No more Thai visa runs: Immigration will not let visa runners return after Aug 12

[MANICMINER]

the father is perfectly capable of obtaining immigration for his children to his own country.

This may entail separating them from their Thai mother!

Can anyone say whether or not doing a border run is still acceptable if you have a proper non B visa? If not traveling home the the states i often like to cross the border just as a day trip and spend some time in chiang rai. Beats the hell out of chiang mai immigration. It sounds like this is about tourist visa abuse, but still leaves lots of uncertainty? Non immigration B still able to in and out?? Thanks to anyone who can answer.

The OP is referring to back to back in-out visa exempt and tourist visa entries.

"Non immigration B still able to in and out?"

Yes. The non immigrant visa category is not affected.

There's a recent report of a long-term non-B holders being viewed with grave suspicion because he hadn't secured a work permit.

yes, they may be asking more questions of people with non immigrant visas, but if you can show why you have the visa, you should have no problems. so it is wise to take marriage certs, birth certs, work permits etc. when doing border runs.

[losworld]

Yeah issuing a visa then refusing it is beyond ridiculous. In that case refund the holder for his costs associated with this useless piece of political posturing. Next year Thailand will be overrun with people from the ASEAN treaty and they could only wish things were as now.

Edited July 15, 2014 by losworld

[tommy]

Immigration officers will be very happy,now they can sell 1 year visa for double price.....

[OnMyWay2]

I was planning to buy a condo and stay for extended periods using visa runs. Sounds like that's not gonna happen.

[Benmart]

Wonder what will happen to all those foreigners that are married, have children, but don't have enough money to get a Non-Imm visa based on marriage.

Will Immigration start splitting up families?

If they are that poor, they shouldn't have had children.

What a puerile post. Obviously your parents had money as it seems you have a misguided sense of superiority in your posting.

Do you also consider yourself to be better than others because you have money?

In my experience those born into money are generally a poor reflection of their heritage, parents who married young and worked hard to get ahead in life. Pity most made the same mistake in giving their progeny an easy life - it shows in the self-entitlement and attitude towards others.

Some of the world's greatest leaders came from the most poverty stricken backgrounds. Show me where you stand compared to them.

I loved the "What a puerile post" comment.

The remaining comments seemed to be rife with assumptions, conjecture, generalizations and pseudo-analysis.

Asking a poster to prove where he stands compared to others is pointless in my humble opinion.

[arunsakda]

It would be reasonable to say that a true tourist is one who stays in the home country the majority of the time, making occasional and brief forays into other countries. Back to back tourist visas don't fit that profile.

Try pulling that b2b stunt in the UK or US for example and see what happens. Quit whingeing... what's source for the goose.

This is not the US or the UK, who have always strictly enforced their policies, so your comparison is moot. And how many "true tourists" belong to a website forum aptly named Thai Visa?? Lets face it, anyone reading or posting to this site has a long term plan for staying in Thailand either with or without a long term visa. Some people have planned for years to retire to Thailand at the advise of countless news and web articles recommending it. Some have done just that and are now faced with an unforeseen dilemma. Yes, I am all for booting the hippies and the so called English teachers who are basically extending the college life as long as possible and bleeding Thailand of opportunities for Thais. I am however opposed to booting financialy independent, responsible, law abiding adults that don't qualify for a retirement extension based entirely on their age who's sole crime is that they contribute heavily to the Thai economy. It's easy to sit perched on your high horse with your marriage visa or retirement extension because your over 50 and make snide insults. It's far better to contribute helpful insight and information or remain silent.

I read this forum. I am concerned because Imm has not indicated what the max number of visa waivers allowed per year shall be, or the minimum interval between visa exempt arrivals.

I'm a FIFO overseas worker and up to now I have relied on visa exemptions to enjoy the 5 or 6 times a year I come to spend time in my condo . I don't think a tourist visa is appropriate for me because my length of stay is always fairly short (7-21 days max). 4 years left to 50, not getting married to a Thai, and have no time to study Thai because I am too busy working outside Thailand and earning a very good income. Last thing I want to do whilst in Thailand is teach English for a few baht, I can hardly be bothered to get out of bed before noon. That being said in 2014 I have already arrived 3 times and have spent about 5 weeks in Thailand total, and I am worried about getting hassled or knocked back even though all I do here is spend overseas earned income. In all the years I have been flying in I have never been asked a single question at the Imm counter. Hopefully Immigration can continue to tolerate my visits. The only other option I can see is the Elite card, which is money I would rather not spend if I can keep doing what I have been doing.

