Furious - Refused entry at Suvarnabhumi airport

[RandomSand]

That may be so but it has nothing to do with visas.

yes it does, tourists are entitled to tourist visas which is what we were discussing

Tourists are only 'entitled' to tourist visas as long as they apply for them before they enter Thailand. Many of the posters on here think that they can just pitch up as many times as they want and get a visa exemption.

While I sympathise with them they are precisely the people who have caused this crackdown by dodging and diving round the regulations. Immigration will only allow the piss to be taken out of them for a limited amount of time before kicking back.

I've stayed for many years on Tourist Exempt stamps & Tourist Visas. I have always followed immigration law to the letter. For you to say people like me are "dodging and diving round the regulations" is quite an unjustified insult and totally misplaced.

[96tehtarp]

I believe this whole thread is a windup. The OP is a new account.

There is another poster who is linking this thread to his claiming you might lose your home and that bank runs have started.

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/743443-will-you-lose-your-condo-or-car/

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/743440-bank-runs-in-bangkok-samui-pattaya-and-phuket/#entry8110695

I hope it is a windup. I do.

If it isn't we will have more reports of this throughout today. Stay tuned.

[JLCrab]

I agree with random Sand above unless someone had supplied falsified information to obtain such visas and/or visa exemptions.

However now it seems the current regime has decided to strictly enforce limits on such activities and has decided the way to do so is cold-turkey with no grace periods, temporary applications, or 'just one more time' type exceptions else maybe no one will take their enforcement measures seriously.

[notmyself]

OP (UK PP holder) could change his name by deed poll http://www.deedpoll.com/updating-your-passport.htm and get a new passport. The 'name and DOB' would not show up.

[alantheembalmer]

I don't know if this has already been suggested, but could you wait for the change of shift for the immigration boys and then try again?

[JohnThailandJohn]

I don't buy what the OP is selling. If he was denied then he is not providing all the facts. He is not doing back to back and has not been here in two months ... and while sitting in transit decides to become a ThaiVisa member and post his first post, not asking for help but to complain.

[apiwan]

People keep saying get a new Passport.

But your records are online every in and out also every visa you've had.

And not.

When I overstayed 3 months with the drama of the divorce.

The lady at immigration walked me over to the desk. And said to the policeman sitting there.

Thus guy has overstayed just divorced and custody of 3 kids. <deleted>

She knew everything.

To bald eagle. Mate you must be at your wits end.

The sharing of the information will help others to start to make plans.

Chin up fella

Sent from my SM-N9005 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[TheMysteriousMrTesla]

Since our OP is monitoring this thread closely perhaps he would like to silence the nay-sayers by proving he's stuck airside at Swampy.

A photo of the departures or arrivals board/screen showing today's date would do the trick

[96tehtarp]

I don't buy what the OP is selling. If he was denied then he is not providing all the facts. He is not doing back to back and has not been here in two months ... and while sitting in transit decides to become a ThaiVisa member and post his first post, not asking for help but to complain.

If it's not a windup there should be new reports of others in the same boat very shortly. Stay tuned.

[SoFarAndNear]

You should try to for rent this condo, sell your car and transfer out every Satang out of this country... check out Cambodia, Malaysia or Vietnam... yes it is not the same..but you will get used to it and enjoy it. Vietnam for examples starts having sometimes even cheaper flight from Europe then to Thailand.

I have a feeling this country gives a blame to expat foreigners that the international community has no good words about the situation in this country.

[Bung]

I don't get it. Am I missing something? The OP works offshore and said he was rotating out to his home country for a while. Why didn't he just apply for a multi entry tourist visa while he was there?

Would having one of those not make his life easier and no trouble coming and going?

[JohnThailandJohn]

I don't get it. Am I missing something? The OP works offshore and said he was rotating out to his home country for a while. Why didn't he just apply for a multi entry tourist visa while he was there?

Would having one of those not make his life easier and no trouble coming and going?

I am not sure they would have given him anymore consideration than a visa exempt entry ... his claim is they say he is not a tourist.

[MrWorldwide]

My main objection to Bali as an alternative for offshore workers (or anyone else who wants a week here and there without a longstay visa) is Kuta, but for those who can ignore that cesspit the island may well be the answer to their prayers - anecdotally, crime and corruption seem to have intensified over the last 10 years, but given the experience the OP is going through I'm guessing he feels it cant be any worse in Bali. He'll still need to fill in the form for a visa-on-arrival each time he lands at the bus station, er, Kuta International, but I'm not aware of any attempts on the part of Indonesia to limit money coming into the island.

