Penang Consulate To Limit Issuance Of Tourist Visas To Three

[jts-khorat]

Copy of personal Thai bank book showing at least 400,000 baht

It seems they might have realized their mistake in cancelling the 400k baht visa extention option for people married to a Thai so now they're bringing it back in a slightly different form. They will just have to do 90 day visa runs instead of visits to to the immigration office and take a trip to Penang every 15 months but at least it means people can stay if they have money in the bank but no 40k per month income.

All those assumptions are only true if Pattaya Today even remotely got their facts right (and they have been incredible sloppy so many times before, I would not count on it).

More infuriating -- even though this aspect might help some people just right now -- is that again some officials take the law in their own hand, twist it beyond recognition from the original rules and then expect everybody to read their minds and be prepared.

Nasty and third world, all I can say. Or maybe: TiT...

[PeaceBlondie]

But how to open a Thai bank account without a WP and Visa in the first place?

If you'll check the forums for those items "open bank account" you'll find countless examples where you can open a bank account without a work permit, and examples of only a short term or tourist visa. Can be done; you just may have to keep trying more than 4 or 6 branches.

[h5n1]

Oh go ahead and change it, I just wanted to break the news when my friend handed me the paper yesterday. I never thought it would become a superthread.

I think we need clarification on duration of "3x" - my 2 baht.

=========================================================================

Hey Taxexile - what are you implying? Ive never had problems here or anywhere in Asia, I go home annually, Have plenty of money to live off of. Why are you a demigod and the rest of us pond scum? Maybe you dont mind putting 800k in a dodgy bank in a nation that lacks a govt and is on its 52nd constitution and for interest that does not keep pace w/ inflation. Not to mention the xenophobia. thailand was never nor will I ever think it to be - home.

I made a trade with the nation. It gave me a great time and I paid for it.

... just the dehumanizing process of procuring an O visa these days says to me - desperate persons, I have no options in my life. So I will be led by the nose thru a myriad of neverending, everchanging visa hassles - why again? oh yeah, the culture ;-)

Edited October 2, 2007 by h5n1

[jts-khorat]

I, for one, would be happy to see all these tattooed steroid monkey English and Continental football hooligan types you see all over Pattaya booted out.

Would suggest that most clean their record by getting a new passport from Bangkok embassies.

You are quite a piece of work and if that would not put me in the same category by saying it loud, people with as little empathy for others as you should be booted out. Quite undesirable.

... and seemingly, you never heard about computers. A new passport will not give you a clean slate if your immigration history is right there on the screen...

[LivinLOS]

Gonna be some nice bargains on real estate in the coming year(s)..

hel_l already seen homes asking 40% of what they asked last year !!! And it cant get better if this is the trend.

I am off to Bali next month, will be having a more serious look around.. For me the dividing line is not here (I wouldnt be bothered with begging for a visa each 3 months) for me the line is when my home country will no longer issue a 1 year.. And I think that may be one step closer today.

This issue will however effect a very large % of the under 50's I know..

[JonnieB]

I, for one, would be happy to see all these tattooed steroid monkey English and Continental football hooligan types you see all over Pattaya booted out.

Would suggest that most clean their record by getting a new passport from Bangkok embassies.

You are quite a piece of work and if that would not put me in the same category by saying it loud, people with as little empathy for others as you should be booted out. Quite undesirable.

... and seemingly, you never heard about computers. A new passport will not give you a clean slate if your immigration history is right there on the screen...

I do not know if the Penang consulate keeps a database of visas issued by either name or passport number. In any case, it's likely that past visas won't count toward the new max of 3 per person for the reasons I mentioned. If they do, they we will all have to high-tail it back home a little sooner than I expect.

As to the hooligans, yeah, I just a soon see the back of them. No doubt about it.

[tropo]

Sorry boys but writings now on the wall, either you like it or you lump it.

I, for one, won't be lumping it just yet

Where's the logic in that? People will be "lumping it" whether they like it or not.

[h5n1]

I dislike the mumbling, shirtless thugs as much as anyone else but I hate to break it to you guys ... they will basically remain. Most are holiday goers and have jobs. They come out a few times a year and put on the dog. This new edict will get rid of scant few.

we need to wait to see about what 3 visas means

and someone is correct - Pattaya Today is a pretty dire paper, full of mistakes and speculation.

