I feel sorry for the guys who are going to get frozen out, esp the teachers. Thailand needs all the English teachers it can get, even if non-native, but whole WP is far too much work for too little reward. Will be interesting to see how this impacts demographics: finally us old farts will become even more attractive to the ladies who are in hunting mode. And this should really gut TAT estimates for number of tourists coming to Thailand. We could actually find out how many tourists do come here without the inflated numbers due to runners.

When jobs disappear for Thais in expat spots, classrooms suddenly lack teachers, and property values drop.... will Thailand then come up with reasonable work visa and long term resident standards?

No, they will not understand what happened.

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 visa 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/In

How do you define Out/In though? I'll be in Vietnam for 7 days. Is Out/In about people who cross back the same day? 1 day? 3 days? 1 week?

I wish the immigration rules were clearer.

edit - failed to read earlier post!

Sorry if I'm sounding a bit thick here, but does this policy include people who would pop over the border to do an in/out to get their 2nd entry on the double tourist visa or just for visa exempts?

It affect all people with a history of back to back tourist visas and/or visa exempt stamps.

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.

Forgive me for being slow, but I want to understand your statement precisely here.

You have no mercy for kids who are no able to see one of their parents for extended periods...years perhaps...because of immigration laws?

It's not because of the immigration laws mate…it's because of the parent who couldn't get his papers in order.

The main issue is the archaic application processes and issuing of any type of visa from the overseas embassy and then a work permit - compounded by the short time frames that these are valid for. The solution should not be a border control lock down but a much more efficient and modern approach to allowing an international work force to conduct business in Thailand. This said, I have always found the labour department quite helpful and immigration - providing you have the right paperwork. But that in itself is crazy and needs repeating throughout the year.

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 visa 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/In

How do you define Out/In though? I'll be in Vietnam for 7 days. Is Out/In about people who cross back the same day? 1 day? 3 days? 1 week?

I wish the immigration rules were clearer.

It only affects you if you have a history of back to back tourist visas and/or visa exempt stamps.

This will probably have a knock on effect to those doing visa runs via Air Travel, with regards to being allowed to fly in. I guess that the airlines will begin to make a stand if people (with the I/O stamp) flying into Thailand start getting refused entry, this leaving it the responsibility of the airline to return them if they do not hold an onward / return ticket.

I do understand that it is a requirement to hold an onward ticket out of the country, upon entering, but it seems to be seldom enforced.

Perhaps we can all expect changes to all Visas to take place within the next 1-2 years.

Yep, must stop these foreigners from spending money at all cost. Dumb?

As for the companies that took advantage of the loop holes to pay under minimum wage to teachers, etc. now that it will be universally enforced, the work permit/visa rules should provide an increase in wages for people in this category.

And school fees will rise accordingly. Knock on effect.....

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 visa 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/In

How do you define Out/In though? I'll be in Vietnam for 7 days. Is Out/In about people who cross back the same day? 1 day? 3 days? 1 week?

I wish the immigration rules were clearer.

It only affects you if you have a history of back to back tourist visas and/or visa exempt stamps.

what are your thoughts on the possibilty of it affecting rapid turnarounds on double and triple tourist visas and multiple entry N0on-O's?

It gonna be very quiet in pattaya and other popular places.

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.

Forgive me for being slow, but I want to understand your statement precisely here.

You have no mercy for kids who are no able to see one of their parents for extended periods...years perhaps...because of immigration laws?

It's not because of the immigration laws mate…it's because of the parent who couldn't get his papers in order.

I didn't ask your opinion of the parent. I asked about your feelings towards the kids. Do you have mercy for the kids?

So some one with a double or triple entry Tourist Visa can not just go In Out same day. and Must take a break and fly in after a few days ? or it only apply to people with out a proper visa issued at a embassy or consulate ?

Yep, must stop these foreigners from spending money at all cost. Dumb?

Yep, must stop these foreigners from rorting the immigration system at all cost. dumb?

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

Penang tend to cross at danok. Any reason why they crossed at narrithiwat?

I'm on retirement extensions now...

But back in my tourist days, I'd sometimes make 3 or 4 visa-exempt entries to Thailand per year -- with each entry being 2-4 months apart and usually stays in country of 2-4 weeks, depending on the time of year.

