Was immigration like this 30 years ago old timers?

[Smurkster]

How was the immigration process of staying in Thailand 30 years ago? Obviously in some aspects it was much more difficult, for example before Laos was opened to visitors, where did you go to renew your visa? But overall, I'm assuming it really has changed a lot. 

 

Any anecdotes about how you guys went about it many years ago?

 

 

Edited July 26, 2014 by Maestro
corrected a typing error

[glegolo]

Thank you for an unusually promising thread!!  I really hope some of these older guys can find it in their hearts and memories to tell stories from the past to us "newbies"

 

Glegolo

[Timwin]

From talking with the old timers, the rules were much more relaxed. Endless 30 day visa runs was the preferred choice for many. If Thais got visas easily to a western country, then it worked also the other way around.

[Evilbaz]

They'll all be well asleep by now ...

[JetsetBkk]

I know the guy who has Phuket Work Permit number 1. No fee, no expiry date.

 

And he's still here. 

[Farma]

30 years ago I was working in Malaysia and would hop across to Thailand on the weekends.

 

The Sadao border closed at 6 pm so it was always a rush to catch it before they closed on Friday. They had a big sign up saying "No Hippies". On the way back on Sunday there was the under the passport 10 Baht note for "Overtime".

 

Betong border post was surrounded by machine gun nests as we found out one afternoon when our car tyre burst. The place went silent and you could hear guns being cocked in the mountains around us.

 

Wang Prajan was obscure and one Hari Raya we crossed through there. The Malay and Thai sides opened and closed at 0600 - 1800 local time which meant there was an hours time zone wait between each opening and closing. They told us we were the first westerners to use that crossing in over a year.

 

The Thai consulate in Penang were very friendly. We would often socialize with the staff. They were known to open the office and issue visas on weekends if needed.

 

I can't remember any restrictions on the number of visa exempt stamps although I think they were 14 days each. There was a requirement for a tax clearance certificate on departure if you spent more than 180 days in Kingdom.

Edited July 26, 2014 by Farma

[Maestro]

30 years ago I was travelling from Switzerland to Thailand once or twice a year, never staying 30 days at a time, and was always given an entry stamp without any problem.

[Colabamumbai]

Laos was open to visitors 40 years ago, I was there during the Pathet Lao war in the early 70's, there were no bridges travel was done by boat. We stayed in temples as in the northern parts there were no guesthouses or hotels. I think there were 2 guesthouses in Luang Prabang at the time.

[larsjohnsson]

I'm from Sweden. And it was very easy to stay here 30 years ago for us. We had 90 days visa exemptions then. And we had it like that until we joined the EU Edited July 27, 2014 by larsjohnsson

[lopburi3]

Can not speak for long term stay but for visitors the (US) visa exempt entry was only 15 days.

[HiSoLowSoNoSo]

Biggest hassle was the Tax clearance you needed before departure, if you had stayed more than 180 days in one year you had to pay 7% tax on the money you spent in Thailand during your stay! So we all said that we did not spend any money or had rich Thai girlfriends etc. It worked for many year until they changed the boss at the tax office, the new boss was an old fat Thai-Chinese lady and first time I saw her she said: You pay tax 4000 Baht.  Crazy system. We did a Penang trip every 90 days with Thai from Phuket, it was just enough time between landing in Penang and return departure for 2 Tiger beer at the airport bar, compared to the Kloster and Singha Beer that was the only beer available than it was a nice change.

[mahjongguy]

A Swiss neighbor of mine told me when he was 20yo he was sent here by a Swiss hotel group to work at their new Bangkok hotel. During his first year, to simplify things for themselves his employers got him Permanent Residency. He enjoyed that status for 51 years. 

[lopburi3]

Biggest hassle was the Tax clearance you needed before departure, if you had stayed more than 180 days in one year you had to pay 7% tax on the money you spent in Thailand during your stay! So we all said that we did not spend any money or had rich Thai girlfriends etc. It worked for many year until they changed the boss at the tax office, the new boss was an old fat Thai-Chinese lady and first time I saw her she said: You pay tax 4000 Baht.  Crazy system. We did a Penang trip every 90 days with Thai from Phuket, it was just enough time between landing in Penang and return departure for 2 Tiger beer at the airport bar, compared to the Kloster and Singha Beer that was the only beer available than it was a nice change.

Are you sure this was 30 years ago (or it just seems that way)?  The 7% VAT was only started in 1992.