As far as the crackdown is concerned, I agree that they seem to have brought 'August 12' forward roughly 4 weeks early and this does seem like an over-reaction. In any case, the OP should be given an option to return and finalise his affairs in Thailand if he can find no other way around the crackdown.

[OMGImInPattaya]

Your report would have a bit more credibility if you had a longer posting history on the forum. There is a good chance this is just a troll post...maybe the mods can have the server logs checked to verify the ISP is at least in Thailand or when this supposed "lurker" registered their username. On the off chance it's not, would you mind PMing me the details of your condo and car.

There are 30,000 or more entries to Swampy everyday, I'm sure if this was the new policy being strictly enforced, there would be many more reports of same and reporters at the airport telling us about the anguished masses being turned away. I can imagine someone getting quite a lark pulling so many people's chain.

Edited July 17, 2014 by OMGImInPattaya

[MrWorldwide]

I don't know if this has already been suggested, but could you wait for the change of shift for the immigration boys and then try again?

Bit of a shame that they have computers - I'm guessing this record was recently updated assuming we arent all simply being wound up.

[JohnThailandJohn]

Since our OP is monitoring this thread closely perhaps he would like to silence the nay-sayers by proving he's stuck airside at Swampy.

A photo of the departures or arrivals board/screen showing today's date would do the trick

Assume he has lots of time on his hands and access to internet since he created an account here to complain. Would really be nice to confirm his story but not sure that would tell us what is really going on if he is stuck in transit there ... since what he has shared doesn't make sense if considering the the new crack down on back to backs since he has been gone 2-months and the crack down is not even in effect at the airports yet.

Really does suck if this is not true as it just creates fear and worry with people who otherwise should have no reason to be worried.

As another poster mentioned if it is not a windup (or he situation is different than what he is saying) then there should be other reports coming soon.

Edited July 17, 2014 by JohnThailandJohn

[AYJAYDEE]

Your poet would have a bit more credibility if you had a longer listing history in the forum. There is a good chance this is just a troll post...maybe the mods can have the server logs checked to verify the ISP was at least in Thailand? On the off chance it's real, would you mind PMing me the details in your house and car.

what confused me was he said he'd been gone for 2 months but he said he went back to uk last rotation. that would make it 3 months

[96tehtarp]

The report made in the OP is unconfirmed.

[davejonesbkk]

I think this is nothing but a wind-up/troll post, its too much of a 'perfect storm' situation plus the fact that its a brand new user account. Most likely its another user who has been bickering with someone else in another thread about how this clampdown is going to 'devastate' Thailand and ruin people like offshore workers and he has made a new account and this thread to prove a point and spread rumours....

[MrWorldwide]

Did he mention anywhere if the same airline who bought him to Thailand is now responsible for removing him from Swampy ? This seems to have convinced some here that international pressure will be bought to bear on the junta to relax the crackdown when their airlines are forced to shoulder an increasing cost for the people being bounced - my response being that you cant board an international flight in Australia without a return booking but I'm not sure if that's now standard practice elsewhere. Given that the US made a lot of noise about the 'removal of a democratically elected government' when the military took over, and have subsequently gone back to dealing with their own issues, I wish those other governments all the luck in the world if this does become an issue they want to raise with the General - it's clear that he is intent on cleaning house and it's equally clear that some in Immigration dont have a problem with that. Interesting times indeed.

[ultramarine]

I don't get it. Am I missing something? The OP works offshore and said he was rotating out to his home country for a while. Why didn't he just apply for a multi entry tourist visa while he was there?

Would having one of those not make his life easier and no trouble coming and going?

He probably didn't think he needed to bother with it if he was only staying for a few weeks at a time whenever he came to Thailand. He was following the rules as he (correctly) understood them. There was no limit to the number of visa exemption arrivals a person could make in any given year. That may no longer be the case.

[Mario2008]

If he traveld on a visa exemped entry immigration would have told the airline to take him back to the point of origin.

In addition I would have suspected more reports by now.

[CBR250]

If you own a condo AND a car in a country, YOU ARE NOT A TOURIST. You are a part time resident.

