crackdown confusion

[rideride]

Ahhh, probably getting a bit paranoid here with all that crackdown talk, but maybe somebody can reassure me a bit.
So now I am on my last triple tourist visa which will expire next month.

Got me one extension and two visa runs to Combodia to extend my stays.
The Cambodian borders weren`t identical though (went with different company each time).

So now I am planning to leave Thailand next month via plane to probably Hongkong.
Will stay there for maybe 3 days and then want to go back to LOS and get me another 30 days. Then fly back home.

That should be safe, right? Even if I would decide to make a landborder run.
After reading some stuff here I am getting a bit nervous tbh

Maybe I should bring my ticket back to falangland, just in case

Thx!

Edited May 8, 2014 by rideride

[Maestro]

It depends on your nationality, which you did not mention.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[ubonjoe]

Your post has me a little confused. "Got me one extension and two visa runs to Combodia to extend my stays." What did you extend. A tourist visa or did you get a 7 day extension for a 30 day visa exempt entry. You did not extend your stays when you went to Cambodia you got a new visa exempt entry (15 or 30 days?).

It appears you can get another entry at a border crossing without a problem.

How long do you plan on staying here?

Getting a tourist visa from an embassy or consulate would be better than doing more border runs.

[churchlh]

I say it should be a level playing field. Russians and Chinese get free Visas....correct me if I am wrong.

[tubby johnson]

I thought this Visa Run crackdown only takes place at the Ranong checkpoint. So, for now, it affects mainly the foreigners in Phuket and environs. Or am I mistaken?

If people now end up trapped without money, that's horrible. I hope they won't have to resort to the loan sharks who still proliferate the kingdom with their extortionate policies. Another reminder for us foreigners to stay out of trouble and live and work in this country legally.

I knew a Dutch loan shark who lived in Phuket and earned a tidy fortune off his loans to fellow farangs, but he moved to Bangkok about 10 years ago.

[Mario2008]

2 post removed for bickering. Keep it civil and stick to the question.

[ubonjoe]

I say it should be a level playing field. Russians and Chinese get free Visas....correct me if I am wrong.

You are wrong.

Chinese can get a VOA that costs 1000 baht an only allows a 15 day entry. For longer stays they have to apply for a tourist visa that costs 1000 baht per entry.

Russians get a 30 day visa exempt entry based upon a bilateral agreement. To stay longer the need to pay for a tourist visa.

[khwaibah]

I thought this Visa Run crackdown only takes place at the Ranong checkpoint. So, for now, it affects mainly the foreigners in Phuket and environs. Or am I mistaken?

If people now end up trapped without money, that's horrible. I hope they won't have to resort to the loan sharks who still proliferate the kingdom with their extortionate policies. Another reminder for us foreigners to stay out of trouble and live and work in this country legally.

I knew a Dutch loan shark who lived in Phuket and earned a tidy fortune off his loans to fellow farangs, but he moved to Bangkok about 10 years ago.

"I thought this Visa Run crackdown only takes place at the Ranong checkpoint. So, for now, it affects mainly the foreigners in Phuket and environs. Or am I mistaken?"

Mistaken. This has been going on for a very long time at MaeSot, MaeSai and Kong Khai Border Crossings.

[ubonjoe]

I thought this Visa Run crackdown only takes place at the Ranong checkpoint. So, for now, it affects mainly the foreigners in Phuket and environs. Or am I mistaken?

<snip>

It has now been reported that Sadao is enforcing the same rule and is counting the Ranong entries in the 3 entry limit.

There are other border crossings that have been limiting the number of entries for some time.

[Tomtomtom69]

I say it should be a level playing field. Russians and Chinese get free Visas....correct me if I am wrong.

You're wrong. Only Russians do, but they get the same 30 days as about 40 other nationalities including most westerners get. Additionally, they get 30 days when crossing overland, same as the G7 countries.

[smotherb]

I say it should be a level playing field. Russians and Chinese get free Visas....correct me if I am wrong.

It really doesn't matter if the Russians and Chinese get free visas or not. There is not a level playing field in international relations; never will be.

[rideride]

Your post has me a little confused. "Got me one extension and two visa runs to Combodia to extend my stays." What did you extend. A tourist visa or did you get a 7 day extension for a 30 day visa exempt entry. You did not extend your stays when you went to Cambodia you got a new visa exempt entry (15 or 30 days?).

It appears you can get another entry at a border crossing without a problem.

How long do you plan on staying here?

Getting a tourist visa from an embassy or consulate would be better than doing more border runs.

Sorry.

I am german and got a triple entry visa from there last November.

By "extending" I meant that I activated the next entries by doing my visa runs to the cambodia.

On top of that i got one visa extension in Bangkok.

I guess at least one more borderrun should be fine.

[ubonjoe]

Your post has me a little confused. "Got me one extension and two visa runs to Combodia to extend my stays." What did you extend. A tourist visa or did you get a 7 day extension for a 30 day visa exempt entry. You did not extend your stays when you went to Cambodia you got a new visa exempt entry (15 or 30 days?).

It appears you can get another entry at a border crossing without a problem.

How long do you plan on staying here?

Getting a tourist visa from an embassy or consulate would be better than doing more border runs.

Sorry.

I am german and got a triple entry visa from there last November.

By "extending" I meant that I activated the next entries by doing my visa runs to the cambodia.

On top of that i got one visa extension in Bangkok.

I guess at least one more borderrun should be fine.

It does not seem you have done any border runs for just a 30 day entry. The ones from your tourist visa don't count.

You certainly should not have a problem doing a border run for a 30 day entry (G7 country rule).

[rideride]

Your post has me a little confused. "Got me one extension and two visa runs to Combodia to extend my stays." What did you extend. A tourist visa or did you get a 7 day extension for a 30 day visa exempt entry. You did not extend your stays when you went to Cambodia you got a new visa exempt entry (15 or 30 days?).

It appears you can get another entry at a border crossing without a problem.

How long do you plan on staying here?

Getting a tourist visa from an embassy or consulate would be better than doing more border runs.

Sorry.

I am german and got a triple entry visa from there last November.

By "extending" I meant that I activated the next entries by doing my visa runs to the cambodia.

On top of that i got one visa extension in Bangkok.

I guess at least one more borderrun should be fine.

It does not seem you have done any border runs for just a 30 day entry. The ones from your tourist visa don't count.

You certainly should not have a problem doing a border run for a 30 day entry (G7 country rule).

Ow, I see. No I didn't - just activated the tourist visas.

Thanks, that clarifies matters.

On the other hand I might have 1 or 2 border entries in my passport previous to the tourist visa, as i was travelling quite a bit after I quit my job here last year.

Those shouldn't count either right?

[ubonjoe]

The ones before your tourist visa do not count. It is only back to back visa exempt entries that count.

[rideride]

Interesting.

So basically one could spend a few days, let's say in Cambodia, and then come back and the rules would not apply?

Or would you need to re-enter from another country, say Laos?

Thanks, very informative.

[ubonjoe]

Staying out of the country for just a couple of days probably would not help.

If you entered Cambodia then entered Laos and then entered the country from there it would not be counted. But it would be less costly to just go someplace to get a tourist visa.

[rideride]

Fair enough

Not actually considering it, just curious wether "back to back" is just the classical visa run.

[hhgz]

Here's a great way to avoid all confusion, threats, and punishment: follow the rules.

[Maestro]

Fair enough

Not actually considering it, just curious wether "back to back" is just the classical visa run.

Different people mean different things when they say "visa run". What do you mean?