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

[AnotherOneAmerican]

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.

Why would Immigration be concerned about the expat condo market when issuing a directive to enforce the rules?

Condo prices drop, then legitimate expats and Thais swoop in buy at reduced prices. No real net loss to the local Thai economy.

Assuming they leave 'legit expats' alone.

I can see them easing all foreigners out of Thailand.

Ed VISA next, then make retirement VISA/extensions harder.

[LuckyLew]

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.

Why would Immigration be concerned about the expat condo market when issuing a directive to enforce the rules?

Condo prices drop, then legitimate expats and Thais swoop in buy at reduced prices. No real net loss to the local Thai economy.

It will actually mean more money for the Gov't / Immigration as people will have to start to pay for valid visa

They make nada from visa exempt stamps

Pretty sure they do not care two licks about condo market

If people cannot obtain a legal visa ...; oh well stay home

If you bought a condo here the risk was yours.

It has long been said "do not bring more into Thailand than you can afford to lose or leave behind."

[Pattaya46]

If you have valid tourist visas they will not stop you, you will not have a problem

They want to cut out the people abusing the 15 / 30 visa exempt stamps

they did.read around

LuckyLew should have said "If you have valid tourist visas from your country"...

If you get a new tourist visa in a nearby country

when you already had a Tourist visa or exemption before;

clearly you are at risk, and no more a "genuine tourist"

[Iumentum]

are you not afraid that one day an other crackdown can affect you?after all many illegal workers live in thailand with an ED vISA

I am not on ED visa anymore, i was for 3 years where i did start to get nervous, because after 3 years on ED visa is where this could give issues extending it.

Reason why i did when i suggested, recommend not to skip classes (which is 4 hours per week i think), is that you might have an immigration officer check up on you, or interview you at your 90 reporting at immigration office, to see if you can speak the language after studying it for a while.

But of course i am afraid that some kind of crackdown will make it difficult for me to stay here, because i got responsibilities here. And it is a shame that some people abusing the system is making it difficult for people who are not here on tourist visa and working.

Edited July 15, 2014 by Iumentum

[ilocos]

I did understand him, but our conversation is much longer and he want to be here as tourist for one year, which i try to explain him that is by law not allowed as tourist, hence why he should get a proper visa.

All he does is making a lot of different "what if" as he did when i suggested a ED visa, he also just said "what if".

I already explain that fresh visa should not be rejected, however, he should not rely on entry makes him entitled to enter Thailand again.

i applied and got an ed visa

personally,it was so stressful...i had to get out of the kingdom

they changed teachers many times

the location of my school burned(fico place in asok)

not to mention the recent stricter requirements

i just want to be a tourist,in thailand 1 year or 2 years or even 10 years

every 3 months getting out of the country,of course,to apply for a new tourist visa

my friend got an ED visa. Novotel immigration said his school was not real. They gave him two options. IDC or 20,000 baht. He was an American teaching illegally as most are on ED VISAS. He paid the 20,000 baht. They did not know he was working illegally. School was paying of immigration anyway as they do Edited July 15, 2014 by ilocos

[kaobang]

I did understand him, but our conversation is much longer and he want to be here as tourist for one year, which i try to explain him that is by law not allowed as tourist, hence why he should get a proper visa.

All he does is making a lot of different "what if" as he did when i suggested a ED visa, he also just said "what if".

I already explain that fresh visa should not be rejected, however, he should not rely on entry makes him entitled to enter Thailand again.

i applied and got an ed visa

personally,it was so stressful...i had to get out of the kingdom

they changed teachers many times

the location of my school burned(fico place in asok)

not to mention the recent stricter requirements

i just want to be a tourist,in thailand 1 year or 2 years or even 10 years

every 3 months getting out of the country,of course,to apply for a new tourist visa

When i got my ED visa, i was told i had to get it from Singapore (i think it was, it's long time ago), so i wouldn't have to make visa run, but just had to get stamp at immigration office every 90 days. But still, it was just a suggestion.

I understand what it is you want, but you should not expect to be able to do so. No one is to be considered tourist for 10 years, heck not even 2.

You can do this, if you every 3rd month stay outside Thailand long enough, for this not to become an issue.

Anyway, this is about visa run, and not about fresh obtained visa. This should not effect if you go to embassy outside Thailand and get a tourist visa. What it can effect is if you get tourist visa with multiple entry, because they can refuse you to make use of that entry.