[ballzafire]

Again, all concerned should email the Penang consulate for clarification.

Email address can be found at this Thaivisa link (no thanks to certain 'helpful' mods..).

Edited October 2, 2007 by ballzafire

[tropo]

and someone is correct - Pattaya Today is a pretty dire paper, full of mistakes and speculation.

You may recall a thread several months ago regarding a 3 back-to-back TV limit from Penang and that red warning stamps were being handed out. My visa agent confirmed this at the time. Apparently there was a new supervisor there at the time but things returned back to normal within a month and some were reporting 5 back-to-back more recently.

You never know, Pattaya Today may have just read such an old report and needed to fill up their pages.

[TAWP]

I dislike the mumbling, shirtless thugs as much as anyone else but I hate to break it to you guys ... they will basically remain. Most are holiday goers and have jobs. They come out a few times a year and put on the dog. This new edict will get rid of scant few.

Correct. Infact, suprisingly few I have seen on visatrips/runs have been of the type, far too many when walking downtown has.

And we always have the third group...let's just say a friend of a friend is a person that shouldn't be here. Easily solved, purchased a 'get out of jail for free'-card against the local police-captain. Not saying it will always work, but seem to so far.

So we have the...'unwanted' here as tourists or overstayers. And neither if the reasent enforcement will affect them, not even the 'tourist'-ones (for reasons explained by h5n1).

[Jingthing]

The Pattaya Today article suggests going back to your home country for a multi-entry O visa. How reliable would that be if you don't have a "valid" reason such as being married to a Thai?

Also, on the Penang thing, do they mean to limit per year or per passport?

If you have reached your limit at Penang, will KL for example count your Penang visas or give you a fresh start?

My bias is that anyone should be allowed to stay here as long as he isn't a burden economically to Thailand or is convicted of a major crime. Thailand is still a third world country, it needs tourists, short term and long term ones. I have a so called proper retirement extension but this is really no more than a one year tourist visa in effect.

Edited October 2, 2007 by Jingthing

[unbiasbob]

Doesn't seem to me to be a major unexpected change. Most could see that the limit on number of tourist visas would be the next shoe to drop. Makes sense actually. I can see the Thai officials logic in "pushing" most foreigners residing in LOS back to their home countries (or out of Thailand at least) if they suspect some/many are undesirables of some sort (economically challenged or people with criminal backgrounds). I, for one, would be happy to see all these tattooed steroid monkey English and Continental football hooligan types you see all over Pattaya booted out. I suspect most are of very limited means (or engaged in petty criminal behavior) and these regs are directed at them I suspect. Hopefully, they will push many out of Thailand (if not back home). Those that meet the basic de minimus standards for a non-imm visa can get one while back home and then return. Not much of an issue really.

Would suggest that most clean their record by getting a new passport from Bangkok embassies. At least then, everyone will have a clean slate to start with...unless someone can confirm that past T-visas will not count towards the new 3 max total. I suspect this would be the case as otherwise, just about everyone would have to immediately return home at the expiration of their current visa. TThe 3 NEW T-visas from the date of the new regs would basically give everyone about a year to arrange their affairs in LOS and return home to get a new Non-imm visa is they qualify. In the alternative, it gives those who don't wish to stay or don't qualify, a year to settle their affairs, sell up, and move on.

Great suggestion by a concerned citizen, I'm sure the consulate could never figure out that you have a new passport and how many tourist visas you had on your old passort.

Edited October 2, 2007 by unbiasbob

[LivinLOS]

Doesn't seem to me to be a major unexpected change. Most could see that the limit on number of tourist visas would be the next shoe to drop. Makes sense actually. I can see the Thai officials logic in "pushing" most foreigners residing in LOS back to their home countries (or out of Thailand at least) if they suspect some/many are undesirables of some sort (economically challenged or people with criminal backgrounds). I, for one, would be happy to see all these tattooed steroid monkey English and Continental football hooligan types you see all over Pattaya booted out. I suspect most are of very limited means (or engaged in petty criminal behavior) and these regs are directed at them I suspect. Hopefully, they will push many out of Thailand (if not back home). Those that meet the basic de minimus standards for a non-imm visa can get one while back home and then return. Not much of an issue really.

