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

[Tomtomtom69]

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).

[happysanook]

Don't be surprised in the future if they limit the land crossings to only members of ASEAN community and all others would have to gain entry via air.

They are serious (currently) about getting out the illegal riff-raff.

We, as an EX-PAT community have brought some of this on ourselves by not policing our own. If you know someone who is violating the VISA requirements - TURN THEM IN!!!!!!!!!!!

It's those folks who abuse the system and ruin it for the rest of the legitimate ex-pats!

I hear the tourist policy are looking for candidates. You sound perfectly suited. <deleted> bag.

What a sad bunch of farang. You should be downright ashamed of yourselves.

"We're here on legitimate visas, you should be toooo. :'( " . twiddling <deleted>.

Edited July 14, 2014 by happysanook

[LivinLOS]

As the news of this spreads, more and more people will likely put of trips here as the confusion reigns.

^I seriously doubt this.

What it will do however is stop these people that have exploited a system that was not strictly enforced as it should have been. I support it 100%. I am glad those multi visa runners were displaced. I doubt they will be let back in from the airport

Either you are a tourist occasionally or you live here with a retirement, Marriage or Work visa.

I expect more borders to follow suit soon.

How about u are rich and young and not married?

What kind of visa please?

Elites card system.. Tailor made for this..

Or investment visa.

[mc1984]

I have stayed in Thailand for 1 and a half years on tourist visas in the past (an indefinite tourist) without working here. I am now on an education visa as I am studying Thai. My girlfriend is pregnant at the moment and I am worried about when my education visa runs out. I make enough money back home to support us but not to qualify for a non O visa. What can I do? I realize they won't have any sympathy for splitting up a young family and I am worried I am going to have to leave my wife and young child here. Any ideas would be much appreciated.

Why having a child if you can't even afford a visa to stay with your GF and child?

With so little money you obviously have to start working so you get some money. That's what all other people have to do

It wasn't exactly planned lol. As the working situation goes, I don't want to be working illegally here and as a foreigner, there are limited options such as teaching, from what I hear is also being clamped down on.

I make enough to support us all fairly comfortably however I don't want to be turned away from a border because I'm on my second tourist visa or whatever.

It's not that I have so little money. I make enough at home to support us comfortably, I just don't have it in a Thai bank account which I'm not even sure if it needs to be..........

[AGareth2]

What are all the illegal teachers doing?

teaching

[shadow1961]

Are we Tourists?

Arrived in Thailand July 11, 2012. Met a Laos woman in Sept 2012 and got engaged in Vientiane in early 2013. I have a application for permanent resident in process for my common law spouse with Canada immigration in Singapore. We received interview letter from CIC in Feb 2014, wait time not more than 24 months. My wife is now 5 months pregnant. We cannot live together in Laos as we are not married. We have been in Thailand on Tourist visas and a few border runs as well since 2012 waiting for immigration Canada decision. I have steady income from Canada that I can show. We are not working in Thailand.

Are we considered as tourists in Thailand? Do we need to pack or bags and wait it out in the Phillipines? Do we deliver the baby in Thailand or the Phillipines? Now we are in Vientiane applying for 2x 60 day visas this would allow us to have our child in Thailand. We are afraid we may be refused on second 60 day entry.

I think with all the uncertainty with Thai immigration that we should pack up and leave! No more stress thinking about Thai immigration.

[dao16]

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

Are you staying on back to back 90 day entries from a Multi visa? In this case it is clearly an abuse of the rules and not how this visa is intended to be used. If the crackdown continues, these visas may well become the next target after NON-EDs

That's funny. I did that for a few years and there were no problems. In fact, I was instructed to do that by....wait for it......drum roll.....the local immigration office.

[Yann55]

It is only the habitual and long term users of tourist visas who are having problems

There has been so much coverage of the new stance the people concerned should not be surprised

Thailand gas a new government that is trying to achieve many many needed changes that acts with strength and determination, this has been needed for a long time

WARNING TO THOSE ON OVERSTAY, you need to leave immediately, and clean up your act, before the new regulations come in or you will risk being banned, it is not difficult to get retirement or marriage visas which probably cover 95% of those on overstay

I am personally in favor or the law being properly enforced

Very well put !

