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

[ExpatOilWorker]

People such as oil and gas and mining guys wont want to waste their valuable time off travelling to an embassy in another country then waiting for a visa just so they can have their month off. These blokes will be lost to other countries such as Cambodia and The PI who still have sane and workable visa policies. Their departure will be an enormous financial blow to Phuket.

As one of those O&G guys, I totally agree with u.

Yep...but it is not just oil and gas, Phuket, and other parts of Thailand have a good many miners also who are fly in fly out. These guys earn big money and spend heavily on their time off. Unfortunately for Thailand's economy many will now move to other countries such as the PI and Cambodia.

So what? Should I cry if they choose to go elsewhere? How does their decision to remain in Thailand or any other country my concern, or even yours?

Yes, you should be in tears. How would you feel if your favorite restaurant, bar, supermarket, hotel, resort, International school, hospital or anything else farang oriented business closed down?

[bangkoklasse]

I just finished a teachign contract and my one year visa ended March 25th. I went out and got 30 days (G7) and came back overland. My new tourist visa expires May 24th. I have afligth going out of Thailand on June 2.

What can I do between tourist visa expiration (May 24th) and my flight out (June 2).

As you have a tourist visa you can get an extension from immigration.

He says he did 30 days under G7, so I don't think he has a tourist visa. His post isn't clear. But if he doesn't have a tourist visa, under the new rule, his only option would be to overstay, or pay hundreds of dollars and go to Laos and apply for a tourist visa.

You don't seem to understand or care, but this new rule would make life extremely difficult for foreign teachers like him who work at government schools. Their work permits are often only for when school is in session, so if they change schools and don't extend at their old one, they have a couple months where they have no visa and are waiting until they have a new contract with a new school, so they can apply for a new non B visa and work permit. They can go apply for a tourist visa, but as I'm sure you're aware (and probably laugh about) they don't make much, and they aren't being paid during the school break either. For a Filipino teacher going to Lao for a tourist visa could be half a month salary, while border runs were free for them because of ASEAN.

And to be fair and honest. We all know how many of those teachers that are working illegal without the right visa or working permit for years here

[Soutpeel]

The other day, I experienced Thai bureaucracy, as described:

Making things difficult, and then withholding crucial info:

I needed to renew my drivers license. It requires 'tabian ban' (proof of residence). I have a yellow 'tabian ban' which has worked for two prior renewals and several other things. Lady at the desk said 'can't use it.' I protested. She turned away, and none of the other workers (heaven forbid) did or said anything to assist me. I had her talk to my Thai attorney on the phone. She didn't budge. Made a 2nd phone call. She didn't budge. The 3rd phone call, she mentioned an option: I could go to the Imm. office and get a signed piece of paper from them. WHY HADN'T SHE OR ANYONE ELSE IN THAT OFFICE MENTIONED THAT OPTION PRIOR?!?! It's a window on to Thai bureaucracy: THEY WANT TO MAKE THINGS DIFFICULT FOR FARANG.

I got the signed paper, and then was charged 400 baht more than Thais, because I have hairy arms and a prominent nose.

I don't see the relevance to this thread with your post but I must ask. the 400b extra you were charged. was this for the licence or the residency certificate ?

It is very relevant because it gives perspective on (at lest part of) the reason the sages at Thai Imm are making things more difficult for tourists to come and enjoy Thailand. Re; the added Bt.400. When it came time to pay for the license renewal, the lady said 105 baht. A second later she grinned and said, "sorry, 505 baht." Normal cost is 105.

A normal tourist never do any renew of a drivers license. Only people who live in Thailand do that. It's not at all about making it more difficult for tourists

The poster going on about the DL is doesn't understand anyway, the old paper type DL's are/where THB 105, while the new credit card type ARE THB 505....

[ScotBkk]

Pray tell me, will these new tourist border runners restrictions affect people from Laos for instance ?

[moe666]

This also means the already long lines at immigration to get a re-entry will get even longer.

You can get it at the airport

I would ask why would the re-entry permit line get longer at immigration the back to back visa runners do not use re-entry permits

[Tolley]

Interesting I wonder how someone like me when I was working in Singapore and flying back on the weekends to Thailand would be treated under the laws mooted for August.

Offshore workers and many business people also fly in and out regularly and don't have tourist visas.

