14 Day "stays" - Can You Stay In Thailand Indefinitely On These?

[pete66]

I've just used the third leg of my triple-entry tourist visa, and wondering how to stay longer in Thailand. I've already done a 3-year ED VISA and don't plan on getting re-married any time soon so ....

I noticed at the border with Myanmar there was a list of countries where people could enter for 14 days without a visa, and since UK is on the list, I thought it might be a possibility.

Is there any limit to the number of these 14 day re-entries you can do? I mean, I know its a PITA leaving the country every 14 days to get a new stamp, but I live quite close to the Myanman border and its only 500B in Myanmar to get a stamp so the cost wouldn't be prohibitive. Certainly cheaping than getting a new Thai wife

Anyway, the single question really is whether there is a limit to the number of these 14-day re-entries, presuming of course your passport is big enough to hold all the stamps.

thanks in advance,

pete

[Lite Beer]

There is no official limit but after a while they are going to start asking you questions.

[Jingthing]

The is no official national written rule restricting unlimited use of those land border stamps (or 30 day air entry stamps) for eligible nationals. However, that doesn't mean that pushback at certain crossings can't or won't ever happen as after some time they would likely be suspicious of illegal working.

[pete66]

Thanks.

Anybody got any experience of this? i.e. being turned away after a certain time.

I own a condo in Chiang Mai. Be kind of a bummer if they wouldn't let me in the country to even sell the thing if the visa situation got really rough ;-)

[Jingthing]

I don't think it's practical to plan to stay in Thailand for years on border runs. I do recall some reports here about problems at borders for "regulars" but you'd have to search for them. Ignore the older stuff when there actually was a rule limiting annual time in Thailand without a proper visa.

So 3 years on an ED visa? Have you checked out whether you can do that for longer at another school?

It's my subjective advice, but if I were you, not doing ED visa anymore, not going to marry, not over age 50, I would be putting my condo on the market SOONER than later.

Another idea, rent out the condo and move to Cambodia where you CAN stay for years without serious hassle.

Edited January 14, 2013 by Jingthing

[pete66]

Yeah, I might be able to get another ED visa to learn "intermediate Thai" - currently researching ... I only really asked about the 14-day thing as a "fall-back" in case I run out of other options.

Certainly renting out the condo is a possibility and then traveling 6 months a year or more. Only snag at the moment is the condo won't be finished until March 555.

How does Cambodia rate cost-wise vs Thailand - apartment rental etc? Decent Internet?

[TommoPhysicist]

Just change your study subject.

Ed visa for Muay Thai, womens studies, Buddhism ...... plenty to choose from.

[Jingthing]

Good luck with your studies.

Anyway, there is a forum here which would cover questions about Cambodia:

http://www.thaivisa....ast-asia-forum/

Edited January 14, 2013 by Jingthing

[barefoot1988]

there are afew reports of maesai border refusing entry after 3 consecutive entries but strangely i seem to be the only one unaffected and been staying using this method consecutively for the last 5 months

btw i am holding a sg passport, so im guessing asean countries might be exempted for the new ruling

[rct99q]

On the Nong Khai - Vientiane border there is a limit but it is at the discretion of the immigration officer as what that limit is. There is not one clear cut number. Have seen people here that were denied after 3 months and currently there is a Swiss guy who has lived here for 10 plus years still doing it. So....

[ubonjoe]

There have been several reports that immigration intends to limit the number of consecutive entries to 3 at Mae Sai.

You could get a 2 entry tourist visa in Vientiane that would get you almost 6 months to stay. If you were to add up the cost of the border run and visa times 10 it would more than pay for the visa run to Vientiane plus all the time saved.

[Jingthing]

It's silly to own property and rely on border runs for your stay here.

I would live out of my suitcase if that was the case...

Wait a sec...that was the case a few years back.

