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

[crazykopite]

I sometimes wonder if Thailand wants visitors visiting the Kingdom if those who do these runs every month are given a hard time they will take their money and spend it somewhere else which in return will have an adverse effect on Thailand . I was under the impression that a single type visa was / would be available for Asian countries or have I been misguided. One rule that needs to be changed is that those people on extension of stay visas ( retirement ) should all be treated the same way why should a falang married to a Thai get away with only having to have 40,000 per month whereas a Falang married to a Falang has to have 65,000 every month !!!

[mrtoad]

Still is someone is on holiday and then decides to want to stay an extra couple of weeks they are screwed. Likewise if you are stayin on the border and want to do a short vacation and then comeback. All for tightening up on those abusing the system, but a lot of genuine tourists are going to be affected. More BS IMO

[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.

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.

thanks. in another post however there was mentioned that people were "stuck" in kawthoung NOT being stamped in again in ranong.

[Mario2008]

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

Only at landborders for now.

At airports it will be in effect as of 12 August.

[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.

thanks. in another post however there was mentioned that people were "stuck" in kawthoung NOT being stamped in again in ranong.

That is not today. I am not even sure that was ever confirmed.

[empireboy]

Thanx for update Thai Visa... good work!

[fabianfred]

I sometimes wonder if Thailand wants visitors visiting the Kingdom if those who do these runs every month are given a hard time they will take their money and spend it somewhere else which in return will have an adverse effect on Thailand . I was under the impression that a single type visa was / would be available for Asian countries or have I been misguided. One rule that needs to be changed is that those people on extension of stay visas ( retirement ) should all be treated the same way why should a falang married to a Thai get away with only having to have 40,000 per month whereas a Falang married to a Falang has to have 65,000 every month !!!

Thais can live a lot cheaper.... Farangs want to live at the same standard as they do at home...

Sent from my SM-N900 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[retell]

Hi what about that blick of thai text , i cannot read it yet ,

Anyone care to translate for us

I dont trust google translate that will make it yibberish

[Mudcrab]

I had a triple entry tourist visa issued in the UK because i was just coming over for a few months as i expected to back to the UK within that time for work, the work has not yet started, there fore i am having to 'Milk' the system until my job starts.

Now in that period of time i have bought a house and spent over 400,000 baht here in Thailand, does that sound to you like milking the system or Thailand milking me of my hard earned cash?

Enough said!

Based on the information you have volunteered it hardly sounds like you are a tourist!!

[CockneyGit]

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?

'' 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''

That's exactly the point. If someone doesn't have the money to make a short trip to the Embassy then how can they support themselves in Thailand..?? Obviously working illegally.

These are exactly the kind of people the authorities want to keep out.

[fatdrunkandstupid]

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?

[MacWalen]

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!

[paulswebb]

Do not understand these milking the system comments, do they mean abusing the system. I have never come across anything that could be milked in Thailand apart from the cows that is.

[ubonjoe]

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?

I don't think so. It will probably mean just a check to see if they just flew out the same day they returned.

It is to early to even speculate what those changes will be.

[Mudcrab]

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?

How do these people survive on "holiday" as a tourist if they can't afford the price of a visa to get back in to Thailand. I would humbly suggest this is the very reason that the authorities are doing what they are doing.

[FiestyFarang]

I think this measure is aimed at the "poor" foreigners as I called Immigration this week after the announcement in regards to Ranong who said that flying in and out is fine but obviously more expensive and presumably the Thai government makes money on tax (which often is not explained by airlines well as there are so many charges, security charge, Passenger fee etc) including in the ticket. Glad I am on my last Visa Run. Next month I am getting a Non-O for 2000Baht giving me 1 year and I only have to go to Immigration about 10kms away every ninety days and no fee. Hopefully my last ever Visa Run now I am 50 years old.

[Mango Bob]

Seems that people are more worried about the Thai economy due to this decision. Believe me Thailand can survivor without you.

[fatdrunkandstupid]

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?

I don't think so. It will probably mean just a check to see if they just flew out the same day they returned.

It is to early to even speculate what those changes will be.

Ridiculous and unworkable. So if in Phuket I cannot then do a day trip to Singapore for banking or shopping?

[Som wat]

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...

Not ridiculous in the least.

For your example they would simply get a double or triple entry Tourist Visa. As they will be a tourist making two or three entries to Thailand.

The Visa Exemption is a great way Thais allow tourists to fly in, stay in Thailand for up to 30 days, then leave without needing to get a visa at all. A brilliantly effect system really, for what must be almost 99% of foreign tourists.

For those traveling around the region, simply get a double/triple entry Tourist Visa.

Fail to see anything anyway ridiculous about any of it.

[rucus7]

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!

Spend their free time and money in Cambodia? Is that your solution? Changed to 55 sounds like rumor mongering.

[chadillac666]

So a Nong Kai run to Laos for a 60 day plus the 30 day extension is still viable??

[bangkoklasse]

About time this happened.

yes I agree

[Som wat]

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.

Now here's a man who's going to do very well out of it!

Good on ya Mac!

[FiestyFarang]

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

I called Immigration earlier this week and air was fine. However this is a second rule and being a Saturday no one can check with Immigration. I think the rule is aimed at "poor" foreigners people that fly also presumably pay some tax to the Thai government although many airlines make it hard to see where the money goes under taxes, security charge, Passenger fee etc.

[LivinLOS]

I have a motorcycle thats not Thai that I have to take out of the country, do they insist I fly it out ??

[Mario2008]

So a Nong Kai run to Laos for a 60 day plus the 30 day extension is still viable??

Yes.

[darrendsd]

About time this happened.

yes I agree

I see the holier than though brigade have arrived

If you are on a legit visa then what business is it of yours if some people are not and want to do a border run?

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

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

Where are you getting that rumor from???

I haven't heard any speculation along those lines.

[Mudcrab]

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.....

Ezzra, Thailand does indeed have 10's of millions of visitors tourists every year, the vast majority who have a great holiday and then go home

There is a small percentage who become permanent tourists and use the system to stay here for whatever reason. These are the people who will be affected.

The genuine people have the correct visa, and as you say easy to obtain and renew - if you are the real deal.

Simply wanting to stay here because you want to isn't a compelling reason for the Thai, or any other Government, to enact legislation to allow this.

[bangkoklasse]

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.

If they legitimately working, studying, living here. Then they should have a proper visa for it also