[harrry]

 

Biggest hassle was the Tax clearance you needed before departure, if you had stayed more than 180 days in one year you had to pay 7% tax on the money you spent in Thailand during your stay! So we all said that we did not spend any money or had rich Thai girlfriends etc. It worked for many year until they changed the boss at the tax office, the new boss was an old fat Thai-Chinese lady and first time I saw her she said: You pay tax 4000 Baht.  Crazy system. We did a Penang trip every 90 days with Thai from Phuket, it was just enough time between landing in Penang and return departure for 2 Tiger beer at the airport bar, compared to the Kloster and Singha Beer that was the only beer available than it was a nice change.

Are you sure this was 30 years ago (or it just seems that way)?  The 7% VAT was only started in 1992.

 

The 180 day and needing a tax certificate only came in in about 1982 or 1983. When I first came in 1969 Laos was colosed as was Cambodia.  Burma was 14 day fly in., I think about 1972 they started to give tourist visas to Laos and after that I did alternate border runs to Malasia and Laos though I generally stayes at least a couple of weeks in each when I went.  I was in Vientiene doing a border run when the Pathet Lao official took over.  Only difference was for the first few nights a normal police and a bush uniformed Pathet Lao on each street corner.  A couple of weeks later the bush uniforms were changed to polished boots etc.  Corruption dropped sharply after the takeover there though later it crept back with different recipients,.

Edited July 27, 2014 by harrry

[Farma]

 

Biggest hassle was the Tax clearance you needed before departure, if you had stayed more than 180 days in one year you had to pay 7% tax on the money you spent in Thailand during your stay! So we all said that we did not spend any money or had rich Thai girlfriends etc. It worked for many year until they changed the boss at the tax office, the new boss was an old fat Thai-Chinese lady and first time I saw her she said: You pay tax 4000 Baht.  Crazy system. We did a Penang trip every 90 days with Thai from Phuket, it was just enough time between landing in Penang and return departure for 2 Tiger beer at the airport bar, compared to the Kloster and Singha Beer that was the only beer available than it was a nice change.

Are you sure this was 30 years ago (or it just seems that way)?  The 7% VAT was only started in 1992.

 

 

I can confirm they asked for tax to be paid on money spent if you stayed more than 180 days per year in Thailand during the time I spent travelling from Malaysia between 84 - 87. I came close to paying one year. I'm not sure of the amount but a couple of colleagues were asked to pay tax before they were given tax clearance after they reached the 180 day limit.
 

[lopburi3]

I understand the need for tax clearance - it was even on the departure card long after it was no longer an issue.  But believe the reference to 7% would have been in reference to the VAT which only took effect from 1992.  

[keestha]

Early nineties, I was living and working in Bangkok. I had a Belgian colleague, who was staying on a 7 year visa, which was about to expire. He told me that 7 years ago, he was talking with a friend who worked at a big company, and he mentioned his visa problem, whereupon the friend said: "Oh, I can arrange this for you, just give me your passport". A few days later he had his passport back with the 7 years stamp.

For such easy visa solutions, maybe better now to move to Papua New Guinea or something.

Edited July 27, 2014 by keestha

[scorecard]

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Biggest hassle was the Tax clearance you needed before departure, if you had stayed more than 180 days in one year you had to pay 7% tax on the money you spent in Thailand during your stay! So we all said that we did not spend any money or had rich Thai girlfriends etc. It worked for many year until they changed the boss at the tax office, the new boss was an old fat Thai-Chinese lady and first time I saw her she said: You pay tax 4000 Baht.  Crazy system. We did a Penang trip every 90 days with Thai from Phuket, it was just enough time between landing in Penang and return departure for 2 Tiger beer at the airport bar, compared to the Kloster and Singha Beer that was the only beer available than it was a nice change.

 

Remember it well.

 

- You had to complete a declaration of your income and submit it.

 

- Then wait until called to one of the tax clearance officers.

 

- Then Russian roulette:

 

- Some would accept your declaration amount and calculate the tax you had to pay, pay on the spot, get receipt and get the clearance certificate.

 

- Most just ignored your declared amount and just instantly stated an arbitrary amount, and some not all that pleasant. Either you pay up as demanded or no tax clearance certificate. 

 

 

[Camelot]

I doubt there are many on overstay. If so it's their own fault. Permanent residence was so easy and cheap to obtain back in 1973. Mine came with a work permit valid for life and, later, a Thai driving licence also valid for life. All for a few thousand baht.

Real value for money.

Prior to that I did a few trips to get non-immigrant B visas and Thai consulates were always helpful. I don't remember any queues. The one in Penang was the friendliest and the gardens were beautifully landscaped.

