30-days Border Runs Now Only 15 Days

[mgjackson69]

tourism trade is down so the government needs a way to keep the money rolling in.

getting all those monthly visa runners to do it every 15 days is clearly inpractical for the visa-run people.

so, making them fly to a foreign thai embassy will mean you have to get a 1000 baht 60 day tourist visa. (thus bringing in a bit more cash from the people that are already here).

so, now everyone is best off doing the 3 month visa runs with the 60 day tourist visa and 1 month extension at bangkok immigration office.

this is a really anoying rule for people that dont work in thailand who have their own money. (but of course, if they have their own money, then a holiday every 3 months isnt such a bad thing!!)

i can see this crippling many english teachers who cant afford the flights.

i guess for them, the best way is to take the bus out of thailand and fly back!!

English teachers are supposed to be on W.P. So the ones that are here legitimately...again, no problem.

[robbo1]

I think that is not a problem. I normally entered Thailand with a tourist visa or a non immigrant visa. I always used the service of Siamese Visa. They are professional.

When i tried to get a visa to go with my boyfriend to England, they were not exactly very accomodating, after the 3rd attempt i was allowed to visit. I was shocked at the way foreigners were treated at the airport and made to wait while all uk citizans cleared customs. Not 1 foreigner moved through customs in over 40 min, my boyfriend was not happy at the way we were treated and when he complained was told to go and sit down, foreigners never have that trouble at our airports

I agree entirely - entering a Euro State or the US is a different experience. Or try Australia. Then go back to Thailand and appreciate the handling there. Some people expect Thai Immigration to roll out a red carpet. In my opinion, compared to entering a western country on a foreign passport, Thailand DOES roll out a red carpet. This is simply a move to make it more difficult for people abusing their visas, eg working, to continue to do so. Unfortunately it will affect others too, but if you have a genuine case for staying in the country long-term, you can get a visa.

as far as I am concerned if you do everything by the book when it comes to visas you are going to be ok both ways I have never had trouble getting a visa for thailand and my wife has never had a problem getting visa to austraila including tourist visa fiance visa and spouse visa and immigration were very polite and never hassled my wife once .

As I said before you do everything by the book and no hassles

[oceano]

so today 90% of bar in pattaya close? they are all owned by farang.......

Owned by Thai you probably mean.

I cannot give to here the link but if you want you can find site talk about and the 90 % are farang in pattaya(some at the name of the wife of course)

It is no big deal. Doing border runs is a waste of money and time anyway when double entry visas are available in Laos.

When they invented the 90 day in 180 rule, border-runs were only any use as a one-off.

I can't understand everyone getting worked up about it. One trip to Laos can provide six months in Thailand.

What is the panic?

Can you said to me how? i stay in vientianne 5 time, try 5 time, 5 time had 60 dys.

I think that is not a problem. I normally entered Thailand with a tourist visa or a non immigrant visa. I always used the service of Siamese Visa. They are professional.

Can you tell me how can i find them?

When i tried to get a visa to go with my boyfriend to England, they were not exactly very accomodating, after the 3rd attempt i was allowed to visit. I was shocked at the way foreigners were treated at the airport and made to wait while all uk citizans cleared customs. Not 1 foreigner moved through customs in over 40 min, my boyfriend was not happy at the way we were treated and when he complained was told to go and sit down, foreigners never have that trouble at our airports

Had you tried before like a farang? i dont think so.

So like some said who make visa run like me are:

Criminal.

Stupid.

Cheap charly(mean poor man i think).

tankyou so much.

PS: when they make more difficult or more expensive the NON-immigrant dont talk about that...you dont care no?

You are:

Not criminal

not stupid

very rich man........

