Was immigration like this 30 years ago old timers?

[Geordie59]

Budget airlines didn't exist back then. Most bar / restaurant owners I knew used to take the train down to Penang every 3 or 4 months. About 30 hours each way with 1 night in Penang.
Some major piss ups on the way down and bigger hangovers on the way back!

[Acharn]

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.

No, it wasn't the VAT. It was a special tax that only farangs had to pay. Actually I never had to pay it because when I retired from the Army and came back I had a Non-Immigrant 'O' and extended that for support of Thai wife. I didn't have to leave the country until 1996, after she died. If I recall correctly they revoked the tax just in time. Let's see, was that the Chavalit government? Anyway, my biggest regret is that I didn't get Thai citizenship then, when it was still affordable. Now I'm not even eligible to apply, because I've never worked in Thailand.

[gamini]

I came here 51 years ago and I find the immigration officers much the same to-day.  Never a problem and mostly pleasant.  But the procedurres have changed a lot. Retirement visas are much easier and simple with no income tax clearance needed. All tourists could get 3 months then go to immigration and get another 3 months extension. Thailand welcomed tourists then but unfortunately the country became inundated with a lot of bad ones and criminals and so they had to make changes.

[paz]

 

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. 

 

Thank you for bringing a fresh breath of hate and stereotyping, to remind everyone of your white superiority primacy. This thread needed it badly.

[Johpa]

30 years ago I was up in Chiang Mai where the lady who stamped your tax clearance card was one of the more disagreeable Thais I have ever met.  There were no nearby border runs, only the long trip down to Malaysia: night train to Bangkok, morning train to Hat Yai with an evening at the Tiger Club, morning van into Penang, and then hand your passport over to, I think his name was Mahdu or something like that, the very likeable agent at the Swiss Hotel in Penang.  The return trip was a little different with a detour to Samui for a few days rest including the nightly meal at Amporn's restaurant and the occasional magic mushroom omlette down at Munchies.  But the biggest difference was that if you could speak decent Thai then you could make some good friends at your local Thai immigration office as not many Farangs were speaking much Thai back then apart from some teachers like myself and the missionaries. Up in Chiang Mai I would go to immigration late morning knowing I would be invited out back to dine with the officers and their families who lived behind the immigration office in Chiang Mai. And on a rare visit to Banglampuu I also ended up going out to eat with some officers after helping to translate to some pathetic tourist who could not understand why Thai laws applied to him.

Edited July 28, 2014 by Johpa

[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

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

?? That's the people from S Korea and a few countries in S American that can do so. I put down those people ??
I have never seen any post here from people that wish or ask for 90 days visa exemption. But this is like many of your other stories. Just made up frm a troll

[overherebc]

Can't help thinking that in 30 years time the same questions are going to be asked on whatever social contacts systems are being used.

Everything changes but everything stays the same.  

[phuketrichard]

i was doing visa runs to Burma ( where you only got 7 days) /Nepal & HK.

 

Was making much more money than i make now,

still have never taken a long distance bus in Thailand 

 

Edited July 28, 2014 by phuketrichard

[Jaggg88]

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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.

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

 

 

He didn't say it was VAT - just 7% tax

[JoeLing]

 

 

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.

 

No, it wasn't the VAT. It was a special tax that only farangs had to pay. Actually I never had to pay it because when I retired from the Army and came back I had a Non-Immigrant 'O' and extended that for support of Thai wife. I didn't have to leave the country until 1996, after she died. If I recall correctly they revoked the tax just in time. Let's see, was that the Chavalit government? Anyway, my biggest regret is that I didn't get Thai citizenship then, when it was still affordable. Now I'm not even eligible to apply, because I've never worked in Thailand.

 

 

From what I remember, that tax was assessed according to the nationality one had,
not how much one earned or spend in Thailand. Well, at least late 70' and early 80'

[JoeLing]

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!

Sure they did!
Only back then, people retiring in Thailand where in their twenties, early thirties,
happy to mingle with the locals and if necessary, sleep naked in the jungle. 
Today, they retire again. Same people but now they are in their 50' and 60' with 
a bit more money and need for luxuries. With a condominium and comfy bed  
Only the age of their girlfriends or wife's stayed the same. 

[OumarhindaOunsingha]

 

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!

Sure they did!
Only back then, people retiring in Thailand where in their twenties, early thirties,
happy to mingle with the locals and if necessary, sleep naked in the jungle. 
Today, they retire again. Same people but now they are in their 50' and 60' with 
a bit more money and need for luxuries. With a condominium and comfy bed  
Only the age of their girlfriends or wife's stayed the same. 

 

 

Ahahahahaa! Nice one!

[jacko45k]

Well 30 years ago I wasn't retired and had a job to go back to!

Originally you only got a 15 day exemption stamp....

Later that was increased to 30 days... and it could be extended at the old Pattaya Soi 8 Police Station......

There were plenty of Westerners living here though, running bars and married, they did visa runs if I recall correctly.

[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.

 

No, it wasn't the VAT. It was a special tax that only farangs had to pay. Actually I never had to pay it because when I retired from the Army and came back I had a Non-Immigrant 'O' and extended that for support of Thai wife. I didn't have to leave the country until 1996, after she died. If I recall correctly they revoked the tax just in time. Let's see, was that the Chavalit government? Anyway, my biggest regret is that I didn't get Thai citizenship then, when it was still affordable. Now I'm not even eligible to apply, because I've never worked in Thailand.

 

 

From what I remember, that tax was assessed according to the nationality one had,
not how much one earned or spend in Thailand. Well, at least late 70' and early 80'

 

 

I remembered that I paid 7% on what they told me that I had spent! Also remember that hippies were looked down on and males with long hair and wearing shorts could face problems when visiting the immigration office in Phuket town. Still it was much better those days compared to Thailand today, and most of the Thais were not so materialistic and greedy as they have become now.