It would seem a bit silly if they were denied entry on the basis of coming to Thailand too often.

[Soutpeel]

Interesting I wonder how someone like me when I was working in Singapore and flying back on the weekends to Thailand would be treated under the laws mooted for August.

Offshore workers and many business people also fly in and out regularly and don't have tourist visas.

It would seem a bit silly if they were denied entry on the basis of coming to Thailand too often.

But typically the people you are talking about are not flying out of Thailand and immediately turning around and coming back into Thailand are they ?.....

where you will get questioned is when your in and out in the same day too many times, they are trying to stop the serial visa runners living here long term on Visa Waivers

Contrary to what TV finest experts tell us, Thai immigration aint stupid, they will be able to pick out serial visa runners pretty easy...

[Triglav]

In case you need an ED visa Walen School provides most reliable service. Thousands of satisfied customers.

I think your business will pick up considerably soon.

Probably, and then everybody here complains, the ED-Visa is abused.

What's the correct Visa for someone, who lives on his Savings, is not yet 50 (retirement visa), does none business, volunteering, study, is there any????

Don't come now up, with the investment visa (requires 10 million, right). Who want to invest 10 million, in a country where the gov. changes twice a year

Why should there be a special visa for such a person? It's not like all people on the globe have a right to live in Thailand just because they like that. Try telling the Immigration in USA, UK, Norway or Germany if you are a foreigner, that you like to live in their country. But you don't like to work, invest, study or do anything. And you don't like to bring any big money because you don't like their Gov.

There doesn't have to be one, but for countries that receive a not insignificant part of budget through tourism, it would make sense. The reality today is that there is a rather large swath of working-age people that can and do live outside of their home countries. Flights are cheap and internet access is ubiquitous, so there is a demographic of long-term tourists and short-term expats, people who are very mobile, but do not fit into a classic 1 month/year holiday visa schemes.

I chose Thailand as a place to stay because it is both a 1) nice place to be in; and 2) requires relatively little bureaucratic hoop-jumping. I do consider myself a long-term tourist: I do not intend to integrate into the Thai society nor do I seek social/economic services above what a tourist would; my monthly spending is obviously above the local average. I do not own a home or a vehicle and I do not drive. Everything of significant value that I own in Thailand fits into a backpack - I know this because I pack all of it at least once a month when I go for a 3-5 day trip to some other country in the region. In a year or two I will be done and move on, maybe to another country in SEA, but likely to a country on another continent instead. And yes, I ended up staying on visa-exempt stamps because those are a nice incentive to keep me moving around and seem to fit best (both in letter and spirit) the kind of visitor that I am.

The land crossing rule doesn't affect me, but the airport one could. At that stage I could truly game the system by buying a student visa, or move on.

There are countries around with relaxed immigration rules, but I perceived Thailand to be the best of them.

There are countries, that I perceive as better places to live in, but they have stricter immigration rules.

With a move to stricter rules Thailand incentivises me to seek a country with better quality/hoops jumped ratio.

If there was an option to straightaway buy a <$2k USD yearly multivisa here, I'd do it. Frankly, it's baffling that this isn't an option in the countries where people do stay long-term anyway, but currently have to support various visa run, or visa-extention services instead of paying their dues to the government directly and legally. I do not think this is a case of that demographic being actively unwanted in a country, rather a failure to recognize its existence and the potential profit of supporting it officially.

[philthebook]

I did a border run today to Malaysia, out of the 10 people on the van I think I was the only with with triple entry visa, most of them had done multiple back to back 30day visa on arrivals by land, it was business as norma.

[Tolley]

Interesting I wonder how someone like me when I was working in Singapore and flying back on the weekends to Thailand would be treated under the laws mooted for August.

Offshore workers and many business people also fly in and out regularly and don't have tourist visas.

It would seem a bit silly if they were denied entry on the basis of coming to Thailand too often.

But typically the people you are talking about are not flying out of Thailand and immediately turning around and coming back into Thailand are they ?.....

where you will get questioned is when your in and out in the same day too many times, they are trying to stop the serial visa runners living here long term on Visa Waivers

Contrary to what TV finest experts tell us, Thai immigration aint stupid, they will be able to pick out serial visa runners pretty easy...

