How will the visa regulations be adjusted in near future?

[nweuro]

I plan to get tourist visa from Laos end of this month but my travel statistics looks bad ( lots of visa exempt stamps ) and Laos consulate and Thailand border control may not like it. That is why I try to figure out what is happening and what will happen with visa regulations.


I believe the control will be tight on land borders and airports for some time. After a while ( some months before high season? ) situation may get to normal but not as lax as what it has been. Visa regulations may be tightened but I believe they can not be set much tighter than in Malaysia or Vietnam for e.g.

Many of those out-in visa runners which I have met are quite harmless but anyway I support stopping those who work on tourist visas. I hope they let tourists do backpacker style country hopping in future also. Same day out-in can be forbidden for tourists in my opinion. Same day out-in is kind of extension of stay which should be done by immigration ( if the tourist is eligible to get one is another matter ).

There are more dangerous criminals than these out-in border runners staying in Thailand. They don’t get caught in this crackdown because they don’t do visa or border runs. They buy papers or “service” to enable them to get extension of stay and stay long time in Thailand. I hope Thai government would go after those who stay here on fake papers.

I have rented apartment here in Thailand and visit frequently. I worked in Hong Kong and China for 15 years and couple of months ago finished work and now rest before start work again. During last couple of years I have visited Thailand more than 30 times on visa exempt stamps. Often staying here 10 to 30 days, stayed out of Thailand min 2 max 60 days. One year ago I did two times out-in to Cambodia border. Fortunately I have never overstayed.

Anyway first I will try to get double entry tourist visa from Laos. Then I have some months to think about longer term plans ( register company here and work for the old customers or move into Cambodia and work from there or get marriage registered here and get extension of stay based on that and have sabbatical year ).

[Soutpeel]

get marriage registered here and get extension of stay based on that and have sabbatical year

You would married just for the sake of securing a visa to stay in Thailand ???

[nweuro]

get marriage registered here and get extension of stay based on that and have sabbatical year

You would married just for the sake of securing a visa to stay in Thailand ???

No but register several years cohabitation as marriage here in Thailand.

[ubonjoe]

For visas and extensions of stay the only marriage that is recognized is one that is registered at an Amphoe or Khet.

[thairookie]

The situation seems just as muddy as when crackdown was first announced.

I have had a couple of back to back visa runs to which I was only entitled 15 days each. Since then I have been out of Thailand for more 3 months. I'm worried that the next time I fly into Suvarnabhumi the immigration officer would start looking at the visa run stamps.

So what is the situation for guys with "visa run records" ?

[ubonjoe]

No problem for you because you have been out of the country for 3 months.

[nweuro]

The situation seems just as muddy as when crackdown was first announced.

I have had a couple of back to back visa runs to which I was only entitled 15 days each. Since then I have been out of Thailand for more 3 months. I'm worried that the next time I fly into Suvarnabhumi the immigration officer would start looking at the visa run stamps.

So what is the situation for guys with "visa run records" ?

I also believe you are ok. Some thai embassy want tourist be out of Thailand three months before they give new tourist visa. So three months is some kind of time limit in some thai embassies.

Just in case take 500euro cash with you ( min 20 000THB ). In some borders they want to see that you have enough cash. Credit cards may work also but easier for everybody just show cash. Also copies of anything that shows your travel plan inside Thailand and also outside Thailand. For e.g. hotel reservation in Hong Kong, that shows that you have plan to travel out of Thailand to Hong Kong. I also take copy of my insurance contract ( I need to have it with my anyway ). I have never been asked about insurance though.

I have been inside Thailand alltogether more than 180 days per year during last couple of years. All those trips I have done by getting visa extemption stamps mostly in Suvarnabhumi airport. When you stay more than 180 days a year in a country you are actually living in a country. Same rule applies to many other countries than Thailand also.

Thailand has accepted these kind of travelers earlier. Many are expats working in SE Asia and having rented apartment in Thailand, some are backpackers on long holiday, some are people having sabbatical year.

