Holiday in Thailand could end for expats

Pattaya46 · August 3, 2014

Yes. Triple entry visa is good for up to 270 days in country, when each entry is extended 30 days.

It was good in the past, but it could well be restricted soon. Even if Immigration didn't say how long at max you can stay in Thailand per year and still be considered a tourist, it seems obvious that 270 days is too long... It has been discussed in another topic: Some members suggested by example rules like "only 1 extension by visa; Tourist visa simple, double or triple entry". We don't know yet, but it would seem logical to me.

paz · August 3, 2014

Yes. Triple entry visa is good for up to 270 days in country, when each entry is extended 30 days.

It was good in the past, but it could well be restricted soon. Even if Immigration didn't say how long at max you can stay in Thailand per year and still be considered a tourist, it seems obvious that 270 days is too long... It has been discussed in another topic: Some members suggested by example rules like "only 1 extension by visa; Tourist visa simple, double or triple entry". We don't know yet, but it would seem logical to me.

Leaving speculation and "member suggestions" aside, we can only say what is possible to do today, and that is.

If and when will become impossible, we'll advise accordingly.

rebelplatoon · August 3, 2014

PLUS of course this odd thing about reporting when you go to another province. And then on the same page:

Free visas for Chinese, Taiwanese tourists (up to 3 months)

Are we becoming a bit xenophobic, are we?

Alwyn · August 3, 2014

A friend of mine is a writer type, contracts to all different companies, magazines etc. ALL of his work is done via the internet and as such can work anywhere with a fast connection - theoretically, He came to Thailand and decided on Cambodia because of the visa laws here. This is a guy who makes a lot of money and doesn't mind spending it.

Seems like a Thail Elite card would suit him perfectly.

He's allowed to work with that?

paz · August 3, 2014

A friend of mine is a writer type, contracts to all different companies, magazines etc. ALL of his work is done via the internet and as such can work anywhere with a fast connection - theoretically, He came to Thailand and decided on Cambodia because of the visa laws here. This is a guy who makes a lot of money and doesn't mind spending it.

Seems like a Thail Elite card would suit him perfectly.

He's allowed to work with that?

No. But first it has to be seen if being a writer is considered work by Thai authorities (the usual endless debate with no finite answer, that I will not join again).

If the answer is yes, then he could not work anyway without being employed by a company. Thailand does not have legal provision for foreigners that work independently, under any type of visa.

Edited August 3, 2014 by paz

Bender · August 3, 2014

A friend of mine is a writer type, contracts to all different companies, magazines etc. ALL of his work is done via the internet and as such can work anywhere with a fast connection - theoretically, He came to Thailand and decided on Cambodia because of the visa laws here. This is a guy who makes a lot of money and doesn't mind spending it.

Seems like a Thail Elite card would suit him perfectly.

He's allowed to work with that?

NO that the best part of the thai elite scam!

For even 500 K baht, you are not even allowed to open your business here. You are just allowed to sit in front of your tv... and do nothing!

Anyone thinking about the elite card, need his brain checked!

~~few names by example: ukrules, bim, gerry101, frankbearer~~

AYJAYDEE · August 3, 2014

A friend of mine is a writer type, contracts to all different companies, magazines etc. ALL of his work is done via the internet and as such can work anywhere with a fast connection - theoretically, He came to Thailand and decided on Cambodia because of the visa laws here. This is a guy who makes a lot of money and doesn't mind spending it.

Seems like a Thail Elite card would suit him perfectly.

He's allowed to work with that?

NO that the best part of the thai elite scam!

For even 500 K baht, you are not even allowed to open your business here. You are just allowed to sit in front of your tv... and do nothing!

Anyone thinking about the elite card, need his brain checked!

~~few names by example: ukrules, bim, gerry101, frankbearer~~

sure beats gettin refused entry.

Bender · August 3, 2014

He's allowed to work with that?

NO that the best part of the thai elite scam!

For even 500 K baht, you are not even allowed to open your business here. You are just allowed to sit in front of your tv... and do nothing!

Anyone thinking about the elite card, need his brain checked!