You have more confidence in Thai immigration officials than I do then.

[wolf5370]

Gotta say, I'm more happy about this than yinglick getting shafted the other day.

Why? Is it because you were not happy with the latter (i.e. totally irrelevant to this thread) - or that you are happy that some people were not luckily enough to have a Thai parent like you, and will be hurt by this - only financially off course, they will just switch to tourist visas, so will still not go home? In short are you being an off-topic opportunist, or a vindictive bar steward?

[Mister Fixit]

Interesting I wonder how someone like me when I was working in Singapore and flying back on the weekends to Thailand would be treated under the laws mooted for August.

Offshore workers and many business people also fly in and out regularly and don't have tourist visas.

It would seem a bit silly if they were denied entry on the basis of coming to Thailand too often.

You should have a 'proper' visa for Thailand of whatever type and have a multiple re-entry permit

[wolf5370]

I applaud. Proposed a one week buffer between stays on this board years ago.

Now if we can only get a language test for the ED visa like Taiwan and serious health check for retirees and marrieds.

I'm very sympathetic to the mongers, not at all to illegal workers. Mongers at least have the dosh to afford a hovel and their drink.

Bye bye dive "instructor" idiots and illegal teachers (no degree). At your age did you really think this a viable career? Filipino teachers...These folks are headed home sure. Hopefully it will clean up.the teaching agencies as well.

Bye bye <50 "web developers" lol

So if the person is studying a subject other than Thai, what language test are you going to apply? Their ability to speak English?

Illegal workers will still be illegal workers - this will make do difference to them - open those crusty old eyes.

With ASEAN coming, you think Filipinos will be the target?

[ExpatOilWorker]

Interesting I wonder how someone like me when I was working in Singapore and flying back on the weekends to Thailand would be treated under the laws mooted for August.

Offshore workers and many business people also fly in and out regularly and don't have tourist visas.

It would seem a bit silly if they were denied entry on the basis of coming to Thailand too often.

But typically the people you are talking about are not flying out of Thailand and immediately turning around and coming back into Thailand are they ?.....

where you will get questioned is when your in and out in the same day too many times, they are trying to stop the serial visa runners living here long term on Visa Waivers

Contrary to what TV finest experts tell us, Thai immigration aint stupid, they will be able to pick out serial visa runners pretty easy...

Yes, we do. I work 35 x 35 days, but sometimes take 40 days off. 30 days visa exempt + a quick border run keeps me legal, that was until today!

[wolf5370]

For the various contributors to this forum, who are concerned about the increasing crime and ability for wanted criminals, gang members, mafia syndicates, credit card runners, child support dodgers to remain in Thailand…..then this should be welcome news for you!

I notice that many TV posters, say this is "Thailand is trying to destroy its tourism"?? these people who do multiple border runs are not tourists, they are basically illegitimate refugees here in Thailand. If they were genuine…..they would have genuine visas and a genuine reason to stay...

Land border runs for a variety of undesirables who are able to stay on indefinitely here….although you should beware that Thai Immigration are in the process of updating their airport entry systems with global interpol linked database systems…..so all persons with criminal records, unpaid child support, fake passports, unpaid credit cards in their home countries take note.

Systems are being fast tracked throughout asia, paid for by 'a foreign government' following the missing Malaysia airline jet and stolen passport issues that put a spotlight on Thailand yet again

Finally this will weed out all the undesirable characters who consider Thailand a safe haven…i hope they have enough for their flights home when they get pulled and don't have to spend time in immigration detention centers until a family member comes to their rescue, i hear they are pretty rough

Yes Interpol have always been interested in unpaid child support - muppet!

[techboy]

This is big news that will affect a lot of people.

Kudos to Thai visa for getting the info out there.

I wouldn't fancy being a border runner right now - that said, going in and out of Thailand every 30 days means you aren't a tourist anyway and are probably milking the system.

Immigration seem to be on one at the moment!

Milking the system? No. The system is as it is and was as it was. Your sophistry is annoying and transparent. Your statement is made solely because you happen to have a more convenient circumstance and has absolutely nothing to do with your possessing ethical thoughts in the matter.

[Tolley]

Interesting I wonder how someone like me when I was working in Singapore and flying back on the weekends to Thailand would be treated under the laws mooted for August.

