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

[Soutpeel]

i wonder what brouhgt this on?

decide to hit the Farangs!

One suspects the farangs who work in Thailand illegally, live here long term and do 30 day turnarounds, in effect they are taking the p*ss out of the system, so these things will happen

[CP3]

How does one from Visa exempt countries can extend their stay legally?

[star kicker]

sounds like as long as you've have a suitable visa - not difficult - then you will be fine.

i agree that people 'living' here on back to back 30 day visa exemptions should be dissuaded from doing so.

if you cant be bothered to sort about the appropriate visa for yourself then thailand doesn't want you and neither do the vast majority of foreigners living here.

[Soutpeel]

How does one from Visa exempt countries can extend their stay legally?

Get a visa or extension of stay...not hard

[slipperylobster]

Would it not be great if we simultaneously transferred all our money out of the banks here and place it elsewhere...

I mean, really folks....I wanna stay real bad.....but when does the tourniquet get loosened. I don't even want to work here at all, just kind of stay and spend money....lots of it.

[GeorgeO]

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!

I know many people who rely on the border runs; however, I don't believe any of them were attempting to milk the system. They were unaware what they were doing was illegal.

This crackdown is actually advantageous to tourists on extended stays since it is much cheaper to apply for and receive a Visa than to make the monthly border runs.

It seems odd that there is such an industry set up to support this practice and which advertise their services openly if, in fact, it was against the law.

Sorry, I know this is somewhat off topic, but Thailand also has another very lucrative industry which openly advertises it services, but yet that is also supposed to be illegal; and doesn't it seem rather odd that places like Soi Cowboy, which aren't supposed to exist, even have constant police patrols...?!

Edited May 10, 2014 by GeorgeO

[uptheos]

What if I arrive in Thailand without visa, then I plan to go to Lao via land border and stay in Lao but don't come back to Thailand ???

In Mae sot they are saying they can't even leave Thailand !!

Are they saying you can't leave or strongly dissuading you from leaving?

There's a difference

[Spoonman]

How does one from Visa exempt countries can extend their stay legally?

A legitimate tourist planning on spending more than 30 days in country would have done the research and found that they will need a TOURIST visa.

Not hard is it.

[CP3]

How does one from Visa exempt countries can extend their stay legally?

Get a visa or extension of stay...not hard

I suppose extension has to be done at BKK? I called up thai embassy in my country and they said I can't get a tourist visa since I am from visa exempt country.

[ubonjoe]

So what do people who are awaiting an extension for say, based on marriage do, if they are refused and their waiting period is up?

For one thing they are seldom refused. As soon as you get the result the waiting period is over anyway, If no result it continues.

You could apply for a 60 day extension from the date your permit to stay ended,

You could also make a border run because it would be your first one.

[Suradit69]

About time this happened.

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

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

And openly bragging about it on Thai Visa and other forums.

There seems to be this belief that people from Immigrations aren't aware of those who go on and on about doing border runs and not doing 90 day reports for years and years. Maybe some day people will realize that broadcasting how they game the system and exploit loopholes will come back to bite them (and a lot of others) in the butt.

I'm somewhat sympathetic to those who felt secure in doing these border runs. This will undoubtedly come as a shock, but the blame belongs with those who abuse the system and openly crow about how clever they are.

[slipperylobster]

i wonder what brouhgt this on?

decide to hit the Farangs!

One suspects the farangs who work in Thailand illegally, live here long term and do 30 day turnarounds, in effect they are taking the p*ss out of the system, so these things will happen

Yep..it is those younger "english professors" that fall in love, and overstay... just pushing everything to the limit with immigration. Hiding out, teaching english, and..."how evil can it get"....doing border runs every month.

[slipperylobster]

About time this happened.

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

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

And openly bragging about it on Thai Visa and other forums.

There seems to be this belief that people from Immigrations aren't aware of those who go on and on about doing border runs and not doing 90 day reports for years and years. Maybe some day people will realize that broadcasting how they game the system and exploit loopholes will come back to bite them (and a lot of others) in the butt.

