Final crackdown for border runners - New strict Immigration regulation in force from today

[moe666]

"From today visitors can only enter into Thailand via a land border once, after that they will be refused entry to the Kingdom"

Can this be right?

If you are a tourist staying in Thailand and you make a trip to Siam Reap pop back, and then go to Laos for a couple of days, you won't be able to come back into the kingdom??????

get a tourist visa

[lemonjelly]

I wonder how many posters here on their "about time too" soap boxes never made the back to back VOA runs during their time in Thailand............

[lemonjelly]

I wonder how many posters here on their "about time too" soap boxes never made the back to back VOA runs during their time in Thailand............

[khunsiam]

Well, now the visa system is so complex that no one understands it. Not even the Thais.

What happens if you are a genuine tourist flying around using VOAs (Visa exemptions on arrival) and you pop over to Indo to surf a bit and then come back to Thailand and then pop over again.

It is all degenerating into the ridiculous...

How many people pop over to Indo to do some surfing via a land border ?

Indochina, Dear.

[moe666]

I wonder how many posters here on their "about time too" soap boxes never made the back to back VOA runs during their time in Thailand............

never had to always the proper visa before leaving home, and if I had made back to back visa runs what would that have to do with people who abuse the system with a visa run for months while working in Thailand

[INV]

So...come August Thailand can kiss goodbye to all the oil and gas and mining lads who fly in and out on month on, month off rosters?

That is possible, would be sad as most of those guys are actually good spenders. I could think of a solution for them.

Retirement visa age is also supposed to be increased to 55. That will make things even worse!

I want to know more about this information Macwalen but I will open a new thread if you would tell us more in that one so we dont hijack this thread.Different subject but you making me worrie

[johnmcc6]

It may reduce the people who go bare chested , hats on backwards ,covered in tats, bum cracks showing and no regard for cultural norms. Not all tats are bad but best viewed with shirt on or at the beach.

[Veggiebreeze]

Tourists bring money to Thailand, what is the point of limiting their access? With tourism down due to political strife, it is a lousy time for the government to make it harder for visitors to inject their dollars and euros into the Thai economy.

[kratiam]

"Yeap been a long time coming, one suspects the next step will be clamping down on over stayers, the days of paying a 20k fine slap on the wrist and coming back into Thailand the next day may we well and truly over as well...

its was going to happen one day that immigration would get fed up with people taking the P*ss of the system"

again-not really.All a western person need do is change their name obtain passport in that new name( its very easy for UK subjects who can do it in 1 day and as many times as they please)-and then return. I visit people in prison here and get all the inside info. There is no blacklist that can blacklist anybody.Also, those fingerprint devices- simply do not work.One prisoner told me how easy it was to defeat and there are even websites on it ( which perhaps I should not put name here). No, quite honestly from what I see all these procedures are next to useless and are simply a waste of time and no inconvenience at all to many

What a load of rubbish....new passport applicants (UK) ad those with a significant change i circumstances (name change) are ow required to attend a interview i person....1 day...utter rubbish!

[khunbillmex]

I have a 35 day trip starting next week so no time to get a visa. I could simply pay the overstay but at 4am I am worried about how much time it will take [a few years ago Immigration was so slow I missed my flight to Yangon]- I'm traveling with twin 3 year olds [who have Thai passports]. My plan was to go to Nong Khai and spend a couple of days in Vientiane while my wife, kids and family kept themselves busy in Udon.

So from this statement "From today visitors can only enter into Thailand via a land border once," does that mean for someone in my situation I can exit and return once before getting refused? Sorry for being so dense about what would seem to be obvious.

Thanks for any up to date info on crossings at Nong Khai.

btw I'm using a US passport

There is a simple solution for you. On the last day of your 30 day stamp's validity go to immigration and apply for a 7 or 30 day extension. This will be rejected and they will grant you an additional 7 days due to the rejection. It doesn't matter that you arrived on a visa exemption. I have done this back to back a couple of times this year already on a UK passport. It's important to do it on the last day of your current stamp assuming immigration is open as the 7 days start from the day you apply !