Edited July 15, 2014 by arunsakda

[FritsSikkink]

Sorry guys, but nobody ever mention the Non Immigrant Multiple Entry B Visa, which I have. I have a brand new passport as I run out of pages on my previous one. I had no prblem getting in by air the first time, but will it be the same in the future? The majority of topics seem to be focused on Tourist Visas, but I read on this fourm that even people with B Visas were turned away if they did not have a WP.

Anybody has info/thoughts on this matter?

thank you very much!

Nobody mentions it because there is no problem when you have that visa

[zakk9]

A lot of visa run companies and van operators will be shutting up shop along with Farang bar owners.

Thailand is just applying visa rules like any other country in the world.

On a personal level I hope this crackdown removes a lot of the shady characters who live in the Kingdom.

Shady characters often have proper visas.

[losworld]

A lot of visa run companies and van operators will be shutting up shop along with Farang bar owners.

Thailand is just applying visa rules like any other country in the world.

On a personal level I hope this crackdown removes a lot of the shady characters who live in the Kingdom.

If you think this will weed out the "shady characters" you are being naive. Just like the criminals will always get the guns regardless of the laws the shady ones will just overstay or take another route. I would guess the ones being primarily affected are the under 50's checking out Tland and perhaps deciding on staying longer. and spending money at the same time. Just the ones TAT needs.

[chrisinth]

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It is harsh on the kids though.

It is, but still irresponsible to caught up in this crackdown if you have kids in Thailand as foreigner.

You cannot blame the country to actually finally start to enforce the rules/laws. You can only blame the parent who has got himself in visa trouble by doing continuously border running to be able to stay here, even though the law has been quite clear for a long time, that you can maximum be tourist for 180 days per year.

I think you are a few years out of date on the 180 days per year.

[ParadiseLost]

Wonder what will happen to all those foreigners that are married, have children, but don't have enough money to get a Non-Imm visa based on marriage.

Will Immigration start splitting up families?

If they are that poor, they shouldn't have had children.

What a puerile post. Obviously your parents had money as it seems you have a misguided sense of superiority in your posting.

Do you also consider yourself to be better than others because you have money?

In my experience those born into money are generally a poor reflection of their heritage, parents who married young and worked hard to get ahead in life. Pity most made the same mistake in giving their progeny an easy life - it shows in the self-entitlement and attitude towards others.

Some of the world's greatest leaders came from the most poverty stricken backgrounds. Show me where you stand compared to them.

I loved the "What a puerile post" comment.

The remaining comments seemed to be rife with assumptions, conjecture, generalizations and pseudo-analysis.

Asking a poster to prove where he stands compared to others is pointless in my humble opinion.

Sorry to offend, but to be fair I said generally so it should only sting a bit if it rings true...

[wolf5370]

I do NOT support his statement about hoping that families will be split apart over this.

Yes everything costs money, but getting a proper visa is actually a lot less expensive that making border runs as tourist. No matter what, then it is irresponsible to to get caught up in this crackdown as foreign parent in Thailand. Of course it's not good for anyone that families will split, specially not the kids, but it doesn't make the actions less irresponsible.

The same counts for those who had their illegal business taken down, it's not an excuse that they lose their living and that they have done it for several years. What they have done is illegal, and the fact that they have been doing it for years only makes the case worse.

Getting a visa (5k) will not help - they would still need to do 90 day, back-to-back, visa runs. They would have to get an extension for reasons of marriage, which means having 400,000 in the bank for two months (seasoned) which will be beyond the scope of many people that have had this suddenly sprung upon them and especially those with hardships (not all hardship can be planned for) - tearing apart a family in never the answer - ensuring that that person dos not work illegally (not so hard to do - random spot visits etc), making it easier for long term married (and married with kids) families to stay together regardless of bank balance would - how does damaging families help the state or the future of the country? There is more to immigration policy than cash, that is why all the wealthiest countries with the greatest draw to illegals, still have laws and immigration rules to protect families.

In a country with practically no welfare net - and none for foreigners at all - there is no valid reason for this to be a priority and certainly no benefit over tearing apart families. Xenophobia pure and simple!

I don't hope it ruins families - I hope it destroys the already tentative tourist industry here - maybe then they will learn the Buddhist mantra of cause and effect.