But just that you want to stay here longer than 6 months, should make you consider getting a proper visa with multiple entry so you can get in and out without issues.

but the point is that i want to be a tourist all year not a student

they did this crackdown because many foriegners lie to thai authorities right?i dont want to lie,why do i have to apply for a student visa then?

i think you should blame the thai authority a bit too.

in few years they are changing from an extremely welcoming policy to its opposite

allow me to remind that someone proposed a fee just for the 30 days stamps not long ago just before the coup

Edited July 15, 2014 by kaobang

[paz]

false.... only if you arrived without any visa.... With the proper visa ( for example 3 entry tourist visa ) you can still stay 9 months in the country by the law. It's not the long term tourists abuse the law....if you understand what I say...

Except when some border post start refusing entry to valid Tourist visa holders. If you can read other thread beside pontificating.

[Iumentum]

I did understand him, but our conversation is much longer and he want to be here as tourist for one year, which i try to explain him that is by law not allowed as tourist, hence why he should get a proper visa.

All he does is making a lot of different "what if" as he did when i suggested a ED visa, he also just said "what if".

I already explain that fresh visa should not be rejected, however, he should not rely on entry makes him entitled to enter Thailand again.

i applied and got an ed visa

personally,it was so stressful...i had to get out of the kingdom

they changed teachers many times

the location of my school burned(fico place in asok)

not to mention the recent stricter requirements

i just want to be a tourist,in thailand 1 year or 2 years or even 10 years

every 3 months getting out of the country,of course,to apply for a new tourist visa

When i got my ED visa, i was told i had to get it from Singapore (i think it was, it's long time ago), so i wouldn't have to make visa run, but just had to get stamp at immigration office every 90 days. But still, it was just a suggestion.

I understand what it is you want, but you should not expect to be able to do so. No one is to be considered tourist for 10 years, heck not even 2.

You can do this, if you every 3rd month stay outside Thailand long enough, for this not to become an issue.

Anyway, this is about visa run, and not about fresh obtained visa. This should not effect if you go to embassy outside Thailand and get a tourist visa. What it can effect is if you get tourist visa with multiple entry, because they can refuse you to make use of that entry.

But just that you want to stay here longer than 6 months, should make you consider getting a proper visa with multiple entry so you can get in and out without issues.

but the point is that i want to be a tourist all year not a student

I said plenty of times that ED was just a suggestion.

You want to be tourist for 1, maybe 2 or even up to 10 year. I get that, but NO country with proper visa rules would consider someone a tourist for one year. Again, if you want to stay that long, get a proper visa of some kind.

[max72]

Up to you to try, but don't whine when you're standing at the border and will be refused to get back in.

so its fine for you if the consulates give tourist visa and the border guards deny entries?

Again, seems like you don't get the point of this crackdown. This is not to stop you at the border with a fresh new visa giving by a consulate. It's to stop people who continuously has been making border runs, as an example if they have been here for 5 months, then go to Laos and get 2 months tourist visa which can be extended further. They shouldn't disallow you to enter with the fresh visa, but if you try to extend it after those 2 months, then you have been here 7 months, and for a good reason they should reject your entry as a tourist.

Just because you get a visa with extra entry, doesn't mean that you are allowed or entitled to use that entry and be here more than the maximum days allowed by law.

But it would be have been fairer to have their visa denied at the Consulte of Penang rather than giving them a new visa and than being refused entry.

That was not nice. That made many people worried.

[mattf]

JUST TO BE SURE.

IS THIS LAW COMING INTO PRACTICE? 12TH OR 13TH OF AUGUST?

I am coming back from travel on the 12th of august ( 2 tourist visas already) and need 30 days before i go back to my home country. Am I in trouble?

[wilcopops]

People with back to back tourist visas are being stopped

So far the only long stay people appear to be O or B visas.

[ukrules]

As much as I appreciate law and order, these measures are applied too hastily without providing legal options in the now all apparent aimless activism and nationalist stance against anything and everyone non-Thai.

I fear that this one will be remembered in history as the most effective and final nail in Thailand's coffin as a retirement haven for foreigners.

Thais obviously are unfit to see the larger picture and understand the negative impact this will have. Instead of creating a solid legal foundation for foreigners to live and work here without all the obstacles for employees, such as so and so many Thais HAVE to be employed per foreign worker, etc. they simply kick and scream now like a 3 year old child whose favorite toy is broken, and push not only the small percentage of freeloaders but the money spending early retirees and selfmade men away, who manage to live here on less than the required funds to obtain a retirement visa, most of them having rented houses from Thai people for long term, leased or even bought condos...

Isn't it all typical Thai? First take their money, make promises or (mostly used and more effective) tell everyone "No plomplem, mitteeeur!" - to then later #$$ck them big time and send them home penniless.

