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

[kerouac]

So why did I pay 75 quid for a triple entry tourist visa in London?

I can not even use it!

Yes you can, if you are a legitimate tourist.

Maybe I'm stupid but what does a Thai Consulate or Embassy consider a legimate tourist when issuing a tourist visa. I can't find anything on Thai Government websites which asks for an applicant to define their 'status' as a tourist when applying for a tourist visa.

[DennisKL]

To be honest there are a LOT of people working in Thailand who are not "working in Thailand". In other words they are working for their own, non-thailand related businesses based overseas etc. These are generally professional people, who spend a lot of money in Thailand, and not criminals or trouble makers. These people cant get a legitimate visa. Technically they should be paying income tax in Thailand even if their business is based overseas and technically they should have a work permit for it. Unfortunately you cant get a work permit for it, therefor you cant register for tax either I believe.

It would be good if Thailand took a different approach to cleaning up foreingers allowed to live in Thailand. Let people live here who have businesses from overseas but make them submit their documents annually and make them tax-residents of Thailand. This start-up crowd could be very good for Thailand, which desperately needs innovation!

yes Im kinda in that situation..

RE:

There is a 'special platinum' visa, it's called 'Thailand Elite'. The cheapest option (Easy Access) gives you a 5 year unlimited entry visa and costs 500,000 Baht. You get 1 year stamps every time you arrive and can stay for the full term of your membership without leaving if you so desire.

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/726441-thailand-elite-easy-access-500k-thb-card/

[max72]

Lets face it, 60 days is more than adequate time for people to take holidays in any particular country and who knows how long these people have been hanging out in Thailand using the back door methods. The Thai authorities have been more than generous in the past and the times for turning a blind eye has to now cease and desist.

If these people are unable to meet the requirements as imposed by the Immigration Departments then they have no entitlements to be here. Either obtain the appropriate visas, go elsewhere or go home, these are the only options available to them as by law always has been and always will, only now the laws are being enforced, so it beats me how these can feel shocked or feel that are are receiving a mis-justice?

Westerners of little wealth, the illegal business owners, illegal workers, possibly those of the criminal elements and hasslers are not wanted in Thailand for the long term, otherwise the Thais would not have created these laws and now that these laws are at last being actively enforced we can expect to see a lot less undesirable foreigners in Thailand for the future, that in my opinion cannot be a bad thing.

Please list some of the laws these guys were breaking.

It can;t come to your mind that some people want to spend few months away from the harsh winter of Europe,Russia or Corea ?

Is too difficult to understand there are many wealthy people under 50 or many people who works only in summer months and than they like to stay in the tropics for the winter months ?

There are MILLIONS of people in this situation, including myself. I have never worked in Thailand, I don't need to work, fortunately I am AGES under 50, I have never broken any law in Thailand or anywhere else.

There are others who surely work on tourist visas, but not all of them.

It's WAY possible to spend several months a year on holidays.

[draftvader]

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Throughout this entire thread, I keep seeing reference to vast numbers of people, in Thailand, working on tourist visas/visa exempt stamps.

Could someone please provide a link to clarify these figures and what areas of work they are taking place?

I have only been living in Thailand for the last 17 years, legally working for the majority of that time, have met with probably thousands of expats here and have never met one (to my knowledge) that has not had the correct visa and work permit.

The only abuse of visa exemption/tourist visas (defined at today's immigration view on the subject) have been taken by people who are having an extended party, or want to stay here for reasons most definitely other than work.

Maybe I have led a very sheltered life here? But I don't think so..........................

You live in a cave? There are so many people LIVING here on tourists visa's receiving income from Thailand. You never been to a restaurant/bar opened by a farang for his GF or wife? Nothing illegal about that, but they are on TOURIST visa and not really tourists are they? You never met a farang selling or renting property on the side? You never know an English Teacher? You want a link? PLEASE.

No Bill, I don't live in a cave at all.