Yes, OP does appear to be a part-time resident. But they don't issue part-time visas - or part-time visa exempt entries in his case - so your comment doesn't really help, does it?

All over the world Immmigration & other government departments expect the population to adjust their lifestyles so they can neatly fit into some restrictive bureaucratic category or other. That's what happens when we allow unimaginative, rule following, J. Alfred Prufrock types to write laws and policies. Unfortunately that is the type of character most attracted to working within the confines of a bureaucracy.

Hope OP finds this experience is just an aberration, and can get back to living a "normal" life from next trip. Please keep us informed how you progress.

[JesseFrank]

A thread going for 6 hours with 170 posts in the visa forum, with an OP in the airport but online continuously for 6 hours, and not a single reply from a visa mod yet.

Hmmmm.

[ClutchClark]

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

If you own a condo AND a car in a country, YOU ARE NOT A TOURIST. You are a part time resident.

Garbage. He doesn't work in Thailand. If you have a Tourist visa, and are not working illegally, then you are a tourist.

As for "living in Thailand"... What the heck does that mean? Of course you are living... you'd be dead otherwise.

He is not a tourist, you and many others should learn the meaning of tourist. Owning a house and car, how the hell does anyone call them a tourist. That is just plan stupid remark.

you obviously have never been to hawaii or mexico where tens of thousands of americans and canadian tourists own houses and condos!

In Mexico, they are considered part-time residents. http://internationalliving.com/countries/mexico/visa/

In Hawaii, property ownership by foreigners is also more complex: http://www.aloharealtygroup.com/canadian-buyers/

And Hawaii definition of Residency for US citizens: https://www.olt.com/main/tc/HI/1244.asp

So, just like Thailand, there are specific definitions for "tourist" and they are more restrictive than you appear to realize. People who maintain a primary domicile in Thailand and leave only to work offshore are more a "resident" than a tourist.

[JohnThailandJohn]

I believe this whole thread is a windup. The OP is a new account.

There is another poster who is linking this thread to his claiming you might lose your home and that bank runs have started.

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/743443-will-you-lose-your-condo-or-car/

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/743440-bank-runs-in-bangkok-samui-pattaya-and-phuket/#entry8110695

Thanks for sharing -- that other poster is new too and started 4 topics today on this same subject.

Really would be good for the Mods to look into this if there is a concern about creating false fear among its users.

[rajyindee]

Sell the car and reinvest the cash in an Elite card. Simple.

[AYJAYDEE]

In Mexico, they are considered part-time residents. http://internationalliving.com/countries/mexico/visa/

In Hawaii, property ownership by foreigners is also more complex: http://www.aloharealtygroup.com/canadian-buyers/

And Hawaii definition of Residency for US citizens: https://www.olt.com/main/tc/HI/1244.asp

So, just like Thailand, there are specific definitions for "tourist" and they are more restrictive than you appear to realize. People who maintain a primary domicile in Thailand and leave only to work offshore are more a "resident" than a tourist.

i know plenty of friends with condos in mexico and they use tourist cards and have no plans to stay more than 180 days a year. and plenty of canadian non residents ie: tourists buy condos in maui

Edited July 17, 2014 by AYJAYDEE

[LuckyLew]

If you own a condo AND a car in a country, YOU ARE NOT A TOURIST. You are a part time resident.

Yes very true. But as an under 50 year old, not married, without the means to buy the elite card or invest 10 million baht what do you suggest?

I have looked into this problem many times and the fact I exit the country so frequently a lot of the normal visa's become defunct for me.

I don't know if I have the balls to go back and appeal my case. I'm going to collect myself and go through my documents once more.

Do what I did ... find a young Thai one ... tap dat a$$ .... knock it up ... you are now allowed to stay on NON IMM O LOL

[MrWorldwide]

I believe this whole thread is a windup. The OP is a new account.

There is another poster who is linking this thread to his claiming you might lose your home and that bank runs have started.

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/743443-will-you-lose-your-condo-or-car/

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/743440-bank-runs-in-bangkok-samui-pattaya-and-phuket/#entry8110695

Thanks for sharing -- that other poster is new too and started 4 topics today on this same subject.

Really would be good for the Mods to look into this if there is a concern about creating false fear among its users.

And risk the phenomenal amount of traffic currently being generated by these threads ? Now THAT's a fear I doubt they want to risk ....