While I often was one of those trying to stop Thailand bashing in forums in the past, I - by now - am not willing to do this any longer. The true colors of nationalism and racism are shining through right now to an extend that makes me wanna puke.

The tsunami of a sure to follow collapsing condo market will pull many Thai project owners into the abbyss. Several other markets targeting foreign investors and/or foreign expats will follow. This - if not reversed in time providing legal alternatives - will result in a financial and economic desaster for Thailand beyond imagination.

Then, when the money is gone, crime rates, burglaries, etc. will skyrocket. In the end, Thais will blame the foreigners for their self-inflicted misery and the non-Thais who remain (due to sufficient funds and legal visas) will be the target of their hatred. So far for "this will also reduce crime"...

Honestly, I am looking for better alternatives now and might start to sell assets.

This is a f#$!ng mess! Respectively it will be...

If there are any influential Thai poeple with brains reading this, you should please wake up and get into gear to stop this madness and request the government / junta to provide legal alternatives instead of blindly taking swings on foreigners NOW!!!!

Well you reap what you sow, it's going to be fun watching from the sidelines over the next few years.

How long until these new measures are reversed ? 3 Months, 6 Months, 1 Year ?

[firestar]

Immigration and many here can't see past the small expat community

I lived in a villa complex in Samui, at least half the villas were rented to owners of seasonal businesses and retirees spending the winter months in Thailand. They stayed with two back to back tourist visas. Retirement visas are not an option, they are not retiring in Thailand. They are tourists enjoying winter months in the sun.

They now either have to cut their stay by half, or more likely, head for the Caribbean.



_______________________

Edited July 15, 2014 by firestar

[wilcopops]

There seem to be a lot of people on this thread who consider that their stereotypes of those on visavruns are justification for the clampdown. I think it will emerge that this is not the case and a lot of people may find their travel plans disrupted..... As well as their plsnsvto work here and wait for their visa permit TI come through

[kaobang]

i think you should blame the thai authority a bit too.

in few years they are changing from an extremely welcoming policy to its opposite

allow me to remind that someone proposed a fee just for the 30 days stamps not long ago just before the coup

[max72]

I did understand him, but our conversation is much longer and he want to be here as tourist for one year, which i try to explain him that is by law not allowed as tourist, hence why he should get a proper visa.

All he does is making a lot of different "what if" as he did when i suggested a ED visa, he also just said "what if".

I already explain that fresh visa should not be rejected, however, he should not rely on entry makes him entitled to enter Thailand again.

i applied and got an ed visa

personally,it was so stressful...i had to get out of the kingdom

they changed teachers many times

the location of my school burned(fico place in asok)

not to mention the recent stricter requirements

i just want to be a tourist,in thailand 1 year or 2 years or even 10 years

every 3 months getting out of the country,of course,to apply for a new tourist visa

When i got my ED visa, i was told i had to get it from Singapore (i think it was, it's long time ago), so i wouldn't have to make visa run, but just had to get stamp at immigration office every 90 days. But still, it was just a suggestion.

I understand what it is you want, but you should not expect to be able to do so. No one is to be considered tourist for 10 years, heck not even 2.

You can do this, if you every 3rd month stay outside Thailand long enough, for this not to become an issue.

Anyway, this is about visa run, and not about fresh obtained visa. This should not effect if you go to embassy outside Thailand and get a tourist visa. What it can effect is if you get tourist visa with multiple entry, because they can refuse you to make use of that entry.

But just that you want to stay here longer than 6 months, should make you consider getting a proper visa with multiple entry so you can get in and out without issues.

I said plenty of times that ED was just a suggestion.

You want to be tourist for 1, maybe 2 or even up to 10 year. I get that, but NO country with proper visa rules would consider someone a tourist for one year. Again, if you want to stay that long, get a proper visa of some kind.

Yes, most of them.

In Costa Rica there are clear rules, always respected and you can stay all your life as a tourist, you just need to leave every 3 months for at least 72 hours.

You can do that for 20 years (I have friends who have done that for that time) and the rules are valid for every entry point , for every inmigration officier, not dependent on his mood, like in Thailand.

[Gabor]

I am not on ED visa anymore, i was for 3 years where i did start to get nervous, because after 3 years on ED visa is where this could give issues extending it.

Reason why i did when i suggested, recommend not to skip classes (which is 4 hours per week i think), is that you might have an immigration officer check up on you, or interview you at your 90 reporting at immigration office, to see if you can speak the language after studying it for a while.

But of course i am afraid that some kind of crackdown will make it difficult for me to stay here, because i got responsibilities here. And it is a shame that some people abusing the system is making it difficult for people who are not here on tourist visa and working.