The way I see it, Thailand is not refusing tourists and border immigration officers are not losing their mind or being over-zealous, they are just finally saying to some people : "look, it's time you stopped going around the Thai law again and again, using loopholes and thinking we are a bunch of fools."

Personnally I also don't agree with the system of buying property or land by setting up a Thai company, unless it's actually for doing business. But in the past 10 years or so I have repeatedly heard real estate agents here explaining to potential foreign buyers "there are several ways for a foreigner to buy property here, you can buy in your own name or you can set up a Thai company..." well, that is a blatant lie, and they know it.

When and if the current government starts to stir this wasp's nest, will these estate agents also be 'shocked and confused' as if they didn't know all along what the situation really was ?

This country welcomes foreign nationals who have the means to support themselves once they're settled here, provided they're over a certain age, (and you don't have to be 80 or a billionaire, for heaven's sake) and this country has a right to do so. It is not a vassal state of the USA, Australia, Europe or Russia, as far as I know.

This country does not want foreign nationals to come here for work either, unless it creates jobs for Thai people and that's perfectly logical too. 'Farangs' who find this policy shocking here are the first to scream bloody murder about illegal immigration in their own country, so where is their sense of reason and logic, if any ?

Edited July 14, 2014 by Yann55

[mok199]

time for the ''cavity search''...joke'' a man goes into his proctologist for his yearly check up,''usuall chit chat'' hows the wife and kids blabla,the man sees in the mirror the dr is lubing up 2 fingers...''hey dr ,whats up ,why the 2 fingers''..''oh ''says tthe dr, '' i just need a second opinion''

[JDGRUEN]

Refusing entry to all people with tourist visas, how can you obtain a visa and then be denied entry to the country unless you fly into it?

Classic Thailand

You must have read a different article to me . . . they are not refusing entry to "tourists", they are refusing entry to people who consistently abuse the Tourist Visa, i.e. "visa runners", and with all the recent reporting on this subject, why are you surprised or shocked about this?

As per the article:

"All of the foreigners who were denied entry had a previous history of multiple visa exempt entries or back to back tourist visas."

Thailand is currently undergoing some fairly major changes, reducing corruption and following the law a lot more closely. I have no idea how long this will last for, but the message is clear . . . we're trying to do things better, and you (foreigners) need to follow the law as it is written now.

Although the visa situation here isn't easy, simple or convenient, most of us manage to stay here for years at a time by doing things "properly" . . . I suggest some of these others start to do the same, and perhaps, just perhaps, when they see that we can do things correctly, they might just make it easier for us doing it properly to stay here even longer/easier at some future point in time.

They were NOT abusing the system.

That is the system that has always been in place in Thailand for years, signed, sealed and delivered by none other than the immigration Bureau of Thailand.

You went to an embassy, they gave you a visa, sometimes they deny you a double entry and stick you with a single entry, but THEY issued the visas.

You wanted an extension, you went to immigration and THEY extended it for you... simple as that.

As a matter of fact, up until these new xenophobic changes, this is the very website where people came for advice on how to stay in Thailand long term on tourist visas and were helped by scores of members of all the tricks of the trade. Nobody used to chime in saying 'shame on you' or 'you are not a tourist, stop abusing the system'...

Yet most of you lot probably found your way onto this website in the first instance by looking for the very same info for your own needs.

I reckon there is a lot of hypocrisy in this thread coming from people who themselves have done their own fair share of visa runs, as a matter of fact I don't think I know many farang here who haven't and I have met many many farang in my time.

It is Thailand that has brought this culture of visa runs, and as far as I am concerned, no visa running farang has ever abused a system put in place by immigration themselves.

If i correctly recall, just about the first postings of this was when a young Russian lady living in Phuket was loudly complaining that she was refused entry because she had gone to a wedding in KL. She was on a tourist visa and as she claimed was entitled to re enter after only a couple of days. However it was subsequently discovered that she had been living here for several years and was working as a Dive Company manager on a "60 day tourist visa"

Because of liars like her the Immigration dept has had to 'crack down' on the abuse of these visas. Yes maybe not all are abusers, but it had become an easy way to stay. If you want to stay, then get the proper visa and stop trying to bend the rules. I have a Non Imm 'O' so only have to do 90 day runs, giving me 15 months. If you get caught doing the wrong thing as she did, my advice is "Cop it sweet and stop the wingeing"

Yes - she lied about working and she was wrong and she was caught.. but why were the immigration authorities giving anyone more than one 30 day extensions over these years? Why have so many back to back Tourist Visas been issued by the Immigration Authorities or Embassies and Consulates? No one held a gun to their collective heads and made them issue the Tourist Visas and stamp them in and out.

