Was immigration like this 30 years ago old timers?

[JetsetBkk]

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

<snip>

 
I've still got one of them.
 
(Are they still worth only 10 baht?)

[Showbags]

You used to be able to send your passport overseas to get a stamp in it...

[Bpuumike]

30 years ago my office accountant took care of all paperwork and I never saw my passport.

Until...

Every time I wanted an overseas trip I had to stand in queue outdoors at whichever office in BKK with my accountant and passport. My income tax had to be paid, and stamped as paid, into my passport before I could leave Thailand.

Easy...

No. Because the company paid my Thai income tax, that amount was calculated proportionately and added on to my income. It was a never ending spiral, always resolved amicably (and no ฿1,000 notes back then either).

Just a pain I thought at the time, but nothing compared to today's visa/reporting procedures.

[overherebc]

 

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. 

 

 

Year 2003, still got the old passport somewhere. Quite a few got banged up in IDC and deported.

If you had enough cash you could ensure no blacklisting and come back after a couple of days wihout any hassle but you jad to go back to your own country, not an out and in at a border.

 I think it came about because they found a guy called Hamballi or something like that holed up in Ayuthayya, he was on some wanted list somewhere so they checked and found the dickie stamps etc.

[Thanet]

I did a couple of visa runs 25 years ago Penang was the only reasonable option by land. This meant a very long train ride, followed by a short ferry trip to Penang island. Penang was a nice place, with lots of good food and cheap places to stay. I usually met interesting people on the train too,and enjoyed a few beers in the days when you were allowed to drink on the train, which was usually full of other visa runners.

 

Getting the visa was easy - apply for it one day and pick it up the next. There was an Indian guy who would do it all for you.

 

In those days, a letter from a language school was all you needed to get an ED visa. double entry was the norm, triple if you were lucky, and single in the occasional crackdown.

 

Flying (or a train) to Hat Yai, then a taxi to the border was how we did visa runs that required just a turnaround.

 

With Laos and Cambodia closed, there was no other way of doing it back then.

[villagefarang]

I can’t remember the year, but there was a time when you could fly down to Penang and back on the same aircraft, with a multiple entry.  There was barely enough time to stamp out and stamp back in before the flight returned to Bangkok.  The aircrew were always surprised to see you back on the plane so quickly.

 

They put an end to that and it became necessary to fly down to Singapore in the morning, go into town for some shopping, and then catch a flight home in the evening.  I always preferred flying to the long road trips.

[Ace of Pop]

Remember the Indian Mans Funny Goat Thanet in Penang .?. Nice Chap the Indian, he would pass your passport over the wall on Sunday when it was closed.Yeh it was more Fun back then.Looked forward to a stay at Batu and those Sizzling Steaks on the Stone things.The Indian Curries were also a Hi-light,Nan Bread made on site,Yummy.

[John1thru10]

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

 

And now, ironically, you put down anyone who wishes the same for themselves.

[Johnniey]

I did a couple of visa runs 25 years ago Penang was the only reasonable option by land. This meant a very long train ride, followed by a short ferry trip to Penang island. Penang was a nice place, with lots of good food and cheap places to stay. I usually met interesting people on the train too,and enjoyed a few beers in the days when you were allowed to drink on the train, which was usually full of other visa runners.
 
Getting the visa was easy - apply for it one day and pick it up the next. There was an Indian guy who would do it all for you.
 
In those days, a letter from a language school was all you needed to get an ED visa. double entry was the norm, triple if you were lucky, and single in the occasional crackdown.
 
Flying (or a train) to Hat Yai, then a taxi to the border was how we did visa runs that required just a turnaround.
 
With Laos and Cambodia closed, there was no other way of doing it back then.

I used to get the train all the way to Butterworth in Malaysia.
In the 80s there were lots of visa agents who would send your passport to a bent immigration officer. Still a few around;agents that is.

[keestha]

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!

There still are a lot of aging Vietnam war veterans around, they got to know Thailand during R&R breaks, or were stationed in Udon Thani from where (among other places) the US Air Force operated.

[Naam]

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.

 

30 years ago 30 days visa runs did not exist.
 

[Johnniey]

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!