If you have problems either making 40k per month or somehow manage to show a "saving", i think you have more serious issues than only getting visa, specially if you have to provide for a family. This is not done to damage families, it's done to get rid of those who are not here on proper visa. This can actually help make it easier to get a job for those who are here for good reason such as children. Because this will make it harder for people to stay and work without proper visa and work permit, hence it can also become easier to get one of the few jobs foreigners can actually get here.

It is true that there is no welfare, but shouldn't that have been something to consider before creating family here? If you want to stay here as foreigner, you should be able to provide for yourself (and family if you have).

Only a very evil minded person would hope it will ruin families. I actually hope this will get rid of a lot the illegal workers who are here, that makes it more difficult for foreigners with family to get a job.

It is a shame that things has to come to this, and we have those to thank who has been abusing the loop holes.

First off - this is NOT me - I am not in this boat, though I have friends that will be.

You have a narrow view of things it seems, I don't mean this as an insult, just as evident. There are people here that have been married a long time and do not have the cash savings anymore - they have their home, have bought land for their children and grandchildren, and businesses and homes for them too - assets are not considered only personal overseas income and seasoned savings. Their children give them money, their wife works and brings home the bacon (in the land/businesses he paid for) - he stayed legal by getting annual multi-entry Non Imm O based on marriage, cannot afford the extension as there are always family things more pressing, his pension has not risen in decades since leaving his home and with the exchange rate issues last few years, could barely scrape by. Every 90 days he does his visa run and every 15 months he flies home to see family there are renews his Visa. This is just one scenario - there are many - wife's earnings or joint earnings are not taken into consideration for extension.

So, his options: Leave and destroy his family; Stay illegally; Gain illegal employment to build his savings.

Oh if only 20 years ago he had chanced to look at that crystal ball and see all these changes coming down the line that would impact him and his family - he would have been a good parent then, not a bad parent for not being clairvoyant enough.

BTW: There are no loop holes. There are rules and laws set up that benefit Thailand's tourism industry. The fact that they can be used to make holidays eternal (or could) is not a loop hole - it is working the system (completely different thing). Again, it is at no loss - and plenty of gain - to the country for that to continue; which is why such changes (and there have been many over the years) are short lived, but painful. It happens with every new Immigration Chief to prove in one swift stroke that they are stronger and more clever than the one before, which of course it never does as they always have to water it down when it affects tourism proper - which it always does. This will not get rid of illegal workers - it also never does - people working illegally are just as likely to stay illegally, in fact if anything it will make more illegal over-stayers who then need to find employment as they cannot shoot home every six months to do a quick contract.

PS: I was not stating that Thailand had no welfare system (especially for foreigners) as a way of suggesting that it should - I was stating the fact to show that eternal tourists cost the country nothing, but only brings in money - much more both over time and at certain points therein, than regular tourists.

This is shooting fish in a barrel, whilst your standing in it yourself - everyone gets bloody, but the fish always find a place to hide that your feet cannot.

[KamalaRider]

Wonder what will happen to all those foreigners that are married, have children, but don't have enough money to get a Non-Imm visa based on marriage.

Will Immigration start splitting up families?

Yes

[Benmart]

I was planning to buy a condo and stay for extended periods using visa runs. Sounds like that's not gonna happen.

Wise choice. I would suggest compliance with Thai immigration law and holding off a bit on a condo purchase. Some markets are severely overbuilt, overpriced and over here. LOL.

Seriously, investigate purchase versus lease. Investigate quality of construction. Investigate the surroundings...the vacant lot today may be a karaoke bar tommorow. Investigate who your neighbors are.

A mill-stone is great for grinding grain. It can very uncomfortable when hung around your neck after the bottom falls out of the flour market.

[wolf5370]

Wonder what will happen to all those foreigners that are married, have children, but don't have enough money to get a Non-Imm visa based on marriage.

Will Immigration start splitting up families?

If they are that poor, they shouldn't have had children.

They should make you governor of Africa, bring that population right down eh?

Circumstances change - things happen (birds and bees) - if they could survive up until now, what is the problem? Or are only wealthy people allowed to have children or get married? Maybe only blue eyed, blonde haired people too eh? Enforced castration for the poor?

[wolf5370]

A lot of people are going to lose a lot. Including Thais. This is baby with bath water on steroids. Too inflexible and done too fast. It would be OK if there were now easier "real" visas, work permits, including legalization of online freelancing, etc. But there is not. On the condo market, no kidding, this is really bad for places like Pattaya. Cause and effect clearly not well considered on this one.

having lived in pattaya for over 20 years i dont know any condo owner that is a visa runner.