I was absolutely a 100% legitimate tourist then, staying in hotels and always with confirmed air tickets back to my home country at arrival. But I kind of wonder how Immigration is going to respond to that kind of pattern now in this latest enforcement approach?

It certainly ought to be OK... But in the current environment, kind hard to know for certain -- at least until mid-August arrives and we see how things are handled at Suvarnabhumi airport.

The OP is referring to back to back in-out visa exempt and tourist visa entries. Your previous history does not fit that profile.

The operative words here are: "back to back" -and- "in-out".

Lets face it, it has been very lenient for a very long time.

Lets take the UK for example, any Thai wishing to enter for just a day has to produce a load of proof of this and that. Even those married to a UK spouse, have to be invited to stay if the visa is for visiting family (I understand that this is also a requirement for a Spouse of a Thai during application of a Non Imm O).

The bubble had to burst sooner or later though, now didn't it?

what are your thoughts on the possibilty of it affecting rapid turnarounds on double and triple tourist visas and multiple entry N0on-O's?

Non immigrant visas are not affected.

If I had a history of back to back tourist visas and went to the border to activate second entry I suspect you would not be let back in..

What I find unbelievable is their statement that stopping the visa run people will reduce crime! Personally, I doubt very much that any of the visa run people are criminals.

So some one with a double or triple entry Tourist Visa can not just go In Out same day. and Must take a break and fly in after a few days ? or it only apply to people with out a proper visa issued at a embassy or consulate ?

so far no evidence of the in/out on the double entry being a problem

, as some employers do not want to go through the complicated process of seeking work permits and like to avoid the expense if they can.

Understandable.

It would be good if they addressed the complicated part at the same time... Let see for the SMB, kill a tree and increase company capital, 20-30k and essentially lock 2m against a foreigner wp, photos/medical cert and call all staff in regardless of diff schedule for a photo at office with new applicant, murder another tree and submit the application for the work permit 20k=30k to get a wp3, send the prospect out the country for a day or two to get to switch to a non-imm b butcher another 20k-30k in flights/hotel/expenses and days wasted, kill another tree and wait for wp, some more photos and signatures, 3 months down the line have a director sign 180+ pages and murder two trees and pay another 20k to get 1 year extension. Plus ongoing costs (before we get to core of tax and sso).

You can't beat a bit of the old In/out - in/out )

Is it very difficult to get a proper work visa? If, as seems to be the case, many employers dont want to be bothered, is it something you can do yourself? Or are the tax implications the root cause?

what are your thoughts on the possibilty of it affecting rapid turnarounds on double and triple tourist visas and multiple entry N0on-O's?

Non immigrant visas are not affected.

If I had a history of back to back tourist visas and went to the border to activate second entry I suspect you would not be let back in..

i was thinking more of the guy that gets a triple entry once a year for his holiday in thailand and does quick in/outs to do so??

So some one with a double or triple entry Tourist Visa can not just go In Out same day. and Must take a break and fly in after a few days ? or it only apply to people with out a proper visa issued at a embassy or consulate ?

If you have a history of back to back tourist visas you would not be allowed to enter again.

Sent from my iPhone using ThaiVisa app

Sorry if I'm sounding a bit thick here, but does this policy include people who would pop over the border to do an in/out to get their 2nd entry on the double tourist visa or just for visa exempts?

I guess the question you need to ask is whether you're prepared to risk it or whether you'd like a weekend in Singapore, particularly prior to August 12. Personally, I'd love to see Singapore from the top of the new casino, but I have no idea of your personal financial circumstances.

You can't beat a bit of the old In/out - in/out )

Congratulations on an outstanding first post - you will obviously go far.

what are your thoughts on the possibilty of it affecting rapid turnarounds on double and triple tourist visas and multiple entry N0on-O's?

Non immigrant visas are not affected.

If I had a history of back to back tourist visas and went to the border to activate second entry I suspect you would not be let back in..

i was thinking more of the guy that gets a triple entry once a year for his holiday in thailand and does quick in/outs to do so??

As he does not have a history of back to back tourist visas it should not be a problem.

Is it very difficult to get a proper work visa? If, as seems to be the case, many employers dont want to be bothered, is it something you can do yourself? Or are the tax implications the root cause?

The employer must pay you a minimum wage, for western people it's 50.000 baht/month.