I know many, many farang that have restaurants/bars ran by their wives/GF's, but don't know one of them on a tourist visa. All are on at a minimum of non-O visa. There is stupid, but to try to do this long term on a tourist visa? FYI, my wife ran a restaurant for almost 13 years while I have been here, so my nose was pretty close to the ground at that time.

"You never met a farang selling or renting property on the side?" Correct, I have never met a farang doing this, even during my years living in Pattaya.

English teachers? I know many but all with work permits. In defence, I don't know how the conversation schools work and the ones I know doing private lessons are breaking labour laws not immigration (as they already have WP's).

"You want a link?" Yes, that is what I asked for in the original post.

Unfortunately (due to the abusive nature of BillR) I have to confirm that he is right. I have met many many people working (mainly teaching) whilst on tourist visas with agencies and language centers paying the bill for their border runs and tourist visas. I am still exposed to the same environment that I have met many of them through but have to admit that this number has reduced over the past 2 years. On the whole they have been the less enjoyable demographic from that environment and do tend to be the ones that always plead poverty whilst clutching a bottle of Chang.

I just wonder what all these agencies and language schools are going to do now. They really can't afford to employ qualified teachers so it'll certainly be interesting to see how these businesses are faring in a few months time.

[CNXBKKMAN]

Do you think the Sugai Golok border point is more strict due to the insurgency down there. Who wants to go to Naratiwat? Its dangerous. Is it the same at Sadao, Padang Besar?

That's what I was thinking. I was surprised to read that 8 foreigners were even trying to gain entry to Thailand into such a risky area - if they were local Malaysians from the nearby area just border hopping for shopping or trade OK but New Zealanders, Russians etc.? 8 foreigners mostly from countries that have specifically warned it's citizens not to travel to the 3 southernmost border provinces, including entering or leaving Thailand there on their way to/from Malaysia. Sungai Kolok itself has been the subject of bombings and not far away in Tak Bai district 78 men (suspected insurgents) were found suffocated in a truck a few years ago. Rubber tappers, teachers, army soldiers, policemen and innocent civilians have all been targeted or at least caught in the crossfire and have died in attacks down there. Martial law has been in place for around a decade now and dozens of checkpoints probably make travel very difficult and annoying. Why would anyone voluntarily subject themselves to that?!

Also, why anyone would risk their lives traveling through such a region where their insurance would be invalidated if they had a problem (if they have any insurance at all) defies logic. Being foreign tourists in Thailand, I doubt they would have cars so they almost certainly arrived by public transport, either bus or train. That's even more risky given how many times the railway line east of Had Yai towards the Malaysian border has been blown up. Only a few weeks ago on that line I think it was that's exactly what happened. I'd be sh** scared going through that region and if I did show up at all, I'd be filling up my car with petrol on the Malaysian side (much cheaper there anyway), I'd come armed with snacks so I wouldn't have to stop for meals along the way and drive through the region not stopping before reaching at least Had Yai. Under no circumstances would I ever consider traveling by public transport in that region.

Anyway, I'm seriously surprised that any non-Malaysian foreigners would be traveling in that region at all.

Sadao and Padang besar have suffered one isolated incident last year but otherwise the western crossings to Malaysia are pretty safe. I would not attempt to cross the border anywhere east of Had Yai just from a simple security standpoint. Maybe these people refused entry should be counting their blessings - next time consider flying back or cross into Thailand from the west coast, where more tourist friendly towns and cities (such as Langkawi and Penang) can keep you occupied for a few days before you return to Thailand (assuming a few days away from Thailand is enough to satisfy immigration officials).

Oh really ?

How is up there on your bar stool ? .. Life goes on in any 'warzone', if i worried about bombs and insurgents i wouldnt go out of the house. There is a public van that leaves HY every hour and there are several visa companies operating out of Samui that take the route. You are statistically more venerable taking a speeding deathtrap bound for Penang over a run down the Golok.

The Kota Bahru consulate has to be the most efficient and easiest consulate in the region and the immigration staff at Golok, are some of the most helpful, efficient and professional i have come across, the border post itself sees so little traffic.