Offshore workers and many business people also fly in and out regularly and don't have tourist visas.

It would seem a bit silly if they were denied entry on the basis of coming to Thailand too often.

You should have a 'proper' visa for Thailand of whatever type and have a multiple re-entry permit

Is there a visa that enables you to re enter the country every weekend aka what I was doing when working in Singapore for over a year?

[Soutpeel]

Interesting I wonder how someone like me when I was working in Singapore and flying back on the weekends to Thailand would be treated under the laws mooted for August.

Offshore workers and many business people also fly in and out regularly and don't have tourist visas.

It would seem a bit silly if they were denied entry on the basis of coming to Thailand too often.

But typically the people you are talking about are not flying out of Thailand and immediately turning around and coming back into Thailand are they ?.....

where you will get questioned is when your in and out in the same day too many times, they are trying to stop the serial visa runners living here long term on Visa Waivers

Contrary to what TV finest experts tell us, Thai immigration aint stupid, they will be able to pick out serial visa runners pretty easy...

You have more confidence in Thai immigration officials than I do then.

Well to be honest I have dealing with them for nearly 14 years while working here and I am in and out the country all the time, etc etc...and only once have I had hassles with them and that was many years ago when DM was the international airport and got pulled aside and taken to one of the offices because they thought I was working illegally and had a "funny" stamp in my PP, pulled my original WP out, gave them my business card, they were satisfied everything was legit and sent on my way and that's the only time.....so from personal experience have had a lot less hassle with Thai immigration than I have had with immigration in some of the other countries I have worked in over the years

[Soutpeel]

Interesting I wonder how someone like me when I was working in Singapore and flying back on the weekends to Thailand would be treated under the laws mooted for August.

Offshore workers and many business people also fly in and out regularly and don't have tourist visas.

It would seem a bit silly if they were denied entry on the basis of coming to Thailand too often.

You should have a 'proper' visa for Thailand of whatever type and have a multiple re-entry permit

Is there a visa that enables you to re enter the country every weekend aka what I was doing when working in Singapore for over a year?

If your married to a Thai national, yes there is....

[Gumballl]

...

I chose Thailand as a place to stay because it is both a 1) nice place to be in; and 2) requires relatively little bureaucratic hoop-jumping. I do consider myself a long-term tourist: I do not intend to integrate into the Thai society nor do I seek social/economic services above what a tourist would; my monthly spending is obviously above the local average. I do not own a home or a vehicle and I do not drive. Everything of significant value that I own in Thailand fits into a backpack - I know this because I pack all of it at least once a month when I go for a 3-5 day trip to some other country in the region. In a year or two I will be done and move on, maybe to another country in SEA, but likely to a country on another continent instead. And yes, I ended up staying on visa-exempt stamps because those are a nice incentive to keep me moving around and seem to fit best (both in letter and spirit) the kind of visitor that I am.

How do you support yourself in Thailand? Do you work (via the internet)?

If you are working, regardless if through the internet, you should have a work permit. That would entitle you benefits of staying in Thailand without having to do the 30-day Out/In runs.

A tourist, in most people's mind, is a short-time visitor to a location. Thailand offers multiple-entry Tourist Visas (typically 2 Visas).

You can use the first Tourist visa to get 30 days in the kingdom, of which you can then extend this by an additional 30 days (for 1900 baht, at the Immigration Dept.).

After these 60 days, you can perform the Out/In maneuver in a single day, and begin using your second Tourist visa... which can then be extended as well before it expires.

This gives a total of 120 days (approximately 4 months). How long is your vacation/holiday??

P.S. When the 120 days are up, you could always go to a neighboring country to apply for another Tourist Visa. Bingo... another 60 days!

[MikeandDow]

Interesting I wonder how someone like me when I was working in Singapore and flying back on the weekends to Thailand would be treated under the laws mooted for August.

Offshore workers and many business people also fly in and out regularly and don't have tourist visas.

It would seem a bit silly if they were denied entry on the basis of coming to Thailand too often.

But typically the people you are talking about are not flying out of Thailand and immediately turning around and coming back into Thailand are they ?.....

where you will get questioned is when your in and out in the same day too many times, they are trying to stop the serial visa runners living here long term on Visa Waivers

Contrary to what TV finest experts tell us, Thai immigration aint stupid, they will be able to pick out serial visa runners pretty easy...