~~few names by example: ukrules, bim, gerry101, frankbearer~~

sure beats gettin refused entry.

are you whining?

more seriously, if the elite card is your last option, better you start packing, go home or go to another country!

You might ignore but there are more 200 country on this planet, and thailand certainly doesnt worth 500 k. (even for his cheap kitten)

just my 2 cents.

now Ayjadee you can start whining, frowning, sulking as you want....

Maestro · August 3, 2014

A semi-retired UK national in his 40s ... had to cancel plans for a $6,000 medical operation and switch to a hospital in Singapore. //

Why ?

Jonmarleesco quoted from the news article quoted in the first post of this topic. Ask LJAZEERA, not Jonmarleesco.

Liquorice · August 3, 2014

paddyjenkins, on 03 Aug 2014 - 12:59, said:

Faz, on 03 Aug 2014 - 11:59, said:
Every Country has it's own Immigration Laws.
Thailand hasn't changed it's laws, just enforcing the laws already in existence.

Define a Tourist?

If your married and have family in Thailand then you should be on a Marriage Visa.
Sounds like the complainers are the ones who have taken advantage of the slack Immigration rules in the past.
Do you reside in Thailand..............Yes! Then your not a Tourist and shouldn't be using back to back Visa runs to remain.
Very easy to blame someone else for your own mistakes and ignorance.

An average tourist who wants to take a 2/3 week vacation twice a year isn't going to have any problems.

You say two trips of 2/3 weeks.

How about a tourist who want 3 trips of 4 weeks?

Or 6 trips of 4 weeks? There are many and they are genuine and legal and legally using the entry stamp as this is most convenient for them

Where is the magical line that separates the good tourist contributing to the Thai economy and the criminal abusing the system?

Sent from my iPad using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

What isn't clear yet Paddy is the timeframe to be out of Thailand before you can re-enter on another Tourist Visa. 30/60/90 days?

It's early days yet and certain issues need clarification. Maybe TV can get an answer to this question as they seem to be in direct contact with Immigration.

To answer your question, I don't think 3 trips of 4 weeks would be unreasonable as they could hardly be classed as back to back Visa's.

6 trips of 4 weeks is pushing the boat in my HO. For one that amounts to a total of 24 weeks, which could almost be classified as residency. Two, that is the type of activity that drug smugglers, human traffickers and other undesirables tend to make, constantly in and out.

So 6 trips of 4 weeks would be viewed as highly suspicious.

Unfortunately some genuine tourist with cash and time to spare will be affected by the clampdown, but there are no changes, just an enforcement of what was already in existence. What they are saying is get the correct Visa for your purpose of stay in Thailand.

If you can afford 6 visits of 4 weeks, your hardly classed as an average Tourist, but if you can afford flights etc to cover that many visits then you can probably afford the Elite Card. Multi entry, valid for 5 years.

The biggest whinge is because in the past many were able to use the Tourist Visa as a means to remain in Thailand without any financial proof because of poor enforcement of the Immigration rules. Now that is being corrected and what most members mean, but never actually say, is that now they have to get the correct Visa and that's going to cost them money.

Liquorice · August 3, 2014

rebelplatoon, on 03 Aug 2014 - 23:47, said:

PLUS of course this odd thing about reporting when you go to another province. And then on the same page:
Free visas for Chinese, Taiwanese tourists (up to 3 months)

Are we becoming a bit xenophobic, are we?

Thailand Immigration Act, B.E. 2522

Chapter 4. Section 37.4. If the alien travels to any province and will stay there longer than twenty – four hours , such alien must notify the police official of the police station for that area within forty – eight hours from the time of arrival.

Not changed since 1979.

I'm amazed at the lethargic attitude of some who live here without first knowing the rules.

If you move residence, your also required to notify the local Police Station within 24 hours.

Chapter 4. Section 37.

2. Shall stay at the place as indicated to the competent official. Where there is proper reason that he cannot stay at the place as indicated to the competent official, he shall notify the competent official of the change in residence , within 24 hours from the time of removing to said place.