So....YOU abused the system with your ED visa for 3 years and now you moaning about to abuse the system... by the others.

BTW... who abuse the system ? You throwing out what the law allows and what the law don't allows... Your resources ? Where is it written who is a tourist and who is not ? Please quote some numbers, regulations, laws.... not only your asumptions, prejudices....

Edited July 15, 2014 by Gabor

[ilocos]

Up to you to try, but don't whine when you're standing at the border and will be refused to get back in.

so its fine for you if the consulates give tourist visa and the border guards deny entries?

Again, seems like you don't get the point of this crackdown. This is not to stop you at the border with a fresh new visa giving by a consulate. It's to stop people who continuously has been making border runs, as an example if they have been here for 5 months, then go to Laos and get 2 months tourist visa which can be extended further. They shouldn't disallow you to enter with the fresh visa, but if you try to extend it after those 2 months, then you have been here 7 months, and for a good reason they should reject your entry as a tourist.

Just because you get a visa with extra entry, doesn't mean that you are allowed or entitled to use that entry and be here more than the maximum days allowed by law.

But it would be have been fairer to have their visa denied at the Consulte of Penang rather than giving them a new visa and than being refused entry.

That was not nice. That made many people worried.

Fairness & niceness. Once upon a time i was an idealist like you. I tend to think this kind of exuberance in mankind is a delusional byproduct of youth lol

[kaobang]

I did understand him, but our conversation is much longer and he want to be here as tourist for one year, which i try to explain him that is by law not allowed as tourist, hence why he should get a proper visa.

All he does is making a lot of different "what if" as he did when i suggested a ED visa, he also just said "what if".

I already explain that fresh visa should not be rejected, however, he should not rely on entry makes him entitled to enter Thailand again.

i applied and got an ed visa

personally,it was so stressful...i had to get out of the kingdom

they changed teachers many times

the location of my school burned(fico place in asok)

not to mention the recent stricter requirements

i just want to be a tourist,in thailand 1 year or 2 years or even 10 years

every 3 months getting out of the country,of course,to apply for a new tourist visa

When i got my ED visa, i was told i had to get it from Singapore (i think it was, it's long time ago), so i wouldn't have to make visa run, but just had to get stamp at immigration office every 90 days. But still, it was just a suggestion.

I understand what it is you want, but you should not expect to be able to do so. No one is to be considered tourist for 10 years, heck not even 2.

You can do this, if you every 3rd month stay outside Thailand long enough, for this not to become an issue.

Anyway, this is about visa run, and not about fresh obtained visa. This should not effect if you go to embassy outside Thailand and get a tourist visa. What it can effect is if you get tourist visa with multiple entry, because they can refuse you to make use of that entry.

But just that you want to stay here longer than 6 months, should make you consider getting a proper visa with multiple entry so you can get in and out without issues.

I said plenty of times that ED was just a suggestion.

You want to be tourist for 1, maybe 2 or even up to 10 year. I get that, but NO country with proper visa rules would consider someone a tourist for one year. Again, if you want to stay that long, get a proper visa of some kind.

Yes, most of them.

In Costa Rica there are clear rules, always respected and you can stay all your life as a tourist, you just need to leave every 3 months for at least 72 hours.

You can do that for 20 years (I have friends who have done that for that time) and the rules are valid for every entry point , for every inmigration officier, not dependent on his mood, like in Thailand.

also in the neighbouring Cambodia thats possible(and maybe Lao and Malaysia)

[Iumentum]

I am not on ED visa anymore, i was for 3 years where i did start to get nervous, because after 3 years on ED visa is where this could give issues extending it.

Reason why i did when i suggested, recommend not to skip classes (which is 4 hours per week i think), is that you might have an immigration officer check up on you, or interview you at your 90 reporting at immigration office, to see if you can speak the language after studying it for a while.

But of course i am afraid that some kind of crackdown will make it difficult for me to stay here, because i got responsibilities here. And it is a shame that some people abusing the system is making it difficult for people who are not here on tourist visa and working.

So....YOU abused the system with your ED visa for 3 years and now you moaning about to abuse the system... by the others.

BTW... who abuse the system ? You throwing out what the law allows and what the law don't allows... Your resources ? Where is it written who is a tourist and who is not ? Please quote some numbers, regulations, laws.... not only your asumptions, prejudices....

Where did i abuse the system? I did attend my classes and studying the language. Stop making such assumptions without knowing anything at all. Because non in what i wrote indicate that i abused the system.

Also, i am not moaning about people want to be here as tourist for long time, what i do say is that people should not expect and feel entitled to do so.