There still are a lot of aging Vietnam war veterans around, they got to know Thailand during R&R breaks, or were stationed in Udon Thani from where (among other places) the US Air Force operated.

Of course some did.
Personally, I've been here full time only 26 years. I'm only 46.

[Naam]

28 years ago Thai immigration was extremely accomodating. i arrived thursday march 27, 1986 with a passport validity march 30 (selected wrong document out of the 3 passports i was legally holding). neither me nor the LH check-in Frankfurt realised it.

 

the officer at Don Muang gave me 3 days and advised me "go to your embassy immediately!" missed embassy public hours. next day German embassy closed (Good Friday) and of course closed on sunday and Easter Monday. on tuesday i got my passport extended for another 6 months, went to Thai immigration and received another 11 days. 

[ericthai]

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.

Yup, remember that well. I used to use that service. I think I used them for about 6-8 months while I was in between jobs and my B visa expired.
The 2nd time I used the service I was late by 2 weeks from doing an off the books job for a company. I paid a fee for each day late
and they stamped it and made it look like I stayed in Malaysia the time I was late. I think it was around 2003-2004 or so when the stamp problem
came up, I had a work permit by that time but a few friends of mine that were using the service we all scared about their next trip out.
Someone always gets greedy and screws things up. Got my 1st Thai license from just standing outside of the license place in Bangkok. Within 2 minutes a guy came
up asked if I need a license I said yes, he went in side came out 500B rushed me took my picture and got my license. Things were so much easier and the govt employees so much nicer back then.

[ericthai]

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!

I understand about the Hull, thing I recall that with the guy and his Thai wife. But everything else I have no idea what you are talking about.
Tourism was about 8-9 million per year back then. I had a work permit back then.

[GarryP]

Get your tax clearance certificate at the revenue department down in Banglampoo (never paid anything), then a long trip down to Butterworth. The train left Hua Lampong station at 2 or 3 pm. Then ferry over to Georgetown and find your favorite flop house (to call them hotels would be too much of a stretch) I usually stayed at the New China Hotel, or the Swiss Hotel. Sometimes I would go to the embassy in Penang myself, but when too lazy used the services of an agent. Double entry 'B' if I recall correctly, so the next time down was a taxi or bus (no aircon) from Haadyai to the border at Pedang, cross on foot and straight back.

 

I don't think things will have changed much as that train is still running. No idea about accomodation as I have not been back to Penang in more than 20 years. I understand it is much more difficult to get the B visa. My current visa was issued about 24 years ago, and I have been on annual extensions since then.

[Colabamumbai]

On the back of the Guesthouse card in Luang Prabang there was a map to the opium den, across the road. They must have known I was coming. There were really no tourists as the Pathet Lao were fighting. 14 year old boys in the streets with rifles, you did not know if you would be shot in Vientiane at the time.

[harrry]

The only problem I know of involving the Pathet Lao and foreigners near Vientiene was the few times they scared the hell out of tourists by having a roadblock an stopping taxis on the way to the NongKai ferry.  Led people up to a table under the trees and asked for passports...then said have a good time.  This was before they were officially in the town.  Going down the river by cargo boat however was a much riskier proposition especially if you were American.

[nglodnig]

When I were young we used t' live in shoe box by  side o'road. Kids today just don't believe us....

 

First visit in 1980, seem to remember only getting a two week visa (and needed proof of a confirmed return ticket too, and not a sub/load airline staff one I often had, but nobody ever checked).  I seem also to remember that US and German citizens had special privs - at least a one month visa automatically, or maybe was that two? US citizens got it because they had just recently finished defeating communism in South East Asia, or at least had come second. German citizens got it because it ws one of the few governments that allowed Thais in automatically on arrival - a process that stopped when many Thai girls set up "business" in the various places apparently and the Germans withdrew this - and so did the Thais in retaliation, Germans were just like the rest of us, after that.

[sprq]

Everybody went to Penang on the train + ferry. 24-hour turnaround for a 90-day visa. Easy-peasy. Overnight in the Swiss Hotel, fan room, complimentary neighbour noise. Breakfast by Chinese "boys": "Two toas' butter, one tea milk, two boil egg hard, one orange jew, OK?"  Yes, OK, and make it snappy.

