Mae Sai border bounce, today 20/05/2014

[smotherb]

I'll raise the reply-bar a bit by saying that that was an excellent post, and a very reasonable immigration officer. I'm sure you're right about the not raising your voice bit.

I think Kevin's experience just highlights what we have been told, a good story with back-up paperwork goes a long way--and politeness/respect helps grease the wheels

[HooHaa]

1 year marriage VISA extension (1,900bht), multiple re-entry permit (is that 3,500bht?) and the money in the bank (400k) that allows you to apply for it.

I do totally understand exactly what you are saying, but my circumstances are this (again sorry for repeating my self) i might not be here next month, so why is it you still think i am ''bucking'' the system? i get called to do my consulting all over the world, so i consider my time spending my hard earned cash in Thailand as a ''holiday'' there fore i am a tourist doing all the things tourists do.

Do you get where im coming from now? and if not what type of visa do you suggest i get next time i return to my ''holiday'' home and my holiday?

I am very keen to hear your reply and act upon it, you could know a visa or such like that i am so far unaware of.

Already said, your primary reason for entering Thailand will be, "I am visiting my wife".

So you can get the 1 year marriage VISA extension + multiple re-entry permit (total about 6k but need 400k savings in a Thai bank account in your sole name).

Or (and this might suit you better, given your work) 60day non-imm O VISA for the purpose of visiting your wife (Thai national not sure of the cost 2k maybe).

misinformation. its a 90 day non imm o to visit spouse or child

[Gonzo the Face]

Khun Kevin

As I am quite a bit older than you let me offer you the following advice........ and I hope you take it as just that ..... advice.

I note that you have been a forum member for not quite a month now. I think it is a good idea that you have, wanting to post of your experiences at immigration in the past few days, so as others can take from it what they may/can.

You say you are a consultant, world wide...... well let me say this so am I or so have I been for some almost 50 years now. Now semi retired. Let me make some suggestions that you may choose to consider.

Earn your spurs first before becoming so , shall we say thrustful with your advice.

Don't give your advice......offer it.....

You have been offered suggestions , re what type of visa you should seek. You are not a tourist, no matter that you may like to go elephant riding or bamboo rafting , when you are in country. You have a wife here now, you may have indicated that you have a house, and did indicate that you come back for varying periods of time, dependent on duration of in between contracts. I would leave it up to you to decide what type of visa is best for you. Chiang Mai and this forum can be a wonderful experience if you do not get started on the wrong foot.

I offer this all...... only as suggestions with hopes that you will have a long and fruitful duration posting on this forum, and become a much respected poster. There are already too many pitas on board and more are surely not encouraged.

Welcome to Chiang Mai and to TV.

[Oscar2]

A foreigner getting married in Thailand pays 30bht, same as everyone else.

If you think that's expensive, you shouldn't be here.

Get a VISA or go home.

just for your information as you are clearly a not too well informed character, the cost of getting married in Thailand goes way way further than paying the paltry 30 baht, which is wrong as we paid 200 baht, so your first point is wrong, good start!

Their are other such ''minor'' things such as buying a house and paying dowry.......i paid more than 1 million baht, but i don''t need to explain that to such a knowledgeable chap like yourself.

I will entertain you further by telling you i do consultancy work all around the world, and there is a good chance i could pay for a 1 year visa and only stay 1 week before my work calls me away, it can also work out the opposite way as it has this time round while its been 10 months since my last bit of work.

Kevin

paying a dowry??? people don't actually do that do they? isn't that what internet forums are for? to help gullible foreigners know that is only for the uninformed! also you don't have to "buy a house". that is optional.

[evenstevens]

kevin me thinks you are doing fine you are controlling your own destiny your o/post was a nice one, and a honest a/c of your events ,take a bow the officer gave you a break(j.m.o),and u can take it from there

it took me nearly 13 yrs to get a full retirement visa for a whole raft of reasons,,done the full monty on border runs to maesai,and during the halycon days of the early 2000.s it was indeed a night mare,but i was controlling my own destiny

me thinks u are in the same boat,control your own destiny and it will never let u down

a nice afternoon to all ,u know something??????

its a great life as long as u dont weaken

[KhunKevin]

Khun Kevin

As I am quite a bit older than you let me offer you the following advice........ and I hope you take it as just that ..... advice.

