Border run crackdown in full force at Thai-Cambodian checkpoints

[Jonathan Fairfield]

Border run crackdown in full force at Thai-Cambodian checkpoints

ARANYAPRATHET:-- Following the recent news regarding the crackdown on Out-In border runners in Thailand, it is reported that Immigration officials are implementing the tough new rules on the Cambodian border.

Over the past two days, Thaivisa.com has been receiveing an increasing number of reports that persistent border runners going to the Aranyaprathet/Poipet border are now only being given a seven day entry stamp.

Thaivisa has also received information from Bangkok Buddy Travel Service Co.,Ltd, a tour operator based in Sukhumvit Soi 12, that also confirms the news regarding Poipet border officials only issuing a seven day entry stamp to individuals who are not in possession of a valid tourist visa or non-immigrant visa.

These latest developments at the Aranyaprathet/Poipet border checkpoint follow similar action being taken by immigration officials at Ranong and Mae Sai.

Aranyaprathet is the most used land entry point to Thailand and is widely used by foreign nationals from Bangkok, Pattaya and central Thailand.

The Immigration Bureau has advised that perpetual border runners should apply for the correct visa type or extension instead of using tourist visas or 15/30 days visa exemptions.

Thaivisa.com will keep you updated with any more news on the Out/In border crackdown as and when we receive it.

For the very latest Thailand news and visa information subscribe to the Thaivisa Newsletter.

-- 2014-05-22

[thamteak]

Good.

[khwaibah]

Very quite at Chong Chom I wounder why.

[GaryAdriaenssens]

It's a start but let's see how long it will last.

[harrycallahan]

Philippines?

[pinkpanther99]

Even with this political mess and martial law, they're not relenting on this visa run crackdown.

As I've said previously I have sympathy with some visa runners but you wouldn't be able to go in and out of say the UK, USA, or Aus without a proper visa, so it is understandable why Thailand, or any other country for that matter, would want to get rid of people who stay in the country without the correct documentation.

[krismagi]

This is not only about the abuse of the visa system but also about deterring illegal working and identifying criminal elements, particularly those peddling drugs.

If you are a law abiding person then what is happening should hold no fears for you.

This is only what happens in Western countries in any case.

[brewsterbudgen]

It doesn't seem to be affecting Lao citizens....yet. Two Lao friends of mine got their usual 30 day stamp in the last two days, with no indication that this was going to change.

Sent from my GT-S7270L using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[baboon]

This is not only about the abuse of the visa system but also about deterring illegal working and identifying criminal elements, particularly those peddling drugs.

If you are a law abiding person then what is happening should hold no fears for you.

This is only what happens in Western countries in any case.

How will this deter drug peddlers or other nefarious types?

[Deaw]

I will smile wide when I cross through with my non-immigrant type O next week and receive another 90 days

[pinkpanther99]

This is not only about the abuse of the visa system but also about deterring illegal working and identifying criminal elements, particularly those peddling drugs.

If you are a law abiding person then what is happening should hold no fears for you.

This is only what happens in Western countries in any case.

You're exactly right. Good points, well made.

Most of us having nothing to worry about

[Fatherfluffybottom]

How will this work for the likes of people who work off-shore, and say come to thailand every 2nd month, and only require an entry stamp for the duration of their stay here?

It doesn't affect me, but im more curious than anything.

I do hope it helps sort out the illegals and the no hopers from coming/staying here, all in all it will contribute to a safer Thailand, again, i hope.

[anon467367354]

I haven't been to Poipet in years, but I was always amazed at how fast it was growing with all the new buildings and all.

Obviously a supply and demand situation created by those the constantly had to do frequent trips to the borders.

I wonder if that's going to slow down. Rather than creating a great place to live, they seem to be set on doing the opposite.

Again, why don't they make it easier for people to work, collect taxes, create diversity and grow like the developed countries have?

Who knows, we'll just eventually see how it all turns out.

[krismagi]

It doesn't seem to be affecting Lao citizens....yet. Two Lao friends of mine got their usual 30 day stamp in the last two days, with no indication that this was going to change.

Sent from my GT-S7270L using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

Given that ASEAN and the single market is on the horizon, I should imagine that any ASEAN country citizen will receive different treatment than other nationalities. I have no issue with that, after all, I am British and can live anywhere across the EU.

[krismagi]

I haven't been to Poipet in years, but I was always amazed at how fast it was growing with all the new buildings and all.

Obviously a supply and demand situation created by those the constantly had to do frequent trips to the borders.

I wonder if that's going to slow down. Rather than creating a great place to live, they seem to be set on doing the opposite.

Again, why don't they make it easier for people to work, collect taxes, create diversity and grow like the developed countries have?

Who knows, we'll just eventually see how it all turns out.

Poipet is a gambling centre set up to service the Thai market (where organised gambling is illegal) and any itinerant Chinese :-)

The growth of the place has less to do with the visa business although I guess it added some revenue.

[krismagi]

How will this work for the likes of people who work off-shore, and say come to thailand every 2nd month, and only require an entry stamp for the duration of their stay here?

It doesn't affect me, but im more curious than anything.

I do hope it helps sort out the illegals and the no hopers from coming/staying here, all in all it will contribute to a safer Thailand, again, i hope.

As things currently stand, if there are a large number of stamps in your passport it might be wise to obtain a proper visa at a friendly Thai embassy near you. The airlines will also start to scrutinize people's entitlement to fly as they are responsible for repatriating someone if they get refused entry.

[brewsterbudgen]

It doesn't seem to be affecting Lao citizens....yet. Two Lao friends of mine got their usual 30 day stamp in the last two days, with no indication that this was going to change.