So you dont care pay more and more..

tks agian

ciao

Well Ciao were in my post did i call anyone a criminal, i was giving my experience at a uk airport, and i travel with my boyfriend to lots of airports (and usually it is i that buy the tickets before you go down that line too) you que up and go through customs usually foreigners in several lines and natives in other lines, not kept waiting untill all nationals are through customs before attending to your guests the uk airport was the most rude and unwelcoming i have ever visited. and you saying i called you a criminal you need to put your reading glasses on

Thailand has by far the most rude and agressive immigration officers on the planet my dear. If you care to understand - then it was only a short time ago when the powers that be decided that they 9immigration plebs) should attend a course on how to be polite. Ofcourse it never happened.

I agree...tried many time.

[NarcissusRIP]

I think that Thailand wants to get rid of what it sees as the riff raff falangs. Those who cannot be bothered or just cannot get the right visa. If you have a legitimate visa there is no problem in staying here.

Well said Sir!

This is a particular beef with me the "border runners" working here illegally.

Agreed. It just might get rid of some nasty and undesirable farang.

so today 90% of bar in pattaya close? they are all owned by farang.......

Where do you get your idiotic ideas- ferangs rent bars in general - they don't own them

Many farangs like to run a bar, some can do so for a while until they run out of money and someone else is taking over..

But thats going a bit off-topic.

[petesamui]

30-days border runs now only 15 days

BANGKOK: -- In order to limit the amount of foreigners using "back-to-back" border runs, Thai Immigration has issued a new regulation regarding the 30 days tourist exemption.

Effective immediately, travellers without visa will get only 15 days of stay if they are arriving via a land border checkpoint from a neigboring country.

Passengers arriving via an international airport will obtain a 30 days stay, and for them there is no change.

Travellers with Malaysian passports will obtain a 30 days stay.

This police order number 778/2551 is today confirmed by Royal Thai Police, Immigration Bureau, in Bangkok.

-- thaivisa.com 2008-12-04

Attached: Royal Thai Police order (Thai language)

RTP778_2551.pdf

All of what's happened recently will mainly affect family holidays staying in more expensive accomodations. Luckily Thailand has for many years enjoyed Backpacker tourism, staying on average longer per stay in the kingdom, these people come rain or shine and are the "Bread & Butter" for the industry, we will rely upon income from this sector more and more in the coming months/years. This is why this move by the government is ridiculous and shows no regard to the already hurt tourist industry. Last one leaving switch off the light please!!

[Soutpeel]

Thailand has by far the most rude and agressive immigration officers on the planet my dear.

You obviously have never been through any of the airports in New York or LAX then...

[NarcissusRIP]

30-days border runs now only 15 days

BANGKOK: -- In order to limit the amount of foreigners using "back-to-back" border runs, Thai Immigration has issued a new regulation regarding the 30 days tourist exemption.

Effective immediately, travellers without visa will get only 15 days of stay if they are arriving via a land border checkpoint from a neigboring country.

Passengers arriving via an international airport will obtain a 30 days stay, and for them there is no change.

Travellers with Malaysian passports will obtain a 30 days stay.

This police order number 778/2551 is today confirmed by Royal Thai Police, Immigration Bureau, in Bangkok.

-- thaivisa.com 2008-12-04

Attached: Royal Thai Police order (Thai language)

RTP778_2551.pdf

I assume they will update this page soon? http://www.mfa.go.th/web/2482.php?id=2490

[JIP]

Heh. I left Thailand 8 months ago because of the visa hassles.

Anybody who wants to come and join me here in The Philippines, you can stay for 18 months without having to do a visa run. Just stop by immigration every 2 months and renew your visa.

[imaneggspurt]

India - 5 year visa with simple rules of application. Argentina - stay as long as you like and pay a few dollars on exit. Malaysia - currently encouraging expats by friendly visa regs.

Thailand - doesn't have enough feet to shoot. And if I hear one more flip flop wearing, Chang drinking, self rightious ferang - married to a bird he cant' converse with spouting rubbish then * * * * * * * *

Surely most decent ferangs have had enough - in fact I know they have.

Great post, unfortunatly over the heads of a lot ,.

[Soutpeel]

Heh. I left Thailand 8 months ago because of the visa hassles.

