Penang Consulate To Limit Issuance Of Tourist Visas To Three

[devaram]

Bad news for many. Sorry to hear.

No time period for the 3 visas mentioned so without that information it is hard to evaluate the actual impact.

as 6x30-day visa-free-entries are allowed in a year one could speculate that if the 3 visas are in a 12 month period, that people can still combine the 2.

Meanwhile, as others mentioned; it makes little sense to leave that option open too.... But making it "3 visas for life" or "3 visas for life of passport" also does not make any sense (as would cut off a ton of real tourists).

Looking forward to more info on this one.

Cheers!

Agreeed its pointless and sounds like a misunderstanding of the same message we were hearing 6 months ago that penang is only going to issue three visas back to back.

[devaram]

Just got back from Penang. Did have two tourist visas from Lao. They have now marked my passport THE PASSPORT HOLDER HAS ALREADY TRAVELED TO THAILAND ON TOURIST VISAS TWO TIMES. THE CONSULATE GENERAL MAY NOT ACCEPT THE APPLICATION NEXT TIME.

So I am sure there will be ways around but life does become more difficult. By the way I have started a thread with a few tips on the Penang visa run.

Suppose this answers the question about mixing up where people get their visas and whether they count or not in Penang. Sounds like they do and no doubt the visa exempt entries do as well. This is not a very diggable situation, scrap all your shovels.

This cannot be... so then noone can ever come to thailand as a tourst more than 3 times?... impossible!

Although its possible they are counting back to back regardless of where issued..

[jstumbo]

It could just be that they want you to get the TV from your own country. I wonder how many people that are here for genuine tourist purposes need go to penang 3 times to get a TV for Thailand instead of getting one in their home country before they travel. After all most people get at least 15-30 days without any visa. So even if you are coming in and out repeatedly during your trip around SE Asia, you could be using the visa exempt entries and not even need a visa from Penang.

I would be surprised if they limited Malaysians to only 3 TVs issued in Penang.

After all, if you are a true "tourist", then you should be returning to your home country (or country of residence) at some point, and you can get a new visa there. They are just trying to stop the guys who stay forever in Thailand on tourist visas, that never return to their home country and just make a quick trip to the nearest consulate to get another one so that they can come back in. I have no problem with people doing this. If they are doing things legally, and can combine tourist visas and visa exempt stamps, then it is fine. But if Thailand does not like this and wants to change the rules to prevent this, that is completly within their rights to do. Does it suck, yes. Would it be nice to have consistent rules from month to month and consulate to consulate, yes. Can you complain about it, yes. Is it smart of them, probably not. Is it fair, no such thing, they can make whatever rules they want.

[haltes]

Traveling to your home country to get TV sounds like a very expensive option. I am curious how much on average you spend on making 3 visa runs to Penang?

Studying Thai and obtaining ED visa is perhaps a cheaper option for some, making extensions locally without making visa runs, so you learn Thai and do not have to worry about your visa situation.

Frankly speaking your Ed visa seems like just a way of circumventing the law and most places I know that offer this visa insist on their students studying full time not just for a few hours a week. Do you make sure your students actually attend your classes? Tis strange to promote a language school based only on the fact that you can get a 1 year visa for it.

Edited October 29, 2007 by haltes

[fritiof]

It could just be that they want you to get the TV from your own country. I wonder how many people that are here for genuine tourist purposes need go to penang 3 times to get a TV for Thailand instead of getting one in their home country before they travel. After all most people get at least 15-30 days without any visa. So even if you are coming in and out repeatedly during your trip around SE Asia, you could be using the visa exempt entries and not even need a visa from Penang.

I would be surprised if they limited Malaysians to only 3 TVs issued in Penang.