I'm somewhat sympathetic to those who felt secure in doing these border runs. This will undoubtedly come as a shock, but the blame belongs with those who abuse the system and openly crow about how clever they are.

Actually, they just record these runs on their PC at the border....no need to read our crazy ramblings on TV to find out how often the farang crosses the border.

[Charlie1]

Perhaps, in my optimistic, personal, biased, self righteous opinion...

There may be a silver lining in these revelations. I hope, as Thailand is counted amongst 10 other viable retirement options (many of which cater to retirees and their hard earned cash reserves, maybe we will be permitted permanent resident status in the future...much the same as, for example, I did in the Philippines. Report just once a year.... no visa headaches/hassles. A little saved face for my efforts to enjoy the retired life here in Thailand. Making me more human, in the process.

Would be great if immigration would make it easier to stay with my legally married wife and with my kid(s). (No more 90-days-visit, resident visa) Would feel a little more human as well. But it's exactly the situation with the border-runners, that make immigration suspicious. And honest people with the correct visa have to suffer because of these blokes.

Maybe, things will get better for us soon?

[Mudcrab]

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 lot of visa schools. You can usually tell by the price, if price is very cheap means not 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!

No offense intended Mac, I trust none taken. Wasn't commenting on you or your business personally. Many posters here recommend the ED visa as a way of staying in Thailand when all else fails. Hope you understand.

Edited May 10, 2014 by Mudcrab

[Spoonman]

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

And openly bragging about it on Thai Visa and other forums.

There seems to be this belief that people from Immigrations aren't aware of those who go on and on about doing border runs and not doing 90 day reports for years and years. Maybe some day people will realize that broadcasting how they game the system and exploit loopholes will come back to bite them (and a lot of others) in the butt.

I'm somewhat sympathetic to those who felt secure in doing these border runs. This will undoubtedly come as a shock, but the blame belongs with those who abuse the system and openly crow about how clever they are.

Just today in another thread about visa runs we had some moron bragging how he does not even leave his bar stool but instead flick a visa run company Bt.8000 to take his passport for a drive and get a frsh stamp for him.

[Thanyaburi Mac]

CP3 #159 above

" I called up thai embassy in my country and they said I can't get a tourist visa since I am from visa exempt country."

I think whomever you spoke to at your embassy needs to review Thai Immigration regs. You CAN get a tourist visa for Thailand, not a problem, just go to another country and apply at the Thai Embassy or Consulate.

The 15- or 30-day visa exempt has no relation to tourist visas, it's just a convenience for people making short trips to Thailand.

Mac

[eyecatcher]

A lot of whinging here, just because people don't like change.

I have been here now over three years on a tourist visa. One flight back the uk every 6 months, new visa ...£80 and finished.

Don't have to go to uk, but my family are there.

Now I am dreading sorting out visa for the wife to come next time.

You think Thai immigration is bad try getting into uk, aus,states.

Thais are pussycats.

[hagler]

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?

Actually it will be highly workable.

There will be a "minimum period" between leaving and re-entering the country. Just long enough to get rid of the visa runners but not long enough to keep the tourists away. Say 14 days out of the country before re-entry as an example.

And of course you can fly to Singapore for a days shopping if you have a legitimate visa to live and stay in Thailand. But not if you are a visa runner.

Edited May 10, 2014 by hagler

[needforspeed]

changes nothing. I have friends who have been here years and have never once crossed any boarder for any visa extension.This is Thailand-have money- do as you please.This will only make those visa fixers a little more money and many local Thai vendors/businesses a little less.

This has nothing to do with visa extensions but is all about those who do not have a visa and are doing border runs every 15/30 days to get another visa exempt entry. the time has come to sort their ........... and get a proper visa.