3. Shall notify the police official of the local police station where such alien resides, within twenty – four hours from the time of arrival. In the case of change in residence in which new residence is not located the same area with the former police stations , such alien must notify the police official of the police station for that area within twenty – four hours from the time of arrival.

I bet many didn't know that either.

MrWorldwide · August 3, 2014

Thailand Immigration Act, B.E. 2522

Chapter 4. Section 37.4. If the alien travels to any province and will stay there longer than twenty – four hours , such alien must notify the police official of the police station for that area within forty – eight hours from the time of arrival.

I leave Pattaya for BKK on Wednesday and I'll be there for 3 nights. We'll catch a bus to Pak Chong and stay there for a further 3 nights before making our way back to Pattaya, At no point will I be presenting myself and my passport to a group of uniformed men who are clearly looking for new revenue streams, regardless of what the law says - I know my passport will be photocopied at the hotels and I believe that information is passed onto whatever Big Brother agency feels the need to collect it, but the day I have to present myself to the Thai Police for the onerous crime of spending money in another province is the day I move to Cambodia.

Up until now, I've been in favor of the crackdown - if it transpires that I cant even leave Chonburi Province without having to report to Police I might as well be living in Nazi Germany. Much better to move next door to a country run by a man who may well have prospered under just such a regime but in 2014 seems to want nothing more than filthy lucre and that's an ideology most of us can understand.

Christie Paul · August 4, 2014

The article in Al Jazeera, may not represent the facts with absolute precision. And supporters of crackdowns against foreigners and the implementation of diverse and ever changing regulations and or their enforcement, may argue convincingly for their legal, moral and practical correctness.

But for investors, they see revenues falling and a potential cascading effect. Some re divesting already. The prudent at the very least, have put new investment on hold, until a clear strategy for augmenting the economy is revealed.

Lost momentum of investment, tourism langushing and a continuation of the only policy so far, i.e. crackdowns, will precipitate an exodus and a downward economic spiral.

JLCrab · August 4, 2014

... and you read it here first.

Straight8 · August 4, 2014

Well, we don't accept it either when immigration rules are abused or exploited in our home countries, there's no reasons Thailand should be more lax.

Apples to Oranges. These type of comments have been done to death!!! "yawn"

Straight8 · August 4, 2014

The title of the article should read "Holiday in Thailand could end for expats who VIOLATE Visa laws" I say more power to the government in enforcing its visa laws, those expats who do not abide by them should be kicked out of the country I just wish that the U.S. had leadership that would enforce our visa/immigration laws

The people who will be hit the most (excluding people who want to work illegally) are those younger people with a moderate income which is not enough to support them without working in their home country but who can live comfortably on the same income in Thailand. I reckon for example that you could lead a comfortable basic life on the equivilent of £10,000 pa - sure accommodation would be B&B standard, no car and simple life without luxuries - though many would count the beaches and weather as a major luxury! To do the same in the UK for example would cost you double that with bad weather to go with it. People like this are not undesirable - just not materialistic. However with that kind of income (which could be earned for example by letting your property in the UK) you would not be able to satisfy any of the requirements to obtain a visa to live legally in Thailand unless you get married (then you would need a lot more money anyway!!)

Surely it would be much better to have a resident visa - renewable annually for about 10,000Bht that placed only the following conditions

1) Accommodation in Thailand as a registered address

2) No rescourse to any form of public funding or support

3) No right to take paid employment though I dont see why voluntary work or study should be excluded (in fact these could be encouraged)

4) No criminal activity - including begging

It is a shame that there are fewer and fewer places in the world where you can enjoy a simple basic life to get away from the stress of modern life in the west

Very well said, but the problem here is this would take common sense and plain logic to implement, so this would never work in Thailand!

Next!!

AYJAYDEE · August 4, 2014

are you whining?

more seriously, if the elite card is your last option, better you start packing, go home or go to another country!