I'd call it more like living on the edge. Of course many people buy condos here without fully thinking about the details of how they can actually stay here and live in it. Edited January 15, 2013 by Jingthing

[yummypizza]

I did it for 6 months 3 years ago until i bit the bullet and went to Oz for a year visa, i asked a superviser at Mae sai and he said you can do it till your passport runs out of pages ...dont quote me on that,you may get another answer from the same guy ...lol

[joorakee]

If I intended to stay in Thailand for a longer period of time, as opposed to spending in the LOS 2-3 months every year in winter, I'd probably look for some occupation (a job with a company etc.) that would keep me busy and mentally fit and/or learn Thai intensively, which would mean attending a language course at a language school or university. In both cases the visa problem solves itself.

[pete66]

Well I've been here for most of 20 years so I'm doing ok .... I was just interested in the 14-day thing as a "back-up plan" really.

I have 2 Thai kids who stay with me during school holidays hence I want to stay here at least a few years longer, but don't have custody of the kids, so the family visa is out (and yes, I did apply, both in CM and London and got turned down at both places due to not having custody)

I could learn (more) Thai, but to be honest, I can read, write and speak Thai fluently so it seems a bit of a waste of time doing Thai language courses.

Getting a job? Well, find me a company in CM that employs farangs ..... excluding teaching, 'cos I couldn't put up with noisy kids every day. I'm at IT guy, computer science degree, and been working on the Net since the Net was around.

Certainly living on the edge, but because I've got 2 kids, I've lived on the edge here for nearly 20 years, I'm sure I can eek a few more out one way or another

I'm 45 so can always wander around for 5 years and do the retirement thing when i reach 50.

Interested in other types of ED visas:

1) Women' studies - not really for me.

2) Buddhism - very interested in Buddhism, but don't you have to ordain as a monk for that? I'm Buddhist but I don't want to be ordained yet. That's a big step I don't want to take until my kids have left school.

3) Muay Thai visa - not for me, I've got 2 broken fingers from a footballing accident, and I don't think my body would stand up to the training.

Interested to hear if anyone else is hear on other types of ED Visas?

If all else fails, just rent the condo out 6 months a year, go and rent in Cambodia or similar, and come back here when my kids are on school vacation. Do that till I'm 50, and retire here.

[NancyL]

I've encountered some who have done the "14-day plan" long-term in Chiang Mai. Be honest -- those road trips every 14 days are tiring and the costs add up.

The physical, emotional, mental and financial toll adds up. Few people are healthy enough or have their lives organized enough to keep it up long-term.

These stresses can cause someone to have an accident, heart attack or stroke. Yes, you can get a "medical extension" after those events, but the hospital, doctors, consulates, embassies and immigration officials aren't very symphathetic to those who have been skiriting the rules by doing a long chain of 14-day exempt entries. They figure that person was playing a game and just lost that game.

Much, much better to sit thru tiresome Thai language lessons than get caught up in the Groundhog's Day of visa runs every two weeks.

[johnnynmonic]

Why not find a small village school on the outside of town that will help with visa in exchange for a few hours a week of English class? I know a guy who teaches for like two hours a week in a little village school. Gets him his type-o for the year, the village and school folks are happy their kids get a couple hours with a native speaker each week, kind of a win-win deal really. Even if you don't really like kids, a guy can manage a couple hours a week. Good way to make new acquaintances anyway (school staff, parents, local phu yai types, etc).

[FritsSikkink]

I have 2 Thai kids

Why not an non immigrant O, to stay with family.

[AbhiramaDas]

you can study other languages too, Spanish, Chinese, Russian. I have seen these options in Pattaya at least.

[balo]

you can study other languages too, Spanish, Chinese, Russian. I have seen these options in Pattaya at least.

Can I learn Spanish on a Thai Ed Visa ?

[Tomtomtom69]

I was told 4 consecutive entries at the Mae Sot checkpoint, even though in my case, I headed to Myawaddy for business for 2 days in a row and clearly didn't go for a visa run. Even so, if you did things this way the official way you could only travel across the bridge 4 days in a row before being forced to travel to another country for a while lest they refuse entry to you to Thailand. Now that I have permission to stay overnight there (in Myawaddy) and/or travel further into the country, I am covered in my case but for your average person (Thai or other foreigners) only day trips are allowed there so immigration knows you will have to come back again the same day.

