Visa Run

[bobo1]

I was told they had to leave from the Mapthaput area, since it's a big seaport the immigration over there is equipped to clear out and clear in passengers.

As well the immigration needs copies of the passenger's passport 24 hours in advance to prepare their departure on their computersystem (they can't take an online system on the boat yet)

[aqua4]

Well the site does not load for me, but the important question is do they enter international waters?

[Thetyim]

And will the immigration officier require to see proof of financial means in the form of cash.

[astral]

Well the site does not load for me, but the important question is do they enter international waters?

Does anyone in the forum know where Thailand sets it's maritime border?

Is it 3 miles, 12 miles or what?

I would think the lay claim to the whole of the Gulf, after all they have land on 3 sides, so any trip to International waters would have to go a fair way south.

Any info, maps etc will be appreciated to add to my general knowledge.

Thanks

[sriracha john]

The standard distance is 12 miles... regardless of how much a country may occupy around the body of water.

[ELVIS]

Danger Danger Danger

Just came back from picking up my passport at immigration.

I printed out the page from the internet site listed in this thread and asked their opinion.

After some talking around between officers they told me that people going on that trip for visa re-entry will probably get into big trouble.

They were aproached by the owners of that yacht with the request to provide them with in-out stamps for their cruise. This was refused by immigration in soi 8 with as reason they cannot stamp somebody into Thailand if that person hasn't been in another country.

Proof of having been in another country can be in/out stamps of that country or a boarding pass from an airline proving you were on an inbound international flight.

They said they have no idea of how that company was going to obtain the stamps they promise, "the immigration officer on board" as written on that website is guaranteed not from soi 8, and they are responsible for this region!

They also told me if they check somebody's passport and find such stamps then that person will positively be arrested, fined and deported.

If they can't find stamps of another country they will check on their computer system your TM-card on which is written which international flight you arrived with.

Something doesn't add up and you're off to immigration detention center!!!

Beware of those shady deals, they told me they are very strict on visastuff at the moment!

[Axel]

Thanks Elvis, I think this is a clear answer.

Stay off

[sriracha john]

Yes, thanks a lot Elvis. It's a big help.

One confusing thing.... did they mention anything about moving in on the owners of the boating operation?... something pro-active to PREVENT people from running into problems in the first place????? All it seems I'm hearing is what they will do to the farang AFTER using the boat... the Immigration folks got things backasswards....

[unbiasbob]

disagree. people falling for this stuff are equivalent of people falling for spam scam

[alex_4000]

something pro-active to PREVENT people from running into problems in the first place????? All it seems I'm hearing is what they will do to the farang AFTER using the boat... the Immigration folks got things backasswards....

ah, come on: if anybody really cares about following visa rules, its not hard to smell the scam...

but if you dont care anyway, why should immigration (or anybody else) want to hold you back...?

thailand is not disneyworld thank god - if farang is stupid (and ignorant) enough - tuff shit

[dr_Pat_Pong]

Danger Danger Danger

Just came back from picking up my passport at immigration.

I printed out the page from the internet site listed in this thread and asked their opinion.

After some talking around between officers they told me that people going on that trip for visa re-entry will probably get into big trouble.

They were aproached by the owners of that yacht with the request to provide them with in-out stamps for their cruise. This was refused by immigration in soi 8 with as reason they cannot stamp somebody into Thailand if that person hasn't been in another country.

Proof of having been in another country can be in/out stamps of that country or a boarding pass from an airline proving you were on an inbound international flight.

They said they have no idea of how that company was going to obtain the stamps they promise, "the immigration officer on board" as written on that website is guaranteed not from soi 8, and they are responsible for this region!

They also told me if they check somebody's passport and find such stamps then that person will positively be arrested, fined and deported.

If they can't find stamps of another country they will check on their computer system your TM-card on which is written which international flight you arrived with.

Something doesn't add up and you're off to immigration detention center!!!

Beware of those shady deals, they told me they are very strict on visastuff at the moment!

Many thanks for that information Elvis ( I knew we'd find you some day ) The whole thing smelt of scam from the outset.

[sriracha john]

something pro-active to PREVENT people from running into problems in the first place????? All it seems I'm hearing is what they will do to the farang AFTER using the boat... the Immigration folks got things backasswards....

ah, come on: if anybody really cares about following visa rules, its not hard to smell the scam...

but if you dont care anyway, why should immigration (or anybody else) want to hold you back...?

thailand is not disneyworld thank god - if farang is stupid (and ignorant) enough - tuff shit

** sigh **

That's the same attitude that puts the blame onto the 2 murdered British tourist in Kanchanaburi themselves.

Your self-absorption is very disappointing.

[alex_4000]

something pro-active to PREVENT people from running into problems in the first place????? All it seems I'm hearing is what they will do to the farang AFTER using the boat... the Immigration folks got things backasswards....

ah, come on: if anybody really cares about following visa rules, its not hard to smell the scam...

but if you dont care anyway, why should immigration (or anybody else) want to hold you back...?

thailand is not disneyworld thank god - if farang is stupid (and ignorant) enough - tuff shit

** sigh **

That's the same attitude that puts the blame onto the 2 murdered British tourist in Kanchanaburi themselves.

