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

[Fairynuff]

37 pages of speculation, opinions, bitching at others, more speculation, more "facts" but still nobody really knows. Perhaps this thread should be stopped until there are real facts and a bit more clarity

[ilocos]

Isn't it obvious to all now? Jeez. The guy at the border post has the final say - same as any Western country. Thailand has caught up with the West. I'm sitting with 5 Russians in Starbucks penang denied entry to thailand. They look very unhappy, disappointed. If they have any suspicions you're working illegally you're not coming into Thailand.

In fact they look positively numb with despair, shaken, moribund. I can't but feel pity for them wearing faces like that. Edited July 16, 2014 by ilocos

[wolf5370]

For many months I have read here about Russian mafia taking over, as well as other nationals. Seems to me the cleansing has started, first look at entries, then look at establishments. To me it is a start to clean things up, this is Thailand and should be their show, whether girly bars or what ever. You farangs that are pouring pints in your "girls" bar will be sent home if you don't have a visa for "your" business.

You really think this will impede Russian (or any) Mafia? You don't think they will simply make a deal and open a business that hires them on 'B' Visas - a front - not like they don't do this anyway for laundering - and with their sort of money, not going to be a problem here anyway. Worst case scenario, they invest 10m in stocks etc and are covered by Investment Visa - that's if the bribes don't work, which they will of course.

If Thailand should be "their show", should: Coke, Pepsi, Toyota, Honda, BMW, Yamaha, Western Digital, Tesco, Hilton, Holiday Inn, McDonalds, Starbucks, KFC, etc all leave too? Interesting impact on unemployment and GDP that would have.

[tompix321]

I've been a tourist (or "tourist" for those of you with a time based definition of the word) in SEA (8 countries) for the last 5 years. I do not work. I use saved money from an EU country. I'm not 50 yet.

This is what I have in my current passport:

* TR visa (double entry) issued in May 2013 in Savannakhet, and used for two entries plus two extensions until November 2013, when I entered Malaysia.

* A three day visa exempt visit in Thailand in February 2014, and

* a TR visa (single entry) issued in May 2014 in Penang. It's now active and extended until August 12.

So some of my options are:

* Leave and spend my money elsewhere (which is fine for me).

* Go to Laos on holiday for a few weeks and also get a new tourist visa (and keep touring in Thailand).

* Study Thai and get an ED visa.

* Look for a job and get a work permit + non imm.

I would like to hear from you guys about my chances to do the TR in Laos alternative. Will I have trouble getting back in? How long should I stay in Laos before applying?

Edited July 16, 2014 by tompix321

[Gweiloman]

Isn't it obvious to all now? Jeez. The guy at the border post has the final say - same as any Western country. Thailand has caught up with the West. I'm sitting with 5 Russians in Starbucks penang denied entry to thailand. They look very unhappy, disappointed. If they have any suspicions you're working illegally you're not coming into Thailand.

In fact they look positively numb with despair, shaken, moribund. I can't but feel pity for them wearing faces like that.

Are they tourists? Or were they long stayers? Or were they working illegally?

[macka17]

DUNNO??????

Seems like a very rational response to me for a country desiring to increase tourist numbers......not!!!!

Points relating to ESL teachers becoming extinct ' and Condo {and motosi and car} prices crashing are also well made . Seems that the lunatics are still in charge of the asylum. Ho Hum Same same same .

I'd say they were more looking to have "tourist" being tourists.

Visiting. Spending.Going. (Nothing wrong with that. That's Tourism.)

and people wanting to work in the Thai lifestyle (cheap) get a work visa. earn wages. pay taxes. etc. Same as other people do all over the world.

These whingers seem to be the ones that, Not so much break the law. as much as bend it with it's loopholes to suit themselves.

You can't live off others\another country forever. It always catches up.

No country wants the bludgers and users.

All Thailand is doing is trying to clean itself up a bit and get rid of the G-----e.

They'll then get more. and better quality tourism to go with the mainly cheap ones as present.

Thailand. Philipines etc are classed as Cheap holidays. Cheap lifestyle.

I don't blame them for wanting to change that.

Looking it from an older tourists eyes. We've been there twice (1 week. 4 weeks) Probably won't go again.

same climate as us in the wet. Very nice people.

Too many Alcaholic. loud. young Western people there for us.

They spoil the place from what it was.

Siam. lovely. peaceful, friendly.place to visit. (I did. decades ago ) and the loveliest of people.

Do it right. or get out.

All other western country's do that. Follow our rules. or go and live under somebody elses rools.

[PS2]

One or two Thaivisa members warned that the PDRC were anti farang. Now wait for the Junta to insist that those living here on retirement visas, marriage visas etc need to have a University degree, then we will see how many are applauding them.

Get your facts straight.

The new directive was presented May 18th already, before the take over.