Anybody who wants to come and join me here in The Philippines, you can stay for 18 months without having to do a visa run. Just stop by immigration every 2 months and renew your visa.

If you are offering free room and board and beer thrown in, might take you up on it..

[Jingthing]

Argentina - stay as long as you like and pay a few dollars on exit.

I would like to correct the impression this gives.

It is true that there are no legal implications to overstaying in Argentina, just pay a small fine upon leaving when you leave, without a proper visa there you can't really function as a resident, because they have an identity number system which you need to do basic things like opening a bank account. You can live an underground life, of course, getting Argentinians to help you, but hardly the kind of security most westerners would accept for the long term. They do have retirement options, requiring income like pension or annuity which must all be transferred into Argentina (and they also technically tax on ALL worldwide assets but most people lie to them), no bank account only qualification is offered. They are to be admired for not criminalizing overstaying.

Edited December 4, 2008 by Jingthing

[JIP]

Heh. I left Thailand 8 months ago because of the visa hassles.

Anybody who wants to come and join me here in The Philippines, you can stay for 18 months without having to do a visa run. Just stop by immigration every 2 months and renew your visa.

If you are offering free room and board and beer thrown in, might take you up on it..

Nah. Last time I let you in my house, you tracked mud all over the place. You'll have to make it on your own this time.

[oceano]

Heh. I left Thailand 8 months ago because of the visa hassles.

Anybody who wants to come and join me here in The Philippines, you can stay for 18 months without having to do a visa run. Just stop by immigration every 2 months and renew your visa.

Wow really?

Soall poor stupid criminal farang stay there!!!!!!!!!!(im joking )

i gooooooooooooooooooooo.

Ops what about my son that will born 31 may next year?

Some good rich man whit non-imm will take care him?

Pls i send the number of the bank account

[mickba]

My it's been busy on here today.

I haven't time to read all 12 (so far) pages, so is the gist of it as follows:-

The duckers and divers will now have to do 2 border runs/month = another 2500 THB/month, but the upside is that the 90 day ruke has gone so if they can afford the bus fares they can stay forever?

If so, surely Immo has slipped up and the 90 day (or worse) will be re-introduced PDQ. Easy way would just be to limit the number of 15 day extensions you can get I suppose.

Sorry if I'm duplicating another post somewhere.

I'm on one year Retirement Extension following 2 one year Non Imm Multi Entry Visas so I'm a goody two shoes (whatever that means).

[NanLaew]

Heh. I left Thailand 8 months ago because of the visa hassles.

Anybody who wants to come and join me here in The Philippines, you can stay for 18 months without having to do a visa run. Just stop by immigration every 2 months and renew your visa.

If you are offering free room and board and beer thrown in, might take you up on it..

And kevlar. Don't forget the kevlar.

[Navalator]

From the rough translation that was posted it appears that the 90 days in 6 months has been taken out.

If it is still there it would be take 6 entries to reach the max.

Extraordinarily stupid move! This will only hurt tourism and the economy more. Thailand's reputation as a tourist/expat friendly country is going down the drain. Hope that is civil enough for Thaivisa.

And, for the record, I do not have a visa problem, so this does not impact me personally.

I am afraid that our man from Bush country misses the point. Look about at the derelict farangs who misuse Thai hospitality and spend their time half drunk in the whore houses. These people are the target of the new regs and contrary to JR's theory, this new regulation will not hurt tourism and the economy at all. Thailand's reputation as a tourist/expat friendly country will not go down the drain as pathetically represented. The target population contributes little or nothing to the Thai standard of living. I think that the new regs are just fine and I hope that they accomplish their intent. And I also do hope that this was civil enought for Thaivisa.

[cclub75]

they have less tourist here,,and now they want people crossing by AIR,,,so the international arrivals would be increased,,and the goverment can say wowow we not lossing tourists, we have more international arrivals.

good for the statistics and the A.O.T. pcl

No, we have detailed statistics with all international arrivals (air, land, sea).

http://www.tourism.go.th/index.php?option=...0&Itemid=25

[JIP]

Heh. I left Thailand 8 months ago because of the visa hassles.