I note that you have been a forum member for not quite a month now. I think it is a good idea that you have, wanting to post of your experiences at immigration in the past few days, so as others can take from it what they may/can.

You say you are a consultant, world wide...... well let me say this so am I or so have I been for some almost 50 years now. Now semi retired. Let me make some suggestions that you may choose to consider.

Earn your spurs first before becoming so , shall we say thrustful with your advice.

Don't give your advice......offer it.....

You have been offered suggestions , re what type of visa you should seek. You are not a tourist, no matter that you may like to go elephant riding or bamboo rafting , when you are in country. You have a wife here now, you may have indicated that you have a house, and did indicate that you come back for varying periods of time, dependent on duration of in between contracts. I would leave it up to you to decide what type of visa is best for you. Chiang Mai and this forum can be a wonderful experience if you do not get started on the wrong foot.

I offer this all...... only as suggestions with hopes that you will have a long and fruitful duration posting on this forum, and become a much respected poster. There are already too many pitas on board and more are surely not encouraged.

Welcome to Chiang Mai and to TV.

I was actually a TV member many years ago but i got a ban for giving someone advice based on my experience in their field, the OP took the hump with me and because he was a 'advertiser' on TV i was 'rewarded' with a ban, after which i thought it was better to stay away from what was quite a badly run site and moderators.

Im back now and hopefully the site has improved, the jury is out.

Thanks for your words Gonzo, and hopefully in the forth coming months we can continue to communicate here, and i will listen to your very wise words.

Cheers Kevin

[KhunKevin]

A foreigner getting married in Thailand pays 30bht, same as everyone else.

If you think that's expensive, you shouldn't be here.

Get a VISA or go home.

just for your information as you are clearly a not too well informed character, the cost of getting married in Thailand goes way way further than paying the paltry 30 baht, which is wrong as we paid 200 baht, so your first point is wrong, good start!

Their are other such ''minor'' things such as buying a house and paying dowry.......i paid more than 1 million baht, but i don''t need to explain that to such a knowledgeable chap like yourself.

I will entertain you further by telling you i do consultancy work all around the world, and there is a good chance i could pay for a 1 year visa and only stay 1 week before my work calls me away, it can also work out the opposite way as it has this time round while its been 10 months since my last bit of work.

Kevin

paying a dowry??? people don't actually do that do they? isn't that what internet forums are for? to help gullible foreigners know that is only for the uninformed! also you don't have to "buy a house". that is optional.

Oscar2, i can only say to you that i have married into a very good and respected Thai family, you will excuse me from not elaborating too much as this is my personal business and i still have some personal things that are just that, personal.

You will just have to trust me, i am very happy with what i have done and once i am over this little hurdle, the home stretch is well in sight and i can laugh about this.

I think people here have maybe forgotten i wrote this to help other people, who did not know what was happening on this border crossing, i think i did that.

[KhunKevin]

kevin me thinks you are doing fine you are controlling your own destiny your o/post was a nice one, and a honest a/c of your events ,take a bow the officer gave you a break(j.m.o),and u can take it from there

it took me nearly 13 yrs to get a full retirement visa for a whole raft of reasons,,done the full monty on border runs to maesai,and during the halycon days of the early 2000.s it was indeed a night mare,but i was controlling my own destiny

me thinks u are in the same boat,control your own destiny and it will never let u down

a nice afternoon to all ,u know something??????

its a great life as long as u dont weaken

Thank you for your kind words evenstevens, i have my own destiny in my own hands and i have one very beautiful sweet hearted and generous lady by my side.

I will reread this post from you in the future and feel happy to have met you here.