Recom273 I take it you live in the Naritwat area as you said if you were worried about bombs and insurgency you would never leave your home. For the rest of us outside of that area the news of the daily bombings, beheadings, teachers beaten to death at school, two students executed in the market only the other day. This stuff would make Sadao, Padang Besar, Saturn all see a bet choice of border crossing.

You say the border post itself sees so little traffic. I wonder why that is?

[firestar]

Oh, don't you just love your General and leader of the country. Great job getting rid of more trash

We'll have to wait and see about the General. A pattern is emerging amongst his staunchest Thaivisa supporters though... and it isn't a pretty one

[chrisinth]

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Throughout this entire thread, I keep seeing reference to vast numbers of people, in Thailand, working on tourist visas/visa exempt stamps.

Could someone please provide a link to clarify these figures and what areas of work they are taking place?

I have only been living in Thailand for the last 17 years, legally working for the majority of that time, have met with probably thousands of expats here and have never met one (to my knowledge) that has not had the correct visa and work permit.

The only abuse of visa exemption/tourist visas (defined at today's immigration view on the subject) have been taken by people who are having an extended party, or want to stay here for reasons most definitely other than work.

Maybe I have led a very sheltered life here? But I don't think so..........................

You have indeed led a very sheltered life here!

There is quite a significant "industry" in Thailand providing transportation and related services to "Visa Runners"; large Buses and smaller Mini Vans are parked at several places in Bangkok (and in other major towns too I am sure) and simply wait for passengers. They are then driven to a particular Border and escorted across, sometimes entertained at a local Casino or Hotel Buffet whilst their paperwork is done then taken back into Thailand, back onto the bus and back to Bangkok (or wherever) the same day with a new Visa Exempt stamp.

There are literally dozens of these vehicles travelling every day, and the vast majority of passengers are Farang - so it's simple to calculate that there are many hundreds of these "Border / Visa Runners" in Bangkok alone.

Patrick

Visa run services was not the issue of my post. My question was about people working on tourist visas as I have seen reference to huge numbers of people in this position.

I know there are many, many people living in Thailand on visa exempt or back to back tourist visas. They have, some of them been doing this for years, each time they leave, they get a valid entry stamp in their passports. The law hasn't changed, just the rules and what parts are now being enforced.

It was a simple question asking for links, that's all.

[max72]

So why did I pay 75 quid for a triple entry tourist visa in London?

I can not even use it!

Yes you can, if you are a legitimate tourist.

Maybe I'm stupid but what does a Thai Consulate or Embassy consider a legimate tourist when issuing a tourist visa. I can't find anything on Thai Government websites which asks for an applicant to define their 'status' as a tourist when applying for a tourist visa.

But it is said you can;t stay more than 90 days every 6 months.

So you can't use your triple visa. (60+60+60).

[jspill]

One doesn't simply receive a work permit on day 1 of being a teacher, it can take months for the schools to finish the paperwork for you to receive one. For agencies even longer. It's not uncommon to for schools to take on teachers while on tourist visas. If the teacher is questioned (but why would they be, it's a high status job here and doesn't take jobs from Thais) the school simply explains to authorities that the paperwork is on the way.

[max72]

I repeat my question in case somebody has an answer:

DID these guys have an exit ticket from Thailand when they were refused entry at the Southern Border ?

[mataleo]

I repeat my question in case somebody has an answer:

DID these guys have an exit ticket from Thailand when they were refused entry at the Southern Border ?

Its not required with tourist visas

[OnMyWay2]

Jealousy is at the root of the post you replied to.

Some guys just can't believe that there are self-made wealthy people under the age of 50.

I bought a house when I was twenty-two for £29,000 and sold it twenty three years later mortgage free for £215,000.

It was easy.

I have several more.

That was easy too.

I had the bottle to have a go.

The bitter people are those that didn't have the bottle.

Now I have a cyber income larger than any state pension I've ever heard of.