You might ignore but there are more 200 country on this planet, and thailand certainly doesnt worth 500 k. (even for his cheap kitten)

just my 2 cents.

now Ayjadee you can start whining, frowning, sulking as you want....

whining? lol. i dont have to worry about such trivialities as how to stay in thailand . Thats for the less fortunate. and dont spend too many of those two cents fella, looks like youre gonna need em! lol

Bender · August 4, 2014

are you whining?

more seriously, if the elite card is your last option, better you start packing, go home or go to another country!

You might ignore but there are more 200 country on this planet, and thailand certainly doesnt worth 500 k. (even for his cheap kitten)

just my 2 cents.

now Ayjadee you can start whining, frowning, sulking as you want....

whining? lol. i dont have to worry about such trivialities as how to stay in thailand . Thats for the less fortunate. and dont spend too many of those two cents fella, looks like youre gonna need em! lol

"i dont have to worry about such trivialities as how to stay in thailand"

in others word you did apply for a ~~mummy~~ retired visa and you are ~~milking~~ bleeding your own country from whom you get your meager pension

tlock · August 4, 2014

are you whining?

more seriously, if the elite card is your last option, better you start packing, go home or go to another country!

You might ignore but there are more 200 country on this planet, and thailand certainly doesnt worth 500 k. (even for his cheap kitten)

just my 2 cents.

now Ayjadee you can start whining, frowning, sulking as you want....

whining? lol. i dont have to worry about such trivialities as how to stay in thailand . Thats for the less fortunate. and dont spend too many of those two cents fella, looks like youre gonna need em! lol

"i dont have to worry about such trivialities as how to stay in thailand"

in others word you did apply for a ~~mummy~~ retired visa and you are ~~milking~~ bleeding your own country from whom you get your meager pension

the personal insults from all sides are pretty immature for what i assume are grown men.

natway09 · August 4, 2014

Whilst I am not very sympathetic to overstayers & teachers working without correct visas,work permits etc,(Not paying tax or social)

am pretty sure the learning institutions do not furnish their staff with correct visas etc, due to they themselves flying under

the radar & any official applications to Immigration, Labour dept may just trigger the sleeping giant to wake up

paddyjenkins · August 4, 2014

paddyjenkins, on 03 Aug 2014 - 12:59, said:

Faz, on 03 Aug 2014 - 11:59, said:
Every Country has it's own Immigration Laws.
Thailand hasn't changed it's laws, just enforcing the laws already in existence.

Define a Tourist?

If your married and have family in Thailand then you should be on a Marriage Visa.
Sounds like the complainers are the ones who have taken advantage of the slack Immigration rules in the past.
Do you reside in Thailand..............Yes! Then your not a Tourist and shouldn't be using back to back Visa runs to remain.
Very easy to blame someone else for your own mistakes and ignorance.

An average tourist who wants to take a 2/3 week vacation twice a year isn't going to have any problems.
You say two trips of 2/3 weeks.

How about a tourist who want 3 trips of 4 weeks?

Or 6 trips of 4 weeks? There are many and they are genuine and legal and legally using the entry stamp as this is most convenient for them

Where is the magical line that separates the good tourist contributing to the Thai economy and the criminal abusing the system?

Sent from my iPad using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

What isn't clear yet Paddy is the timeframe to be out of Thailand before you can re-enter on another Tourist Visa. 30/60/90 days?
It's early days yet and certain issues need clarification. Maybe TV can get an answer to this question as they seem to be in direct contact with Immigration.

To answer your question, I don't think 3 trips of 4 weeks would be unreasonable as they could hardly be classed as back to back Visa's.
6 trips of 4 weeks is pushing the boat in my HO. For one that amounts to a total of 24 weeks, which could almost be classified as residency. Two, that is the type of activity that drug smugglers, human traffickers and other undesirables tend to make, constantly in and out.
So 6 trips of 4 weeks would be viewed as highly suspicious.

Unfortunately some genuine tourist with cash and time to spare will be affected by the clampdown, but there are no changes, just an enforcement of what was already in existence. What they are saying is get the correct Visa for your purpose of stay in Thailand.
If you can afford 6 visits of 4 weeks, your hardly classed as an average Tourist, but if you can afford flights etc to cover that many visits then you can probably afford the Elite Card. Multi entry, valid for 5 years.

