Still Red Stamps In Penang?

[ZUA]

Several friends of mine have returned from Penang this month having renewed their tourist visas without any problems or red stamps. Can we assume Penang is back to "normal"?

[tropo]

Several friends of mine have returned from Penang this month having renewed their tourist visas without any problems or red stamps. Can we assume Penang is back to "normal"?

Tourist visas cannot be renewed. A new one must be applied for.

We can't assume Penang is back to normal because we don't know the visa history of your friends.

[visarunner]

Several friends of mine have returned from Penang this month having renewed their tourist visas without any problems or red stamps. Can we assume Penang is back to "normal"?

As far as I know people with less than 3Tourist Visa in their Passport has no problem, only people which had already 3 TouristVisa from any Thai Embassy/Consulte will be denied.

[tropo]

Several friends of mine have returned from Penang this month having renewed their tourist visas without any problems or red stamps. Can we assume Penang is back to "normal"?

As far as I know people with less than 3Tourist Visa in their Passport has no problem, only people which had already 3 TouristVisa from any Thai Embassy/Consulte will be denied.

Yes, and it would appear they're not interested in how old the other tourist visas are either.

[astor]

Several friends of mine have returned from Penang this month having renewed their tourist visas without any problems or red stamps. Can we assume Penang is back to "normal"?

As far as I know people with less than 3Tourist Visa in their Passport has no problem, only people which had already 3 TouristVisa from any Thai Embassy/Consulte will be denied.

And if these 3 visas does go back some years ago? For example 2 or 3 years ago? If I 3 years ago I been in Thailand under tourist visa, for 9 months, do they refuse me a new t.v ?

If I been in Thailand under t.v. for 9 months ,I became persona non grata? (just for Penang) But not for the another thai embassies and consulates ?

All of that seems to me ridicolous and absurd at the same time.

[TopDogger]

All of that seems to me ridicolous and absurd at the same time.

What else would you expect?

[visarunner]

Several friends of mine have returned from Penang this month having renewed their tourist visas without any problems or red stamps. Can we assume Penang is back to "normal"?

As far as I know people with less than 3Tourist Visa in their Passport has no problem, only people which had already 3 TouristVisa from any Thai Embassy/Consulte will be denied.

And if these 3 visas does go back some years ago? For example 2 or 3 years ago? If I 3 years ago I been in Thailand under tourist visa, for 9 months, do they refuse me a new t.v ?

If I been in Thailand under t.v. for 9 months ,I became persona non grata? (just for Penang) But not for the another thai embassies and consulates ?

All of that seems to me ridicolous and absurd at the same time.

Sorry forgot to mention ,regardless of when they has been issued.

You will get a red stamp into the Passport .

Do not apply in Penang anymore.

The only other place which use this stamp is Pnom Phenh/Cambodia.

You can still apply at other Embassies/Consulates .

Strange, but true.

[astor]

I think it's time to do some clarity about this thing. (I apologize for my english not perfect)

If I go in any travel agency in Pattaya or in Bangkok and I ask: where can I go to get a t.v ? They answer me: Penang is the best place.

A consulate earn trought the visas. If spread the voice (in the internet the voices it's spread at the light speed) that Penang consulate denises visas with great ease (without good reasons); Penang will close ,or at least it's significantly resize.

[tropo]

I think it's time to do some clarity about this thing. (I apologize for my english not perfect)

If I go in any travel agency in Pattaya or in Bangkok and I ask: where can I go to get a t.v ? They answer me: Penang is the best place.

A consulate earn trought the visas. If spread the voice (in the internet the voices it's spread at the light speed) that Penang consulate denises visas with great ease (without good reasons); Penang will close ,or at least it's significantly resize.

It's time to relate an interesting story about visa agents.

A well known visa agent in Pattaya was unaware of red warning stamps being given in Penang when I discussed the matter with them in October this year even though it had been well documented on this forum.

The same agent had absolutely no knowledge of double-entry tourist visas being given out from Vientiane over the last 3 months as well documented on this forum. He was clearly mystified by the revelation.