I do this when my travel plans didn't quite align with my visa expiration days and I've confirmed that there's no negative implications with doing this - the message that came back from the immigration officer when I asked about it was 'one stamp per entrance'. So you can do this every time you come to Thailand if you want to.

Thanks for the tip! My 'last day" will either be a Saturday or Sunday [depending on what day it is when I get through immigration- flight arrives 11:25PM] Can the extension be applied for at BKK or DMK since the town immigration offices will be closed?

[icare999]

Well, now the visa system is so complex that no one understands it. Not even the Thais.

What happens if you are a genuine tourist flying around using VOAs (Visa exemptions on arrival) and you pop over to Indo to surf a bit and then come back to Thailand and then pop over again.

It is all degenerating into the ridiculous...

well sorry no its not Ive been married to a Thia for 20 years we have 2 children with dual uk Thai citizen ship yet when we want to travel to UK and europe we have to make sure my wife has all right visas not just for UK (she has a 10 year visa) but also for parts of europe and then if as we do we want to visit places without a shanked visa she needs a visa for other countries. Worse she has to go to Bangcock and it takes weeks to organise it all although UK and shanked visa are easy. This after she's travelled many times to many countries for 20+ years.

So stop moaning about the actually easy thing to just get a proper Thai visa.

Im always happy when some countries she does not need a visa but I do since it shows her its not all one sided against Thais even those with plenty of funds and money.

And thats for a quite well off Thai with 2 UK children and married for 20 years to a UK citizen yet each year it seems to get a bit harder for countries that not os long ago she could get visas at consulates.

We know friends who married for many years and plenty of funds who have consistently been refused visas for their wives or long term girlfriends to just visit UK. Of course if you show enough funds they don't refuse but loops Thais have to go through often are ridiculous.

[Feesbay John]

Waken up everyone, this is not about them that are doing back to back visa. So what if they are doing back to back they still have a visa for only 15 or 30 days, BUT THEY STILL HAVE A VISA,,, All this is going to do is make more over stay's. To me it is better for them to have a 15 or 30 day visa than none.

This is about MONEY yet again. someone doing a 30 day back to back does not have to pay to get into Thailand as with a tourist or a visa from the Thai Embassy will cost around 1,000 baht for 2 months. What the Thai's have not thought of is why not change an amount of say 600 baht per month for them that have over the limit.

I know off people that are here to help as with people to help The Elephant World, They came for 1 month and want to stop for 3 months BUT now they are stuck on the boarder as they have a 30 day pass already. Please think about this as these people pay to help.

Stop this I paid and did it this way, I did it that way. That is up to you,,,, Not every one can do the same,,,

This is like any other rule or law and will only affect the good people out there, The 5% always make it harder for the 95%....

[apiwan]

Well, now the visa system is so complex that no one understands it. Not even the Thais.

What happens if you are a genuine tourist flying around using VOAs (Visa exemptions on arrival) and you pop over to Indo to surf a bit and then come back to Thailand and then pop over again.

It is all degenerating into the ridiculous...

well sorry no its not Ive been married to a Thia for 20 years we have 2 children with dual uk Thai citizen ship yet when we want to travel to UK and europe we have to make sure my wife has all right visas not just for UK (she has a 10 year visa) but also for parts of europe and then if as we do we want to visit places without a shanked visa she needs a visa for other countries. Worse she has to go to Bangcock and it takes weeks to organise it all although UK and shanked visa are easy. This after she's travelled many times to many countries for 20+ years.

So stop moaning about the actually easy thing to just get a proper Thai visa.

Im always happy when some countries she does not need a visa but I do since it shows her its not all one sided against Thais even those with plenty of funds and money.

And thats for a quite well off Thai with 2 UK children and married for 20 years to a UK citizen yet each year it seems to get a bit harder for countries that not os long ago she could get visas at consulates.

