New Requirements To Enter Thailand

[sorensen]

What you do with 10.000 ?

I spend 10.000 on Sukhumvit in one day !

Truth to be told, you probably spend it in one NIGHT

[Heng]

What are those idiots thinking. Pickpockets now KNOWING FOR SURE that everyone coming out have at least 10,000 baht in cash somewhere on their body. This is 2010 for fuc_ks sake. Keystone cops comes to mind. Again.

Another nail in the coffin.

I keep reading about all those nails in the coffin ... when are they going to bury the dam_n thing?

When folks finally give up. Not anytime soon, IMO, even if you forced them to wear pink spandex jumpsuits for their visa runs. Yar! Another nail in the coffin, hey, do you have this with a 48 waist?

[ovaltina]

Queue and surprise at Suvanapum!

The tourists could have the 210 € in their pocket but what an humiliation to be obliged to show them at the immigration counter!

Next time I come I think I'll bring $300 in coins for them to count.

lols I was wondering if precious metals count because I've got titanium bone-prosthetics that're worth quite a few Bht, & I never leave the house without them! They show up on those xray machines too that the police like to wave around.

Seriously though, all countries worldwide try to regulate the foreign 'drifter' contingent. If you don't have any money or job you are stealing to eat or employed illegally.

Makes sense to check that you're not broke, I just don't understand how Thai authorities can be this 'techno-hub' & not afford portable encrypted card readers. Even the next-gen mobile phones have portable encrypted debit/credit card readers so you can take payments off your friends etc. & so I don't see why the police can't carry a card-reader & scan your account.

[Phil Conners]

Would you let a Thai cop "scan" your credit card? I know I wouldn't.

[astral]

In reality a credit card means nothing, it could be maxed out already

or with an ATM card the account may be empty.

Why not ask for a Letter of Credit, like in the old days...........

[johnnyj]

I don't understand why everyone is so upset about this law?

its the same in most other countries, especially New Zealand and Australia,

of course it is selectively enforced, but also, if you are in a position where you cant produce the funds, its often indicative that you are up to no good,

I'm sure, for example if you flew into thailand and didnt have the foreign cash on you they would escort you to an ATM to make the withdrawal.

New Zealand requires NZD $1000 per month for you to enter the country, or NZD $400 if you can prove pre-paid accomodation or that you are staying with a friend.

Other countries have even more "interprative laws" allowing them to use it as a reason to not let you in, such as "Sufficient Means to financially support for duration" etc.

that means they could effectively turn around and say that you aren't allowed in because you dont have enough, regardless of how much you have, but thats mostly FUD with a lot of horror stories missing details.

I think though, as many people have mentioned, this is generally not going to be an issue for your average tourist or Ex-pat entering the country, its only going to be a problem when they are looking for a reason not to let you in.

[quiksilva]

Its not the average tourist who this will affect, it will however affect those who come to visit relatives here.

or NZD $400 if you can prove pre-paid accomodation or that you are staying with a friend.

This is the key differentiator. Western countries make reasonable allowances.

[gotlost]

What you do with 10.000 ?

I spend 10.000 on Sukhumvit in one day !

Most be a lite day and nite.

[tripplejjj]

its the same in most other countries, especially New Zealand and Australia, of course it is selectively enforced, but also, if you are in a position where you cant produce the funds, its often indicative that you are up to no good,

In the United States of America, the immigration officers do not inquire or require you to have any specific amount of money on you. I reside in Thailand and often carry less than $75 when traveling to and from Thailand. To go with your logic, I am, therefor, "up to no good." (To tell the truth, this requirement is insulting to me. The last thing I need is a government telling me how to manage my money.)

FYI: For me, I get better exchange rates when using my credit card to make purchases in Thailand. My exchange rates on an ATM withdraw are also better then doing a wire transfer (up to a certain amount). If I do have more sense to bring large amount of cash to Thailand, then I would use the exchange rates at a local bank instead of the ones at the airport.

Added:

I am traveling back to Thailand withing 7 days. I will post my experience regarding this matter.

Edited April 9, 2010 by tripplejjj

[idrankwhat]

The visa exemption stamps used to be required $500 in cash which at the time was about 20,000B. I don't recall anyone ever asking me at the airport if or how much money I had.

[IMA_FARANG]

It's not a new requirement. it is just seldom enforced.

Note that it says, "At the discretion of the immigration official" (or some such words). It is intended to "weed out" those who look shabby, unkempt, or with long hair, such as "backpackers".

For all you Brits who seem to have such an affection for places like Singapore (because you can ask a local where the nearest "chemist" is instead of having to ask for a pharmacy or drugstore), a similar rule was in effect in 1978 at Singapore immigration. It was used to eliminate those who hair was too long for the Singaporean government at the time. They gave you a choice of coming up with XXX Singapore dollars or getting a haircut before entering Singapore. I saw it happen with a long hair (sholuder length) guy with a backpack who entered Singapore from Malaysia at that time. He didn't have the money, so he opted for the haircut.

A similar thing will now be put into effect for entering Thailand, particularly for Indians, Fillapinos, and Nigerians who want to enter Thailand.

I'm not being racist here, I'm just stating the facts as the Thai immigration will see it.

Edited April 9, 2010 by IMA_FARANG

[needforspeed]

What you do with 10.000 ?

I spend 10.000 on Sukhumvit in one day !

