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

[Mario2008]

What about new Non Immigrant O visas, do they still have multiple entry as before?

Sent from my GT-N7105T using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

Depends where you apply and for what reason.

Mario, that strikes me as not quite a clear answer....

If someone is holding a current Non-O visa, AFAIK, this policy/enforcement change should have no impact on them, whatsoever.

If you or Keng are addressing a different question of whether the various Consulates will also be tightening their visa issuance policies for new/future applicants, it seems those policies are changing and varying all the time from place to place.

But AFAIK, there's nothing in this current policy announcement that bears on that issue.

I was adressing the question if there were any changes regarding obtaining multiple entry visas from consulate.

as you say, for visa entries the new rule doesn't change anything.

[MaciejKlimowicz]

One of most popular trip plans among my friends visiting Thailand was to come to Bangkok, spend some time traveling around Thailand, than go to Cambodia to see Angkor Wat, come back to Thailand and rest a couple of day on a beach an head back home from Bangkok.

Was it just made impossible?

[Spoonman]

Hopefully this crackdown will be like many others, short lived. A lot of people legitimately working, studying, living, or touring here, do border runs occasionally between visas. They should be able to differentiate between someone doing it a few times, and someone doing it for 5 years.

One would hope that those who are studying or working here are doing so on the appropriate visa.

They are. But visas run out, people change jobs, change schools, move to different parts of the country, etc. It affects people who are between visas. Many do border runs for a couple months, while waiting for new paperwork.

Well go and get a 60 day tourist visa then if you plan to stay whilst waiting on paperwork. you can extend that whilst in country if you need more time. not rocket science is it.

[ubonjoe]

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.

But fly out and fly in in 2 days won't be affected?

There is not enough info at the moment to say what the rules will be come August. For now there is no change for flying out and back.

[Mario2008]

One of most popular trip plans among my friends visiting Thailand was to come to Bangkok, spend some time traveling around Thailand, than go to Cambodia to see Angkor Wat, come back to Thailand and rest a couple of day on a beach an head back home from Bangkok.

Was it just made impossible?

No, but it is made harder to do and will effect tourism. For that kind of scenarios you now better get a double entry tourist visa or plan the trip well so you can use a re-entry permit to keep your original 30 day stay alive while visiting a neighbouring country.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

Like I said the laws regarding immigration here change often.

Keep an eye on TV before making plans.

Not to be too technical or legalistic here, but there's been no LAW change here.

What is changing is how Thai Immigration is interpreting and enforcing the existing law, via their administrative procedures.

But yes, on that score, they seem to be monkeying around with these kinds of details all the time, particularly as regards to visa exempt entry policies.

Their rules regarding visa-exempt entries have changed so many times, or been reported to have changed so many times, in recent years, it's been hard to keep track.

[KevWaters]

Phew! Close one for me. I was planning on doing my first run of this kind today across the Chiang Rai border as my Tourist Visa was due to expire today. Thankfully, I decided to extend in Thailand for another 30 days instead before the long holiday weekend kicked in. I feel bad for those stranded on the other side of the border who may not have enough cash to take them to the nearest embassy and get the visa now required.

Why couldn't this be mentioned earlier?

[andygunther]

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

This new rule applies only if you cross the land border...

If you arrive at the airport you still get your 30 days

[Mario2008]

Phew! Close one for me. I was planning on doing my first run of this kind today across the Chiang Rai border as my Tourist Visa was due to expire today. Thankfully, I decided to extend in Thailand for another 30 days instead before the long holiday weekend kicked in. I feel bad for those stranded on the other side of the border who may not have enough cash to take them to the nearest embassy and get the visa now required.

Why couldn't this be mentioned earlier?

The new rule doesn't affect you as you have a tourist visa. We are talking about visa exempt entries.

[ubonjoe]

One of most popular trip plans among my friends visiting Thailand was to come to Bangkok, spend some time traveling around Thailand, than go to Cambodia to see Angkor Wat, come back to Thailand and rest a couple of day on a beach an head back home from Bangkok.

