Ricci Posted July 16, 2014 Share Posted July 16, 2014 I would like to know how the current situation is at hundreds of visa run companies in hotspots like Phuket, Pattaya and BKK. Can they survive when they switch back to river Kwai and other classic tours? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post DavidMavec Posted July 16, 2014 Popular Post Share Posted July 16, 2014 (edited) As I have seen from living in Thailand, what is said officially is very different from what happens in practice. Let's all take a deep breath and see what happens after August 12. Nobody knows anything right now and if there are changes, they might be short lived as well. Edited July 16, 2014 by DavidMavec 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Jingthing Posted July 16, 2014 Popular Post Share Posted July 16, 2014 This time appears more "serious" than the usual. The new governing powers are really doing some stuff. I would not want to be in the visa run service biz at the moment! 14 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FiestyFarang Posted July 16, 2014 Share Posted July 16, 2014 No visa run companies going from Phuket to Ranong according to this article, I think there will be some business from Phuket to Malaysia although I think at a greatly reduced number - http://phuketwan.com/tourism/phuket-visa-runs-ranong-immigration-crackdown-drops-tourist-renewals-trickle-20630/ Why do you ask, do you have a Visa Run company? 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Briggsy Posted July 16, 2014 Popular Post Share Posted July 16, 2014 A visa run company is a load of minivans with drivers straight from the village at low wage and with an owner who has developed contacts with immigration. Vans get put to use doing something else. Drivers too or they get sent back to Isaan. These companies are hardly oil refineries or other capital investment heavy businesses that need to plan 10 years into the future. 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
surinderek Posted July 16, 2014 Share Posted July 16, 2014 spot on those plying the van run Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brewsterbudgen Posted July 16, 2014 Share Posted July 16, 2014 Pattaya is full of visa run companies; they seem to be operating normally although 12 August would seem to be the important date, Bangkok Buddy is one of the best Bangkok visa run companies and is still doing them. My mate's on one tomorrow! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gray42 Posted July 16, 2014 Share Posted July 16, 2014 I think all they need to do is change their signs from "Visa Run" to "Taxi Van". 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post timmyp Posted July 16, 2014 Popular Post Share Posted July 16, 2014 Some folks who are in-the-know are saying, "It gets like this every once in a while. Everything shuts down, then the situation returns to "normal" a couple of months later." Others who are in-the-know tell me, "This feels different... I don't know what to expect." Popular belief is that everything will be on hold for as long as the current people in power remain in power (i.e., until elections next year). Sorry if I'm just repeating what everyone has already heard... I plan to withhold getting excited about it until after I hear reports from foreigners trying to enter Thailand on a tourist visa after mid-August. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post tomyumchai Posted July 16, 2014 Popular Post Share Posted July 16, 2014 it would be handy if they all shut down and have to sell the vans as im looking for an affordable van under 1000000 miles and £100000 so a glut in the market would be sweet. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phuket Mike Posted July 16, 2014 Share Posted July 16, 2014 On the plus side they won't need so many immigration officers, probably be able to cut 30-40% of those lovely friendly people. I'm sure they will quickly find new employment in the hospitality industry. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ColdSingha Posted July 16, 2014 Share Posted July 16, 2014 On the plus side they won't need so many immigration officers, probably be able to cut 30-40% of those lovely friendly people. I'm sure they will quickly find new employment in the hospitality industry. wouldn't that be ironic. get tough at the border, lose job a few months later lol 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
notmyself Posted July 16, 2014 Share Posted July 16, 2014 it would be handy if they all shut down and have to sell the vans as im looking for an affordable van under 1000000 miles and £100000 so a glut in the market would be sweet. Every cloud has a silver lining! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Suradit69 Posted July 16, 2014 Share Posted July 16, 2014 A visa run company is a load of minivans with drivers straight from the village at low wage and with an owner who has developed contacts with immigration. Vans get put to use doing something else. Drivers too or they get sent back to Isaan. These companies are hardly oil refineries or other capital investment heavy businesses that need to plan 10 years into the future. Yes, you carry passengers to the border, you carry passengers to the airport, you carry them to see elephants paint pictures ... take money and drive people from here to there. Some people still have visas that require them to exit and re-enter at immigrations border posts or airports and some people arriving in the country at land borders for the first time still need transport to Bangkok or wherever. Life goes on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Suradit69 Posted July 16, 2014 Share Posted July 16, 2014 Some folks who are in-the-know are saying, "It gets like this every once in a while. Everything shuts down, then the situation returns to "normal" a couple of months later." Others who are in-the-know tell me, "This feels different... I don't know what to expect." Popular belief is that everything will be on hold for as long as the current people in power remain in power (i.e., until elections next year). Sorry if I'm just repeating what everyone has already heard... I plan to withhold getting excited about it until after I hear reports from foreigners trying to enter Thailand on a tourist visa after mid-August. "Some folks who are in-the-know are saying ..." I don't think bar stool pundits actually qualify as being "in-the-know." 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JSixpack Posted July 16, 2014 Share Posted July 16, 2014 Why? You an investor in visa run companies? 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post canarysun Posted July 16, 2014 Popular Post Share Posted July 16, 2014 I fail to understand why anybody would even need to use a " Visa Run Agency " anyway! All my friends ( and myself in the past ) have gone by train to Cambodia for about 45 baht. It must be the " type of farang " that is " terrified to venture outside his/her front door " on there own...... The " Visa Run Vans " are dangerous,fast and wild driving and ridiculously expensive too! They are far from enjoyable and sitting in the back you start to feel like " Garfield stuck against the windscreen ..." 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
schondie Posted July 16, 2014 Share Posted July 16, 2014 It'll take time for the tourists to catch on that their visa run isn't what was promised. Having seen a driver from Samui just shrug his shoulders when one of the customers was refused entry and told they can't come back into Thailand without a visa from Penang. "Oh, sorry. That's not my responsibility" but we've taken your money seems to be how the visa run business will operate. They'll carry on taking the uninformed to the border under false pretenses [a promised hassle free out/in] and just drive away without them. At this point I cannot blame anyone as everyone needs to make a living and the uninformed have only themselves to blame for not doing more research. I'd like to add I don't have any connection to these visa run companies but I understand it's difficult to give up on a cash cow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ericthai Posted July 16, 2014 Share Posted July 16, 2014 A visa run company is a load of minivans with drivers straight from the village at low wage and with an owner who has developed contacts with immigration. Vans get put to use doing something else. Drivers too or they get sent back to Isaan. These companies are hardly oil refineries or other capital investment heavy businesses that need to plan 10 years into the future. Not is all cases, there are some that have the big tour buses. Example is Jack's golf. I believe he has two or three large tour buses and there are a few others that have the large buses. I'm believe Jack's only does visa runs and nothing else. However after this many years I'm sure he has made enough money to retire. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
david555 Posted July 16, 2014 Share Posted July 16, 2014 Last visarun to cambodia i was surprised to see 5 asians ( 2 lady's , 1 lao man & 2 not specified other ones .. ) to do visa run , seems the crackdown is replacing the farangs for the asians who work or stay Thailand , so another bissnes came to help the visa run company's seems Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pralaad Posted July 16, 2014 Share Posted July 16, 2014 Some folks who are in-the-know are saying, "It gets like this every once in a while. Everything shuts down, then the situation returns to "normal" a couple of months later." Others who are in-the-know tell me, "This feels different... I don't know what to expect." Popular belief is that everything will be on hold for as long as the current people in power remain in power (i.e., until elections next year). Sorry if I'm just repeating what everyone has already heard... I plan to withhold getting excited about it until after I hear reports from foreigners trying to enter Thailand on a tourist visa after mid-August. What is there to know or see? They changed rules for border crossings 30 days to 15 days and it stayed on. They changed investment visa from 3 million to 8 million and it stayed on. Now they changed tourist and visa exemp totally, why would anyone think it will NOT stay on?