After all, if you are a true "tourist", then you should be returning to your home country (or country of residence) at some point, and you can get a new visa there. They are just trying to stop the guys who stay forever in Thailand on tourist visas, that never return to their home country and just make a quick trip to the nearest consulate to get another one so that they can come back in. I have no problem with people doing this. If they are doing things legally, and can combine tourist visas and visa exempt stamps, then it is fine. But if Thailand does not like this and wants to change the rules to prevent this, that is completly within their rights to do. Does it suck, yes. Would it be nice to have consistent rules from month to month and consulate to consulate, yes. Can you complain about it, yes. Is it smart of them, probably not. Is it fair, no such thing, they can make whatever rules they want.

I wonder if they are ready for the financial setback by kicking out those that stay on TV´s and such visas, many are supporting thai families.

[MacWalen]

Traveling to your home country to get TV sounds like a very expensive option. I am curious how much on average you spend on making 3 visa runs to Penang?

Studying Thai and obtaining ED visa is perhaps a cheaper option for some, making extensions locally without making visa runs, so you learn Thai and do not have to worry about your visa situation.

Frankly speaking your Ed visa seems like just a way of circumventing the law and most places I know that offer this visa insist on their students studying full time not just for a few hours a week. Do you make sure your students actually attend your classes? Tis strange to promote a language school based only on the fact that you can get a 1 year visa for it.

We heard this kind of comments before so I am not surprised that there is one more of this kind, but I am always happy to reply, we promote Thai language, many foreigners living in this country are not interested in Thai at all and after many years know nothing of the language.

For those interested in changing this and learnig Thai thus improving the quality of life in this country we offer assistance in obtaining ED visas. We do not promote our school based on visa, however we must be doing something right as some people who previoulsy were not interested in Thai, now are becoming interested!!!

Is there anything wrong with it?

Is there anything wrong with wanting to learn Thai?

Is there anythikng wrong with a school helping their students with visas if they requite one?

Regaring the amount of study etc. We do everythig in accordance with the Thai law and everything is processed through the Ministry of Education. You may believe it or not, up to you. If you hear this and that is it better to ask the school in question.

Walen School, Mac

[jstumbo]

Frankly speaking your Ed visa seems like just a way of circumventing the law and most places I know that offer this visa insist on their students studying full time not just for a few hours a week. Do you make sure your students actually attend your classes? Tis strange to promote a language school based only on the fact that you can get a 1 year visa for it.

As long as they are meeting the requirements for you to get an Ed visa, then it should be fine. Kind of like people following the letter of the law to use TV and entry stamps to stay long term. Maybe over time if immigration sees more people using this route, and they do not like it, then they might change the requirements.

No problem with them promoting that you can get an Ed visa, this is called marketing. If you know that your target market is concerned about being able to stay in the country, why would you not advertise that by using your school to learn Thai it will allow them to stay? I think it is very smart marketing.

[jstumbo]

I wonder if they are ready for the financial setback by kicking out those that stay on TV´s and such visas, many are supporting thai families.

But it is my understanding that if you are supporting your Thai family that there are other visa's available to you besides tourist visas?

[fritiof]

I wonder if they are ready for the financial setback by kicking out those that stay on TV´s and such visas, many are supporting thai families.

But it is my understanding that if you are supporting your Thai family that there are other visa's available to you besides tourist visas?

none that i know of uless your married?

[tropo]

Just got back from Penang. Did have two tourist visas from Lao. They have now marked my passport THE PASSPORT HOLDER HAS ALREADY TRAVELED TO THAILAND ON TOURIST VISAS TWO TIMES. THE CONSULATE GENERAL MAY NOT ACCEPT THE APPLICATION NEXT TIME.

So I am sure there will be ways around but life does become more difficult. By the way I have started a thread with a few tips on the Penang visa run.

Suppose this answers the question about mixing up where people get their visas and whether they count or not in Penang. Sounds like they do and no doubt the visa exempt entries do as well. This is not a very diggable situation, scrap all your shovels.

This cannot be... so then noone can ever come to thailand as a tourst more than 3 times?... impossible!

Although its possible they are counting back to back regardless of where issued..

The agents in Penang THOUGHT that they are counting TV's one year back i.e. from November 06. Some of us proved that wrong this week when we were issued warning stamps after only 1 TV in the last year.