BTW Myanmar immigration charges US$10 and that's already a lot for a lousy 1-day entry stamp (unless you go to Tachileik or Kawthoung where longer stays are possible for the same price) so paying 500 Baht is an expensive rip-off and only something a really unprepared traveller pays because they didn't get themselves any US$. Save yourself the trouble and exchange plenty of THB into $10 bills.

[RubbaJohnny]

Last point is good Takilekh will grudgingly accept mint clean US$10

[ubonjoe]

I have 2 Thai kids who stay with me during school holidays hence I want to stay here at least a few years longer, but don't have custody of the kids, so the family visa is out (and yes, I did apply, both in CM and London and got turned down at both places due to not having custody)

Have you considered getting custody. Custody does not mean they have to stay with you all the time.

Also the custody issue can go away once the children reach 20 or possibly before. Then the most important thing is proof they are your children which is automatic if you were married to their mother when they were born.

[pete66]

I have 2 Thai kids

Why not an non immigrant O, to stay with family.

I don't live with them. Last year that was ok, I got an O visa because I paid for everything, and they stayed with me in both school holidays. This year got rejected in both CM and London, even with finances, begging letter from kids etc. TIT

Edited January 16, 2013 by pete66

[pete66]

you can study other languages too, Spanish, Chinese, Russian. I have seen these options in Pattaya at least.

I don't want to live in Pattaya. There are no Spanish, Chinese, Russian courses in Chiang Mai offering visas.

[pete66]

I have 2 Thai kids who stay with me during school holidays hence I want to stay here at least a few years longer, but don't have custody of the kids, so the family visa is out (and yes, I did apply, both in CM and London and got turned down at both places due to not having custody)

Have you considered getting custody. Custody does not mean they have to stay with you all the time.

Also the custody issue can go away once the children reach 20 or possibly before. Then the most important thing is proof they are your children which is automatic if you were married to their mother when they were born.

Ummm ... yes, I have considered it. The mother said she would have me shot before I would get custody. So I ruled that option out. She's got a big mouth, but also a nasty temper. And yes, we are divorced

[pete66]

Why not find a small village school on the outside of town that will help with visa in exchange for a few hours a week of English class? I know a guy who teaches for like two hours a week in a little village school. Gets him his type-o for the year, the village and school folks are happy their kids get a couple hours with a native speaker each week, kind of a win-win deal really. Even if you don't really like kids, a guy can manage a couple hours a week. Good way to make new acquaintances anyway (school staff, parents, local phu yai types, etc).

I love this idea. Its not that I don't like kids in general, I have two myself who I love dearly, and I generallly get along with kids fine, but what I don't like about a teaching job is:

a) The long hours and general "commitment" to having a full-time job,

Noise levels / stress levels.

Like I say, love the idea, but how the heck do you got about locating a suitable "phuu yai" to do this? Any way of hooking me up. I could do the next village along

[PoorSucker]

I have 2 Thai kids

Get a 60 day extension on your 14 day border runs.

No need for custody, you get it for visiting your kids.

From Police order 777/2551

2.24 In the case of an alien visiting a Thai spouse or child:

Permission will be granted for a period of not more than 60 days at a time.

(1) Proof of relationship.

(2) In the case of a spouse, their marital relationship shall be de jure (legitimate) and de facto.

[bangkokburning]

Yes, I can tell you from experience that you will have problems. I just to be pretty footloose and while I was never disallowed entry, Ive been processed with my share of passive aggressive hassles. That is only utilizing the 14day in between visas.

If you look like Derp, not Dash Riprock

If you have a string of 14day stamps

If your pp is full of Thai/insert neighbor country here

Youre gonna have a bad time

[khunken]

Have you considered an IT job locally? You're fluent in Thai, have IT experience - a few calls to the locally based branches of international employment agencies could land you a decent job with WP & visa.

Just a suggestion.