I have an income from my company that would compete or beat any oil trade worker.

And I have my rental income from properties. I am not alone.

10% of the British population are now millionaires.

It's at the point now that if you worked all your life in the UK and can't front the money for your retirement visa you should be ashamed of yourself.

If you're that financially well off, I would consider getting an investment Visa. Just hold 10mil baht worth of government bonds for 3 years. It's a legitimate investment and I would consider it a pretty good option. Buy some government bonds and they pay you to live in Thailand. Not a bad deal!

This may be a ways off, but I also expect them to lower the requirement at some point as money flees the country and they need to attract new money.

When the Thais decide that they need foreign money this is will be much lower hanging fruit than opening the floodgates for illegal tourists with very little money.

[chrisinth]

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Throughout this entire thread, I keep seeing reference to vast numbers of people, in Thailand, working on tourist visas/visa exempt stamps.

Could someone please provide a link to clarify these figures and what areas of work they are taking place?

I have only been living in Thailand for the last 17 years, legally working for the majority of that time, have met with probably thousands of expats here and have never met one (to my knowledge) that has not had the correct visa and work permit.

The only abuse of visa exemption/tourist visas (defined at today's immigration view on the subject) have been taken by people who are having an extended party, or want to stay here for reasons most definitely other than work.

Maybe I have led a very sheltered life here? But I don't think so..........................

You live in a cave? There are so many people LIVING here on tourists visa's receiving income from Thailand. You never been to a restaurant/bar opened by a farang for his GF or wife? Nothing illegal about that, but they are on TOURIST visa and not really tourists are they? You never met a farang selling or renting property on the side? You never know an English Teacher? You want a link? PLEASE.

No Bill, I don't live in a cave at all.

I know many, many farang that have restaurants/bars ran by their wives/GF's, but don't know one of them on a tourist visa. All are on at a minimum of non-O visa. There is stupid, but to try to do this long term on a tourist visa? FYI, my wife ran a restaurant for almost 13 years while I have been here, so my nose was pretty close to the ground at that time.

"You never met a farang selling or renting property on the side?" Correct, I have never met a farang doing this, even during my years living in Pattaya.

English teachers? I know many but all with work permits. In defence, I don't know how the conversation schools work and the ones I know doing private lessons are breaking labour laws not immigration (as they already have WP's).

"You want a link?" Yes, that is what I asked for in the original post.

Unfortunately (due to the abusive nature of BillR) I have to confirm that he is right. I have met many many people working (mainly teaching) whilst on tourist visas with agencies and language centers paying the bill for their border runs and tourist visas. I am still exposed to the same environment that I have met many of them through but have to admit that this number has reduced over the past 2 years. On the whole they have been the less enjoyable demographic from that environment and do tend to be the ones that always plead poverty whilst clutching a bottle of Chang.

I just wonder what all these agencies and language schools are going to do now. They really can't afford to employ qualified teachers so it'll certainly be interesting to see how these businesses are faring in a few months time.

Thanks DV, for some insight into the tourist visa abuse. My post wasn't a trick one, I am genuinely interested. And I understand that my experience differs greatly from others.

[JDGRUEN]

i stop being suprised here years ago.... ..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

It's again worth remembering that possession of a visa doesn't guarantee the holder admission to a country, it's the Immigration Officer at the Border that has the final say, this applies to most countries in the World, including the likes of the UK, the Schengen Area and the United States of America.

Yes and related to this is the confusion many posters continue to make between Immigrations and Embassies/consulates as well as the continued misunderstanding amongst so many Thai Visa posters as to the basis upon which they are staying in the country.

The visa issued by consulates and embassies is similar to a letter of introduction that you hand over to Immigrations at a port of entry. Permission to enter the country (or not), the length of your stay and the conditions under which you are permitted to stay is totally up to Immigrations as is any extension of stay in the country.

The purpose of a visa exempt entry is to allow someone to visit Thailand briefly. A tourist visa may permit a longer stay, but it is still intended for a comparatively short visit. An education visa is for those who seriously want to learn at a school, college or university.