Some facts:

1. There is a new Consulate-General in Penang.

2. He's serious about stopping people from living in Thailand on TV's.

3. He's getting more stict as the months progress.

He's a young guy educated in the UK. My agent in Penang told me he reads the Thaivisa forum and wasn't too happy to read about people bragging about getting 4 or 5 TV's back to back from his consulate.

People can argue the logic of this new crackdown until the cows come home but it's no longer a theory. Living in Thailand on TV's obtained from neighbouring consulates is over.

Let's hope Laos and KL remain more liberal for the time being.

[Jingthing]

Educated in the UK? Uh oh, the jigs up. I guess he didn't read the communications last year that the 30 day counting system was not intended to stop people from living in Thailand on tourist visas. Rather the stated intention was so that everyone could get screened for criminality by going for at least tourist visas.

[tropo]

Educated in the UK? Uh oh, the jigs up. I guess he didn't read the communications last year that the 30 day counting system was not intended to stop people from living in Thailand on tourist visas. Rather the stated intention was so that everyone could get screened for criminality by going for at least tourist visas.

Maybe that was just a soft landing.

If I'd known that it was going to come to this last year in September, I would have left then.

This guy is a new kid on the block. He's not concerned with what was said last year.

[Jingthing]

See the last Harry Potter movie? This guy sounds like that lady school administrator.

Maybe its just me, but taking money for visas from people who have the money and aren't wanted on Interpol, to me, that sounds like one of the jobs of a consulate. Not soiling people's passports with dodgy red stamps just because they love to stay in your country.

Edited October 29, 2007 by Jingthing

[thaiman]

Educated in the UK? Uh oh, the jigs up. I guess he didn't read the communications last year that the 30 day counting system was not intended to stop people from living in Thailand on tourist visas. Rather the stated intention was so that everyone could get screened for criminality by going for at least tourist visas.

He's not concerned with what was said last year.

what's he concerned with? Does he have a grudge against tourists? It's too bad that he has to take to this in a personal matter. A smart man in position would continue issuing visas because it puts money in his pocket.

[tropo]

what's he concerned with? Does he have a grudge against tourists? It's too bad that he has to take to this in a personal matter. A smart man in position would continue issuing visas because it puts money in his pocket.

Hardly. He's a salaried government worker. He would probably prefer less people at his consulate...less work, same pay.

[sriracha john]

Frankly speaking your Ed visa seems like just a way of circumventing the law and most places I know that offer this visa insist on their students studying full time not just for a few hours a week. Do you make sure your students actually attend your classes? Tis strange to promote a language school based only on the fact that you can get a 1 year visa for it.

As long as they are meeting the requirements for you to get an Ed visa, then it should be fine. Kind of like people following the letter of the law to use TV and entry stamps to stay long term. Maybe over time if immigration sees more people using this route, and they do not like it, then they might change the requirements.

No problem with them promoting that you can get an Ed visa, this is called marketing. If you know that your target market is concerned about being able to stay in the country, why would you not advertise that by using your school to learn Thai it will allow them to stay? I think it is very smart marketing.

It certainly has proven to be very successful for the Thai Elite Card.

[sriracha john]

what's he concerned with? Does he have a grudge against tourists? It's too bad that he has to take to this in a personal matter. A smart man in position would continue issuing visas because it puts money in his pocket.

Hardly. He's a salaried government worker. He would probably prefer less people at his consulate...less work, same pay.

I believe that was meant in the figurative sense... that it is putting money in Thailand's pocket and not the literal sense that it is putting money into a solitary official's pocket.

[Manchester]

There are many countries that do not allow people to reside in them on a tourist visa basis. My home country for one. Why should Thailand be any different?

One of my neighbours is complaining constantly to me about how is he going to stay here now they are cracking down on tourist visa,s. What will he do with the home he has built ....... blah blah blah. No...........he is not married and he is under 50.

More fool him i say. To build a life here and commit so much money on a tourist visa basis? That has to be one of the dumbest things i,ve heard of.