We know friends who married for many years and plenty of funds who have consistently been refused visas for their wives or long term girlfriends to just visit UK. Of course if you show enough funds they don't refuse but loops Thais have to go through often are ridiculous.

I know a dentist .she's got business .money and yet she's been all over Europe and still not allowed in UK.

We've got it easy

Sent from my SM-N9005 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[alanrchase]

I wonder how many posters here on their "about time too" soap boxes never made the back to back VOA runs during their time in Thailand............

Semi agree with you. I was married (still am just) to a Thai lady and stayed here for nearly three years back in the mid nineties. Used to go to Penang for double entry Non-O visas. Only requirement was a copy of marriage certificate and visa was issued next day. After two trips found out I didn't need to go to consulate myself an agent would do it for me for less than return taxi fare. . Got a one year marriage extention now because I have hopefully retired .Understand peoples frustration but if you wish to live here and have no work permit why the problem with proving you have funds to do it? Only reason they are 'Cracking down".

Sent from my GT-I9500 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[fatdrunkandstupid]

Walen School can help you with your ED visas if you need help. Very reliable service and fair price for the quality of work we do. We have 11 branches in Thailand so there is one probably near where you live. You can also PM me.

I wouldn't be surprised if the ED visa scam is the next to come under the microscope. Not the genuine ED learners but the people who use it - ahem - shall we say - flexibly.

Possibly a Thai language test at regular intervals. That would sort the chaff from the wheat so to speak.

There are a lot of visa schools. You can usually tell by the price, if price is very cheap means no lessons or so bad nobody even expects u to attend, maybe 2-3 classrooms only, very few staff, opened recently, this kind of thing. Walen School has 11 branches, it is certainly not a scam so you don't have to worry about us. If you need quality teaching and reliable visa assistance come to Walen School!

The school fee is just a small part of the overall cost of complying with the requirements of an ED visa.

[Kripe]

So fly in and out every 30 days won't be affected?

It will be effected in August 2014.

Correct.

It seems that as of 12 August border runs by air will also no longer be allowed.

Ok so if you fly out and stay out a couple of weeks will you then be allowed back in?

[somchaismith]

Thay'll probably enforce this for about a day. before the Thais start to fell the financial pinch and allow people to return as per normal.

[brewsterbudgen]

Well, now the visa system is so complex that no one understands it. Not even the Thais.

What happens if you are a genuine tourist flying around using VOAs (Visa exemptions on arrival) and you pop over to Indo to surf a bit and then come back to Thailand and then pop over again.

It is all degenerating into the ridiculous...

well sorry no its not Ive been married to a Thia for 20 years we have 2 children with dual uk Thai citizen ship yet when we want to travel to UK and europe we have to make sure my wife has all right visas not just for UK (she has a 10 year visa) but also for parts of europe and then if as we do we want to visit places without a shanked visa she needs a visa for other countries. Worse she has to go to Bangcock and it takes weeks to organise it all although UK and shanked visa are easy. This after she's travelled many times to many countries for 20+ years.

So stop moaning about the actually easy thing to just get a proper Thai visa.

Im always happy when some countries she does not need a visa but I do since it shows her its not all one sided against Thais even those with plenty of funds and money.

And thats for a quite well off Thai with 2 UK children and married for 20 years to a UK citizen yet each year it seems to get a bit harder for countries that not os long ago she could get visas at consulates.

We know friends who married for many years and plenty of funds who have consistently been refused visas for their wives or long term girlfriends to just visit UK. Of course if you show enough funds they don't refuse but loops Thais have to go through often are ridiculous.

I know a dentist .she's got business .money and yet she's been all over Europe and still not allowed in UK.

We've got it easy

Sent from my SM-N9005 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

The UK is notoriously anti-dentite.

Sent from my GT-S7270L using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[fatdrunkandstupid]

am guessing a lot of 20k overstay will occur now...

I am guessing that the maximum overstay fine is going to be put up to considerably more than 20K in the coming months.

