Jump to content



Tourist visa holders denied entry to Thailand and left stranded in Malaysia


Recommended Posts

OMG Thailand enforces its regulations!

And then enforce it in the typical Thai way...that is, a non-standard way. Enforce it one way at this checkpoint...enforce it another way at another checkpoint...but each time, point to HQ Bangkok for the way they are enforcing it.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I understand there's a new sheriff in town, and "rules is rules" and whatnot, but what is the actual motivation for the crackdown?

It certainly doesn't help the country financially. Was there a growing disdain for a certain type of farang that boiled over?, farangs in general?, is it just chest-thumping and trying to look productive?

Disclaimer: I have no real skin in this game as I'm on a new non-O multi. I'm just curious.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I understand there's a new sheriff in town, and "rules is rules" and whatnot, but what is the actual motivation for the crackdown?

It certainly doesn't help the country financially. Was there a growing disdain for a certain type of farang that boiled over?, farangs in general?, is it just chest-thumping and trying to look productive?

Disclaimer: I have no real skin in this game as I'm on a new non-O multi. I'm just curious.

It seems the Russians working here illegally is a major target. They are taking jobs from the locals. It seems they have looked the other way for years if you are an English teacher.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

"You are a tourist for 30 days, not more."

they mean business now, i hope it doesn't spread to the northern and eastern borders

Then a "60 Day Tourist Visa" is no longer issued? I would imagine that a more efficient way to limit "tourists" to 30 days, is to have all Thai Consulates/Embassies NOT issue any more 60 day tourist visas and let the ones already issued expire naturally!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have been legitimately visiting Thailand on 30 day entries and/or tourist visas for years. I retired young and have plenty of money and for years I have been coming to Thailand three times a year and staying for one or two months each time, with periods of 2-4 months in between back in my home country. I come here because I like the place and have plenty of friends here to hang out with. I do not work while in Thailand.

I don't seem to fall into the category of people they are trying to keep out, but they are casting such a wide net that I'm afraid on my next trip I might have trouble.

I wonder when the TAT is going to chime in on this issue? Only after "legitimate" tourists start cancelling their trips en masse and start going elsewhere?

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

So this is a taster of what is to come on a national scale in the next month.

This will put the brakes on many Thai girls marrying a farang from a nice western country.

No farang in their right mind would marry a girl within 30 days (or less) of knowing them just to get a non-imm visa.

Although you always get some stupid exceptions.

Maybe they are doing this to force tourists to shore up the struggling Thai Airways by making them fly for entry... who knows.

It may not end there either, if this is xenophobia induced then they are going to look for ways to give the non-imms some of their own problems.

I say we all move out of Thailand for Myanmar.... That'll screw em up smile.png

Brilliant thinking! Similar visa laws, more expensive (much!) accommodation, less amenities........

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I lived my first 10 years in Thailand doing 30 and 60 day visa runs.

Plan ahead and buy a cheap air ticket and you won't have any problems!

The land borders are a no no from now on.

Immigration has announced that of 12 August they will get stricter at air borders too.

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have been to Thailand 14 times. I am a contract engineer and I literally never know when a job will end. I typically get a few days notice, maybe a one week. No time to risk mailing my passport out to some embassy here in the USA or coordinating any sort of travel plans. One of the reasons i love Thailand is what had been the ease of entry. As a US citizen I fly in to BKK get a 30 day stamp and start my holiday. Twice in 10 years I extended my stay by making one visa run on each trip. On one of my trips, I made two visa runs each time getting another 30 days. I hardly think I was abusing the system. I have never gotten a Tourist Visa in advance. I get very concerned when I see some border official say things like the article quoted: "You are a tourist 30 days no more".

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

i stop being suprised here years ago....whistling.gif ..buy a legal visa from a THAI consul (WHO HAVE THE POWER TO REFUSE) and then be refused entry at teh border...idiotic to say the least

Surely it is obvious, the incorect facts were stated when applying for the visa, and the immigration officer has just done an excellent job, of correcting what should not have been issued

If you buy insurance and do not declare the facts your premium will probably be accepted but if you claim it will probably be rejected same thing

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have been legitimately visiting Thailand on 30 day entries and/or tourist visas for years. I retired young and have plenty of money and for years I have been coming to Thailand three times a year and staying for one or two months each time, with periods of 2-4 months in between back in my home country. I come here because I like the place and have plenty of friends here to hang out with. I do not work while in Thailand.

I don't seem to fall into the category of people they are trying to keep out, but they are casting such a wide net that I'm afraid on my next trip I might have trouble.

I wonder when the TAT is going to chime in on this issue? Only after "legitimate" tourists start cancelling their trips en masse and start going elsewhere?

You have been abusing the system - time to get an Elite card or investment visa. TAT will be happy to help you -- they don't want system abusers either, no matter you're a millionaire ;)

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

So this means that the northern borders will be more busy now.. Any reports from the north? Business as usual?

The worst thing that could happen now is that the border officers gets quotas to fill. This could mean that they may need to start refusing other types of visa holders too.. Highly unlikely, but let's hope it doesn't go that far...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I understand there's a new sheriff in town, and "rules is rules" and whatnot, but what is the actual motivation for the crackdown?

It certainly doesn't help the country financially. Was there a growing disdain for a certain type of farang that boiled over?, farangs in general?, is it just chest-thumping and trying to look productive?

Disclaimer: I have no real skin in this game as I'm on a new non-O multi. I'm just curious.

It seems the Russians working here illegally is a major target. They are taking jobs from the locals. It seems they have looked the other way for years if you are an English teacher.

It was just a matter of time before a group, in this case the Russians got called out. On my recent visit to Phuket an karon beach I was dismayed at the number of Russians, Russian Tour busses, pre-arranged tours, Russian controlled hotels. In Pattaya, the number of Russain employees that were legal was doubtful. All those travel agencies, heck, even the Russian girls on Walking street handing out fliers. Come on folks. They aren't tourists and they probably weren't working legally either. Sad to see such a wonderful country getting a bit difficult on legit tourists. I have been 14 times and never gotten a tourist visa in advance. Over 10 years I only made a total of 4 Visa runs, one each on three separate trips and in different years and only last year on my trip did I make 2 visa runs each time getting 30 day stamp.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

So this is a taster of what is to come on a national scale in the next month.

This will put the brakes on many Thai girls marrying a farang from a nice western country.

No farang in their right mind would marry a girl within 30 days (or less) of knowing them just to get a non-imm visa.

Although you always get some stupid exceptions.

Maybe they are doing this to force tourists to shore up the struggling Thai Airways by making them fly for entry... who knows.

It may not end there either, if this is xenophobia induced then they are going to look for ways to give the non-imms some of their own problems.

I say we all move out of Thailand for Myanmar.... That'll screw em up smile.png

Brilliant thinking! Similar visa laws, more expensive (much!) accommodation, less amenities........

That was a joke.

I see the sense of homour bypass was a roaring success.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest
This topic is now closed to further replies.
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.