Edited October 30, 2007 by Manchester

[007]

I wonder how many people that are here for genuine tourist purposes need go to penang 3 times to get a TV for Thailand instead of getting one in their home country before they travel. After all most people get at least 15-30 days without any visa. So even if you are coming in and out repeatedly during your trip around SE Asia, you could be using the visa exempt entries and not even need a visa from Penang.

I personally know several Westerners who live in both parts of the world for 4 to 6 months at a time. Every year that is. Not everyone's holidays are limited to two weeks a year. There are many Westerners who can very well afford, and have the time to go on vacation for 3, 4, or more months at a time. Should Thailand prefer East Asian tourists who buy an all-inclusive holiday package in China or Korea, and hardly spend any money during their one-week holiday in Thailand, or would it make more sense to have high-spending Western tourists here, who are below retirement age, and spend 250,000 to 300,000 baht during their 6-month holiday?

Edited October 30, 2007 by 7

[tropo]

what's he concerned with? Does he have a grudge against tourists? It's too bad that he has to take to this in a personal matter. A smart man in position would continue issuing visas because it puts money in his pocket.

Hardly. He's a salaried government worker. He would probably prefer less people at his consulate...less work, same pay.

I believe that was meant in the figurative sense... that it is putting money in Thailand's pocket and not the literal sense that it is putting money into a solitary official's pocket.

It's debatable, but do you really think that a government employee in Penang has such altruistic throughts. I don't.

Do government employees anywhere think of the greater good? Not too many.

[tropo]

There are many countries that do not allow people to reside in them on a tourist visa basis. My home country for one. Why should Thailand be any different?

One of my neighbours is complaining constantly to me about how is he going to stay here now they are cracking down on tourist visa,s. What will he do with the home he has built ....... blah blah blah. No...........he is not married and he is under 50.

More fool him i say. To build a life here and commit so much money on a tourist visa basis? That has to be one of the dumbest things i,ve heard of.

This thread was not started to debate whether Thailand should allow long term tourists or not. It's a factual summary of what is happening at one particular consulate.

Believe it or not Thailand is still a 3rd world nation. A few competing democratic neighbours allow long stay tourists. eg. Cambodia, Philippines. Even Malaysia which is more advanced than Thailand allows much easier access.

[Jingthing]

Yes, we do think third world countries such as Thailand should let us stay for years on tourist visas as long as we are not criminals. Such people are not here to steal jobs from locals. Most are here to spend money and be long term tourists. If you aren't working and are enjoying and spending money, you are a tourist, a long term tourist. I am on a retirement visa, but really because it is only one year at a time, I don't kid myself, I am really a long term tourist. This cracking down is for what purpose? Xenophobia perhaps? Not pretty in the west, and not pretty here.

As far as people working illegally as English teachers, they shouldn't be deported, they should be given a medal! They work for peaunuts in a desperately needed profession here that Thais cannot do, yet they are abused!

BTW, last year it was clearly communicated by immigration officials that the 30 day stamp counting crackdown did not mean that people couldn't still live in Thailand all year, just that they would have to leave the country to get tourist visas. Broken promises I think.

Edited October 30, 2007 by Jingthing

[tropo]

Yes, we do think third world countries such as Thailand should let us stay for years on tourist visas as long as we are not criminals. Such people are not here to steal jobs from locals. Most are here to spend money and be long term tourists. If you aren't working and are enjoying and spending money, you are a tourist, a long term tourist. I am on a retirement visa, but really because it is only one year at a time, I don't kid myself, I am really a long term tourist. This cracking down is for what purpose? Xenophobia perhaps? Not pretty in the west, and not pretty here.

As far as people working illegally as English teachers, they shouldn't be deported, they should be given a medal! They work for peaunuts in a desperately needed profession here that Thais cannot do, yet they are abused!

BTW, last year it was clearly communicated by immigration officials that the 30 day stamp counting crackdown did not mean that people couldn't still live in Thailand all year, just that they would have to leave the country to get tourist visas. Broken promises I think.