Sent from my GT-S7270L using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

Given that ASEAN and the single market is on the horizon, I should imagine that any ASEAN country citizen will receive different treatment than other nationalities. I have no issue with that, after all, I am British and can live anywhere across the EU.

I hope you're right, but some of the earlier quotes from Immigration appeared to target Laos and Vietnam passport holders doing monthly border runs.

Sent from my GT-S7270L using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[PREM-R]

I will smile wide when I cross through with my non-immigrant type O next week and receive another 90 days

First they stopped the border runners and I did not speak out

Because I was not a border runner.

Then they stopped the TR Visa holders and I did not speak out

Because I was not a TR visa holder

Then they stopped me and there was no one left to speak out.

Edited May 22, 2014 by PREM-R

[Pattaya46]

How will this work for the likes of people who work off-shore, and say come to thailand every 2nd month, and only require an entry stamp for the duration of their stay here?

We will have to wait to know it, but I would bet it will have no impact on them. Officers will easily understand these periodic stays, and see they don't do any visarun. Wait and see

[DavidMavec]

The big thing that will keep losers from coming to Thailand is to clean up the prostitution industry; the rest is simply glib

[krismagi]

This is not only about the abuse of the visa system but also about deterring illegal working and identifying criminal elements, particularly those peddling drugs.

If you are a law abiding person then what is happening should hold no fears for you.

This is only what happens in Western countries in any case.

How will this deter drug peddlers or other nefarious types?

Go down onto Soi 4 Sukhumvit anytime and you will see many African people who are here to skim and deal. I even chatted to a few African ladies who were on the street trying their luck. I lived in The Gambia so I was pretty amazed to see them in Asia so I stopped to chat and find out their story - all on 30 day visas. Heavens knows what passports they were carrying :-)

I should imagine that this will cease and desist. But like all systems, visa rules can be bent but the more obvious will now disappear.

[Spellforce]

They give them 7 more days to regulate their situation/papers.

Enough time to plan a genuine 90 days tourist visa. Good. Where is the problem ?

[prakhonchai nick]

Very quite at Chong Chom I wounder why.

Never has been especially busy with farangs. Just the Thai gamblers who seem to spend their lives and other peoples money at the casinos!

[TechnikaIII]

This is not only about the abuse of the visa system but also about deterring illegal working and identifying criminal elements, particularly those peddling drugs.

If you are a law abiding person then what is happening should hold no fears for you.

This is only what happens in Western countries in any case.

Slight deviation, but as do you mention "..what happens in Western countries .." In those Western counties, when one has a visa, such as a study or retirement visa, you have it, that's it, and you can get on with it. Only in Thailand does one have to report every 90 days, and hand over 1,900 Baht.

[silent]

Even with this political mess and martial law, they're not relenting on this visa run crackdown.

As I've said previously I have sympathy with some visa runners but you wouldn't be able to go in and out of say the UK, USA, or Aus without a proper visa, so it is understandable why Thailand, or any other country for that matter, would want to get rid of people who stay in the country without the correct documentation.

Thank Buddha visa requirements here aren't the same here as a few of the countries we come from too.

Hopefully not eminent, but imagine the impact of this, if next a certain command of the country's language became a requirement and how the majority of self-righteousness might change

Be careful that the wish list doesn't become a bucket list.

[sirchai]

Very quite at Chong Chom I wounder why.

Guess it's quiet there.- .

[krismagi]

This is not only about the abuse of the visa system but also about deterring illegal working and identifying criminal elements, particularly those peddling drugs.

If you are a law abiding person then what is happening should hold no fears for you.

This is only what happens in Western countries in any case.

Slight deviation, but as do you mention "..what happens in Western countries .." In those Western counties, when one has a visa, such as a study or retirement visa, you have it, that's it, and you can get on with it. Only in Thailand does one have to report every 90 days, and hand over 1,900 Baht.

Correct but that is the Thai system of having a properly issued visa. When you look at the visa fees that are demanded by the UK visa service, for example, they are eye wateringly high.

A Tier 1 visa (General) will cost you up to £2007. Thats right, 100,000 thb. and that comes with strict conditions on what you can, and cannot do. If you want to change your status then you have to reapply and pay all over again.

Thailand is very cheap by comparison.

Edited May 22, 2014 by krismagi

[impulse]

First they stopped the border runners and I did not speak out

Because I was not a border runner.

Then they stopped the TR Visa holders and I did not speak out

Because I was not a TR visa holder

Then they stopped me and there was no one left to speak out.

Nobody left to speak out 'cause they were all on a beach in Malaysia.

A little dramatic, dontcha think?

[Bonno1971]

I'm a little confused. There is talk of tourist visas being cracked down on. Do they mean tourist exemptions or tourist visas? I have a double entry tourist visa. I used the 1st entry for 60 days and extended it at immigration for another 30 days. I now wish to do a visa run to Cambodia and enter back into Thailand after turn around to use my 2nd entry for 60 days on my tourist visa. I have never done this before. Am I going to have a problem?

Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

[MaksimMislavsky]

For the last 2 years I've been living mostly in Cambodia on the yearly extendable visa but loved spending some time in Thailand occasionally - about 4-5 visits a year, not necessarily stayed full 30 days. This seems no longer be an option for me. I don't need any long-term visa for Thailand as I have no intention of living there permanently. And I will think twice before bothering to get a tourist visa, moreover, 60 days (+30) is a too long stay which I don't need in Thailand and it will also eat up my passport pages.

They have just removed an important degree of freedom which made Thailand attractive to me. As I can see from this thread too, many Westerners hate freedom so now they celebrate. No way will I ever want to live in a Western country, particularly because of the lack of freedom, although they maybe fun to visit and i did a lot. Now Thailand seems to go the same direction to lifelessness. Good luck !

Edited May 22, 2014 by MaksimMislavsky