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ericthai Posted July 16, 2014 Share Posted July 16, 2014 I fail to understand why anybody would even need to use a " Visa Run Agency " anyway! All my friends ( and myself in the past ) have gone by train to Cambodia for about 45 baht. It must be the " type of farang " that is " terrified to venture outside his/her front door " on there own...... The " Visa Run Vans " are dangerous,fast and wild driving and ridiculously expensive too! They are far from enjoyable and sitting in the back you start to feel like " Garfield stuck against the windscreen ..." I would say because of time. I used one of the big buses a few times when I had a multi B and only stamped in for 90 days. The reason I used the bus was it was cheaper than driving my car and the visa run bus was faster than going by normal bus or train. Leave at 5-6am back by 3-4pm. I believe that was the time frame as it was more than 8 years ago when I used them. I found the price to be reasonable i believe the price was 1500B back then. Gas in my car would be 800-1000B then Cambodian visa is another 1200B So it was cheaper then driving myself and faster than taking the train. I found the driver to be good, not too fast or crazy. Yes the minivan drivers are fast and crazy. And no I'm not one of those Expats that are afraid to go anywhere on my own. I travel by myself allot in Thailand and other countries. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bountyhuntr Posted July 16, 2014 Share Posted July 16, 2014 (edited) Pattaya is full of visa run companies; they seem to be operating normally although 12 August would seem to be the important date, Bangkok Buddy is one of the best Bangkok visa run companies and is still doing them. My mate's on one tomorrow! I agree, their the best company. However they won't be operating for much longer, they cut down their days by 2(no longer friday/mon afaik) and the last one I went on had 3 people in the van. Now with news of no more exempt, sadly they won't be here much longer, Edited July 16, 2014 by liamstevens111 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slipperylobster Posted July 16, 2014 Share Posted July 16, 2014 Cracking down on those hustling businesses....bringing herds of border runners to get there cheap and free stamps back into thailand. What misery and grief they brought upon us ! Tag em in as Mafia wannabes.... they got corralled at last... But the independent traveler is suffering. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
timmyp Posted July 16, 2014 Share Posted July 16, 2014 Some folks who are in-the-know are saying, "It gets like this every once in a while. Everything shuts down, then the situation returns to "normal" a couple of months later." Others who are in-the-know tell me, "This feels different... I don't know what to expect." Popular belief is that everything will be on hold for as long as the current people in power remain in power (i.e., until elections next year). Sorry if I'm just repeating what everyone has already heard... I plan to withhold getting excited about it until after I hear reports from foreigners trying to enter Thailand on a tourist visa after mid-August. "Some folks who are in-the-know are saying ..." I don't think bar stool pundits actually qualify as being "in-the-know." Believe it or not, Suradit69, I don't drink or go to bars. This is from people who run businesses directly involved with getting visas of all types. I guess I just heard from 2 different people (again, not in a bar) who gave me their take on what is going on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paz Posted July 16, 2014 Share Posted July 16, 2014 Believe it or not, Suradit69, I don't drink or go to bars. This is from people who run businesses directly involved with getting visas of all types. I guess I just heard from 2 different people (again, not in a bar) who gave me their take on what is going on. I see that you're relatively new to this forum. For anything on which you don't agree, or simple boredom, it's customary to accuse the next person to bring in "bar talk". Or to be a sexpat (the sexually inactive really loves to use that term). Then with a little bit of time, you will see that it's always the same people that spits out the same hatred speech. The most we can ask for is a quicker way to place them in the ignore list. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ultramarine Posted July 16, 2014 Share Posted July 16, 2014 The Quick Thai Visa Run website that ran from Ekkamai to Ban Laem is now down. http://www.thaivisarun.com/index.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duanebigsby Posted July 16, 2014 Share Posted July 16, 2014 I think after the election next year, all the corruption will sneak back in and Thailand will return to its' abnormal self. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NicoBKK Posted July 17, 2014 Share Posted July 17, 2014 I think when somebody setup a company to run a service outside any logic in any other Country using a loophole in the immigration law which has now fortunately been fixed, accepts all risks to soon close it 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ricci Posted July 17, 2014 Author Share Posted July 17, 2014 (edited) No visa run companies going from Phuket to Ranong according to this article, I think there will be some business from Phuket to Malaysia although I think at a greatly reduced number - http://phuketwan.com/tourism/phuket-visa-runs-ranong-immigration-crackdown-drops-tourist-renewals-trickle-20630/ Why do you ask, do you have a Visa Run company? I don't have a visa company and I am not concerned about the back to backs. I am married and have a proper extension of stay. This was just a normal question. Because I'm interested in opinions, Sherlock ;-) Why would YOU ask a question like that? C'mon you watch too much TV. :-P To the other posters, thanks for your input. Edited July 17, 2014 by Ricci Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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