The biggest whinge is because in the past many were able to use the Tourist Visa as a means to remain in Thailand without any financial proof because of poor enforcement of the Immigration rules. Now that is being corrected and what most members mean, but never actually say, is that now they have to get the correct Visa and that's going to cost them money.

No doubt 6 trips of 4 weeks would raise eyebrows more than 2 or 3 trips of a few weeks each. But I chose that example as it could imply a 4 week separation between each trip, roughly. That could easily cover the oil workers, or just a well heeled tourist with more time on his hands than average, but it couldn't be the typical back to backer as they supposedly return within hours or a day or so. But I'm wondering if you are right, that it will still be the level at which immigration officers decide there is basis for suspicion. We will know in about a week from today, presumably.

Sent from my iPad using Thaivisa Connect Thailand Edited August 4, 2014 by paddyjenkins

Bangmod · August 4, 2014

He had to cancel plans for a $6,000 medical operation and switch to a hospital in Singapore.

Bullshit.

For a medical visitor, it would be easy to apply for a visa in his homecountry.

I just got a 6 months visa, just for the reason of traveling and visiting friends in Thailand.

Visa issued in Thai consulate in Antwerp Belgium

AYJAYDEE · August 4, 2014

He had to cancel plans for a $6,000 medical operation and switch to a hospital in Singapore.

Bullshit.

For a medical visitor, it would be easy to apply for a visa in his homecountry.

I just got a 6 months visa, just for the reason of traveling and visiting friends in Thailand.

Visa issued in Thai consulate in Antwerp Belgium

what kind of visa is a 6 month visa? what is the official title of this visa?

paddyjenkins · August 4, 2014

He had to cancel plans for a $6,000 medical operation and switch to a hospital in Singapore.

Bullshit.
For a medical visitor, it would be easy to apply for a visa in his homecountry.
I just got a 6 months visa, just for the reason of traveling and visiting friends in Thailand.
Visa issued in Thai consulate in Antwerp Belgium

If you were panning a medical procedure, you might think twice about arranging it in a country that may deny you entry. If Thailand is potentially, like some kind of lottery, going to bar entry and mess people about based on too many past visits, even if not back to back, then arranging that procedure in a more trustworthy country makes perfect sense to me. Why assume it's BS? Just think for a few moments, it makes sense.

As for arranging to apply for a special visa, who wants to go to that trouble, if before a 30 day stamp was all that was necessary. And by the way, what is this special 6 month visiting friends and traveling visa you mention...sounds like dream you had last night...WAKE UP...BACK TO REALITY!

Sent from my iPad using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

sirocco · August 4, 2014

you break your well head for nothing;

1 / you are not obliged to walk around with your passport, you only to have a copy of it with the visa updated.

If the police officer has doubts, it gives you 24 hours to show the original.

2 / you can ask the immigration department to put their stamp on your copies (I did do this morning HUA HIN)

3 / When you move from one city to another in guesthouses or hotels, the propriètaire that gives its list of occupants immigration service. It was under his responsibility.

4 / These laws have always existed, but they were not enforced Or maybe moderately.

And I find it very good the new severity.

Countries should follow the example of Thailand, because there has too much laxity.

Conclusion: whoever find fault with returns to his country or goes somewhere else.

DaveinAsia · August 4, 2014

Bangkok was ranked the world's most visited city with nearly 16 million people travelling to the Thai capital, ahead of London and Paris

sorry but London had 28 millions visitors and Paris 26 millions ..... I wonder where they got their information .

They may have got it from Forbes http://www.forbes.com/sites/andrewbender/2013/06/07/bangkok-tops-the-worlds-10-most-visited-cities/

Ha Ha. The source data quoted in Forbes comes from MasterCard and is quoted by numerous news providers. I couldn't find mention of the 28 million mentioned in laurentbkk's post anywhere on the net. Even London's own advertising agency only claims 16 million. It seems that the OP is correct (or at least verifiable) unlike certain TV poster's claims:-)

If you believe Forbes and numerous mainstream news providers are reliable sources I suppose you also believe Forbes richest people list which most people in the world know to be far from the truth. Time to wake up buddy

Maestro · August 4, 2014

Removed some troll posts and replies to them.