Cheers Kevin

[A12341]

Oh no... This is not very encouraging for me, as I'm not a tourist, but not working, and in between visas. It used to be acceptable to get visa exemptions in these cases for short-term (not many consecutive) extensions of stay. To take this option away, and start enforcing it with so little warning puts people like myself in a difficult and stressful situation. What about people who want to stay here and are looking for work? They are not technically tourists, but can't get a non-imm visa until they have the proper paperwork from an organization/school.

Anyway, thank you KhunKevin for letting us know what we can expect! Like you, I am going to need to explain my situation to the official, except I don't have many documents I can present... I can give them references to call, but it sounds like you only have a limited amount of time, unless there is no one else in line.

[KhunKevin]

Oh no... This is not very encouraging for me, as I'm not a tourist, but not working, and in between visas. It used to be acceptable to get visa exemptions in these cases for short-term (not many consecutive) extensions of stay. To take this option away, and start enforcing it with so little warning puts people like myself in a difficult and stressful situation. What about people who want to stay here and are looking for work? They are not technically tourists, but can't get a non-imm visa until they have the proper paperwork from an organization/school.

Anyway, thank you KhunKevin for letting us know what we can expect! Like you, I am going to need to explain my situation to the official, except I don't have many documents I can present... I can give them references to call, but it sounds like you only have a limited amount of time, unless there is no one else in line.

Without knowing your exact circumstances and i am sure somebody with better knowledge wil help you better than i, i think you are better off getting a double entry tourist visa from Laos?

Please help anyone reading this post, like i say i am not so 'savvy' on this subject.

Cheers and chok dee

[northernjohn]

So, an excellent informative report on someone's experience on a recent visa run to Mae Sai Border, it would be great to hear from other people that have done the same recently rather than the silly comments.

That''s the exact reason i did it Barry, i was going to the border with a lot of in trepidation, and i could not find any useful info any where. I guess its an ongoing thing and your border points near Hua Hin are probably totally different?

I was so happy i took all my paperwork with me, it defo saved me an expensive overstay/trip.

As for the other silly comments, well ignorance is a great thing is it not? 55555

Thank you

Kevin

To be honest with you I don't see how your post helped any tourist who is over here and wants to stay an extra month.

Your situation of just being married and having all the paper work plus a bank book showing you have spent a lot of money here is completely different. Even at that it would seem you still will not be able to do it again.

If I am missing some thing here sorry about that.

[northernjohn]

Khun Kevin

As I am quite a bit older than you let me offer you the following advice........ and I hope you take it as just that ..... advice.

I note that you have been a forum member for not quite a month now. I think it is a good idea that you have, wanting to post of your experiences at immigration in the past few days, so as others can take from it what they may/can.

You say you are a consultant, world wide...... well let me say this so am I or so have I been for some almost 50 years now. Now semi retired. Let me make some suggestions that you may choose to consider.

Earn your spurs first before becoming so , shall we say thrustful with your advice.

Don't give your advice......offer it.....

You have been offered suggestions , re what type of visa you should seek. You are not a tourist, no matter that you may like to go elephant riding or bamboo rafting , when you are in country. You have a wife here now, you may have indicated that you have a house, and did indicate that you come back for varying periods of time, dependent on duration of in between contracts. I would leave it up to you to decide what type of visa is best for you. Chiang Mai and this forum can be a wonderful experience if you do not get started on the wrong foot.

I offer this all...... only as suggestions with hopes that you will have a long and fruitful duration posting on this forum, and become a much respected poster. There are already too many pitas on board and more are surely not encouraged.

Welcome to Chiang Mai and to TV.

Very good points. I was and still am baffled at how he can buy a house here in Thailand and have a wife here and consider himself a tourist. Where I come from a wife is considered to be a commitment not some one you visit when you are touring.

[A12341]

I'll raise the reply-bar a bit by saying that that was an excellent post, and a very reasonable immigration officer. I'm sure you're right about the not raising your voice bit.