[Satcommlee]

Walen School can help you with your ED visas if you need help. Very reliable service and fair price for the quality of work we do. We have 11 branches in Thailand so there is one probably near where you live. You can also PM me.

The Vultures are already circling LOL..

But in all fairness, for those that relied on B2B Visa's it's time to sort yourselves out and quick! so not a bad idea...

And big thumbs up to Thai Visa for breaking this story so quick and keeping everyone informed...

[hawker9000]

Tourists bring money to Thailand, what is the point of limiting their access? With tourism down due to political strife, it is a lousy time for the government to make it harder for visitors to inject their dollars and euros into the Thai economy.

They work illegally. Or they're committing crimes. Or they're actually living in Thailand. Or they're cheap charlies. What? You're really a self-sufficient tourist, and not doing any of those things? Well then. You're an aberration; an exception to the rule; an anomaly. There can't be more than two or three of you. In the tiny minds of bureaucrats (and some pompous TV members), you don't count. So sorry. Go home and deal with the equally bureaucratic drones there and get your tourist visa, now only good for 90d (again, so sorry...).

Don't worry about the thai economy. It's positively booming. Why everyone's getting rich in the rice market! Didn't you know?

[geriatrickid]

Question to one of the people who is reliably knowledgeable; Isn't there an exception to this rule?

(I checked the thread to see if this was mentioned and I didn't see it, so here goes;)

BANGKOK: -- Royal Thai Immigration Bureau has confirmed to Thaivisa.com that holders of passports of UK, USA, Japan, Germany, France, Canada and Italy are since November 1, 2013 given 30 days at land borders instead of previously only 15 days.

That should take care of a lot of the people who might be inconvenienced. (No insult intended for non G7 people intended.)

According to the other thread(s), one can do these runs indefinitely if a passport holder of a G7 country. Am I misunderstanding?

Edited May 10, 2014 by geriatrickid

[Disparate Dan]

Walen School can help you with your ED visas if you need help. Very reliable service and fair price for the quality of work we do. We have 11 branches in Thailand so there is one probably near where you live. You can also PM me.

I wouldn't be surprised if the ED visa scam is the next to come under the microscope. Not the genuine ED learners but the people who use it - ahem - shall we say - flexibly.

Possibly a Thai language test at regular intervals. That would sort the chaff from the wheat so to speak.

Who are these "genuine Thai learners" anyway? The entire concept of people coming here to learn Thai language is a scam, based on this country somehow being 'important'. Who the ... needs to speak Thai - they don't even understand each other. I am married to a Thai. I distrust anyone who says they are "here to learn the language". I also take exception to many of the comments that suggest anyone needing a border run is automatically doing something 'wrong'. I did a border run last week because I have not yet been able to get my (Thai) family out of here to somewhere less ridiculous yet and need to stay to complete the process. Right now I don't need the hassle of a run to Laos or an interminable process at Chaengwattana (even if I had the necessary amount in my bank right now which we don't BECAUSE we are trying to get out) for another one-year passport-filler.

If these clowns manage in making things any more difficult, they will succeed in making my family stay here for ever while I just burger off and leave them to their fate, cos I have had it up to here.

In the meantime, the smug posters on this site with their work permits and teaching papers (and how may of them are genuine) should stop their snide comments.

[Expattaff1308]

Waken up everyone, this is not about them that are doing back to back visa. So what if they are doing back to back they still have a visa for only 15 or 30 days, BUT THEY STILL HAVE A VISA,,, All this is going to do is make more over stay's. To me it is better for them to have a 15 or 30 day visa than none.

This is about MONEY yet again. someone doing a 30 day back to back does not have to pay to get into Thailand as with a tourist or a visa from the Thai Embassy will cost around 1,000 baht for 2 months. What the Thai's have not thought of is why not change an amount of say 600 baht per month for them that have over the limit.

I know off people that are here to help as with people to help The Elephant World, They came for 1 month and want to stop for 3 months BUT now they are stuck on the boarder as they have a 30 day pass already. Please think about this as these people pay to help.