So many people have bragged about staying here for years misusing these various modes of entry into the country. When anyone poses a question about staying in Thailand for long periods if the writer doesn't qualify for a long stay extension the advice is always about how to circumvent the spirit, if not the letter, of the regulations and rules. Anyone claiming he thought it was totally OK to do border runs or serial visa runs is either kidding himself or he's been drinking the Thai Visa Kool-Aid too long.

People in the government, in Immigrations, in the police, read these forums and other farang-centric websites. Do you really think you can go on forever conversing "in private" about how you never do 90 days reports or how you're on 6 year overstay or about which embassy or consulates hands out tourist visas with no questions asked?

The problem is not the Thai government or Immigrations. If you still cling to that mantra you're in denial. And of course in so many cases if someone mentioned this before, another poster would immediately chime in with "get off your high horse," or "you're being pedantic."

Where is your backup link about the Nation of Thailand's 'intention' for a tourist visa... is INTENT written somewhere in Thai Law? I am sure you can find it to support your claim of intent. Also - by failure to enforce certain aspects of the Tourist Visa - and not enforce it for years and in fact has totally facilitated the use of back to back - multiple Tourist Visas and Border Run Extensions the Thai Government via the Immigration Authority created a De Facto Law allowing back back visas and border runs. The TOURISTS did not create it and no one should feel guilty for using it as allowed. And many thousands of tourists - likely hundreds of thousands of tourists over the years had no reason to become expert in Thai Visa law and scour thaivisa.com everday researching the subject ... they were here as tourists doing what tourist do... For those who broke laws and intentionally misused the Tourist Visas and Extensions - then their free ride is coming to an end -- but PLEASE do not lump everyone together as guilty. I can only say you live in some sort of holier than thou bubble...

[xenodochium]

It appears abundantly transparent that this is just the beginning of cleansing Thailand of undesirable foreigners.

• Next will be land bought with a shell company.
• WP holders that are not actually working.
• B Visa holders that have absolutely no business here in Thailand whatsoever.
• Retirement Visa's and those that never really had the money in the bank to qualify but paid under the table.
• Marriage visa holders that do not live with the wife anymore.

The list goes on and on.

There is a mass cleansing approaching this will effect not only the tourist visa runners but almost everyone regardless of what you read here not everyone is a squeaky clean as they make out....watch your back, your turn is coming.

[draftvader]

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You live in a cave? There are so many people LIVING here on tourists visa's receiving income from Thailand. You never been to a restaurant/bar opened by a farang for his GF or wife? Nothing illegal about that, but they are on TOURIST visa and not really tourists are they? You never met a farang selling or renting property on the side? You never know an English Teacher? You want a link? PLEASE.

No Bill, I don't live in a cave at all.

I know many, many farang that have restaurants/bars ran by their wives/GF's, but don't know one of them on a tourist visa. All are on at a minimum of non-O visa. There is stupid, but to try to do this long term on a tourist visa? FYI, my wife ran a restaurant for almost 13 years while I have been here, so my nose was pretty close to the ground at that time.

"You never met a farang selling or renting property on the side?" Correct, I have never met a farang doing this, even during my years living in Pattaya.

English teachers? I know many but all with work permits. In defence, I don't know how the conversation schools work and the ones I know doing private lessons are breaking labour laws not immigration (as they already have WP's).

"You want a link?" Yes, that is what I asked for in the original post.

Unfortunately (due to the abusive nature of BillR) I have to confirm that he is right. I have met many many people working (mainly teaching) whilst on tourist visas with agencies and language centers paying the bill for their border runs and tourist visas. I am still exposed to the same environment that I have met many of them through but have to admit that this number has reduced over the past 2 years. On the whole they have been the less enjoyable demographic from that environment and do tend to be the ones that always plead poverty whilst clutching a bottle of Chang.

