Penang: Tourist Visa Rejected If Have 3 Tvisas Already...

[billsykes]

WAKE UP guys and be honest. Most of us are not Tourist in the way Thailand want them. We are living here, some for a long time, means we know how things working, where to get cheap food and safe money....THATS what THEY dont like...another thing is we make Thaipeople ask questions and thats the worst you can do to the government in THailand.

I am also here on a tourist Visa atm. I am married but dont have the 400k on my bankaccount anymore....AM I STUPID?? how many Thaipeople do you know with more than 100k on a Bank, specially in times like that.

What do they care that we build houses here, bought cars, opened small businesses for our wifes and support the family in Isaan? The only thing they want is money.

Best solution: come to LOS give your money to the immigrationofficer at BKK Airport, turn around and p11s off They will love you for that!!

Penang Embassy is the last place I ever go again. Staff there is rude and unfriendly. If you are lucky you see a Thai around, most of them are locals, guess they make the decisions too. who gets a visa and who dont.

400k or 800k (unmarried)on a bank, 65k income a month?? ....do you see what the government want?

btw. I heard of offices which take care of all the visastuff incl. money for 20 to 25k ONLY .....good Taxfree income for the immi-officers AND you still save 25k for leaving the country every three month.

I am on my 3rd marrage visa, no 400k in the bank. I get my wife to sponsor me. she declares that she earns more than 45k a month, pays the tax on it. we put money, 5k, in her bank, take it out, put it in, take it out, put it in and so on. no probs, just got my new visa a couple of weeks back

[khunjake]

I fear this has little to do with tourism, or big spenders....................

It is another attempt to weed out the illegal workers and long stay

people who do not meet the retirement or marriage criteria.

That's exactly what the purpose is. 3 continuous "tourist" visas says shows that one is not staying here as a tourist but rather as a longer term visitor and needs to have the appropriate visa. This is not just a Thai issue but it prevalent in many other countries.

[Mario2008]

Several off topic comments have been deleted as they disrupt the discussion.

[BlueSmurf]

Back on topic!lol

I think you will find this is a trend to stop border runs completely and only offer tourist visas in your own country. The next step will be announced in approx. 3 months. Whats behind it we can all only guess as it makes no sense.

I will make no more comment as common sense with the people in power does not seem to exist.

[Jingthing]

That's exactly what the purpose is. 3 continuous "tourist" visas says shows that one is not staying here as a tourist but rather as a longer term visitor and needs to have the appropriate visa. This is not just a Thai issue but it prevalent in many other countries.

Agreed, it is a common policy point for many countries. Some countries allow perpetual tourists (sometime with tourist visas, sometimes with simple border crossings) and some countries do not. Such policies are always subject to change. That doesn't mean people living in Thailand that way are not very concerned parties in any change.

[Mario2008]

The person who said that "this is not Government policy and only applies to Penang" is off the mark. The government knows precisely what its embassies are doing.

Your statement dosn't have any merrit in it, as it is not the policy of all Thai embassies and consulates to limit the number of tourist visas one can have.

[Exnavy]

Very true.

The guys with page after page of tourist visas are for the most part not tourists, but illegal workers IMO.

Get the proper visa for working/retiring in the country and you won't have these issues.

~WISteve

Regarding all Thai visa issues, the inconsistancies at all Thai Immigration Offices and Thai Consulates is the main cause for complaints from expats. At the end of the day, though it is usually after days/weeks sometimes months of frustration, expence and worry, visa issues for the individual get sorted one way or another.

Though tourism is Thailands main source of income, Farangs have to accept that the policy here is and always has been, 'Thailand for the Thais'. Yes, they want your money but they really do not want you, long term. If you want to stay, then you can and even though the 'goal posts' are moved regularly, most expats succeed in obtaining their visa. Thai Immigration will always make it difficult for you and if you do not accept that then you should not be here. It is not going to change.

I'm a Brit, born English from English parents and I wish the same policy was in place there. I feel that England is no longer my country, it now belongs to every other national in the world who arrives legally or illegally and I as a born Englishman, I just do not count any more. That for sure will never happen in Thailand so have Thai Immigration got it wrong?

[Jingthing]

Perhaps Penang just cannot handle the volume of visas they would have to process if they didn't impose restrictions. Do they make more money per application or a flat rate from the Thai government? $$$$$

Edited July 23, 2009 by Jingthing

[bkkjames]

You posters who criticize Thai visa policies because you say it will hurt tourism: why do you care so much? Do you love Thailand so much that you cannot bear to see the government make (what you think is) a mistake?

I worked inside a Thai government ministry in Bangkok for over a decade, and I saw first-hand how policies and high-level decisions were made. Let me say this: there was always - ALWAYS -- a rational basis for the policy decision (even though one might not like it).