The moral of this story: (1) Don't pay too much attention to what visa agents tell you. (2) Stay in touch with the latest developments by regularly reading this forum.

[sniffdog]

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As far as I know people with less than 3Tourist Visa in their Passport has no problem, only people which had already 3 TouristVisa from any Thai Embassy/Consulte will be denied.

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To be precise:

- If you have 2 TRs in your passport, you get the third and the stamp 'The consulate may not accept your application next time'

- If you have 3 TRs in your pasport, you get the stamp 'Do not apply for a visa again in Penang' and you leave empty handed.

When I was in Vientiane, I considered the problem you would have if they refuse a visa. In my case I already had stayed 90 days in the last 6 months, reason enough for the border

officer to refuse any entry into Thailand.

Luckily, there was no problem and got a double entry TR again.

[lopburi3]

The reports I have seen from Penang were that people were being issued transit visas rather than tourist visas. In any case it is highly advisable not to use all visa exempt entry days before changing to visas; so you have a least one entry visa exempt in reserve.

[007]

A consulate earn trought the visas. If spread the voice (in the internet the voices it's spread at the light speed) that Penang consulate denises visas with great ease (without good reasons); Penang will close ,or at least it's significantly resize.

True, but I think (correct me if I'm wrong) that the main purpose of the Royal Thai Consulate in Penang is not to issue Tourist Visas to non-resident applicants, but rather to cater to 1) Malaysians and 2) Thais working in Malaysia (not by issuing visas, of course), but birth certificates,passports(?), etc.

Edited January 20, 2008 by 7

[007]

When I was in Vientiane, I considered the problem you would have if they refuse a visa. In my case I already had stayed 90 days in the last 6 months, reason enough for the border

officer to refuse any entry into Thailand.

Luckily, there was no problem and got a double entry TR again.

Too bad one needs a 'plan B' nowadays. But even if they had refused issuance of a visa you could still have gone overland to two or three nearby places. Not to mention options via air travel.

[tropo]

When I was in Vientiane, I considered the problem you would have if they refuse a visa. In my case I already had stayed 90 days in the last 6 months, reason enough for the border

officer to refuse any entry into Thailand.

Luckily, there was no problem and got a double entry TR again.

Too bad one needs a 'plan B' nowadays. But even if they had refused issuance of a visa you could still have gone overland to two or three nearby places. Not to mention options via air travel.

Where are the other options you speak of? I don't know of anywhere (overland) I'd be going with a red warning stamp except Vientiane.

[astor]

A consulate earn trought the visas. If spread the voice (in the internet the voices it's spread at the light speed) that Penang consulate denises visas with great ease (without good reasons); Penang will close ,or at least it's significantly resize.

True, but I think (correct me if I'm wrong) that the main purpose of the Royal Thai Consulate in Penang is not to issue Tourist Visas to non-resident applicants, but rather to cater to 1) Malaysians and 2) Thais working in Malaysia (not by issuing visas, of course), but birth certificates,passports(?), etc.

Certainly the consular activities that you mentioned are important for Penang. (anyway a thai embassy also exits in k.L. for that). But there's no doubt that the issuance of visas it's one of the primary source of income for it.

And I don't think that they wish to surrender so easily to that important source of income. Unless they are masochists.

And I don't think that the agent in Pattaya ignore what happen in Penang. At this time they should be flooded of complaints.

Vientiane is well know by them, but it's not proposed, do to his inconvenience because the flights fares are still too expensive for that destination.

[tropo]

Certainly the consular activities that you mentioned are important for Penang. (anyway a thai embassy also exits in k.L. for that). But there's no doubt that the issuance of visas it's one of the primary source of income for it.

And I don't think that they wish to surrender so easily to that important source of income. Unless they are masochists.

And I don't think that the agent in Pattaya ignore what happen in Penang. At this time they should be flooded of complaints.

Vientiane is well know by them, but it's not proposed, do to his inconvenience because the flights fares are still too expensive for that destination.