For those who were not lying and working in Thailand who also used successive Tourist Visas and Border Run extensions... numbering in the tens of thousands over the years - they broke no law... they did what was allowed by the authorities - no tricks - no deception. So they didn't get a 'real' long stay visa...so what? They were not required to do so. Successive Tourist Visas and Border runs were allowed by Thai Immigration and Border authorities ... It is the same as some in America who annually complain - 'they took too many tax deductions and I was not able to"... Note: the tax deductions taken were legal - allowed.

[MrWorldwide]

Maybe this crackdown is real. Let's hope so. I think we can all agree that allowing tourist visa holders to live in Thailand is wrong. People doing border runs are simply skirting legal, though more expensive, means of staying in Thailand long term.

This may be the beginning of a golden age where Thais begin to enforce existing law.

We can only hope so.

Tough luck to those rascally poverty packers who haven't a dime to their name.

First off, who are you to be saying, "I think we can all agree that allowing tourist visa holders to live in Thailand is wrong."?

People doing border runs are doing what works for THEM.

"Golden Age" LOL!

Get off your soap box and stop generalizing about character and finances.

On balance, how do you feel the border runners in this particular episode feel it worked out for THEM ? Nearest international airport on the Malaysian side - AFAIK - is Penang (Ipoh has an airport but I believe its only for domestic flights) and that would have meant several more hours in a minibus, hoping to get the evening AA flight to BKK, More importantly, how many people reading this and contemplating re-entering Thailand via a land border would now be seriously considering other options ? We can keep finger-pointing and shaking our collective fists at the inequity of the crackdown, but none of that will change the reality that Immigration are drawing a very clear line in the sand. These threads dont have to devolve into tit-for-tat exercises but I may be asking too much on that score.

[happysanook]

It is only the habitual and long term users of tourist visas who are having problems

There has been so much coverage of the new stance the people concerned should not be surprised

Thailand gas a new government that is trying to achieve many many needed changes that acts with strength and determination, this has been needed for a long time

WARNING TO THOSE ON OVERSTAY, you need to leave immediately, and clean up your act, before the new regulations come in or you will risk being banned, it is not difficult to get retirement or marriage visas which probably cover 95% of those on overstay

I am personally in favor or the law being properly enforced

Very well put !

The way I see it, Thailand is not refusing tourists and border immigration officers are not losing their mind or being over-zealous, they are just finally saying to some people : "look, it's time you stopped going around the Thai law again and again, using loopholes and thinking we are a bunch of fools."

Personnally I also don't agree with the system of buying property or land by setting up a Thai company, unless it's actually for doing business. But in the past 10 years or so I have repeatedly heard real estate agents here explaining to potential foreign buyers "there are several ways for a foreigner to buy property here, you can buy in your own name or you can set up a Thai company..." well, that is a blatant lie, and they know it.

When and if the current government starts to stir this wasp's nest, will these estate agents also be 'shocked and confused' as if they didn't know all along what the situation really was ?

This country welcomes foreign nationals who have the means to support themselves once they're settled here, provided they're over a certain age, (and you don't have to be 80 or a billionaire, for heaven's sake) and this country has a right to do so. It is not a vassal state of th USA or Europe or Russia, as far as I know.

This country does not want foreign nationals to come here for work either, unless it creates jobs for Thai people and that's perfectly logical too. 'Farangs' who find this policy shocking here are the first to scream bloody murder about illegal immigration in their own country, so where is their sense of reason and logic, if any ?

They're fine with it if you're doing their dirty work. Sounds you have been here long enough to figure this out.

I worked in Vegas on the strip for a couple of years and there were illegal Mexicans lined up and down the straight handing out call girl cards. Tons of police on the street in Vegas. No problem at all for the working Mexicans.

Same with Home Depot. They all line up waiting for work outside along the street. No problem.

And these are illegal foreigners working right out in the open.

In fact you might want to turn on the news and see what USA is doing about immigration reform.

Thailand is heading backasswards.

"Warning to those on overstay, you need to leave immediately"... Man go get something to do with yourself. Truly.