Your self-absorption is very disappointing.

sorry, but if you want to blame all the scoops in (visa)life on immigration alone just like a little kid... maybe thats what you need to grow up :-(

[sriracha john]

something pro-active to PREVENT people from running into problems in the first place????? All it seems I'm hearing is what they will do to the farang AFTER using the boat... the Immigration folks got things backasswards....

ah, come on: if anybody really cares about following visa rules, its not hard to smell the scam...

but if you dont care anyway, why should immigration (or anybody else) want to hold you back...?

thailand is not disneyworld thank god - if farang is stupid (and ignorant) enough - tuff shit

** sigh **

That's the same attitude that puts the blame onto the 2 murdered British tourist in Kanchanaburi themselves.

Your self-absorption is very disappointing.

sorry, but if you want to blame all the scoops in (visa)life on immigration alone just like a little kid... maybe thats what you need to grow up :-(

If I could understand what it is that you are trying to say, I'd be able to respond.

[bangbuathong]

legaly ok

for the country it doesn't matter where you go out as long as you go out, this can be in air on land or like here at sea, just go 12 nautical miles offshore into international waters, here the IMO regs apply (treaties signed by governing parties) and come back

it is just a border crossing, the good thing is you have the Imm. on board, so you don't have to bribe them, as is a unwrtitten rule on ships.

a seafarer is treated like this when he joins a ship in a foreign country, comes in by airplane gets the arrival visa or transit visa which will be made void when the boarded ship is leaving (how else can you officialy leave the country), that you're comming back into the same country does not matter the process starts all over again

greetings,

[Sunny Valentine]

I remember these cruises were supposed to have started last week (Friday). Does anybody know what happened?

I still would see it as a nice alternative to Poipet. I don't know if it is legal o not; the fact that a Pattaya Imm officer stated it illeal does not mean a lot. They have been proven wrong before.

Sunny

[airborne]

I also saw the advert in the Pattaya mail last week.Sounds good ..............but!

Will be interesting to hear from someone who actually does the run.

[bobo1]

Just had the complete story from the owners of the company.

Everything is indeed 100% legal, they had everything aproved by Mapthaput immigration, up to how much the fees were to put the immigration officer on board.

Now the only hick-up in the thing is, immigration wants only genuine tourists on the boat. They will stamp anybody lets say halfway through their visa (their first or second one this year as real tourists only come here once or twice a year and don't live here!).

They refused everybody who had only one or 2 days left on their visa, they stated very clearly they would not stamp visarunners with back to back 30 days entries.

The whole thing came down to the fact that visarunners are going to be getting it harder and harder!

This was a pretty big letdown for the owners, as they had gone through a lot of troubles and expenses to get all the paperwork legal for international seatravels with paying passengers. The amount I heard they payed for insurance only was already staggering!

In retrospect, Pattaya immigration probably refused to give the stamps as they recognised the venture for what it was, an easy and fast way to do a border run!

[sriracha john]

Now the only hick-up in the thing is, immigration wants only genuine tourists on the boat.

In retrospect, Pattaya immigration probably refused to give the stamps as they recognised the venture for what it was, an easy and fast way to do a border run!

Hmmmm.... so no non-imm O's and B's allowed, eh?

Is the ship leaving from Maptaphut, Rayong or Pattaya?... if Maptaphut, then I would assume that's why Pattaya Imm. was not invited to the party.

[bobo1]

The ship was supposed to leave from Phala Beach (located in Bang Sean, Rayong province and in the jurisdiction of Mapthaput immigration)

Anybody crossing into international waters has to be stamped out of the country, for passengers it means stamping their passports, for the crew it means stamping their seamen books.

Immigration was all to happy to provide the "departed" stamps, but "arrival" stamps would only be given to people who are obviously genuine tourists, or people living here on the appropriate visa's.

Buisiness wise the ship was doomed by this rule, as the majority of visarunners in Pattaya are "30 days on entry" runners and a very small percentage have real multiple entry visa's. Plus the 30 day runners are returning customers every 30 days instead 60 or 90 days!

Immigration only changed their mind the last day, that's why these people went ahead with advertising in Pattaya Mail! Reaction on the first advertising was real good, lots of people wanting to book but obviously no bookings were accepted. Made it probably worse for the guys behind it knowing there was real interest.

[sriracha john]

Immigration was all to happy to provide the "departed" stamps, but "arrival" stamps would only be given to people who are obviously genuine tourists, or people living here on the appropriate visa's.

Buisiness wise the ship was doomed by this rule, as the majority of visarunners in Pattaya are "30 days on entry" runners and a very small percentage have real multiple entry visa's. Plus the 30 day runners are returning customers every 30 days instead 60 or 90 days!

Immigration only changed their mind the last day, that's why these people went ahead with advertising in Pattaya Mail! Reaction on the first advertising was real good, lots of people wanting to book but obviously no bookings were accepted. Made it probably worse for the guys behind it knowing there was real interest.

Thank you for your research and responses, Bobo..

I can certainly understand why all the interest (myself included) was there. It offered a much more desireable, safe, convenient, and pleasant alternative. Too bad Imm. decided to change their cooperation at the last minute. One can only hope that the situation will change.

[opalhort]

The ship was supposed to leave from Phala Beach (located in Bang Sean, Rayong province and in the jurisdiction of Mapthaput immigration)

Bang Saen is located in Chon Buri province - NOT Rayong.

opalhort

[slappyharry]

isnt rayong in chonburi??

[slappyharry]

actually if ur doing a re entry had lek down near trat is nice. no beggars etc and no backpackers, in and out in minutes

[lopburi3]

isnt rayong in chonburi??

Rayong can be a city or a province term and the city is located in the province.

So the answer is no.