This was under Thaskins government.

[ilocos]

Isn't it obvious to all now? Jeez. The guy at the border post has the final say - same as any Western country. Thailand has caught up with the West. I'm sitting with 5 Russians in Starbucks penang denied entry to thailand. They look very unhappy, disappointed. If they have any suspicions you're working illegally you're not coming into Thailand.

In fact they look positively numb with despair, shaken, moribund. I can't but feel pity for them wearing faces like that.

Are they tourists? Or were they long stayers? Or were they working illegally?

long stay tourists

[RealisticRon]

Never invest money in Thailand that you are not willing and able to walkaway from.

This has to be the most condescending phrase ever that pops up every now and then on TV.

It's as if Thailand is unique to any other place on planet earth that when investing in something one has to way up the pros and cons of whatever that investment might be.

Edited July 16, 2014 by RealisticRon

[ilocos]

Never invest money in Thailand that you are not willing and able to walkaway from.

This has to be the most condescending phrase ever that pops up every now and then on TV.

It's as if Thailand is unique to any other place on planet earth that when investing in something one has to way up the pros and cons of whatever that investment might be.

Warren buffet was the first to say never invest in Thailand

[easybullet3]

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

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

I'm on double entry tourist visa spending a week in Vietnam and arriving back to Thailand on 14th for second half of my visa.

Wonder how this will go. I don't have any back to back visas in my passport, and I don't have any jvisa exemptions. I do have multiple double entry tourist visas over many years. Visa was acquired from home country, not a border country in Asia.

you'll be fine. youre not doing an Out/In7

I wouldnt be so sure!
the other thaivisa article (recently) stated clearly that people with VALID 60 day tourist visas were refused entry in the south of thailand.

even if a consulate gives you a VALID visa,,, the immigration officials may not let you in.

it says above that immigration is warning all foreigners to get the correct visa!!! but this is a stupid Catch22 situation where you get a CORRECT VALID VISA from a Thai Embassy and then you are refused entry with this CORRECT AND VALID VISA!!!!
-- completely bad!! its the Thai Embassys job to NOT issue a visa in the first place!!! the government should make more effort to communicate to their embassies throughout the world of this new rule!!!
i'm sure its just ONE email that needs to be sent as a group message to all their embassies. so why on earth hasnt this been done? why dont foreigtn thai embassies know this rule? why are they issuing visas to people that are not allowed visas?

or,, is it the immigration checkpoints that are misunderstanding this rule?

if the cut off date is in August,, then why are people getting stopped today and yesterday?????

this is VERY BAD and costly to people... immigration is NOT following its own rules!!!
i personally (kind of) understand the rules and I am trying to make the necessary changes. I am happy to play their game.. but they have to abide to the rules!! its really so bad for them to not follow the rules.

ok I'll teach you the rules. Immigration officer has the right to assess whether you are a genuine tourist even if you have a tourist visa. It's a very subjective assessment. If he feels you will work in Thailand he has every right to stop you entering Thailand.

Thanks for "teaching me the rules" Lol

- you are stating what most people already know.

I am not referring to this.

I am talking about this "lack of communication" situation... where Central Immigration issues a new set of rules and they dont follow through.. (they dont bother to make sure that all immigrations AND consulates understand it). obviously their new regulations are not definitively complete.. (as such where it lets their immigration checkpoints know the exact 'ins and outs' of the rules.

immigration officers have ALWAYS had the right to prevent people from entering the country.

but now it seems they are doing a BLANKET METHOD... where ALMOST EVERYONE gets banned!!!

for example,, my parents who come to visit me on holiday every year. they stay here for 3 months and they come twice a year.

potentially, an uncertain immigration officer may deny them entry coz he thinks they have too many tourist visas in their passports.

are seriously,, you cant be saying that its acceptable that immigration (in the south of thailand) denies entry at its border (and advises the tourists to head back to KL and fly to BKK) !!!

that is absolute proof that left hand is doing something completely different to the right hand !!!

i personally think its disgusting that one or two particular borders will not deal with tourists coming from africa and some other eastern european countries !!!

- I mean,, what on earth is that ???

i can remember when they used to COUNT STAMPS in your passport (for 180 day gaps) about 4 years ago..

geez!! what a nightmare that was!!

anyway..

i'm happy to follow the regulations,, but I hate the way they go about it and how bad they are at making sure that their own officers and consulates understand it.

[YuliyaSerg]

Сan somebody explain whether the trip is for ED visa considered visa ran? I understand right that after the August 12 even if I want to get my first student visa in Laos, it will be impossible I can do it only in my native country? Or only trip for tourist visa considered visa-ran?

[blatantlyrandom]

Im brand new to this forum and still a bit unclear as to the situation (as is everybody I know)

Just wondering if all this applies to doing an OI on a multiple entry, 1 year, non immigrant type O volunteer visa??? Will I get stopped even though i do have this visa or should i be fine for now? this visa requires me to leave every 90 days and then return and so far i have just been doing OI with it.