Yes, we do. I work 35 x 35 days, but sometimes take 40 days off. 30 days visa exempt + a quick border run keeps me legal, that was until today!

spend your money and get a visa or go some where else its that simple and stop whinging.

[brewsterbudgen]

Pray tell me, will these new tourist border runners restrictions affect people from Laos for instance ?

Good question. I've asked it already on this thread, and on another similar thread, but so far no answer...

[ukrules]

Interesting I wonder how someone like me when I was working in Singapore and flying back on the weekends to Thailand would be treated under the laws mooted for August.

Offshore workers and many business people also fly in and out regularly and don't have tourist visas.

It would seem a bit silly if they were denied entry on the basis of coming to Thailand too often.

You should have a 'proper' visa for Thailand of whatever type and have a multiple re-entry permit

A weekend visit doesn't require any kind of visa and never will so there will never be a need for a 'proper' visa in this scenaraio - ever !

[wolf5370]

No more accidents with minibus good news

Doubt it - still a lot of Non-Imm holders doing their 90 day runs.

Burma should open a consulate in Tai Chek to give tourist visas - that way they will still get their 500 baht's as an easier and cheaper trip than Laos for CM/CR based people. Incidently, wonder how impressed the Burmese will be with the sudden loss of border revenue - not to mention the market and day trip drivers.

[Soutpeel]

Interesting I wonder how someone like me when I was working in Singapore and flying back on the weekends to Thailand would be treated under the laws mooted for August.

Offshore workers and many business people also fly in and out regularly and don't have tourist visas.

It would seem a bit silly if they were denied entry on the basis of coming to Thailand too often.

But typically the people you are talking about are not flying out of Thailand and immediately turning around and coming back into Thailand are they ?.....

where you will get questioned is when your in and out in the same day too many times, they are trying to stop the serial visa runners living here long term on Visa Waivers

Contrary to what TV finest experts tell us, Thai immigration aint stupid, they will be able to pick out serial visa runners pretty easy...

Yes, we do. I work 35 x 35 days, but sometimes take 40 days off. 30 days visa exempt + a quick border run keeps me legal, that was until today!

and how is this a problem under the "new" rules, they have said you can border jump once (they haven't specified how many times in a year)

As far as I can see you don't have a problem if your doing 35/40 hitch...

[joncl]

so exactly how many people does this effect nationwide?

[nikster]

This is pretty bad for all the backpackers. Especially once Airlines are affected too.

When I first got here, I did quite a few visa runs like that.

Sure backpackers can go out and get a tourist visa and that's probably long enough to do all the traveling they like to do. But it's an additional hassle and I know I myself - back then - would not have put up with it, I'd just have visited Laos or Vietnam or whatever.

So this will prevent some legitimate travelers from traveling in Thailand. Is that the intention?

[wolf5370]

I welcome written and spoken Thai language tests for ED visa at all embs and cons such as Taiwan.

Plus 5

You are repeating yourself - and it still senseless - you infer that everyone on ED Visa is learning Thai, this is not the case and does not need to be. Many kids here studying on ED Visas in international schools (children from first marriages etc) - this is often the case with kids of people from NGOs and low paid jobs.

[nikster]

Interesting I wonder how someone like me when I was working in Singapore and flying back on the weekends to Thailand would be treated under the laws mooted for August.

Offshore workers and many business people also fly in and out regularly and don't have tourist visas.

It would seem a bit silly if they were denied entry on the basis of coming to Thailand too often.

Off shore workers is another pretty good example. Other countries have restrictive visa policies to prevent large scale work migration. I find that questionable in general but Thailand doesn't even have this issue - so what's the reason here? I am trying to put myself in their shoes - what do they get out of it? Immigration perhaps a greater sense of control - but that's about it. Thailand's going to lose money, a small sum perhaps, but still lost. Is there a point?

[retell]

Pray tell me, will these new tourist border runners restrictions affect people from Laos for instance ?

Good question. I've asked it already on this thread, and on another similar thread, but so far no answer...

from laos they get a sort of borderpass that allows them to stay in thailand for ?? Days , same for thai that go there ,they do not get a visa as we do .for tourist purpose that is , there are many that get visas for working in thailand