Flying to Udon Thani can be very cheap. I got return airfares for two: 2460 baht total. Add the short hop to Friendship bridge and it can still end up cheaper going to Vientiane.

...however we need to factor in the Laos visa fee whereas entry into Malaysia is free.

A double entry can certainly make it well worth while.

Edited January 20, 2008 by tropo

[astor]

Certainly the consular activities that you mentioned are important for Penang. (anyway a thai embassy also exits in k.L. for that). But there's no doubt that the issuance of visas it's one of the primary source of income for it.

And I don't think that they wish to surrender so easily to that important source of income. Unless they are masochists.

And I don't think that the agent in Pattaya ignore what happen in Penang. At this time they should be flooded of complaints.

Vientiane is well know by them, but it's not proposed, do to his inconvenience because the flights fares are still too expensive for that destination.

Flying to Udon Thani can be very cheap. I got return airfares for two: 2460 baht total. Add the short hop to Friendship bridge and it can still end up cheaper going to Vientiane.

You right ; at present time this option is certainly the best . However the travel agents don't consider such solution,and I don't know the why.

[thailandfaq]

sometimes when i am looking at the immigration situation here i feel as if the Thai Immigration bureau are making a war on us.

Really strange how Thailand's national income is dependent on tourism, but that they are constantly trying to deliberately make things more and more difficult for us.

Another thing which i feel is not good is the fact that we have all got so used to this fact of being harassed visa-wise that we dont even consider the idea of doing something to counter the situation. This proves we have no ability to pull together and help each other.

Ther was once an attempt to make an association for foreign people but i dont know what happened.

I think that we should have an association which has a fund for a lawyer to take the immigration act up and point out all the holes and injustices. In the West, foreigners have help groups and legal assistance groups who fight to change and inmprove immigration rules. Why don't we have this?

Petitions and letters to the Ministry of tourism and immigration bureaus would be a start, raising issues such as why one consulate makes its own rules and another not? (i.e.Penang). Why does Thailand force us to leave and pay 1000+ baht to Cambodia or Laos and come back into Thailand for free? Thailand gets no money from that! Why dont they just take 2000 baht for an extension inside Thailand, this way, Thailand keeps the money instead of giving it away to Cambodia or Laos.

There are a lot of other silly discrepancies too; such as why although you can apply for permanent residence after three years consecutive stay, you cannot because one year visas (almost all) make you leave the kingdom after 90 days, and thus makes it impossible to register (over 90 days in kingdom) and start counting the three years officially!

Make a law to allow residence permit, but then only make visas which dont allow the initiation of the three year count.

We need an active group to help us and fight for our rights legally and democratically. A good lawyer with a decent backup fund to take the issue up wold be fantastic for the future of Foreigners in the Kingdom of Thailand.

Edited April 28, 2010 by thailandfaq

[IMA_FARANG]

Regarding Tourist Visa in Penang:

Between 1980 and 1982 I spent most of two years in Thailand. I recieved 3 Tourist visa from Penang during that time. That was when Penang was considered "friendly" for visas. Here's a quote from a posting here on this thread.

Quote:- If you have 2 TRs in your passport, you get the third and the stamp 'The consulate may not accept your application next time'

- If you have 3 TRs in your pasport, you get the stamp 'Do not apply for a visa again in Penang' and you leave empty handed.

That is precisely what I recieved in Penang in 1982 except that statement number 2 said,"This is the final tourist visa to be issued by Penang. Do not apply for another visa in Penang."

Therefore, except for that wording change, Penang hasn't really changed their visa policy since 1982. That was my 3rd 90 day tourist visa (60 day, plus 30 day extension was possible then)

Edited April 28, 2010 by IMA_FARANG

[thaiphoon]

Every consulate reserves the right to refuse to issue a tourist visa if it believes the applicant is not a genuine tourist. Each consulate applies its own interpretation/enforcement rules of that. Penang specifically will not currently issue another tourist visa to anyone who has a previous extension of stay. But there have also been reports in the past of members having many many back to back tourist visas.