Would suggest that most clean their record by getting a new passport from Bangkok embassies. At least then, everyone will have a clean slate to start with...unless someone can confirm that past T-visas will not count towards the new 3 max total. I suspect this would be the case as otherwise, just about everyone would have to immediately return home at the expiration of their current visa. TThe 3 NEW T-visas from the date of the new regs would basically give everyone about a year to arrange their affairs in LOS and return home to get a new Non-imm visa is they qualify. In the alternative, it gives those who don't wish to stay or don't qualify, a year to settle their affairs, sell up, and move on.

Great suggestion by a concerned citizen, I'm sure the consulate could never figure out that you have a new passport and how many tourist visas you had on your old passort.

So far it would seem as if they dont actively track..

I have multiple passports and at no point have they ever stated or shown any indication that they are ever aware of that..

Anyway whats the worst they can do ?? Say no ?? Which is where those same people were anyway..

[unbiasbob]

Livinlos says

"So far it would seem as if they dont actively track..

I have multiple passports and at no point have they ever stated or shown any indication that they are ever aware of that..

Anyway whats the worst they can do ?? Say no ?? Which is where those same people were anyway"

Not talking about 2 passports from separate countries like you have livinlos, you can believe that the consulate knows when someone turns in a same country passport for a new one and the history of that person's entries and exits to and from Thailand

Edited October 2, 2007 by unbiasbob

[LivinLOS]

To be honest I only ever use my UK passports..

But I have never had them ever give any indication of being aware of multiple uses.. Tho I dont get short term visa's.. Just use em for 1 years..

I am sure hey CAN check through.. What I am saying is they dont seem to without a reason.

[solo siam]

Reminds me of the Rangon visa trips we used to do, for over a year they would scan in our passports to their computer system.

At which point a windows error box would come up on their screen, they would click cancel and wave you on - This was after the big crack down when they found the Al-Queda guy here.

[unbiasbob]

To be honest I only ever use my UK passports..

But I have never had them ever give any indication of being aware of multiple uses.. Tho I dont get short term visa's.. Just use em for 1 years..

I am sure hey CAN check through.. What I am saying is they dont seem to without a reason.

When someone drops off a passport at an embassy or consulate for a visa, the passport history is checked as a part of the routine for visa issuance. This will be amplified after these visa limits go into effect

[CyberViking]

In any case, it's likely that past visas won't count toward the new max of 3 per person for the reasons I mentioned. If they do, they we will all have to high-tail it back home a little sooner than I expect.

For what it's worth, I just now phoned my visa agent in Penang and asked him if I'd be able to obtain another tourist visa from there since I already had 3 back-to-back. He said there was a new policy, but, "No problem." I asked again for clarification, explaining once again that I already had 3 tourist visas from there. He again said to come on down, no problem. It seems that if the info about the three-visa limit is true, the consulate is not counting previous visas ... again, based on what my visa agent told me just a few minutes ago.

Has anybody heard anything different from the consulate itself or their own visa agents down there?

[CyberViking]

Addendum to my last:

I am perhaps the eternal optimist, but it strikes me that the information presented in the newspaper article is simply a rehash of threads that appeared on this forum back in late June and early July, addressing both the issuing of "warning stamps" and one-year non-immigrant "O"s by the Penang consulate.

I'm not packing just yet. I think this is another instance of somebody pulling on our chains.

[Jingthing]

Addendum to my last:

I am perhaps the eternal optimist, but it strikes me that the information presented in the newspaper article is simply a rehash of threads that appeared on this forum back in late June and early July, addressing both the issuing of "warning stamps" and one-year non-immigrant "O"s by the Penang consulate.

I'm not packing just yet. I think this is another instance of somebody pulling on our chains.

Pattaya Today has been totally wrong before on visa issues. Just recently, they really got a big one wrong, about the 3 month money seasoning rule.

[unbiasbob]

Perhaps Pattaya Today read this forum and got excited and hopeful.

[bangkokgas]

Addendum to my last:

I am perhaps the eternal optimist, but it strikes me that the information presented in the newspaper article is simply a rehash of threads that appeared on this forum back in late June and early July, addressing both the issuing of "warning stamps" and one-year non-immigrant "O"s by the Penang consulate.