Edited July 14, 2014 by happysanook

[harrycallahan]

Filipino girls have a trick: they 'lose' their passport and all the stamps contained within. New passport clean slate. Obviously doesn't clear the department's digital record.

[Thai at Heart]

All seems very stupid when the embassy issues a visa that is not in line with immigration policy.

I do understand what they are doing. Immigration has been in need of a huge clean up not just of tourist runners , for a long time.

The levels of dodgy riff raff, people hiding out, illegal workers, and the such just got too big. Thing is , all this will achieve is that a lot of people will just overstay and not leave. So unless they start checking inside the country, this isn't going to be 100% effective.

Of course that doesn't preclude a dodgy immigration official just issuing stamps for a fee of course.

[Mr Tom]

There's a lot room for improvement in TH in general as far as asking for money & identifying and catering to foreigners that bring money into the country. Seems they don't go for (or understand) the value of a repeat customer either.

[BKKSnowBird]

Filipino girls have a trick: they 'lose' their passport and all the stamps contained within. New passport clean slate. Obviously doesn't clear the department's digital record.

So they track by name and not number? I am curious as I am now back in the US but plan to return to Thailand sometime soon.

My old passport was full of tourist visas and legitimate work extensions when I was a teacher. I even had an overstay.

I plan to not work when I return and get an ED visa. I have a new passport.

[waynerooney]

Time for a rethink for many people only genuine tourists wanted

[mc1984]

I have stayed in Thailand for 1 and a half years on tourist visas in the past (an indefinite tourist) without working here. I am now on an education visa as I am studying Thai. My girlfriend is pregnant at the moment and I am worried about when my education visa runs out. I make enough money back home to support us but not to qualify for a non O visa. What can I do? I realize they won't have any sympathy for splitting up a young family and I am worried I am going to have to leave my wife and young child here. Any ideas would be much appreciated.

Why having a child if you can't even afford a visa to stay with your GF and child?

With so little money you obviously have to start working so you get some money. That's what all other people have to do

One moment she is the girlfriend, next she is the wife ???? If married - get a non-O based on marriage - simple.

if not - marry her

Well she is my แฟน or fan, which doesn't really differentiate between the 2. We are not married yet. That'll be sometime next year........ perhaps sooner so I can get the non O!

Like I said before, it's not about the money, it's having it in a Thai bank account as I don't work here........

[chrisinth]

<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

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

If the immigration officer at the border is following directives such as a tourist is only allowed here for 30 days as stated in the OP, when a single tourist visa is valid for 60 days, then IMHO, a lot has been lost in interpretation and perhaps the immigration officer is not doing such an excellent job after all.

As an aside, I think it would be very interesting if someone took this to human rights. Someone who has married and has had children here, and has not recognized that he is doing wrong by back to back 30 day entries or back to back tourist visas because previously due to lax enforcement by immigration, he has been approved entry into the kingdom a multitude of times previously.

As many have pointed out, there has been no change to the laws. I wonder how a court would rule on that? Stupid yes, but illegal?

Don't forget, not everyone here is privileged to the updates we receive here on TV, there are a lot of naïve people out there who are not trying to work illegally or abuse the system as they see it (as they have been led to believe).

Just Sayin'..............................

[MrWorldwide]

@JDGRUEN, if you go back and read the newspaper article from May, the two high-ranking officers from Immigration both readily admit that they allowed back-to-back exemptions and Tourist Visas when they shouldnt have done so - classic TiT - but isnt that why this is termed a 'crackdown' instead of 'new rules and regulations' ? They are simply enforcing their own rules - granted, I dont have a link to those rules but I didnt have a link when they enforced the '90 days in any 6-month period' rules either. I also reject the suggestion that this has been sprung on people without warning, at least for those with even a passing interest in this forum.