Most be a lite day and nite.

And include paracetamol the next morning , you must had a bloody good day.

[astral]

It is one of those rules that are kept in a draw, and removed once in a while to be dusted.

Particularly useful for hassling people doing a border run.

I believe there is also a rule about not allowing people with "long hair", i.e. hippies

into the country.

All rather dated.

[animatic]

Funny. I had completely forgotten about this thread.

Last week I took the bike, rode to Sadao and did a border run,

not a hint of any question if I had to have money....

No looks at my bike or bags, just drive into Malaysia, have lunch and turnaround.

Fill out form, hand it in stamp stamp scribble start driving home.

I guess I look like a quality tourist.

Edited April 10, 2010 by animatic

[idrankwhat]

Tourist visas are for tourists not for residency. The majority of people doing border runs are taking up residency in Thailand and don't have 10,000B

[cdnmatt]

More than likely, they'll almost never ask a white guy to prove sufficient funds. I'm sure this law is meant to deter people from countries such as Philippines, Cambodia, Laos, etc... from illegally working in Thailand. I would imagine it happens quite often where someone shows up at the border with 800 baht to his name, and some shit job (with even shittier pay) lined up for him at some factory.

Edited April 10, 2010 by cdnmatt

[astral]

I do not remember it being enforced at the airports, only the land borders a few years back,

when Immigration started cracking down on regular border runners.

The racial slant may be true.

I remember flying into HongKong around 1988. With my British passport I sailed through immigration,

but felt quite embarrassed as my Thai boss was interorgated about how much money he had on him

to pay for his trip............

Off topic I know, but gives perspective.

[Terminator]

I guess I have flown in/out of Thailand 6-8 times since this post started and including yesterday never got asked to show anything. in fact I have never been asked for it in the past 20-years. And yes I do carry a $1,000 in various spots on me as you never know what can happen to you in this crazy world!

And the ones who are worried about robbers, think about this one, a friend of mine got hold up with gun pointing to his head when he was taking some cash out a ATM in Cambodia, and was forced to clean out more until the ATM ate his card, cost him $2,500, but thank goodness he still had $1,500 cash tucked away so he could get out of that place!

Edited April 10, 2010 by Terminator

[Jimi007]

I remember over five years ago when I walked across the border at Mai Sai, they told me I had to have 10,000 bht to re-enter. But that's the only time. Now I come in on a re-entry permit, so they already know I had to have money to get the O-A extension and re-entry permit. no questions asked, just a couple by customs usually.

[Tejas]

Tourist visas are for tourists not for residency. The majority of people doing border runs are taking up residency in Thailand and don't have 10,000B

That is so wrong it is almost funny

[idrankwhat]

Instead of just saying it's wrong why don't you enlighten me and tell me why.

[Tejas]

Instead of just saying it's wrong why don't you enlighten me and tell me why.

I tried earlier but the internet keeps stopping.

Why? Because:

1) most of the people doing visa runs have far more than 10000 baht

2) some are actually rich and don't want to bother with things like a marriage visa

3) some actually enjoy taking a break to Cambodia or Lao (not me)

4) attaching negative attributes to a person on a " tourist visa" is not universal........the Philippines and Cambodia, just to take two examples, don't have the same concept at Thailand does

5) even Thailand had a much different concept of "visa runners" in the past........was not negative at all

The "quality tourist" concept/plan has failed.

All they have to do is scrap the entire system and implement something sane (basically a pay to stay system) like they have in Cambodia and the Philippines..........tourism would get on track again.........they would not come across and xenophobic and borderline retarded (the latter refers to the quality tourist plan).

No more border runs.....you just walk down to any immigration office and tell them how many months you want: 3, 6, 9, 12.

Security? Most expats would happily pay for a security background check if that allows them to attain a simple, long term visa solution.

Will they do it? No. Because it is Thailand, they will do the precise opposite.........avoid a simple solution and pour petrol on the visa system fire they have created.

No matter, Vietnam, Cambodia, the Philippines and even Malaysia are starting to look better and better.

[idrankwhat]

So, basically what you are saying is they are just breaking the law and abusing the system? I see and I have no sympathy that's why the law is getting stricter because of these people.

[Tejas]

So, basically what you are saying is they are just breaking the law and abusing the system? I see and I have no sympathy that's why the law is getting stricter because of these people.

No.......actually, among other things, I was hinting that "breaking the law and abusing the system" are relative concepts that change overnight.

In the past, these people were not considered "breaking the law or abusing the system." They were, in fact, encouraged by the police to do visa runs (and the police were making money off of the entire system).

The visa changes came after a known terrorist was found hiding in Thailand. After that, the visa rules changed for "security reasons."

Well, that morphed into a "quality tourists" campaign, underpinned by xenophobia.

The changes had nothing to do with security.........never actually did.

You can believe a myth perpetuated by those who are xenophobic, or encounter reality.

The same law breakers and abusers you talk about, are considered outstanding visitors in other countries like Cambodia and the Philippines.

And they were once considered outstanding visitors in Thailand.

The current system is nuts beyond imagination.

It is too bad that so much attention has gone into social engineering.......if they are concerned about security they should drop the social engineering function and focus on security.

That is precisely what Cambodia and the Philippines do.

Whatever, have a nice day. Thailand is going to hel_l and we are talking about this...........seems inappropriate at the moment.