[smotherb]

I have been coming to and going from Thailand for 47 years, never a hassle. I still have no hassle. Once in 1968, I arrived in Phuket by boat.  There were no immigration officials to be found. So, the four or five passengers simply went into town.

 

A week or so later as I was departing from DM, I was asked for my entry stamp. I told them the story, they balked. Fortunately, I found the boat ticket stub. They stamped me out--very little hassle.

[MoonShadow]

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?

 

Pharaln Inn is still there as a resort on the beach.....the pub is probably the Black Rose bar which is still there also I believe.....1 rai on the beach there.....THB 20million up!!

[JoeLing]

Stayed from 1978 until 1987. Used to go to Penang, getting Non O visa without any problems year after year. Yeah, that silly 180 days rule about tax. Although, I only have been send back twice to Surat Thani to get that tax form but a change of shirt and 500 THB in the passport, did the job too. Sadao border used to be closed from 18:00 until I believe 08:00 in the morning.

Georgetown used to be a pretty nice town, Batu Feringi an empty beach with just one hotel being build. I used to love Georgetown, especially the food market but that is well before the Compta Center was build and the market destroyed.

Yeah, I do remember the "No Hippy" sign at the Thai border. Customs even asked very politely "Are you a hippy?" :-) Suppose at that time, Samui only just got developed and only a hand full of bungalow places on Koh Phangan, so customs didn't have to deal with hordes of unruly travelers and used to be much, much friendlier although, they mostly still are.

Now, I wonder, does any of those long timers still remember the sign over the pier in Samui, "Welcome to the Island of sex, drugs and Rock'nRoll"? Good old times when the Lamai Inn was the only Bar/Disco on the island. Does anyone still remember that girl in Samui, her nickname was "Frog". Wonder how many farangs she married over the years ;-)

Yeah, good old times when Thailand was still "the Land of Smiles".

Edited July 28, 2014 by JoeLing

[apalink_thailand]

There are only a few posts so far because most long timers are on overstay and have not dealt with immigration.

Most of us so-called "old timers" worked LEGALLY and had work permits so no need to go border running. Most were running foreign international companies and helping to mentor young Thai professionals to become executives in these companies. The sexpats, criminals and useless tax dodging "here for the beer" English teacher types came much later. 

Edited July 28, 2014 by apalink_thailand

[asdecas]

Can't remember a thing, except little Aoew at Grand Prix.

[apalink_thailand]

Can't remember a thing, except little Aoew at Grand Prix.

 

And big night out at Goldfingers. 

[carter1882]

By the late eighties i already had many thai visas in my passport from penang and on the visit in question only the observation page had sufficient space left. The thai consul who was always very helpful said that he was not authorised to put a visa on that page unless the british consul in KL authorised that. So i contacted the british consul who was at home as it was a british public holiday and mr ponconby-smyth or what ever his name was refused to help me and said i should go to kl to get a new passport. I went back in the trishaw to the penang consulate and told them honestly that the british consul had refused to help me....with a gleam in his eye the consul said that if the british refused to help me, then thailand would and the passport observation page was duly stamped with a conspiratorial smile. One of many reasons why i have made my home in thailand for over thirty years receiving nothing but courteous service from all aspects of immigration and why i now enjoy permanent residence.

[sydneyjed]

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!

Well yes many US/AUS Vietnam vets who came on R n' R decided to call Thailand home after they finished their tours!Washington Square(which sadly has gone)housed many characters in the infamous "Lone Star" bar..I hit Bangkok in October of 1982..didn't know a soul or anything about the place only what I had read at my local library. Met a kiwi guy called Chris who was teaching English on my way on the bus to Hua Lamphong...He invited me over to an area full of American teachers...one was an Apache Indian(I kid you not!)Anyone on this board remember him..or his name?

[Frank James]

Everywhere I have ever traveled in this world, I've had the feeling that I was 30 years too late. First visited Thailand in 1977, and had that feeling then.

[JoeLing]

Everywhere I have ever traveled in this world, I've had the feeling that I was 30 years too late. First visited Thailand in 1977, and had that feeling then.

More like 750 years too late.
Bet Marco Polo had no immigration, visa, work permit or overstay problems