Anybody who wants to come and join me here in The Philippines, you can stay for 18 months without having to do a visa run. Just stop by immigration every 2 months and renew your visa.

If you are offering free room and board and beer thrown in, might take you up on it..

And kevlar. Don't forget the kevlar.

Yes. That is true. The Philippines is very dangerous these days, filled with angry mobs and people with guns and bombs... unlike Thailand. Definitely need Kevlar in The Philippines.

[rafval]

Just to clarify - the first sentence reads

โดยที่เป็นการสมครปรับปรุงการอนุญาตให้คนต่างด้าวซึ่งได้รับการตรวจลงตราเพื่อการท่องเที่ยว

which translates roughly to

There is a need to change the way foreigners can enter the country to work under the premise of a stamp on arrival intended for tourism purposes.

This amendment is to limit workers from neighboring countries getting 90 days, not to make life hard for visa runners.

same reason they changed it last time, but farang have this strange idea that the world including Thai politics resolves around them so we wont let the truth get in the way and spoil their illusions

[oceano]

From the rough translation that was posted it appears that the 90 days in 6 months has been taken out.

If it is still there it would be take 6 entries to reach the max.

Extraordinarily stupid move! This will only hurt tourism and the economy more. Thailand's reputation as a tourist/expat friendly country is going down the drain. Hope that is civil enough for Thaivisa.

And, for the record, I do not have a visa problem, so this does not impact me personally.

I am afraid that our man from Bush country misses the point. Look about at the derelict farangs who misuse Thai hospitality and spend their time half drunk in the whore houses. These people are the target of the new regs and contrary to JR's theory, this new regulation will not hurt tourism and the economy at all. Thailand's reputation as a tourist/expat friendly country will not go down the drain as pathetically represented. The target population contributes little or nothing to the Thai standard of living. I think that the new regs are just fine and I hope that they accomplish their intent. And I also do hope that this was civil enought for Thaivisa.

OK we are:

criminal

poor men

stupid

derelict

half drunk

and we have whore house(what does it means?)

notings else?

TANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Jingthing]

The typical smug, snobby, holier than thou comments about people using different methods to stay longer in Thailand. Its kind of an ugly side of human nature on display here. Imagine a person on an O visa actually thinking they are a better human being than a person doing visa runs. Don't imagine, read it here.

Always remember, your visa type could be NEXT ...

Foreigners with permanent residency status have a REASON to be smug. Others, look in the mirror.

Edited December 4, 2008 by Jingthing

[misterman21]

Thailand has by far the most rude and agressive immigration officers on the planet my dear.

You obviously have never been through any of the airports in New York or LAX then...

Point taken! Would never want to enter a country where the vast majority of the population want to axe you. "Excuse me sir can I axe you where you have traveled from' - - - - -

[oceano]

From the rough translation that was posted it appears that the 90 days in 6 months has been taken out.

If it is still there it would be take 6 entries to reach the max.

Extraordinarily stupid move! This will only hurt tourism and the economy more. Thailand's reputation as a tourist/expat friendly country is going down the drain. Hope that is civil enough for Thaivisa.

And, for the record, I do not have a visa problem, so this does not impact me personally.

I am afraid that our man from Bush country misses the point. Look about at the derelict farangs who misuse Thai hospitality and spend their time half drunk in the whore houses. These people are the target of the new regs and contrary to JR's theory, this new regulation will not hurt tourism and the economy at all. Thailand's reputation as a tourist/expat friendly country will not go down the drain as pathetically represented. The target population contributes little or nothing to the Thai standard of living. I think that the new regs are just fine and I hope that they accomplish their intent. And I also do hope that this was civil enought for Thaivisa.

OK we are:

criminal

poor men

stupid

derelict

half drunk

and we have whore house(what does it means?)

notings else?

TANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ok i replay to myself

Im not criminal(can see the paper from my police office for criminal report)

im not poor( i have my own company in my country,one more in egypt and some share),ok im not a milionaire like you.

yes at this time im stupid about read your post SIR.

Im not derelict im 45 yrs old and my body is....vigorous, and i wait a child.

Sorry for you i cannot drink and i had never drink one beer.

My house is rented for 55.000 bath a month.

sorry for you, so sorry

ciao

[misterman21]

The typical smug, snobby, holier than thou comments about people using different methods to stay longer in Thailand. Its kind of an ugly side of human nature on display here. Imagine a person on an O visa actually thinking they are a better human being than a person doing visa runs. Don't imagine, read it here.

Always remember, your visa type could be NEXT ...

Foreigners with permanent residency status have a REASON to be smug. Others, look in the mirror.

Well said! Like the Priest said in Nazi Germany - " When they came for the gypsies I said nothing; when they came for the buisness owners I said nothing; when they came for the homosexuals I said nothing - when they came for me it was too late'

[oceano]

So sorry i forget:

Near my house outside pattaya we have many small bar that sell chip beer.

If you come at this time many non-imm over 50 yrs now they start to drink and have some fun whit the lady standig outside,,,,

people like me...well we stay home write about.....

stammi bene

ciao

[Penkoprod]

Impecable timing again !!!!

Just when the world has finished watching the whole country being held to ransom by a rag-tag army of disenchanted people, camping out in airports and government buildings......... AND GETTING THEIR WAY, we now have this

And this is to all those that are puffing their cheeks out in self righteous praise of the new ruling....can ANY of you list what there is to "leech" out of Thailand?

Where is the massive welfare fund? Free medical treatment? Hardship fund of any sort, thats available to Thais, even, let alone us "rif raf falangs"?........anyone?

Penkoprod

[Jingthing]

Impecable timing again !!!!

So true. To me it smells of xenophobia. Pretty predictable for a country politically spinning out of control. No foreigner should get too comfortable here.

[ozzieovaseas]

Heh. I left Thailand 8 months ago because of the visa hassles.

Anybody who wants to come and join me here in The Philippines, you can stay for 18 months without having to do a visa run. Just stop by immigration every 2 months and renew your visa.

If you are offering free room and board and beer thrown in, might take you up on it..

And kevlar. Don't forget the kevlar.

Yes. That is true. The Philippines is very dangerous these days, filled with angry mobs and people with guns and bombs... unlike Thailand. Definitely need Kevlar in The Philippines.

which is why i suggest Vietnam...6 month visa with small fee,nice people,no hassles so NanLaew and Jip..maybe you should join me..when my two month tourist visa is up i dont think i will even bother with the extension,its GOOD MORNING VIETNAM!!

[spidercat]

I've sussed it out!!

While the airports were holding the PAD conference the immigration officers had nothing to do, so for the 8 days off they decided to have a meeting of their own and this is what they came up with :D

[Kaojai]

Extraordinary. They obviously do not want foriegners here for any length of time, only long enough to drop their cash and piss off back home. It begs the question as to whether they really deserve to have us come visit their extraordinary country at all.

Can't see the logic in what you're saying. People who wish to stay in Thailand for long periods of time and who fit the categories for whom they've designated long-term visas and who obtain those visas, are in no way effected.

If you've needed to make border runs, then either you couldn't be bothered getting the appropriate visa or you don't qualify for one. In either event you had to realize you were trying to remain here by exploiting the loopholes and the lax enforcement of existing regulations.

I'm not aware of any campaign in which Thailand sought out falang who would remain in the country for long periods without obtaining a visa. They apparently feel that certain categories of people contribute meaningfully to the Thai economy while others, in general, do not. There are obviously going to be exceptions, but the system is designed to deal in broad generalities, not individual exceptions, and it's designed to serve Thailand's interests, not those of everyone who might like to stay here.