Use google, there is plenty of informations about what the law say, problem is just that it haven't been uphold.

You're are the one assuming here you numb-nutt, saying that i have abused the system!?!

[max72]

Immigration and many here can't see past the small expat community

I lived in a villa complex in Samui, at least half the villas were rented to owners of seasonal businesses and retirees spending the winter months in Thailand. They stayed with two back to back tourist visas. Retirement visas are not an option, they are not retiring in Thailand. They are tourists enjoying winter months in the sun.

They now either have to cut their stay by half, or more likely, head for the Caribbean.

_______________________

yes I am in the same situation. Just like HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS of people who want to spend a seasonal holiday AND ONLY HOLIDAY in Thailand.

They will all be affected , so they will go to spend their money in another country. 99.9% of this people gives no hassle at all, they help local communities.

But whenever i tried to say that, I was attacked in this forum. It seems like people who wants to spend more than 1 or 2 months holiday are considered all criminals, drug dealers, illegal teachers, etc etc.

Come on and open your eyes, how many people want to skip the harsh winter and spend it in the tropics ? Millions, and millions and millions, this is not an hyperbole, some hundreds of thousands of them do it in Thailand ....or did it.......

just go to Hua Hin, 90% of people there spend the winter away from Scandinavia...

Edited July 15, 2014 by max72

[Pattaya46]

... They stayed with two back to back tourist visas. Retirement visas are not an option, they are not retiring in Thailand. They are tourists enjoying winter months in the sun.

As Immigration said "If they are genuine tourists that's fine". No problem.

[wilcopops]

People with back to back tourist visas are being stopped

So far the only long stay people appear to be O or B visas.

[Pattaya46]

yes I am in the same situation. Just like HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS of people who want to spend a seasonal holiday AND ONLY HOLIDAY in Thailand. They will all be affected , ...

Immigration said they would not : "If they are genuine tourists that's fine"

[wilcopops]

... They stayed with two back to back tourist visas. Retirement visas are not an option, they are not retiring in Thailand. They are tourists enjoying winter months in the sun.

As Immigration said "If they are genuine tourists that's fine". No problem.

And how and who is going to make that decision??????

[ilocos]

Did anybody read this line in the story: "Visa runners are those who leave Thailand and return immediately for the purpose of extending their stay."

Seems pretty clear to me.

Pretty clear to you? Great. so enlighten us, what is immediately? One day, one week, one month? Someone who takes a sabbatical and wants to stay one year in Thailand with back to back double entries, how long between the two visas please? I look forward to your response.

its obviously subjective. Each immigration officer will have his own idea of coming back too soon by looking at how many exempt entries & visas you've had. Guys at border can decide if you were given visa in error at embassy as has happened.

[ParadiseLost]

Yes, most of them.

In Costa Rica there are clear rules, always respected and you can stay all your life as a tourist, you just need to leave every 3 months for at least 72 hours.

You can do that for 20 years (I have friends who have done that for that time) and the rules are valid for every entry point , for every inmigration officier, not dependent on his mood, like in Thailand.

also in the neighbouring Cambodia thats possible(and maybe Lao and Malaysia)

But there is still the possibility that they can change those laws at any time for any reason they like. Lets face it, living on tourist visas is never a guarantee of anything.

[mooris6]

Look guys it's simple. Thailand no longer wishes to accommodate long term back to back tourists anymore. No matter how many times you guys say you have a lot of money to stay here for 1 year, it does not matter. They have decided that the benefits that this kind of person gives Thailand monetarily does not outweigh the problems that arise from this same type of person. No point in debating in a forum because the Army is not listening. Now who is up for a beer?

Sent from my iPad using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

[Pattaya46]

And how and who is going to make that decision??????

What about reading articles on this subject?

Like http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/743034-out-in-visa-hoppers-now-being-barred-from-entry-to-thailand/

[max72]

But it would be have been fairer to have their visa denied at the Consulte of Penang rather than giving them a new visa and than being refused entry.

That was not nice. That made many people worried.

Fairness & niceness. Once upon a time i was an idealist like you. I tend to think this kind of exuberance in mankind is a delusional byproduct of youth lol

Thanks ! It is rare people call me young (i am 40) but I mean fair and also PRACTICAL, USEFUL CLEAR.

You should know clearly if you can enter or not. Situations like that make everybody uneasy, because you never know if a bad mood officier will refuse you ....I don t want to plan my 5 months holiday, trip to Thailand and Australia, back to Europe to have everything spoiled by a bad mood inmigration officier.... 20K-30K euros thrown away , no thanks....either Thailand has clear rules about what you can and you can't or many genuine tourists will find another place.