False.... under 50 year old age ( I don't worked, I dont leartn thai, I had no thai wife... I was just a long term tourist: Only relax and spending my money ) no any other options to stay in the country for longer time, than the 3 entry tourist visa ( visa runs ) Now it seems illegal, despite the law says it is still legal.... BTW I own 3 condo and planned to buy a 4th... Under the new " visa lottery " I changed my mind...

If you are that wealthy as you say (already have 3 condos and thinking of buying another one) why don't you spend the 500K to get the Thailand Elite Easy Access Card ? Or is that too expensive ?

Yeah because Thaksin's Elite Card system worked so well didn't it!

[chrisinth]

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You get a double or multiple entry and leave to come right back in its a NO GO as THAT IS BACK TO BACK that means your holiday winters are out and your condo is only useable for 30 days and NOT that lovely multiple entry visa you were issued back home...

You understand that ALL multiple entry visas if used back to back either by land or an airport can now be refused and very possibly will be ... with all your stuff stuck in Thailand and poss your air ticket home or route out of swampy too

If you take extended hols here, say retired and have a condo your now stuffed if you have a family you spend time with for any more than 30 days your stuffed unless you leave and go tour around another country while out here... yea great use of the time when your here to spend your winters or dont get to see family every year so do a 6 weeker or more. How about your family coming to spend the winter with you or a few months on a multiple entry which btw is LEGAL and carries no info on back to back ? they are also stuffed now... think about it you people who think its so great they "enforcing things" they really are messing this one up. ... or maybe you dont have any family who want to spend more than 30 days with you.. alt=rolleyes.gif.pagespeed.ce.hZ59UWKk-s.gif>

Parties over unless your on a work visa or retirement or a married visa...an ED or a package or 30 day max stay... anything else and your winging it.... ive sent this thread and another to all people I know... I suggest you do the same before some get badly caught out and maybe worse, stranded at some border.

If you come in with a multi non-O visa, you will get 90 days not 30.

Unless the rules have changed throughout this thread?

[Pattaya46]

For every 1,000 falang in thailand, how many have visa's and how many just do in/out border runs?

...

Are we looking at 10% on in/out border runs? 20%? more?

The very big majority of farangs are tourists on short term trips (2 or 3 weeks)

so I would think we talk about not even 1% of them...

[Yahooka]

Wonder what will happen to all those foreigners that are married, have children, but don't have enough money to get a Non-Imm visa based on marriage.

Will Immigration start splitting up families?

I hope so.

These guys should have thought about the correct visa before getting married and having kids.

A little forward planning/saving may have helped them here.

You hope that families are split up??

You are a dreadful person.

What about the kids losing their father.... their fault as well eh????

Your bitterness is unique and I m glad I don't think I have had to suffer meeting someone with your thought process.

Maybe one day we will see you back on here whining because your own category is being rinsed by the xenophobic Thai immigration.

My personal opinion is live and let live, these people are seldom terrible people whom probably do no harm to anyone, and you wish them a downfall??

More like Thailand needs rid of people like YOU!!!!

Cry me a river.

It's simple. Stop breaking the law and get a proper visa and then these people can live with their wife and kids.

If they don't get the correct visa, no mercy.

How is border running breaking the law ? It`s in many cases circumnventing the immigration laws........If they where breaking the law people would be in jail.

[wolf5370]

I am more confused after reading this thread than I was before.

So many different opinions, and so few who are prepared to admit that really NOBODY knows what will happen, we will just have to wait and see.

And that's the point - if you are confused, how do you think those immigration officers with a 4th grade education and boss that is as clueless as them are going to. It will be chaos and arbitrary - that is the problem - people with legitimate visas may have problems because they need to do refresh visa runs (every 90 days).

[Iumentum]

I do NOT support his statement about hoping that families will be split apart over this.

Yes everything costs money, but getting a proper visa is actually a lot less expensive that making border runs as tourist. No matter what, then it is irresponsible to to get caught up in this crackdown as foreign parent in Thailand. Of course it's not good for anyone that families will split, specially not the kids, but it doesn't make the actions less irresponsible.

The same counts for those who had their illegal business taken down, it's not an excuse that they lose their living and that they have done it for several years. What they have done is illegal, and the fact that they have been doing it for years only makes the case worse.

