was stamped back in.

I do not have any exit and entry stamps from Australia to prove that i went there.

I just have a thai exit and entry stamp.

Same goes for a day trip/Visa run to Singapore.

Stamp out of Thailand. Fly to Singapore.

Walk around Changi Airport.

Fly back to LOS.

Stamp back in, never having actually entered another country.

[Aussietraveller]

rtp606EN.pdf

Attached are the latest Thai Immigration guidelines.

They do not specifically state anything about leaving and entering another country.

Having said that, they do state that at Immigration, we shall all be dealt with by a competent official...

Sort of makes the whole thing meaningless....

[Gimbo]

I think that we are talking about a technicality of Thai Immigration law here.

The OP left the country. Has a stamp to prove it.

Does Thai immigration Law state that she must enter another country before returning to Thailand?

If you go by stamps in a passport it is hard to tell.

I left Thailand 2 weeks ago. Flew to Australia.

Returned to Thailand a week later and was stamped back in.

I do not have any exit and entry stamps from Australia to prove that i went there.

I just have a thai exit and entry stamp.

Same goes for a day trip/Visa run to Singapore.

Stamp out of Thailand. Fly to Singapore.

Walk around Changi Airport.

Fly back to LOS.

Stamp back in, never having actually entered another country.

Same thing if I fly back to Norway. No entry or exit stamp from Norway if you hold a Norwegian passport. So the exit stamp should be proof enough that you leave the country. What else is it there for?

[anon467367354]

I think that we are talking about a technicality of Thai Immigration law here.

The OP left the country. Has a stamp to prove it.

Does Thai immigration Law state that she must enter another country before returning to Thailand?

If you go by stamps in a passport it is hard to tell.

I left Thailand 2 weeks ago. Flew to Australia.

Returned to Thailand a week later and was stamped back in.

I do not have any exit and entry stamps from Australia to prove that i went there.

I just have a thai exit and entry stamp.

Same goes for a day trip/Visa run to Singapore.

Stamp out of Thailand. Fly to Singapore.

Walk around Changi Airport.

Fly back to LOS.

Stamp back in, never having actually entered another country.

Same thing if I fly back to Norway. No entry or exit stamp from Norway if you hold a Norwegian passport. So the exit stamp should be proof enough that you leave the country. What else is it there for?

so the question still remains, did I actually do something wrong? if i don't get stamped in to Cambodia am I really there and i'm not really smuggling myself out of a country i was "never" really in. but then again, i have to consider with whom i am dealing with. it seems in most cases around here ego takes precedence over intelligence, i'm not looking for trouble, and certainly don't want to end up in a cambodian jail where the value of a farang life is practically nothing.

[ovenman]

so the question still remains, did I actually do something wrong?

You did, but the worst that would have happened is if Thai immigrations had noticed your lack of Cambodian stamps, they would have pointed you in the direction of the other side of the border and told you to get stamped in/out of Cambodia. Anybody who thinks that Thai immigrations will notice your lack of Cambodian entry/exit stamps upon your next exit from or entry to Thailand needs to get a grip.