I just wonder what all these agencies and language schools are going to do now. They really can't afford to employ qualified teachers so it'll certainly be interesting to see how these businesses are faring in a few months time.

Thanks DV, for some insight into the tourist visa abuse. My post wasn't a trick one, I am genuinely interested. And I understand that my experience differs greatly from others.

It is one of those things that you won't hear much about as the people doing it tend to want to keep it quiet on the whole. I just had long-term exposure to quite a few of them so heard the stories (good and bad). A lot of people are promised non-immi 'B's and work permits and are kept hanging on by agencies and schools. Some just know this is happening and bounce from job to job to avoid being pinned down. Some just work "off the books" for language centers and agencies and are either overstaying or using tourist visas. Seen them all. They do put themselves at risk of exploitation continuously but, for some, this price is OK.

[transam]

It appears abundantly transparent that this is just the beginning of cleansing Thailand of undesirable foreigners.

• Next will be land bought with a shell company.
• WP holders that are not actually working.
• B Visa holders that have absolutely no business here in Thailand whatsoever.
• Retirement Visa's and those that never really had the money in the bank to qualify but paid under the table.
• Marriage visa holders that do not live with the wife anymore.

The list goes on and on.

There is a mass cleansing approaching this will effect not only the tourist visa runners but almost everyone regardless of what you read here not everyone is a squeaky clean as they make out....watch your back, your turn is coming.

I assume your a Thai immigration officer then..?..........

[max72]

I repeat my question in case somebody has an answer:

DID these guys have an exit ticket from Thailand when they were refused entry at the Southern Border ?

Its not required with tourist visas

I know it is SUPPOSED not to eb required but they were refused , so I ask it again " Did they ALSO have an exit ticket from Thailand besides the visa ?".

Because the excuse of being long term visa abusers would not be legitimate if they had an exit ticket.

I want to feel safe if I get into Thailand with a visa AND a exit ticket or should I be worried also in this case ? What else they want ?

A one time in life visit and never come back again ?

[ericthai]

I think I may just skip Thailand all together this time. I have been watching airfares and now it is just as cheap to fly into Cambodia. It use to be significantly more. Is Cambodia the next Thailand?

I dont think so. Have you spent allot of time in Cambodia? Not even close to Thailand. Still far behind Thailand. I do like Cambodia and nice to visit from time to time, but to live there no way.

[ericthai]

It appears abundantly transparent that this is just the beginning of cleansing Thailand of undesirable foreigners.

• Next will be land bought with a shell company.
• WP holders that are not actually working.
• B Visa holders that have absolutely no business here in Thailand whatsoever.
• Retirement Visa's and those that never really had the money in the bank to qualify but paid under the table.
• Marriage visa holders that do not live with the wife anymore.

The list goes on and on.

There is a mass cleansing approaching this will effect not only the tourist visa runners but almost everyone regardless of what you read here not everyone is a squeaky clean as they make out....watch your back, your turn is coming.

Really?? Where do you get this info?? I have two friends in immigration and they have both told me they time has come. They have been trying to stop people from working illegally. They don't care how long you stay in Thailand just get the right visa. They are tired of people skirting the rules to live and work here.

So please tell me where you are getting your information?

[ukrules]

Hopefully one of the mods will be able to offer some advice on my situation or maybe someone else in the same situation as me, im not looking to debate the rules as i agree with them being implemented, I am just looking for advice.

I work offshore 4weeks on 4weeks off and about 18 months ago i went to immigration to extend for 7 days on my exempt entry stamp. At this time i told the IO what i do and how i come in and out monthly and asked is there a better visa i could be using, his reply was just keep doing what you are doing it is fine.

So now it doesnt look like this is fine. I stay in a rented villa in a resort complex and am not married and not over 50 so i treat each trip back to thailand as basically a holiday, going to the beach, gym, restaurants and bars so i could pass as a "tourist" in my opinion.