Thanks

[AnotherOneAmerican]

Never invest money in Thailand that you are not willing and able to walkaway from.

This has to be the most condescending phrase ever that pops up every now and then on TV.

It's as if Thailand is unique to any other place on planet earth that when investing in something one has to way up the pros and cons of whatever that investment might be.

Thailand is the same as every other 3rd world country ruled by a military dictator.

You can predict what will happen by looking at the stuff they pulled.

Not unique, completely predictable.

I wouldn't invest in Angola, Uganda, Nigeria, Somalia, Laos (etc.) either.

[PoorSucker]

Im brand new to this forum and still a bit unclear as to the situation (as is everybody I know)

Just wondering if all this applies to doing an OI on a multiple entry, 1 year, non immigrant type O volunteer visa??? Will I get stopped even though i do have this visa or should i be fine for now? this visa requires me to leave every 90 days and then return and so far i have just been doing OI with it.

Thanks

You should be able to get 1 year extension of stay at immigrations with papers from your organization and your work permit.

[thaibeachlovers]

ok then

so now if i want to apply for a 2 entries tourist visa in my country,in europe

just thinking,i get it then i book a flight to bangkok about 600 or 700 euros

what if the immigration at Suvarhabum airport sees all my stamps and not let me in?

If you are worried about that, why not get a new passport while in Europe ?

you suggest me to lie to the police here in order to get a new passport.you guys seem to forget that genuine tourists bring money to Thailand.and long time tourists like me bring more money.i paid not less than 3000 baht per night for accomodation only...when i was not in Bangok(2 weeks per month more or less)

Sorry to break this to you, but the people making the rules don't give a monkey's for your 3,000 a night.

[thaibeachlovers]

I'm not reading 37 pages ( don't have enough time ) to find out if already anwered, but has anyone done an in/ out with O or B visa on the train from Malaysia in the past few days?

[kaobang]

Sorry to break this to you, but the people making the rules don't give a monkey's for your 3,000 a night.

i know that but there are thousands of people like me...9 milions per night ..will they feed the monkey?

[blatantlyrandom]

Im brand new to this forum and still a bit unclear as to the situation (as is everybody I know)

Just wondering if all this applies to doing an OI on a multiple entry, 1 year, non immigrant type O volunteer visa??? Will I get stopped even though i do have this visa or should i be fine for now? this visa requires me to leave every 90 days and then return and so far i have just been doing OI with it.

Thanks

You should be able to get 1 year extension of stay at immigrations with papers from your organization and your work permit.

Thanks!!

So theoretically i can get this extended and still keep with my border runs as normal?

Edited July 16, 2014 by blatantlyrandom

[PoorSucker]

Im brand new to this forum and still a bit unclear as to the situation (as is everybody I know)

Just wondering if all this applies to doing an OI on a multiple entry, 1 year, non immigrant type O volunteer visa??? Will I get stopped even though i do have this visa or should i be fine for now? this visa requires me to leave every 90 days and then return and so far i have just been doing OI with it.

Thanks

You should be able to get 1 year extension of stay at immigrations with papers from your organization and your work permit.

Thanks!!

So theoretically i can get this extended and still keep with my border runs as normal?

You should not be doing any border runs, with paperwork and your work permit, you get extension of stay at immigrations for 1900 baht.

[thaibeachlovers]

Sorry to break this to you, but the people making the rules don't give a monkey's for your 3,000 a night.

i know that but there are thousands of people like me...9 milions per night ..will they feed the monkey?

The people that depend on tourists are not the ones making the rules.

Edited July 16, 2014 by thaibeachlovers

[Naam]

Never invest money in Thailand that you are not willing and able to walkaway from.

This has to be the most condescending phrase ever that pops up every now and then on TV.

It's as if Thailand is unique to any other place on planet earth that when investing in something one has to way up the pros and cons of whatever that investment might be.

condescending, superfluous and ignorant because it applies to any investment

[ilocos]

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

I'm on double entry tourist visa spending a week in Vietnam and arriving back to Thailand on 14th for second half of my visa.

Wonder how this will go. I don't have any back to back visas in my passport, and I don't have any jvisa exemptions. I do have multiple double entry tourist visas over many years. Visa was acquired from home country, not a border country in Asia.

you'll be fine. youre not doing an Out/In7

I wouldnt be so sure!

the other thaivisa article (recently) stated clearly that people with VALID 60 day tourist visas were refused entry in the south of thailand.

even if a consulate gives you a VALID visa,,, the immigration officials may not let you in.

it says above that immigration is warning all foreigners to get the correct visa!!! but this is a stupid Catch22 situation where you get a CORRECT VALID VISA from a Thai Embassy and then you are refused entry with this CORRECT AND VALID VISA!!!!