I think Kevin's experience just highlights what we have been told, a good story with back-up paperwork goes a long way--and politeness/respect helps grease the wheels

The immigration officer wasn't completely unreasonable, and I understand that he is just following orders / a memo from his superior, but the new rules were posted May 8, not last month, as far as I know. The fact that there is no grace period in practice, though it's there in the announcement, is rather unreasonable. Forget allowances of three consecutive visa exemptions before Aug.12, we may be lucky to get one if we beg or know the right thing to say to convince them.

[kjhbigv]

Can you just clarify as not clear.....

"So i have had a triple entry visa, which expired 31 days ago, so i went on a visa ''bounce'' to Mae Sai to try for a 30 day tourist visa ( not extension) which i got with the border guard telling me that they had marked my entry with a number 1 next to it, and i could only make another 2 ''bounces'' before i needed an official visa or some kind.

With me so far?

Right so this morning i set off on my ''second'' border bounce before the new regulations kick in on August 12? this is my story of the day........"

So you got the 30 day extension from Immigration for the final 3rd entry of your triple entry, so now your triple entry was completely finished and now you were doing a 30 Day Tourist Visa EXEMPT "bounce" OR was this your 2nd 30 Day Tourist Visa EXEMPT at Mai Sae?

Correct?

Sorry, i wrote this after a very long day and quite a stressful one, i wanted to get something out there asap, as i know many people were asking about the situation at Mae Sai border.

You are correct it was my 2nd of what i have read 3 in-outs.

Again sorry for the missunderstanding, its not helping me at the moment as my PC has started to auto correct my spelling, for some unknown reason.

Cheers Kevin

Got it. You had used up your triple entry tourist visa, you had been up to mae sae to get 30 days visa exempt last month and you were trying (and got) another 30 day visa exempt?

Useful info.

Sent from my GT-I9300T using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[A12341]

Sorry, I'm wondering if the OP or anyone else knows if I could use a printout of my online banking account to show I have at least 20,000 Baht. (I don't have a bank book). I guess it's worth a try...?

[rct99q]

Well it seems you have clarified things just a bit, my apologies. You just use Thailand as a holiday spot while having flying around the world working. And I guess the "wife" thingy is just a part of the holiday package.

Here is what I did ... and I add this to provide information to anybody looking to avoid the exact situation you encountered during your border run.

1) explain to the future wife you need to get yourself situated in Thailand ie visa extension so that you can live here legally without hassles.

2) get yourself married if that is your option

3) get the imm O visa (90 day) from a neighboring Thai consulate/Embassy

4) season your money in the bank

5) after 60 days go to immigration and apply for your extension (based on being married to a Thai)

6) wait the month long approval process

7) return back to immigration get your brand new shiny extension of stay & apply for re-entry permit (multiple)

8) THEN explain to the wife that your money will need to be seasoned for future applications and possibly not the best idea to blow it on an expensive wedding party or dowry....(however if prior to point one your future wife nixes this as her family want your money first.....find another wife and start with point 1 again)

Once you obtain your extension of stay and re-entry permit you can come and go, flying here and there returning back to your holiday spot with your holiday wife without any worries of doing a border run.

Hate to keep repeating myself (same as yourself) but you keep asking how do I stay here and avoid the dreaded border runs because YOU only live her part time. (that is it seems until you can round up some more money again). Your circumstance are just that YOURS. Thailand has its own set of circumstances one of which is living here with the proper VISA. If you cannot afford one (at the moment because of extenuating circumstances) that is not Thailands fault.

By the way re-read part of your posts and must admit, and give you plenty of credit, you got away relatively cheap with only splashing out 1,000,000 baht for a house, wedding and dowry. Is she from Isaan? My wife and family just finished paying for my second home and it cost them a shy under 500,000 baht....and by no means luxury. have no idea about wedding or dowry as paid neither, but sounds like you got a bargain.......good job!

[evenstevens]

^^^^^^whats the fuss????he has not broken any law to date ,the mae sai border immigration officials have give him another 30 days...so be it (j.m.o.)

and additionally his opening post was a honest a/c of his experiences at mae sai border and well received by members

you certainly appear to be a hard marker ease up a bit its a great life if u don t weaken