So relax and accept that fact that you don't understand the basis for the policy, and the authorities don't care if you do or not.

nobody is saying there isn't alot of thought going into these decisions.

we just get the feeling that these decisions are based only on short term analysis. band-aid solutions if you will. eg, Financial Crisis, wave visa fees: if you drive your mercedez over the boarder from malaysia and stay at the orientel, only 15 days, but if you fly on Air asia and stay at XYZ guesthouse, you get 30.....

all people really want is a policy that doesn't change from quarter to quarter. Think of a company that is considering investing in a hi-tech start-up in the country. The constant FBA, visa, taxation changes are a massive barrier. Just make the rules, take a year to do it, study everything and decide, then let it be the way.

back to the tourist visa issue at hand, no doubt there are a few abusers, but should be careful to not throw the baby out with the bathwater IMO.

Edited July 23, 2009 by bkkjames

[khunjake]

"Tourism makes up 6.7% of Thailand's economy and 7% of its work force"

http://www.economywatch.com/economy-business-and-finance-news/Thailand_Economy_Thailand_GDP_and_Thai_Tourism_Plummeting_Thanks_to_Political_Vi

olence.html

More restrictions on "tourists" wouldn't even put a dent in the Thai economy

Another reason why more restrictions have been occurring is because of the higher amount of criminals making their way into the country. Many of which are coming in from China, Taiwan, Eastern Europe and Middle Eastern countries.

[Jingthing]

Probably the most annoying thing about quirky Thai immigration changes over the years is that there is usually no grace period for people who have made plans under the old rules. Ideally rule changes should be formally announced and put into effect three months or more after the announcement. Anyone (like me) who has been caught in a trap of one of these changes where it would have been impossible to comply because there was no warning understands what I am talking about. It comes across very BANANA REPUBLIC.

Edited July 23, 2009 by Jingthing

[David006]

the idea is "if you got enough money to get your sorry ass out of thailand and back to farand land then you can come back and get a new visa. get new farang cash and come back and spend it."

Anyone know if denial is based on the three visas being from Penang ? I have four already ( two from Canada) latest expiring early Aug. Should be interesting......

[likewise]

After your 3 back to back TR visas you do 4 x 15 border runs and you start again

Lets see if this flies? They've made so many rules and always there's been away around it, I'm sure there is now.

[PoorSucker]

I am on my 3rd marrage visa, no 400k in the bank. I get my wife to sponsor me. she declares that she earns more than 45k a month, pays the tax on it. we put money, 5k, in her bank, take it out, put it in, take it out, put it in and so on. no probs, just got my new visa a couple of weeks back

New rules in Police order 777/2551 since November 2008.

In case of marriage with a Thai lady, the husband who is an alien must have an average annual income of not less than 40,000 baht per month or a money deposit in a local Thai bank of not less than 400,000 baht for the past 2 months for expenses within a year.

[David006]

Mistake going to New Banana Guesthouse. The Chinese owner (Eddie Chia) is a real prick and has pissed off the Thai Consulate who works on Monday's. It wouldn't surprise me if he's now blacklisted with the Thai who works Tue-Friday. Don't be fooled by Banana's "service oriented facade". My friend left a pen camera going on his backpack and caught one of the office workers (longer haired, missing a bunch of teeth) coming into his room and rifling through this stuff. If you're in Penang now and have been told this by the Banana just try a few others, possibly down by the Indian guys on Chulia. good luck.

MMM yes I was thinking the same thing re a potential personality issue.. I always stay at the Cathay Hotel (old quaint and quite famous) in China town. ( easy access from Langkawi ferry). opposite Red Garden food court and a good pub on the other side.

Friendly helpful and reasonable..I use them or their agent for same day service for my "tourist visa".

[DurianIslandKoThurian]

I would for a couple of years and then spend a year in Thailand doing nothing....

Just beacase i'm not a American with 2 weeks holiday a year don't mean i'm not on a holiday.

I like riding my bicycle and sitting on the beach, living cheap and enjoying the best food in the world.

I am the same cycling,long term tourist,unemployed,eating fresh fruit,staying at guesthouses for a weekly cost of +THB700/US$35,no sex-tourism,sober and in warm healthy sunny weather.

Total annual expenses of THB130,000,including an annual airline 2 way/return ticket to farang land.

Cycling is a very fast,safe and convenient way to move around/sightsee all thai cities and towns,that is, with a reassuring rear mirror .

I like to go to a farang country,pick up a free,discarded bicycle from a pile of rubbish,pump up the tyres with air, and then take it to thailand/asia and cycle around on the bike.I put a back carrier on the back of the bike,to carry bags of fruit,and the occasional passenger.

Fa-ráng ják-grá-yaan!

Then just before I return to farang land,I donate the bicycle to a now happy and smiling thai/asian.