-- completely bad!! its the Thai Embassys job to NOT issue a visa in the first place!!! the government should make more effort to communicate to their embassies throughout the world of this new rule!!!

i'm sure its just ONE email that needs to be sent as a group message to all their embassies. so why on earth hasnt this been done? why dont foreigtn thai embassies know this rule? why are they issuing visas to people that are not allowed visas?

or,, is it the immigration checkpoints that are misunderstanding this rule?

if the cut off date is in August,, then why are people getting stopped today and yesterday?????

this is VERY BAD and costly to people... immigration is NOT following its own rules!!!

i personally (kind of) understand the rules and I am trying to make the necessary changes. I am happy to play their game.. but they have to abide to the rules!! its really so bad for them to not follow the rules.

ok I'll teach you the rules. Immigration officer has the right to assess whether you are a genuine tourist even if you have a tourist visa. It's a very subjective assessment. If he feels you will work in Thailand he has every right to stop you entering Thailand.

Thanks for "teaching me the rules" Lol

- you are stating what most people already know.

I am not referring to this.

I am talking about this "lack of communication" situation... where Central Immigration issues a new set of rules and they dont follow through.. (they dont bother to make sure that all immigrations AND consulates understand it). obviously their new regulations are not definitively complete.. (as such where it lets their immigration checkpoints know the exact 'ins and outs' of the rules.

immigration officers have ALWAYS had the right to prevent people from entering the country.

but now it seems they are doing a BLANKET METHOD... where ALMOST EVERYONE gets banned!!!

for example,, my parents who come to visit me on holiday every year. they stay here for 3 months and they come twice a year.

potentially, an uncertain immigration officer may deny them entry coz he thinks they have too many tourist visas in their passports.

are seriously,, you cant be saying that its acceptable that immigration (in the south of thailand) denies entry at its border (and advises the tourists to head back to KL and fly to BKK) !!!

that is absolute proof that left hand is doing something completely different to the right hand !!!

i personally think its disgusting that one or two particular borders will not deal with tourists coming from africa and some other eastern european countries !!!

- I mean,, what on earth is that ???

i can remember when they used to COUNT STAMPS in your passport (for 180 day gaps) about 4 years ago..

geez!! what a nightmare that was!!

anyway..

i'm happy to follow the regulations,, but I hate the way they go about it and how bad they are at making sure that their own officers and consulates understand it.

Jeez again. Don't shoot the messenger. Get this. The rules are subjective. Therefore the rules are subject to the immigration officers discretionary powers. In other words your parents should just hope they meet an immigration officer who does not think they come to Thailand 6 months a year to work. I'm sorry if this will affect you. But I'm just stating the facts from cases that have already started before August 12.

[blatantlyrandom]

Im brand new to this forum and still a bit unclear as to the situation (as is everybody I know)

Just wondering if all this applies to doing an OI on a multiple entry, 1 year, non immigrant type O volunteer visa??? Will I get stopped even though i do have this visa or should i be fine for now? this visa requires me to leave every 90 days and then return and so far i have just been doing OI with it.

Thanks

You should be able to get 1 year extension of stay at immigrations with papers from your organization and your work permit.

Thanks!!

So theoretically i can get this extended and still keep with my border runs as normal?

You should not be doing any border runs, with paperwork and your work permit, you get extension of stay at immigrations for 1900 baht.

I have had to for this last year, mine is a multiple entry non O which requires me to leave every 90 days and then come back in.

[ilocos]

In effect when rules are subjective there are no rules that we can rely on 100%. Just convince IO you are not coming to Thailand to work as best you can.

[PoorSucker]

I have had to for this last year, mine is a multiple entry non O which requires me to leave every 90 days and then come back in.

You can apply for 1 year extension on any of your 90-day entries.

[Greg Nixon]

Looks like a lot of foreigners are either leaving or will have to get married, have a child or get a retirement visa.

condos will be selling for peanuts soon

Thats good. I have some peanuts.

[RealisticRon]

Never invest money in Thailand that you are not willing and able to walkaway from.

This has to be the most condescending phrase ever that pops up every now and then on TV.

It's as if Thailand is unique to any other place on planet earth that when investing in something one has to way up the pros and cons of whatever that investment might be.

condescending, superfluous and ignorant because it applies to any investment

Exactly my point, thank you.

[louse1953]

Looks like a lot of foreigners are either leaving or will have to get married, have a child or get a retirement visa.

condos will be selling for peanuts soon

As usual condos will stay empty for years,but still ask top price.Dont know how or why they do it,but they do.

[Kitsune]

It's totally hypocritical to ask people to get a work permit when immigration makes its application so hard and expensive.

Like if they did not need English teachers to prepare for ASEAN