I have applied for and been approved for the 5 year elite card however when i spoke to immigration in krabi they didnt even know about an elite visa. There is plenty of people on here saying it is a solution however the visa issued is a "special tourist" visa so there is a possibilty you could be denied entry even after buying it. I know this is highly unlikely but it is possible as other people are being turned away with legitimate visas.

What would you suggest is the best option for someone in my situation. Im just about ready to send off the form to pay for the elite visa but i am wondering if there is any other alternatives. I would not hesitate to take the elite visa if it was paid yearly however i am concerned that if the rules change again or my circumstances change in the 5 years.

It looks like 4 weeks on and 4 weeks off would not expose you to immigration problems if you are one of those people who are elligible for the 30 visa exemption on arrival. This costs you absolutely nothing.

There is no Elite Visa. There is a partnership with the government and Thai Elite that includes a five year visa. It matters not if if your local immigration office has heard of it or not, they will eventually. When you receive your visa from Thai Elite it will have an expiration date of five years from the beginning date stamped in your passport. You are good to go even if the Thai Elite program dies it will have no effect on your visa. Other Elite services would be gone but not the five year visa.

Grant,

I would like to think i am not going to have problems with immigration but i suspect i will as my passport is full of visa exempt stamps. They are a month apart but there is alot of them with very few stamps in between as i dont get stamped into Malaysia.

The elite card does not give you a 5 year visa, it only gives you a 1 year visa which is renewable 5 times, hence the reason i would prefer to pay only yearly.

Any other options anyone knows of. Im not trying to find loopholes, i would like a genuine solution to stay correctly.

The Elite Easy Access visa :

Note - it is a 5 year visa which lasts for 5 years. Each access is for 1 year but the visa is of course a 5 year visa.

[ericthai]

So why did I pay 75 quid for a triple entry tourist visa in London?

I can not even use it!

Yes you can, if you are a legitimate tourist.

Maybe I'm stupid but what does a Thai Consulate or Embassy consider a legimate tourist when issuing a tourist visa. I can't find anything on Thai Government websites which asks for an applicant to define their 'status' as a tourist when applying for a tourist visa.

I know several Thai's that paid almost $200 to apply for a visa for the US and then ewas denied, so why did they spend the money to apply.

Have you already been denied? Did you read where they were told to go to KL and fly into Thailand? They are cracking down on the guys that do this all the time. Are you constantly leaving Thailand and coming back on Tourist visas? If not then no worries.

[p_brownstone]

So why did I pay 75 quid for a triple entry tourist visa in London?

I can not even use it!

Yes you can, if you are a legitimate tourist.

Maybe I'm stupid but what does a Thai Consulate or Embassy consider a legimate tourist when issuing a tourist visa. I can't find anything on Thai Government websites which asks for an applicant to define their 'status' as a tourist when applying for a tourist visa.

Look on the Form you sign when requesting a Visa :

"Purpose of Visit"

What Box did you tick?

"Tourism" - right?

Patrick

[moe666]

The fact that those denied entry were told they could fly into Thailand instead suggests there's a monetary angle here. I guess the initiative is to fill Thai and Bangkok Airways flights.

Makes you start wondering about the link between certain people and certain airlines, doesn't it. Conspiracy theory? Perhaps.

O my god eight people are going to cause the stock in the airlines to sky rocket you should buy some now.

[firestar]

Visa run services was not the issue of my post. My question was about people working on tourist visas as I have seen reference to huge numbers of people in this position.

I know there are many, many people living in Thailand on visa exempt or back to back tourist visas. They have, some of them been doing this for years, each time they leave, they get a valid entry stamp in their passports. The law hasn't changed, just the rules and what parts are now being enforced.

It was a simple question asking for links, that's all.

"Huge number of people" working on tourist visas? That's the problem right there.

How many people running bars, restaurants or even teaching with tourist visas have you actually met? while there is hardly an unregistered restaurant/bar I have ever been to, that wasn't somehow run by a retiree or by someone with a non-o using his wife's name (illegally).

The issue of illegal workers isn't about type of visa but work permit. and if I had to take an educated guess I'd say the proportion of non-o holders working without one is much much higher than those on tourist visas.