FRIENDLINESS:Dictionary pocketbook called 'Thai-English-Thai' by Benjawan Poomsan Becker/Paiboon Publishers,is the way to learn to speak thai and so to impress the thais at the market/talaat etc.

It is the best and only pocketbook dictionary, that gives english speakers,and thais, the sounds of the translated words,etc.

Thailand has the same amount of daily hostility and police corruption etc as farang-land.

But with added friendly,smiling thais...and daily overcharging and/or scams.

And some thais are extremely helpful and friendly.

It is too much to handle too,the daily hostility.

Can you recommend a safer friendlier asian country?I've had enough.

[Mario2008]

I see a lot of protests directed to the Thai goverment about this subject, but this seems to be the policy of the consulate in Penang, not of the Thai government.

[bungy007]

If you are a genuine tourist....it's not likely that you would need more than three back to back tourist visas. If you are not a genuine tourist...either get a proper visa or bugger off back home. The rules are not that complicated. Does your country allow people to just wander in and out pretending to be tourists?

getting a "proper visa"as you say, mate, is so complex and full of red-tape, a real burden for simple people, like someone who works for six months in the West and spend six months holidays in the East, and there are scores of them around, think only about how many German, Swiss and Scandinavian construction workers who work only from april to september in their countries ( due to the weather) or people involved in the ski season (thousands) like rescuer and ski trainers who do six month in the Alps and six months in Phukhet or Pattaya.

In the end , those people are GENUINE tourists, being a genuine tourist does not mean to stay in a place for a determined lenght of time.

You are wrong.

If you don't have a secure long term visa solution (and nobody does even though many think they do), you are a "tourist" in Thailand.

Phrases like "proper visa," "border runners," "perpetual tourists" are all taken from Thailand's misguided social engineering program........a program that continues to be a disaster for tourism and local, micro-economies that depend on it.

The person who said that "this is not Government policy and only applies to Penang" is off the mark. The government knows precisely what its embassies are doing.

They entire system is xenophobic........it is anti-foreigner, anti-tourism, anti-foreign investment. It is broken! I can't understand why the system is allowed to function in a way that hurts Thailand.

A certain department must have tremendous power to get away with this sort of thing at a time when Thailand needs foreign dollars and investment.

Somebody needs to take out a big broom and...............clean house.

Spot on yet again Tex. Perhaps all those who still support the square head, who initiated all of this xenophobia in Thailand while availing himself and his family of all that is good in the West, will finally accept that but giving him their support they were cutting their throats and those of their fellow 'tourists' - or as the 'Thaier than Thais' tv posters state, 'guests'.

Maybe this policy is an extended form of revenge by the Pukett Immigration after the higly negative exposure they've been 'enjoying' in the interantional arena? Perhaps this is their version of regaining a huge loss of face or som nam na to the tourists of Thailand

[sushi5734]

I don't understand why people wouldn't get a class 'O' Non immigrant visa from your home country before coming here, it means that you can stay here for 15 months, you just have to leave the country every 90 days. It costs £100 which is about 5600 Baht very quick and easy to apply for.

Going home every year and a quarter is no huge problem, maybe going back every now and then is actually a good idea as it will make you grateful for the life you have here. however I'm sure there are one or two people out there who are running from various things at home

[David006]

I would for a couple of years and then spend a year in Thailand doing nothing....

Just beacase i'm not a American with 2 weeks holiday a year don't mean i'm not on a holiday.

I like riding my bicycle and sitting on the beach, living cheap and enjoying the best food in the world.

I am the same cycling,long term tourist,unemployed,eating fresh fruit,staying at guesthouses for a weekly cost of +THB700/US$35,no sex-tourism,sober and in warm healthy sunny weather.

Total annual expenses of THB130,000,including an annual airline 2 way/return ticket to farang land.

Cycling is a very fast,safe and convenient way to move around/sightsee all thai cities and towns,that is, with a reassuring rear mirror .

I like to go to a farang country,pick up a free,discarded bicycle from a pile of rubbish,pump up the tyres with air, and then take it to thailand/asia and cycle around on the bike.I put a back carrier on the back of the bike,to carry bags of fruit,and the occasional passenger.

Fa-ráng ják-grá-yaan!

Then just before I return to farang land,I donate the bicycle to a now happy and smiling thai/asian.

FRIENDLINESS:Dictionary pocketbook called 'Thai-English-Thai' by Benjawan Poomsan Becker/Paiboon Publishers,is the way to learn to speak thai and so to impress the thais at the market/talaat etc.

It is the best and only pocketbook dictionary, that gives english speakers,and thais, the sounds of the translated words,etc.

Thailand has the same amount of daily hostility and police corruption etc as farang-land.

But with added friendly,smiling thais...and daily overcharging and/or scams.

And some thais are extremely helpful and friendly.

It is too much to handle too,the daily hostility.