Getting a visa (5k) will not help - they would still need to do 90 day, back-to-back, visa runs. They would have to get an extension for reasons of marriage, which means having 400,000 in the bank for two months (seasoned) which will be beyond the scope of many people that have had this suddenly sprung upon them and especially those with hardships (not all hardship can be planned for) - tearing apart a family in never the answer - ensuring that that person dos not work illegally (not so hard to do - random spot visits etc), making it easier for long term married (and married with kids) families to stay together regardless of bank balance would - how does damaging families help the state or the future of the country? There is more to immigration policy than cash, that is why all the wealthiest countries with the greatest draw to illegals, still have laws and immigration rules to protect families.

In a country with practically no welfare net - and none for foreigners at all - there is no valid reason for this to be a priority and certainly no benefit over tearing apart families. Xenophobia pure and simple!

I don't hope it ruins families - I hope it destroys the already tentative tourist industry here - maybe then they will learn the Buddhist mantra of cause and effect.

If you have problems either making 40k per month or somehow manage to show a "saving", i think you have more serious issues than only getting visa, specially if you have to provide for a family. This is not done to damage families, it's done to get rid of those who are not here on proper visa. This can actually help make it easier to get a job for those who are here for good reason such as children. Because this will make it harder for people to stay and work without proper visa and work permit, hence it can also become easier to get one of the few jobs foreigners can actually get here.

It is true that there is no welfare, but shouldn't that have been something to consider before creating family here? If you want to stay here as foreigner, you should be able to provide for yourself (and family if you have).

Only a very evil minded person would hope it will ruin families. I actually hope this will get rid of a lot the illegal workers who are here, that makes it more difficult for foreigners with family to get a job.

It is a shame that things has to come to this, and we have those to thank who has been abusing the loop holes.

First off - this is NOT me - I am not in this boat, though I have friends that will be.

You have a narrow view of things it seems, I don't mean this as an insult, just as evident. There are people here that have been married a long time and do not have the cash savings anymore - they have their home, have bought land for their children and grandchildren, and businesses and homes for them too - assets are not considered only personal overseas income and seasoned savings. Their children give them money, their wife works and brings home the bacon (in the land/businesses he paid for) - he stayed legal by getting annual multi-entry Non Imm O based on marriage, cannot afford the extension as there are always family things more pressing, his pension has not risen in decades since leaving his home and with the exchange rate issues last few years, could barely scrape by. Every 90 days he does his visa run and every 15 months he flies home to see family there are renews his Visa. This is just one scenario - there are many - wife's earnings or joint earnings are not taken into consideration for extension.

So, his options: Leave and destroy his family; Stay illegally; Gain illegal employment to build his savings.

Oh if only 20 years ago he had chanced to look at that crystal ball and see all these changes coming down the line that would impact him and his family - he would have been a good parent then, not a bad parent for not being clairvoyant enough.

BTW: There are no loop holes. There are rules and laws set up that benefit Thailand's tourism industry. The fact that they can be used to make holidays eternal (or could) is not a loop hole - it is working the system (completely different thing). Again, it is at no loss - and plenty of gain - to the country for that to continue; which is why such changes (and there have been many over the years) are short lived, but painful. It happens with every new Immigration Chief to prove in one swift stroke that they are stronger and more clever than the one before, which of course it never does as they always have to water it down when it affects tourism proper - which it always does. This will not get rid of illegal workers - it also never does - people working illegally are just as likely to stay illegally, in fact if anything it will make more illegal over-stayers who then need to find employment as they cannot shoot home every six months to do a quick contract.

PS: I was not stating that Thailand had no welfare system (especially for foreigners) as a way of suggesting that it should - I was stating the fact to show that eternal tourists cost the country nothing, but only brings in money - much more both over time and at certain points therein, than regular tourists.

This is shooting fish in a barrel, whilst your standing in it yourself - everyone gets bloody, but the fish always find a place to hide that your feet cannot.

What did your friend expect, to be able to stay here forever as tourist, even though the law didn't allow that for a very long time?

No matter what, it is and will be very irresponsible in my eyes to think you can live on tourist visa here as a parent. To stay here long term on tourist visa is only thinking in the current moment, and being a responsible parent, you have to think of the future. Not only to be able to be with family, but also to provide, hopefully be able to pay for proper education and so on. You cannot be a responsible parent and live day by day at the same time on tourist visa here. Everyone who has been in Thailand for a while, know it's risky to stay long on tourist visa, and every trip over the border can be the last (in the moment).