[ezzra]

To sums it up... same sh*t different days, those immigrations guys are a mob on it self

moving the goal posts when ever they wake up cranky in the morning, I ought to know, 

been here for nearly 30 years...

[Thanet]

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".

 

Ah yes, the Tax Clearance Certificate - I remember that. In those days, leaving the country (having spent a total of more than 180 days in any year here) meant an interview at the Revenue Department and payment of tax if they decided that you owed them some. A time consuming and tedious process that was, as a certificate was required for each and every exit and the queue was often very long.

 

Thankfully, this was abolished around the same time that the old tax office at Ratchadamnoen Road (where I used to go for my certificate) was burned down by anti-Government protesters, around 1992 if I remember correctly.

 

Even though Penang was the only choice by land back then, which became boring after a while, visas have got so much harder since those days. I feel sorry for people who have fallen in love with Thailand, and are now scrambling for ways to stay here.

Edited July 29, 2014 by Thanet

[Toosetinmyways]

Arrived in 1979. Visa exempt was 15 days by land or air. Used to work in the middle east then 28/28 so always had a 12 day overstay. The overstay office at Don Muang was always a hive of activety, five desks if I remember rightly. Leaving one time I was surprised to see everyone waiting outside and going in one by one. My turn came and I got read the riot act. Overstating is an offence you will be blacklisted, prison etc etc. (so the present rules are not really new)  The fine then was 100 baht a day.

My visa run then was either train to Hat Yai then into Malasia for 15 day visa exempt or train to Penang for visa, Golden City hotel and see Michael who did everything to obtain the visa. You did not even have to leave the hotel. The best thing about Penang was that all imported food was half the price of Thailand. Always plenty of bar/restaurant owners from Thailand stocking up.

 

When the tax clearance first came in and before the loopholes were discovered you had to go in front of the revenue officer and describe your lifestyle so you could be accessed for tax due. I think the mimimum living amount for an expat was 10000 baht a month. On this amount no tax was due. So the trick was to find a friendly taxman who would assess you for this amount. If you were caught at the airport trying to leave with no certficate you went to the revenue office at the airport and get fined 1800 baht  with a big red stamp in your passport. Glad when it was scrapped as it was a bigger hassle that visas

[dotpoom]

Can't remember what I was doing 30 days ago (maybe even seconds on occasion) let alone 30 years ago....but will keep trying and will get back to you when it comes to me ....but don't hold your breath..... Kinda suits me this way anyhow, for years I have been trying to live in the present , now I am finding it easier and easier.    As the man said..."Keeping one eye on the past and the other on the future... makes you cross eyed today"  5,5,5.

   PS. No offence....just having a laugh...but a lot of it is true.

[JDGRUEN]

My first visit to Thailand was 47 years ago.  I arrived at DM in a C141 Starlifter AF Cargo Plane from Travis AFB in California.  I had a Government Passport - no visa.  Didn't need anything as we were whisked from the airport to a waiting bus to our Army HQ in Lopburi.  I stayed for my 13 month tour with no entry stamp - no visa - no anything... Left Thailand 13 months later - no exit stamp... Military assignment -- I doubt that would happen today.  

[RTH10260]

Great thread, thank you guys for going down memory lane!

[Tomtomtom69]

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.

 

But weren't there travel restrictions to various parts of the country, just like even today in Myanmar? For example, while Luang Prabang might have been open, perhaps you needed a permit to travel to Vang Vieng or the Chinese border at Boten, which was probably not even open at the time anyway. Or you might have needed permission to arrive overland from Thailand (especially if you tried to arrive at what was then probably an obscure border crossing like Chong Mek - Vang Tao or Mukdahan - Savannakhet), or a special permit to travel outside Vientiane?

 

However, my understanding is that unlike Myanmar, even today, getting permission to visit restricted areas was just a matter of paying the money and getting your permit within a few days at most. For Myanmar, it can be very difficult indeed and takes weeks with some areas just not allowed at all. It's very difficult to arrange access from outside of the country yet much more straightforward if you try to obtain permits inside the country only problem is they need 4 weeks and yet a standard tourist visa is only valid for 4 weeks. Go figure - but anyway Laos has always sounded more straightforward than Myanmar.
 

[GOLDBUGGY]

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

Me To!

 

I also wonder if it was as difficult to buy a house or land.

[apalink_thailand]

 

 

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. 

 

Thank you for bringing a fresh breath of hate and stereotyping, to remind everyone of your white superiority primacy. This thread needed it badly.

 

 

White superiority ? Huh? Because I (and many others) worked here LEGALLY and helped in the development of local Thai managers (which is what happens in developing countries in the early years) that makes me a white supremacist? Do you realise that foreign companies invested here with 49% ownership (yes, they want their interests managed by a foreigner) and helped to take Thailand from a mostly agrarian economy to industrial? No of course not, you are here for the beer.

Edited August 1, 2014 by apalink_thailand

[terryp]

i remember having to hand Immigration a TCC tax declaration (was approx 5x8 inch)  when on a NON B visa before you could even leave thailand....i feel old now

[paz]

White superiority ? Huh? Because I (and many others) worked here LEGALLY and helped in the development of local Thai managers (which is what happens in developing countries in the early years) that makes me a white supremacist? Do you realise that foreign companies invested here with 49% ownership (yes, they want their interests managed by a foreigner) and helped to take Thailand from a mostly agrarian economy to industrial? No of course not, you are here for the beer.

Sure. Thais and beer likers together have to bow to your leading talent that has transformed the country in what we see today. Maybe in a next life you will be able to make it even in your own country.