Can you recommend a safer friendlier asian country?I've had enough.

Try Vancouver Canada its mostly Asian..lol ....now has alias Vankong

[Killroy]

So does this mean 3 visas total from all time periods/embassies in your passport? Or three in a row from Penang. I think they already cut you off in Penang after three in a row from them. Does anyone know?

And not everyone on consecutive tourist visas is working or being illegal. I am considering marrying a Thai man... but knowing what you know about all of the horror stories, would you fast-track a marriage in this situation? Or would you rather stick around a while and be sure before making that step? I make my money at home, and am renting an apartment in the meantime until we marry (maybe this fall). Yes there are divers and whatnot working illegally on 3,456 back to back tourist visas, but everyone has their own reason for being here longer than typical tourism. Not all of us are here stealing Thai jobs, money, being losers, or <deleted> off the system for kicks.

what if get marry with a thai citizen as farang ?

how long visa do you get and how?

You can get a "O" visa for 1 year,but you have to leave every 90 days.

If you apply in your home country you don't have to show any bank statement for 400,000 bath (I didn't anyway)

If you apply here in Thailand thay request a bankstatment....

[TimeBandit2]

My Thai girlfriend has a 10 year multiple entry tourist visa for the United States, good for six months at time. Only 3,500 baht for it too.

As an American in Thailand I get...3 months double entry?

Good thing nobody wants to go to the U.S...

[mark03]

Hi,

I was on July 16th n Penang making my 4th Tourist Visa run in a row in Penang. It worked smooth. I gave my passport to the Hotel reception and they handled it at the same day. No hint that there are any problems. I was charged 20 MR.

I saw later that Banana Guesthouse offers now 5 RM for handling Tourist Visa. I had heard before that Penang offers only 3 runs in a row. So I asked at Banana Guesthouse and my hotel to be sure if there were any problems and both confirmed there are no problems making many visa runs in row.

Now I'm confused.

Edited July 23, 2009 by mark03

[CRUNCHER]

I see a lot of protests directed to the Thai goverment about this subject, but this seems to be the policy of the consulate in Penang, not of the Thai government.

You are right Mario. There are too many people who see anti farang conspiracies everywhere directed from on high. It was the same with King Power.

[Jingthing]

I don't understand why people wouldn't get a class 'O' Non immigrant visa from your home country before coming here

Not every country has a HULL, mate, which apparently hand out one year visas like candy. In the US, you need a legit reason and legit reasons are very limited and many many people don't have one. Cheers.

Edited July 23, 2009 by Jingthing

[ParadiseLost]

My Thai girlfriend has a 10 year multiple entry tourist visa for the United States, good for six months at time. Only 3,500 baht for it too.

As an American in Thailand I get...3 months double entry?

Good thing nobody wants to go to the U.S...

Would you care to share with us the simple procedure of obtaining such a visa

Most people complaining here are EU/UK/US/CAN passport holders and as such have not experienced the nightmare it is trying to get into your own, or another 1st world country.

I am not such a passport holder and as such have jumped through many hoops for the wonderful privilege of working or touring in many of your countries. While working (legally) in UK for 3 years I was unable to visit EU countries without letters of invite, hotel bookings etc. etc. I was treated like garbage in several London embassies and felt humiliated every time.

I recently investigated obtaining an Australian tourist visa (for Thai wife and I) for a 3 week visit: I have given up before even starting... No internet application available - instead a 10 page visa application requiring more info than my Thai 1 year extension, an interview to prove our 3 year marriage is "real" and lastly proof of lots of... money. Fee AUD 105 each for the privilege. We live in the South, so a 5 day trip to BKK is of course required and just adds to the cost. In fact I decided screw this when the airfare and visa cost reached parity...

[stevenl]

In the US, you need a legit reason and legit reasons are very limited and many many people don't have one.

Doesn't that mean that all those people that come on tourist visas and intend to stay permanently know they are not legit? So it can come to an end any time?

[Jingthing]

In the US, you need a legit reason and legit reasons are very limited and many many people don't have one.

Doesn't that mean that all those people that come on tourist visas and intend to stay permanently know they are not legit? So it can come to an end any time?

Legit is a fluid concept. As long as you have any kind of legal stay in your passport here, you are as legit as you need to be! The moment you don't, you become a crim.

[Junglejumbo]

Might have something to do with the visa being free. Perhaps they think people are staying here because the visa is free!

I have no more pages left in my passport so I'll get a new one. Maybe that will help.

[amarka]

most of these people are not "tourists" - real tourists dont stay that long!

these are people who are working black, not paying taxes and so on.

if you have a job get a work permit - where is the problem..

amarka

Go Thailand Go, drive more tourists away! Tourism only accounts for 6% of GDP (323.5 billion baht)......hmmmmm, guess they don't need us!