There are many retirees here also but they can get extension of stay based on retirement and they should have no problems.

[thairookie]

No problem for you because you have been out of the country for 3 months.

This sounds like the 90 days within 180 days thingy.

[thairookie]

I also believe you are ok. Some thai embassy want tourist be out of Thailand three months before they give new tourist visa. So three months is some kind of time limit in some thai embassies.

I don't intend to apply for Tourist Visa because with fly in I'm entitled to 30 days.

Proof of travel itinerary is a problem. I live in a condo, so basically there is no travel itinerary. The best I can offer is a fly out air ticket plus 20K cash.

I'm more worried about having to prove if I had never worked in Thailand despite having stayed in Thailand for a long time made possible with a string of visa exemption entries and tourist visas. I can't possibly produce official documents from any organizations to prove that I had not worked in Thailand in the past. You can prove that you did something. But how to prove you didn't do anything?

[ubonjoe]

No problem for you because you have been out of the country for 3 months.

This sounds like the 90 days within 180 days thingy.

That rule is long gone.

The 3 months was in response to the post before mine. The member had been out of the country for 3 months.

[Suradit69]

I also believe you are ok. Some thai embassy want tourist be out of Thailand three months before they give new tourist visa. So three months is some kind of time limit in some thai embassies.

I don't intend to apply for Tourist Visa because with fly in I'm entitled to 30 days.

Proof of travel itinerary is a problem. I live in a condo, so basically there is no travel itinerary. The best I can offer is a fly out air ticket plus 20K cash.

I'm more worried about having to prove if I had never worked in Thailand despite having stayed in Thailand for a long time made possible with a string of visa exemption entries and tourist visas. I can't possibly produce official documents from any organizations to prove that I had not worked in Thailand in the past. You can prove that you did something. But how to prove you didn't do anything?

"You can prove that you did something. But how to prove you didn't do anything?"

By demonstrating that the money you used for your living expenses originated outside of Thailand. You should have records of money being transferred into a bank account or records of foreign currency being converted to Thai baht or credit card receipts.

Those don't prove you didn't work, but at least they demonstrate that you have sufficient financial resources outside Thailand. The problem is that you apparently want to be treated as a tourist when it comes to immigrations but you have a rented condo and a passport full of stamps that imply you are not a typical tourist. So whether or not you worked in Thailand it would still be difficult to claim you are simply a tourist.

[IMA_FARANG]

There are a number of things an intelligent person can do to lessen the risk of being caught by any future unexpected "visa" rules change.

Number one is to actually get a real visa, tourist or otherwise before you come to Thailand from your home country. A double entry or even a triple entry (if your country allows it) is a wise investment.

Then know how to use those visa effectively according to the law. (legally, I mean).

For example a triple entry tourist visa has a 60 day entry stamp and a 30 day extension in country possible for each entry.

So, being intelligent, you deliberately delay your second entry as long as legally possible (hint.... get a 30 day extension) and delay your 3rd entry until 1 day before your triple entry tourist visa expires. (Normally 180 days after being ISSUED)

Then exit Thailand and re-enter, This is NOT what they are referring to as an out-in border run because you already still have a valid visa, NOT a visa exemption entry.

Now when you return (legally) for your third entry, you will get a final 60 day "permitted to stay" entry stamp.

Even though your actual visa expires the next day that "permitted to stay" stamp you just got allows you to legally stay another 60 days. And you can also legally extend that for another 30 days at immigration for a 1900 baht fee here in Thailand.

But since you are supposedly intelligent and know the visa rules then you already knew what I just told you above, right?

Best tip I can give you is: learn and know the visa rules and be flexible when and if the rules change.

If it becomes necessary to live Thailand for a 30 day stint to be allowed to return later legally .... be ready to do it.

Vietnam and Malaysia are good alternatives. Laos and Cambodia as well.

Be smart, and plan ahead for contingencies as best you can.