Stop this I paid and did it this way, I did it that way. That is up to you,,,, Not every one can do the same,,,

This is like any other rule or law and will only affect the good people out there, The 5% always make it harder for the 95%....

They dont have a visa, thats the point. They are here on Visa exempt which is limited. Nobody is saying they cant come into Thailand Just have the appropriate visa to cover their stay. Its no different in the rest of the world.

So to follow your example of - they come for 1 month but want to stay for 3 months - so they come visa exempt for 1 month then they need to cross into Loas, Cambodia or one of the other border countries, go to the Thai Consulate and get a Visa which should cover the duration of the the rest of their stay. No problem whatsoever.

What Immigration are cracking down on is the consecutive 15 or 30 day border runs which some people continually do month after month and have been keeping them here for years.

Edited May 10, 2014 by Expattaff1308

[alanrchase]

Question to one of the people who is reliably knowledgeable; Isn't there an exception to this rule?

(I checked the thread to see if this was mentioned and I didn't see it, so here goes;)

BANGKOK: -- Royal Thai Immigration Bureau has confirmed to Thaivisa.com that holders of passports of UK, USA, Japan, Germany, France, Canada and Italy are since November 1, 2013 given 30 days at land borders instead of previously only 15 days.

That should take care of a lot of the people who might be inconvenienced. (No insult intended for non G7 people intended.)

According to the other thread(s), one can do these runs indefinitely if a passport holder of a G7 country. Am I misunderstanding?

I may have missed something? Thought the OP was questioning how many times you could do back to back visas, not how ma

ny days you were allowed to stay per visa? Love to be able to walk into any country in the world, get a free 15 day stay, walk back out for "lunch" after 15 days and come back for another free 15 days. Never believed in Heaven but perhaps I missed something.

Sent from my GT-I9500 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[ExpatOilWorker]

What is the point?

What is Thailand gaining by doing this?

[baboon]

Question to one of the people who is reliably knowledgeable; Isn't there an exception to this rule?

(I checked the thread to see if this was mentioned and I didn't see it, so here goes;)

BANGKOK: -- Royal Thai Immigration Bureau has confirmed to Thaivisa.com that holders of passports of UK, USA, Japan, Germany, France, Canada and Italy are since November 1, 2013 given 30 days at land borders instead of previously only 15 days.

That should take care of a lot of the people who might be inconvenienced. (No insult intended for non G7 people intended.)

According to the other thread(s), one can do these runs indefinitely if a passport holder of a G7 country. Am I misunderstanding?

I may have missed something? Thought the OP was questioning how many times you could do back to back visas, not how ma

ny days you were allowed to stay per visa? Love to be able to walk into any country in the world, get a free 15 day stay, walk back out for "lunch" after 15 days and come back for another free 15 days. Never believed in Heaven but perhaps I missed something.

Sent from my GT-I9500 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

Try Malaysia. Unlimited 90 day stamps.

[alanrchase]

What is the point?

What is Thailand gaining by doing this?

Sorry mate, which country do you come from. Please enlighten us with your home countries visa/ tourism requirements just so people have an idea of reasonable requirements that would not affect visitors there?

Sent from my GT-I9500 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[BudRight]

Fortunately, I am going back to America next week.

Have some apple pie for me

Here it is. Don't mind the funny taste. Make sure to to eat all of it.

[Kripe]

Order of RTP No. 608/2549 dated September 8, 2006 Clause 3

Any holder of a passport or substitute passport whose nationality falls under the category for which the Minister permits a stay for tourism purposes, by consent of the Cabinet, shall, according to Clause 13(3) of the Ministerial Regulation Stipulating the Criteria, Procedures, and Conditions for verification, exemption, and change of Visa B.E 2545 (A.D 2002), dated August 16, 2002 be granted multiple entries. The permitted period of temporary stay foe each entry shall not exceed thirty days from the date of entry into the Kingdom. In addition, within a period of six months from the date of first entry into the Kingdom, the total period of temporary stay shall not exceed ninety days.