Lets face it. doing a border run every 15/30 days is costly, why not fly to a neighboring country for 2 days and get a proper tourist visa.

how about the thousands off Laos and burmese workers who doing this runs 12 x a year?

[phuketrichard]

this does not affect me but i wonder if it would affect all that use the 30 days visa exempt correctly.

Ie fly into Thailand without a visa, stay 2 weeks than travel to Cambodia for a week an return to Thailand for a week before heading home ( or up to Lao or down to Malaysia/Singpore/Bali)

So now they CANNOT do this?

and will need apply for a tourist visa outside to come back in.

This will hit those legit tourist as well.

Edited May 10, 2014 by phuketrichard

[IMA_FARANG]

The repeated 30 day entry without a visa scam has been used by those working illegally in Thailand for some time.

Phuket has been on of the main places that it is or was being used.

Looks like the "divers go deeper" brigade is now out of luck.

Apparently the Fecal matter has finally impacted with the rotating air displacement device.

All you Russians .... go home.

Don't worry, Vladimir has a government job for you in the Ukraine posing as "persecuted" Russian citizen and burning down Ukrainian government buildings in the Eastern Ukraine.

Vacancies now open.

Edited May 10, 2014 by IMA_FARANG

[Will2011]

Well, perhaps this new rule is to keep out foreign citizens of Thailand for the expected next big event, as they don't know how it'll end up. Keep them out of troubles...

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

Was just re-read the original post here... and in particular the following item:

From today visitors can only enter into Thailand via a land border once, after that they will be refused entry to the Kingdom and are advised to fly out and return with a visa obtained from a Royal Thai Embassy or Consulate in a neighbouring country or overseas.

Do we have any idea what ONCE actually means in practice in terms of land border visa exempt entries???

--Once at a land border between each airport in and out?

--Once per year?

--Once between any kind of actual visa?

--Or some other kind of ONCE???

--

[Soutpeel]

i wonder what brouhgt this on?

decide to hit the Farangs!

One suspects the farangs who work in Thailand illegally, live here long term and do 30 day turnarounds, in effect they are taking the p*ss out of the system, so these things will happen

Yep..it is those younger "english professors" that fall in love, and overstay... just pushing everything to the limit with immigration. Hiding out, teaching english, and..."how evil can it get"....doing border runs every month.

nothing to do with being evil......the visa wavier system is intended for tourists from certain countries, not for living and working in Thailand, one suspects the 'English professors" have had a good run, now its time to pay the piper....

if you are living/working here long term do it properly and don't take the p*ss out the system and get some sort of visa...

[kieran2698]

It will be hardship for a lot of people and a lot of people will have to adjust their vacation plans.

No great hardship for a tourist to fork out for an Air Asia ticket.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

this does not affect me but i wonder if it would affect all that use the 30 days visa exempt correctly.

Ie fly into Thailand without a visa, stay 2 weeks than travel to Cambodia for a week an return to Thailand for a week before heading home ( or up to Lao or down to Malaysia/Singpore/Bali)

So now they CANNOT do this?

and will need apply for a tourist visa outside to come back in.

This will hit those legit tourist as well.

No Richard, I'm assuming your example would continue to be allowed.

Because, someone doing your example (Thailand-Cambodia-Thailand) would only be using ONE visa-exempt land border crossing. And supposedly the new rule allows ONE.... But it apparently won't allow any more than one.

[kkup]

As with most rules enforced in Thailand it prob wont last long.

[KarenBravo]

This will just create a lot more over-stayers.

[richard10365]

If anything, this will only get more difficult to come into Thailand for foreigners who are not from ASEAN countries. In 2015, ASEAN nationals will be able to move more freely across the borders of every ASEAN country. If too many move in to Thailand at one time, it can be very disruptive to the local labor market. One way to limit the disruption is to tighten up on the current regulations and that is what Thailand is doing. If more ASEAN nationals are allowed in the country, to balance it out, limit everyone else who is not an ASEAN national........unless you are Chinese....that's another story.