The downside was the need to obtain a tax clearance before leaving the country but fortunately my company took care of that.

[skyaslimit]

I still have 3 or 4 tax bills I 've paid in Hadyai before crossing into Malaysia, but the years are 1989 and onwards.

Sent from my GT-S5360 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[IMA_FARANG]

 Stayed in Thailand for almost two years from 1977 to 1979.

Came here on a tourist visa ..... I seem to recall it as being a 90 day visa. (may have been 60 days however).

When that ran out got more tourist visas from the Thai consulate in Penang.

Penang was a very friendly place to get visas then.

Used to take the overnight train from Bangkok to Georgetown and Penang.

There was a hotel in Penang,, if you booked a room with them, they took you to the Thai consulate the next day to get your visa.

Then later they returned to pick you up and take you to the Georgetown for the train back to Bangkok that night.

They did a lot of visa runner business for that reason.

 

You used to be able to go to immigration at Soi San Plu and ask for an extension on your visa.

They would put a stamp in your passport that said "This extension is under consideration. Please return in 14 days"

They would always deny you the extension, but you could make two or three requests, and each one got that same  "under consideration" stamp.

They added another 6 weeks to your tourist visa.

Then it was time for another trip to Penang, and another tourist visa.

I did that routine for almost two years to stay in Thailand while not working.

As I said from June or July 1977 until about August 1979.

 

 

 

[Colabamumbai]

I think sometimes 40 years ago travelling by boat between Thailand and Laos, many times there were no stamps in the passport, if my memory serves me. Maybe the boats did not always stop at immigration posts on either side. There was  less government, no scrutinizing, no mistakes, much more freedom to travel the 2 countries and the Triangle.

[LivinLOS]

From talking with the old timers, the rules were much more relaxed. Endless 30 day visa runs was the preferred choice for many. If Thais got visas easily to a western country, then it worked also the other way around.

 

Not that far back.. My early time here around the millenium thats all you did.. Put your passport over with 1000b once a month and it did the visa run without you. 

 

Then the Phuket immigration and agents go greedy and made their own stamp. so it didnt even go to Sadao any more.. I remember everyone who had that numbered stamp in the passport being freaked out for a while. 

[LivinLOS]

I was in Vientiene doing a border run when the Pathet Lao official took over.  Only difference was for the first few nights a normal police and a bush uniformed Pathet Lao on each street corner.  A couple of weeks later the bush uniforms were changed to polished boots etc.  Corruption dropped sharply after the takeover there though later it crept back with different recipients,.

 

How every apt given the current climate.. 

[OJAS]

Did foreigners retire to LOS from their home countries 30 years ago, does anyone know? Not that any of them would be likely to be still around now!

[HiSoLowSoNoSo]

 

Biggest hassle was the Tax clearance you needed before departure, if you had stayed more than 180 days in one year you had to pay 7% tax on the money you spent in Thailand during your stay! So we all said that we did not spend any money or had rich Thai girlfriends etc. It worked for many year until they changed the boss at the tax office, the new boss was an old fat Thai-Chinese lady and first time I saw her she said: You pay tax 4000 Baht.  Crazy system. We did a Penang trip every 90 days with Thai from Phuket, it was just enough time between landing in Penang and return departure for 2 Tiger beer at the airport bar, compared to the Kloster and Singha Beer that was the only beer available than it was a nice change.

Are you sure this was 30 years ago (or it just seems that way)?  The 7% VAT was only started in 1992.

 

 

This was not the VAT tax it was a tax on money you had spent in Thailand if you stayed over 180 days in one year. As mention below it was a Russian roulette. I think they stopped it in 1989 -90 and we were all very happy for that.

[harrry]

I know in 1980 Mr Moon who originaly had many many rai of coconut farm at MaeNahm and the started Pharlarn Inn on the beach at Koh Samui where I believe a regea pub stands now....(end of the bay) offered me a rai next to the bungaloes for $5000.  I did not take it.  What is it worth now?

[harrry]

double

Edited July 27, 2014 by harrry

[poohy]

Re my experience starting a tour business here,1999/ 2000 an agent we had, had a deal with Hull  and provided a postal service new multiple non bs never had to leave Thailand.... those were the days .....45 foreign staff working on visa exempt, 8000 adventure tourists per year business booming and not a Thai company or work permit in sight!

[phuketrichard]

I used to always get a tourists visa

the biggest drag was after you have been in country for more than 180 day in a year u had to have a tax clearance at 1,000 baht/shot?

i was spending like 15,000/year for those as was living outside Pattaya an traveling around se asia every 2-3 weeks