I'm not here to 'apologize' for Thai Immigration or anyone else involved in this particular episode but this board should be about finding ways to work with the system as it stands, not the way it was a month ago or the way we'd like it to be. I've had issues with Australian Immigration at Brisbane airport going back to the early noughties but nothing I've ever said to them has made one iota of difference - those guys just have a thing for single men returning from Asia and I have to accept that they catch enough drug mules over time to vindicate their profiling. In this case, we have zero figures to confirm that the first stages of the Thai crackdown are succeeding in the stated aim of ridding the country of illegal workers but for now our focus should be on establishing the best way to deal with reality, not pointing out the many flaws in the system. End of sermon

[kovaltech]

i have been reading this article: http://www.thaisavannakhet.com/savannakhet/th/news/detail.php?ELEMENT_ID=804

my guess is that the visa crackdown is targeting those who abuse "being a tourist" either with back to back visa's and or visa exempt entry's.

there has been an announcement about the "90 days out off 180 rule", including those articles to be found on the Thai Embassy websites,

This makes me strongly believe that this ruling is revived and that they want the long-stayers to have the proper visa's.

The whole story makes sense, there are not many other way's they could "check up" on that, besides using this ruling.

if the rule is not valid, but still used as excuse, that would give some "die hards" solid grounds to appeal ;-)

There are plenty useful / legal ways to be in Thailand over prolonged time, use them, don't abuse tourist visa's

[grantbkk]

'Saw this coming. More ahead no doubt. Preachy non-O holders, pack up your smugness in your old kit bag, 'cause you're next on the agenda. And it's not even 12 AUG yet. I actually doubt this is going to help Elite sales much. Turn-aways like this create confusion and uncertainty, which is the opposite of what someone buying an expensive visa (or any expensive investment, or expensive anything) for the long-term tend to look for and expect. The very few who allow themselves to be herded toward the Elite program will be outweighed baht-wise by the many wondering what the heck is going on, and just deciding they can live without the hassle & go elsewhere. Whoever's behind all this either has no concern for the long-term damage he's doing, or no understanding of it. It's like a store-owner telling customers they have to leave if they haven't bought anything within the first 15 minutes. He might have his reasons (e.g., fear of shoplifters), but he'll end up driving away all his business, even those who might otherwise be first-timers, who'll walk the other way just based on the bad hearsay without knowing or caring about the details.

And next after Non 'O' holders (who will be mostly forced to do Extensions of Stay for Retirement - if the qualify) - sometime down the road those on Extensions of Stay for Retirement (EoSR) with get the shaft in the arse. First just do away with the Embassy certificate in lieu of 800,000 in the bank (for those who are allowed to use the cert.)..... Then later push everyone on Extension of Stay for Retirement into the first level of the Elite Visa - 500,000 baht for five years by basically doing away with the EoSR all together. After all - all the EoSR folks have 800,000 in the bank don't they - the government wants that money - not just left lying around in a bank... Thailand has bills to pay ... Rice Scheme and all ...

In the end no one is going to be immune to this huge enforcement change which will lead to a whole mind set change by the Thai leadership.

But eventually the Thai Leadership will run into big problems when the Low Season in all the resort areas is the permanent season.

So what is the big concern here? It's their country. Thailand IMHO is bulletproof when it comes to tourism. A bunch of old guys, poor guys, old poor guys, criminals, whiners, sex-pats or men claiming to support families may find it's time to reassess their situation. Everyone knew this could happen. For the last 12 years while I was cooling my heels in the queue at Thai Immigration I wondered if it was all worth it. Blowing a few hours out of my life to get the proper visa now seems worth it.

Those familiar with this website and the posts on how to circumvent the laws and rules number in the hundreds of thousands. People bragging how they beat the system or looking to borrow 400,000 or 800,000 Baht for a day. Now the country wants to clarify and enforce reasonably laws and rules. If what you say is true and I can't or won't comply with the mandates from the government it will be time to move on. It is a bit more difficult with the wife, girlfriend and or kids but the reality is that change happens. Time to end your tourist experience and go home. We are guests here and some of us overstay our welcome.

[seancbk]

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!

[scottyinthai]

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.

[thaigold]

The same visa rules apply in the US. You can be issued a visa at a US Embassy, but the port of entry has the descetion to refuse entry. It's the law.

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

[smedly]

Shows the total **** up of Thai government .Issuing visas at consulates and then denying access at the border,TIT

Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

First - the Consulate issues the visa under licence from the Government, they may advise you that you might be denied entry into Thailand - it is really up to you if you want to proceed

Second - it is you who are declaring you are a tourist

Third - your definition of Tourist may not be aligned with immigration when you arrive at a border

This thread will help you decide what type of visa you now need to stay long term in Thailand

[matseng]

I'm so happy I live in Malaysia on a 10 year visa when I see all this Thai visa shit. No hassles and the immigration guys here smiles and usually says welcome back sir at the borders. I go to Bangkok like 10 times a year for business and I always feel happy when I come back home to Kuala Lumpur. People here speak passable English even in the rural areas, in LOS you have a hard time finding a taxi driver with a usable command of English. And the food is more varied here - not that I'm not enjoying thai food, but it gets a bit boring after a while....