All this nonsense kind of makes sense when you consider that this country is still being led by a military junta.

Who's making the decisions in Immigration policy? It would seem that the consulates are making up their own individual policies.

Edited October 30, 2007 by tropo

[sbk]

Off-topic and inflammatory posts have been deleted.

Lets try to stay within the topic at hand instead of hijacking it please.

[sriracha john]

what's he concerned with? Does he have a grudge against tourists? It's too bad that he has to take to this in a personal matter. A smart man in position would continue issuing visas because it puts money in his pocket.

Hardly. He's a salaried government worker. He would probably prefer less people at his consulate...less work, same pay.

I believe that was meant in the figurative sense... that it is putting money in Thailand's pocket and not the literal sense that it is putting money into a solitary official's pocket.

It's debatable, but do you really think that a government employee in Penang has such altruistic throughts. I don't.

Do government employees anywhere think of the greater good? Not too many.

Well, the poster did suggest it would be a "smart" man in his position that would realize the benefit to his country... which doesn't necessarily mean he's also altruistic. I would agree with you if you are proposing that "not too many" government employees are smart.

Edited October 30, 2007 by sriracha john

[Jingthing]

Another good idea for Thailand is to offer snowbird visas for people coming from frozen places like Finland who want to stay for a long season to avoid freezing. A two month tourist visa isn't enough. They should have a special snowbird tourist visa good for six months, without the need to leave the country, just show some financial resources and charge a higher visa fee. Good for Thailand, good for the long term tourists. Instead, they make it hard. WHY???? Sometimes being LIBERAL is a good thing.

Edited October 30, 2007 by Jingthing

[sriracha john]

Yes, we do think third world countries such as Thailand should let us stay for years on tourist visas as long as we are not criminals. Such people are not here to steal jobs from locals. Most are here to spend money and be long term tourists. If you aren't working and are enjoying and spending money, you are a tourist, a long term tourist. I am on a retirement visa, but really because it is only one year at a time, I don't kid myself, I am really a long term tourist. This cracking down is for what purpose? Xenophobia perhaps? Not pretty in the west, and not pretty here.

As far as people working illegally as English teachers, they shouldn't be deported, they should be given a medal! They work for peaunuts in a desperately needed profession here that Thais cannot do, yet they are abused!

BTW, last year it was clearly communicated by immigration officials that the 30 day stamp counting crackdown did not mean that people couldn't still live in Thailand all year, just that they would have to leave the country to get tourist visas. Broken promises I think.

All this nonsense kind of makes sense when you consider that this country is still being led by a military junta.

Who's making the decisions in Immigration policy? It would seem that the consulates are making up their own individual policies.

As they have been for years and years before the current government and led to the evolution of Thaivisa in the first place.

[tropo]

As they have been for years and years before the current government and led to the evolution of Thaivisa in the first place.

Thai visa rules are certainly complicated and open for interpretation, but this thread relates specifically to tourist visas.

Has there ever been a time in the previous "years and years" when there has been such a concerted effort to stop people staying in Thailand on tourist visas (and 30-day stamps)?

In my short time in Thailand I haven't seen any evidence of changes for the better, only a rapid toughening up in most areas.

It would be helpful if you could introduce some historical evidence of rules softening up over time thereby giving some of us some hope of a possible change for the better.

[ThaidleHands]

People can argue the logic of this new crackdown until the cows come home but it's no longer a theory. Living in Thailand on TV's obtained from neighbouring consulates is over.

Let's hope Laos and KL remain more liberal for the time being.

On the contrary, let's hope that all the Royal Thai Embassies and Consulates in the ASEAN nations work together to formulate and implement a single coherent policy to eliminate abuse of the tourist visa.

[Jingthing]

Some expats will not rest until all the long term tourists are crushed like so many cockroaches. Why such a harsh "moral" position against people who just want to relax and transfer their hard currency to a third world nation?

Some expats of all classes are criminals. So bust them for their crimes rather than punish the vast majority of totally harmless people. Problem solved.

Edited October 30, 2007 by Jingthing