I'm not packing just yet. I think this is another instance of somebody pulling on our chains.

Pattaya Today has been totally wrong before on visa issues. Just recently, they really got a big one wrong, about the 3 month money seasoning rule.

Sorry that I have put my reply on this, but what a load of CRAP!!! There is no 3 time t.v. rule at Penang or at Laos. I have 3 from Penang in the last 8 months and know people on 3 from Vientiane in the last 8-9. Stop scaremongering -it really does'nt help any credibility this site may have!

[sriracha john]

Reason for edit: Off-topic reference to animals deleted - Maestro

<deleted> Bob???

It is good to see you back posting on the board... missed that Whopper with Cheese.

Edited October 2, 2007 by sriracha john

[tuky]

Reason for edit: Off-topic reference to animals deleted - Maestro

<deleted> Bob???

It is good to see you back posting on the board... missed that Whopper with Cheese.

hmm, that is interesting.

Hungry Jack's Whopper with Cheese, haven't had one in years.

Well, all I can say about the above is that it perhaps time to make things a little more permanent. Sometimes we just need a gentle shove.

[tropo]

Sorry that I have put my reply on this, but what a load of CRAP!!! There is no 3 time t.v. rule at Penang or at Laos. I have 3 from Penang in the last 8 months and know people on 3 from Vientiane in the last 8-9. Stop scaremongering -it really does'nt help any credibility this site may have!

Just to help you out here as you've obviously miscontrued the purpose of this thread.

The OP posted this thread to bring to our attention an article written in the Pattaya Today on October 1 relating to the limitation of TVs being issued from Penang.

Nobody knows yet if it is fact or fiction. The fact that you've had no problems obtaining back-to-back TV in the past is irrelevant as Thailand's visa rules and policies are continually changing.

Discussions such as these are necessary and very useful. Nobody wants to be caught with their pants down.

[H2oDunc]

Sorry that I have put my reply on this, but what a load of CRAP!!! There is no 3 time t.v. rule at Penang or at Laos. I have 3 from Penang in the last 8 months and know people on 3 from Vientiane in the last 8-9. Stop scaremongering -it really does'nt help any credibility this site may have!

Just to help you out here as you've obviously miscontrued the purpose of this thread.

The OP posted this thread to bring to our attention an article written in the Pattaya Today on October 1 relating to the limitation of TVs being issued from Penang.

Nobody knows yet if it is fact or fiction. The fact that you've had no problems obtaining back-to-back TV in the past is irrelevant as Thailand's visa rules and policies are continually changing.

Discussions such as these are necessary and very useful. Nobody wants to be caught with their pants down.

Hear hear, Who is scaremongering here????????????????? As said the fact you and lots of mates have had several is irrelevent. Many people want to know if things change, I would say that having this discusion adds to the credibility of this forum.

[unbiasbob]

Reason for edit: Off-topic reference to animals deleted - Maestro

<deleted> Bob???

It is good to see you back posting on the board... missed that Whopper with Cheese.

Hey Johnny, that's a Royale with Cheese.

[h5n1]

In the end .. they change the rules and we figure another way round them. Nothing earth shaking at a certain level.

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But I am really souring on the place, spending far too much for the privilage of spending my money here. Cambodia and Philippines visas are half the price. For the life of me I do not see why anyone would bother with the O visas the way they sit now. The perpetual changing requirments are one thing but the arbitrary and capricious nature of what/who is accepted/rejected based on who accepts the app, their mood, potential baksheesh and of course their in/ability to understand the laws they are paid to enforce.

I also love the fact that somehow married couples can get by on 400k but singles men need double the amount.

Go ahead, put your money in Thailand - I dare you :-)

Edited October 3, 2007 by h5n1

[LivinLOS]

To be honest I only ever use my UK passports..

But I have never had them ever give any indication of being aware of multiple uses.. Tho I dont get short term visa's.. Just use em for 1 years..

I am sure hey CAN check through.. What I am saying is they dont seem to without a reason.

When someone drops off a passport at an embassy or consulate for a visa, the passport history is checked as a part of the routine for visa issuance. This will be amplified after these visa limits go into effect

The passport history ??

Or the persons history ??

Because if a person has multiple passports it has to the latter..