[phirho]

So far in the past few months there was a crackdown of varying degrees on the following:

• 30-day visa exempt stamps
• tourist visas
• NON-ED visas
• multi NON-B visas with no work permit
• medical extensions

For the love of God I can't understand why people with multi entry NON-Os happily cheer the crackdown. Those visas are clearly not intended for permanent stay (that's what 1-year extensions for) and this is why you have to do a border run every 90 days. You are abusing the system in the same way people on back to back tourist visas did, especially if you use the multi NON-O visa to circumvent the requirement of having funds in the Thai bank.

[moe666]

What many seem to forget or do not know from the get go is that the Embassies and Thai immigration are two different organizations under two different departments with two different agendas

[F K Thornbury]

I'm taking no particular joy from this clampdown, but can it just be said one more time (I'm assuming it has been stated somewhere in this thread already)...

Whether one is under 50 or over 50, rich or poor, law-abiding or corrupt, speak Thai or don't, eat in local establishments or only eat American fastfood: one just can't live wherever they want according to their idea of fairness. Even if it's true that they're just an independently-wealthy, fun-loving tourist.

Period, end of story.

Not Thailand, not the UK, not Canada, not Zimbabwe, not Ireland...we just have to follow the rules. Only a self-entitled egomaniac would whine about it being "unfair."

[p_brownstone]

My current British Passport has the following :-

Non Immigrant B visa - entered 20th Aug 2013, departed 17 Nov 2013

Visa Exempt - entered 23 Nov 2013, departed 16 Dec 2013

Visa Exempt - entered 30 Dec 2013, departed 24 Jan 2014

Visa Exempt - entered 27 Jan 2014, departed 21 Feb 2014

Visa Exempt - entered 24 Feb 2014, departed 21 Mar 2014

Visa Exempt - entered 24 Mar 2014, departed 22 Apr 2014

Visa Exempt - entered 23 Apr 2014, departed 22 May 2014

60 Tourist Visa - entered 29 May 2014

I have until the 27th July on my current Tourist Visa.

I plan to go for an extension of 30 days at Immigration.

All my trips have been fights out to Hong Kong / Macau and back in after a short holiday.

In my previous passport I had a Non B from Feb 2011 which I used for 15 months (and prior to that a combination of Tourist visa and visa exemption stamps)

I was thinking of enrolling in a 6 month Thai language course and getting the 90 day ED visa and doing one 90 day extension on it. I want to learn Thai, but don't want to commit to a full year of tuition at once.

I'm also wondering if I should skip applying for an extension on my current Tourist visa, so that it look less like I'm trying to stay here as a tourist.

I should also point out that I've been working on setting up my own business here and am close to doing that, but probably still a few months away.

Obviously I am also getting concerned that I may attempt to fly in from Penang or KL (my 2 choices now for my next Tourist Visa or ED visa depending on other factors) and be denied entry based on my visa history.

Any advice appreciated.

Cheers!

Only my opinion of course but I would say that with that History you are going to have severe problems getting back into Thailand under the new restrictions.

Patrick

[F K Thornbury]

So far in the past few months there was a crackdown of varying degrees on the following:

• 30-day visa exempt stamps
• tourist visas
• NON-ED visas
• multi NON-B visas with no work permit
• medical extensions

For the love of God I can't understand why people with multi entry NON-Os happily cheer the crackdown. Those visas are clearly not intended for permanent stay (that's what 1-year extensions for) and this is why you have to do a border run every 90 days. You are abusing the system in the same way people on back to back tourist visas did, especially if you use the multi NON-O visa to circumvent the requirement of having funds in the Thai bank.

I don't understand the shadenfreud either, but you may want to rethink your second point. Aside from it being factually flawed, if one has obtained a non-O multiple-entry visa due to marriage/family, they are in no way "abusing" anything by leaving and re-entering the country multiple times.

They are following the rules in order to be able to stay with loved ones.

You're whining.