Was it just made impossible?

No not at all. Arriving by air and then leaving and re-entering at the border is not a problem.

[LawrenceN]

I don't know what to make of this phrase in the statement from Immigration:

"บุคคลสัญชาติเป้าหมาย เช่น เกาหลี ฯลฯ มีดังนี้"

"individuals of target nationalities such as Korean, etc."

Seems odd that they would name Koreans in particular. What are we to make of "etc"? Who's like a Korean, in their eyes? Is there a list of affected nationalities, or has someone verified that this indeed applies to everyone with tourist visas? To me, that bit "such as Korean, etc." badly muddies the water.

Other than that, the statement seems clear enough. They're planning to turn people back at the borders.

[stickylies]

as asked before: are people who "stranded" in myanmar allowed to get to an embassy (supposedly in myanmar/rangoon) without having a myanmar visa ? or do they get issued (temporary) voa in tachileik/kawthoung/wherever they are stranded? not allowing people back in in thailand is one thing, people illegally in burma is another thing....

ps. flying from tachileik to yangon is not cheap (130$) and travelling overland will not be permitted.

[DP25]

Hopefully this crackdown will be like many others, short lived. A lot of people legitimately working, studying, living, or touring here, do border runs occasionally between visas. They should be able to differentiate between someone doing it a few times, and someone doing it for 5 years.

One would hope that those who are studying or working here are doing so on the appropriate visa.

They are. But visas run out, people change jobs, change schools, move to different parts of the country, etc. It affects people who are between visas. Many do border runs for a couple months, while waiting for new paperwork.

Well go and get a 60 day tourist visa then if you plan to stay whilst waiting on paperwork. you can extend that whilst in country if you need more time. not rocket science is it.

I'm not saying it's impossible. But it an added expense and a lot of wasted time for someone that just wanted to do it a couple times while waiting for paperwork. It is a big hassle for a lot of legit tourists too.

Which is why I hope this crackdown will fade away soon, and they will just limited to people who are doing this long term. They should be able to tell the difference between someone living here for years, and someone who does it a few times.

[hotrod4098]

about time it was sorted out..ASEAN 15..COMES TO MIND..THINK THIS IS THE REASON

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

All this does kind of make me wonder....

I presume, there's a pretty good sized industry here in Thailand supporting land border visa runs, and Thai companies and staff employed in supporting that.

Not all of their business, of course, is for visa exempt folks. There are those with visas doing their 90-day exits and returns that won't be affected.

But still, knocking out a good portion of the visa running population -- if this policy holds and is really enforced -- would seem like it's going to hurt a lot of locals.

[ubonjoe]

I don't know what to make of this phrase in the statement from Immigration:

"บุคคลสัญชาติเป้าหมาย เช่น เกาหลี ฯลฯ มีดังนี้"

"individuals of target nationalities such as Korean, etc."

Seems odd that they would name Koreans in particular. What are we to make of "etc"? Who's like a Korean, in their eyes? Is there a list of affected nationalities, or has someone verified that this indeed applies to everyone with tourist visas? To me, that bit "such as Korean, etc." badly muddies the water.

Other than that, the statement seems clear enough. They're planning to turn people back at the borders.

I think it is an example for people from countries that have bilateral agreements with Thailand. Koreans get 90 day entries because of it.

[Keng11]

Thanks for all the replies.

Sent from my GT-N7105T using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[ezzra]

How about ending the crackdown on crackdowns? Thai immigration are moving the goal post

every time and any time they feel like, a country with 10's of millions of visitors a year should

have a better and easier visa rules and regulations that make sense and easy to obtain and

renew.....

[Spoonman]

One would hope that those who are studying or working here are doing so on the appropriate visa.

They are. But visas run out, people change jobs, change schools, move to different parts of the country, etc. It affects people who are between visas. Many do border runs for a couple months, while waiting for new paperwork.

Well go and get a 60 day tourist visa then if you plan to stay whilst waiting on paperwork. you can extend that whilst in country if you need more time. not rocket science is it.