But I suppose that Malaysia never will be the next Thailand - being an Islamic country the liquor/beer is much more expensive and there's harder to find "GFs"/hookers here. The two things that it seems that 90% of the tourists are looking for.

[laislica]

I believe the authorities are cleaning up the abuse of the visa system on two fronts here.

I reckon the immigration staff are under strict orders to not let people with loads of previous tourist visa and entry stamps into Thailand.

AND

They are also getting tough with the foreigners trying to enter by denying them entry into the country.

This will be a good thing in the long run.

However, it seems from reading the comments here that the people who will be unfairly victimised by this are the offshore workers.

These guys probably have more than enough money to support themselves during their stay in Thailand, they don't work in Thailand, may not be married to a Thai and are probably under 50, they get tourist visas because there is no other visa class for them!!

I remember learning about bushels & pecks & tons & metric tons & dozens & a gross in school, but how many is "loads"...? Is it "loads" within a certain period of time, or just "loads", or just whatever an IO on that particular day thinks is "loads"?

OMG I thought that the Grammar Police had finally woken up from their (or is it - there) slumber LOL

However, you got it (as the song goes)

Whatever the IO decides is what it will be.

Does tea money work with IO's at this particular juncture?

I think you would have to be careful that no other Farang saw the transaction as some on here would probably Grass you up!

Back in the day (after the war) in the UK, my dear old Dad always kept a ten bob note with his driving license - just in case.......

If the officer asked if he was offering a bribe he would say - Oh how did that get in there or - Oh, it's my emergency petrol fund..

If nothing was said and he got a stiff telling off and the note had vanished - he was very happy.

So if someone who falls into the group of too many back to back tourist waivers, visas, runs etc, maybe they should plan to fly out and back rather than risk denial at a land crossing?

Until August the 12th that is.....

Then plan to return with an appropriate visa and stop muddying the waters for all.

[thaigold]

We don't know all the circumstances behind these entry refusals. I really do doubt these visa holders were true tourists. As the NCPO advised earlier, the days of border runs to long stay in the Kingdom are over. At the outset of this "intervention" by the military I had my doubts and reservations.
It now appears that disciplined military leadership may be just what the doctor ordered.

[JDGRUEN]

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

Are you staying on back to back 90 day entries from a Multi visa? In this case it is clearly an abuse of the rules and not how this visa is intended to be used. If the crackdown continues, these visas may well become the next target after NON-EDs

That's funny. I did that for a few years and there were no problems. In fact, I was instructed to do that by....wait for it......drum roll.....the local immigration office.

"Are you staying on back to back 90 day entries from a Multi visa? In this case it is clearly an abuse of the rules and not how this visa is intended to be used" Totally preposterous. Non immigrant Multi Entry 'O' visas are issued with a validity for one full year. Currently there is no prohibition from exiting and entering as many times in that year as one want to... that is the reason it is called "Multi-Entry". The quick turn around at a Border Checkpoint to 'get another 90 days' has been allowed for years and years. No Immigration Officer thinks a thing of it when he or she stamps the visa and new departure card for a new entry - because it is normal and most of all ALLOWED. One cannot abuse such a process when it is allowed. If one is not breaking a Thai law such as being illegally employed in Thailand - then using a Non Imm Multi-Entry 'O' visa to exit and enter every month for a year is not abusing the system - it is allowed. In fact if one exits a few days before the expiry date then the one year validity is stretched to 15 months. And guess what - this is allowed too. When a foreigner using a visa in Thailand and uses it in the direct presence of a Immigration Officer who then examines it - approves the In or the Out... and no subterfuge, no deception, nor concealed or hidden conflicting information is in play - then there is NO ABUSE of the Visa or the System. And this happens every week many many times at Thai Border Checkpoints... If the Thai Immigration Authorities change this procedure in the future -- then everyone will deal with it ... but for now and for many years past it has been ALLOWED.

Edited for clarify

Edited July 14, 2014 by JDGRUEN