Pattszero · August 4, 2014

Thailand Immigration Act, B.E. 2522

Chapter 4. Section 37.4. If the alien travels to any province and will stay there longer than twenty – four hours , such alien must notify the police official of the police station for that area within forty – eight hours from the time of arrival.

I leave Pattaya for BKK on Wednesday and I'll be there for 3 nights. We'll catch a bus to Pak Chong and stay there for a further 3 nights before making our way back to Pattaya, At no point will I be presenting myself and my passport to a group of uniformed men who are clearly looking for new revenue streams, regardless of what the law says - I know my passport will be photocopied at the hotels and I believe that information is passed onto whatever Big Brother agency feels the need to collect it, but the day I have to present myself to the Thai Police for the onerous crime of spending money in another province is the day I move to Cambodia.

Up until now, I've been in favor of the crackdown - if it transpires that I cant even leave Chonburi Province without having to report to Police I might as well be living in Nazi Germany. Much better to move next door to a country run by a man who may well have prospered under just such a regime but in 2014 seems to want nothing more than filthy lucre and that's an ideology most of us can understand.

Laughable -

Who in their right mind compares complying with passport regulations with living in Nazi Germany?

Think before you post, eh?

Whidbeyboy · August 4, 2014

The title of the article should read "Holiday in Thailand could end for expats who VIOLATE Visa laws" I say more power to the government in enforcing its visa laws, those expats who do not abide by them should be kicked out of the country I just wish that the U.S. had leadership that would enforce our visa/immigration laws

Except they do enforce them. But their are laws that the leaders must follow like everyone else.

iamariva1957 · August 5, 2014

Though the article was a good one and the message was driven home to a point in it and elsewhere on TV and the media, the underlining problem is that the individual immigration officer is still the one that can make or break someone's plans to enter Thailand as a tourist. Besides, what is a tourist anyway, what do they 'look like'? How can you tell. By their passport stamps and the number that they have in them? Can someone have a number of Thai entry and exit stamps and not be a tourist? The stamps seem to be the give away that is being used by the officials these days. But as BKK is the main artery if coming in by plane (who wants to go into Hanoi or PNH and Singapore is more expensive to fly to generally), BKK has become a hub of sorts.

I am all for the abusers of the system to be held accountable and the over stayers (buy a calender!) should be penalized (though banning for years is silly). But giving the immigration official that looks at your passport at Swampy all the power over you being allowed to enter or not is defeating the purpose. For immigration worldwide is a issue with every country. But at least in the US there is a process that is gone through to ascertain the legitimacy of the person entering if there are any concerns in the mind of the immigration officer. This does not seem to be the case in LOS. By reading these pages on TV and the relevant articles as well as the media coverage (which is few and far between and then not very helpful at all, not to mention the double talk one seems to get at a Thai Embassy/consulate... certainly here in LA) all I can see is a general state of panic with regards to wishes of folks wanting to visit or even contemplate going to Thailand these days.

We are all waiting for the word to come down from upon high on August 12 (a holiday in Thailand... so as usual... good Thai timing) to see what will be the 'rule of the land' regarding visas and the like (at least until it is changed later as has been the case in the past). But my question remains, will the government body maintain the level of power that they have placed in the hands of one individual (who might have had a bad day, a fight with their other half or is just in a Farang 'hating' mood)?

So get the right Visa and still be prepared to be questioned about your stay (like they do in the UK to this day if you are not from the EU). Just be polite and smile. If you have a problem do not panic (!) and quietly ask to see someone else in a polite and professional manner. But maybe bring docs with you just in case! For it is going to be a pain in the ass for a while until things settle down and Thailand can resume is easy going pace as is their culture.

These are just my ideas and suggestions based upon my travels in and out of Thailand (NOT working as I do not need to after 57 years of working and not on a retirement visa as I see no reason to put money into a Thai bank thank you and only stay for 6 months). Just do not jump down my throat.

Edited August 5, 2014 by iamariva1957

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