I'm not saying it's impossible. But it an added expense and a lot of wasted time for someone that just wanted to do it a couple times while waiting for paperwork. It is a big hassle for a lot of legit tourists too.

Which is why I hope this crackdown will fade away soon, and they will just limited to people who are doing this long term. They should be able to tell the difference between someone living here for years, and someone who does it a few times.

A legit tourist would have planned their stay and will have a visa to cover their stay.

In my opinion I think Thailand should completely get rid off the visa exempt arrival and force everyone that wants to visit go and get a visa.

[fatdrunkandstupid]

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...

[MacWalen]

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.

[Spoonman]

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 ?

[khwaibah]

" From today, foreign nationals residing in Thailand will no longer be able to exit and then re-enter the kingdom via a land border crossing in order to gain another 30 or 15 day stay in Thailand"

Wait for reports of other border crossing come in. Need to see what happens with Lao, Cambodia and Malaysia.

[MaciejKlimowicz]

One of most popular trip plans among my friends visiting Thailand was to come to Bangkok, spend some time traveling around Thailand, than go to Cambodia to see Angkor Wat, come back to Thailand and rest a couple of day on a beach an head back home from Bangkok.

Was it just made impossible?

No not at all. Arriving by air and then leaving and re-entering at the border is not a problem.

Ok, that clears things out. So only one entrance without visa vis land border available. Not a big problem for most tourists then. But a serious one for people between jobs, waiting for papers to be processed and so on. And it does happen here a lot even in well established companies.

So what, they are trying to catch/make lives harder for criminals? They will just operate without visa, not overstay, not a big deal for them. When will the authorities around the word learn that tougher laws only affect the normal people and mean nothing to the criminals....

[ubonjoe]

as asked before: are people who "stranded" in myanmar allowed to get to an embassy (supposedly in myanmar/rangoon) without having a myanmar visa ? or do they get issued (temporary) voa in tachileik/kawthoung/wherever they are stranded? not allowing people back in in thailand is one thing, people illegally in burma is another thing....

ps. flying from tachileik to yangon is not cheap (130$) and travelling overland will not be permitted.

I have seen nothing to confirm anybody is stranded in Myanmar. They stopped people from crossing when the border opened this morning.

They have given 7 day entries to people that were over the old 4 entry rule at Mae Sai.

[arnestockholm]

Is this also effective at the airports? Or only land crossings?

[stickylies]

A legit tourist would have planned their stay and will have a visa to cover their stay.

In my opinion I think Thailand should completely get rid off the visa exempt arrival and force everyone that wants to visit go and get a visa.

and also force all males to marry a thai woman on arrival, pay for a house, pickup and buffalo and then pizz-ov again, right?

[LawrenceN]

But fly out and fly in in 2 days won't be affected?

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.

I agree that this is an accurate translation of the second point in the memo in Thai from Immigration. It also says people coming in by air will be told to apply for the proper visa until 12 August, then denied just like at the land borders.

[ClutchClark]

If you go in and out of Thailand every month for say a period of a year - the only purpose being to get 30 days at the border, then I am sorry but you are not a tourist.

Go and fill out all the reams and reams of paperwork and jump through all the hoops like the rest of us had to be able to say here legally long term.

You're joking?

You think those reams and reams of paperwork are more of a PIA than spending a day every month white knuckled in a mini-van hurtling down the highway with bald tires and paying 2000-3000 for the privilege?

There are many "accidental" tourists in LOS who came here for a short time and decided to stay on a bit longer. They saw the well-publicized advertisements and spoke to other travelers and thought this was an acceptable method to extend their stay.

Now they have learned differently and I would gander most will be happy with the actual Visa and will gladly jump through those exhausting hoops with joy compared to the border runs.

[gabruce]

It's fine that they are changing the regulations, or how they are enforcing the existing regulations. What I find unfair is doing it without notice (or very little notice). Fancy being stuck at the border unable to return without any warning.

Different if they had posted the notice a month ago.

Oh well.