This should without a doubt make those who would still be foolish enough, to actually get their act together and do things in a proper way.

[arunsakda]

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Wonder what will happen to all those foreigners that are married, have children, but don't have enough money to get a Non-Imm visa based on marriage.

Will Immigration start splitting up families?

Yes

US and UK have been doing so for ages.

[david555]

I was planning to buy a condo and stay for extended periods using visa runs. Sounds like that's not gonna happen.

Same for me ........even when i have a Non O multiple .(and can go for ret. extension) .....,.when they start changing you never knows what is next one !

Edited July 15, 2014 by david555

[BestBitterPhuket]

narrithiwat crossing 4 days ago the group coming back from Penang with double entry tourist visas

awarded for bravery for using a border crossing in a war zone

[Pattaya46]

I read this forum. I am concerned because Imm has not indicated what the max number of visa waivers allowed per year shall be, or the minimum interval between visa exempt arrivals.

Imm did not indicate the max number because they did not put any limit

There are rich guys from China or Singapore who come in Thailand

to play golf nearly every week-end using visa exemption.

Do you think Thai Imm wants to limit them at 2 or 3 week-ends a year ?

[rogerpilly]

Sorry guys, but nobody ever mention the Non Immigrant Multiple Entry B Visa, which I have. I have a brand new passport as I run out of pages on my previous one. I had no prblem getting in by air the first time, but will it be the same in the future? The majority of topics seem to be focused on Tourist Visas, but I read on this fourm that even people with B Visas were turned away if they did not have a WP.

Anybody has info/thoughts on this matter?

thank you very much!

Nobody mentions it because there is no problem when you have that visa

Not entirely true. Some people did report having problems with B Visa right on this forum... But I think somebody else already answered this.

[fish fingers]

To help people affected , it wd be good if someone could post a very simple clear list of the different types of visa and what is required

I'm guessing language visa's will suddenly be very popular

[swampdonkey]

can someone assure me that I can use my triple entry visa that was issued in Britain on 5th may!, I am about to do my 1st ever visa run on a clean passport (.i.e. no border stamps) . Have never done a visa run in the past?.

Get the 30 day extension with every entry . Before you move onto the next entry

[lovelaos]

Getting married and having a beautiful son is the best thing i ever did here, no more border runs and sweating on being let back in.

Back on topic i can see laos and Cambodia to start to become crowded as a lot of falang will find after being refused entry back here very hard to return to there own countries.

I'd suggest that Laos isn't all that easy to stay in long-term (communist countries rarely are) and that Cambodia may well change the visa rules next year when the ASEAN community regulations come into effect. It is rumored that Cambodia will insist that you have at least one 1-year visa in your passport that has expired prior to the date of change in order for you to be able to continue renewing your visa here... so that may rule out those fleeing LoS this late in the day. Note, this is pure speculation at the moment but it's coming from connected folks who have a seat at the decision making table - so it's not impossible either.

I have heard very similar things for Laos too. Laos is easy to stay long term if you have a job. I have been here 10 years.

[KamalaRider]

Wonder what will happen to all those foreigners that are married, have children, but don't have enough money to get a Non-Imm visa based on marriage.

Will Immigration start splitting up families?

I hope so.

These guys should have thought about the correct visa before getting married and having kids.

A little forward planning/saving may have helped them here.

So people who fall in love can't do that, they have to plan for that as well.

Regardless how much money or how many plans people do, they won't plan love, it just happens.

Before you could exploit the lack of enforcement on visa rules, now it seems you can't do that anymore, hence, I guess some guys will have serious problems with visa in the future, but to believe IO would have a heart is just plain stupid.

I didn't plan to fall in love and I didn't plan to find myself a woman with a child, but I did.

Lucky me, I could actually start all over with my business and plan everything the correct way from the start, but that WAS my plan from the beginning, before I met my wife and her daughter (which is now my daughter also).

So, I myself will not be affected at all as I have a 1 one year extension of stay permit, based on work (have work permit) and marriage with a Thai woman.

I would still be able to get the one yesr extension to stay without marriage but that have different criterias bound to it but it's similar.

As my work is pretty easy to move to any spot almost in the world, I'm fortunate, but for those who can't and because of love, accepts a low income, maybe as a teacher or from a irregular job in their native country, I feel sorry for them as they might not be able to keep the family together anymore.

My point is, you can't always plan your future as it could be changed at any point in time.