Hi Guys,

I've been reading all the visa-related threads related to the change of rules, and I'm wondering what to do for the best.

I have one double-entry tourist visa in my passport (no previous visits to Thailand). I've just extended the first entry until August 19th, and I was originally intending to nip down to the border and come straight back in. With all the kerfuffle, however, I'm wondering whether that's a wise plan.

The way I see it, I've got three options:

- Go out and in before August 12th

- Chance it on or around the 19th

- Fly somewhere else (ie KL) around the 19th, stay for a few days, and come back

Based on your knowledge, experience, and gut instinct (I realise it's difficult to be certain at the moment), what would you recommend?

Many thanks,

Rob

I'm reading elsewhere that August 12th has been superceded and new "rules" are already in force.....?

Thats not a troll post so dont pull me up if you have information to the contrary ??

With this being your first trip and your first visa you will not have a problem. You are a tourist.

I'm reading elsewhere that August 12th has been superceded and new "rules" are already in force.....?

The Aug 12 date is for application of these rules at airports,

but they already are applied at land borders.

I'm reading elsewhere that August 12th has been superceded and new "rules" are already in force.....?

The Aug 12 date is for application of these rules at airports,

but they already are applied at land borders.

Good clarification thanks.........

With this being your first trip and your first visa you will not have a problem. You are a tourist.

 

Thanks ubonjoe. I was under the impression that, post-August 12th, it would be difficult for anyone to go out and straight back in again. Is that not the case?

As I understand it if you have a valid single, double or triple entry tourist visa issued in your home country, you should have no problems either at land or airport border and irrespective of 12th August.

As I understand it if you have a valid single, double or triple entry tourist visa issued in your home country, you should have no problems either at land or airport border and irrespective of 12th August.

 

Really? Well, if that is the case, it would be a big relief. Thanks.

It is certainly the case. August 12th is the date they will officially start enforcing the rules for out/in visa exempt entries and has nothing to do with tourist visa entries or anything else.

It is certainly the case. August 12th is the date they will officially start enforcing the rules for out/in visa exempt entries and has nothing to do with tourist visa entries or anything else.

I've seen you post many times that there is no information to support that actual tourist visas (not exempt entries) will have a crackdown, so visa-runners using tourist visas won't have any different problems after Aug 12. But this is the first time I've seen you post for certain that Aug 12 is ONLY a crackdown on visa exempt entries. Is this the case? Is everyone staying long-term on tourist visas freaking out for no reason? Where did you get this information?

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It is certainly the case. August 12th is the date they will officially start enforcing the rules for out/in visa exempt entries and has nothing to do with tourist visa entries or anything else.

I've seen you post many times that there is no information to support that actual tourist visas (not exempt entries) will have a crackdown, so visa-runners using tourist visas won't have any different problems after Aug 12. But this is the first time I've seen you post for certain that Aug 12 is ONLY a crackdown on visa exempt entries. Is this the case? Is everyone staying long-term on tourist visas freaking out for no reason? Where did you get this information?

 

 

Thanks ubonjoe. Like gray42, I'd appreciate any further information you can offer on the above question.

I have seen no official announcement concerning tourist visas only for exempt entries.

There have been announcements on several Thai embassy embassy websites like this one from the Savannakhet website, Even some of the local foreign embassies have posted similar announcements..

Thanks ubonjoe. That certainly looks pretty clear.

Though it's not absolutely necessary, I think in the spirit of it being a double entry tourist visa and you being a tourist, the least one can do is after they've made it all the way to a border at the end of a 3 month stay on the first entry of a TV is spend a few days in a neighboring country and then come back. Perhaps only 2-3 days is enough - anyway, these one day in/outs are really not the way a double entry TV was intended to be used, even if you only do it once. There's nothing wrong with spending some time in KL or Laos. It breaks the monotony of Thailand and provides some fresh perspectives and a nice holiday.