Non O visa same day run now not possible at Sadao

[rjh69]

Two days ago I went to Sadao to exit and re-enter Thailand . I have done this before several times. The immigration officer told me that i must stay in Malaysia for one day or they would not let me re-enter Thailand. So I told him  I had to go back to my hotel to get my belongings and would not exit until later. Got my stuff and went back. A different officer asked me the same question. I told her I was staying in Malaysia overnight and would return the next day. She said ok, and stamped me out.

Stayed in a boring place called Changlong about 15km south of Dannock, returned the next day and re-entered Thailand the next day..no problems. Has anyone else had this issue? Unfortunately Sadao immigration is not 24/7, otherwise I would have left at 11.55, and come back at 12.05 the next day.

[ColdSingha]

a worrying turn, clampdown continues up the chain 

Edited August 4, 2014 by ColdSingha

[paz]

a worrying turn, clampdown continues up the chain 

 

Ruling (with no supporting official requirements) to spend one night outside of the country is not a clampdown.

 

It is the same as saying "Sorry we're are being ridiculous at the moment, please come back tomorrow to play all along with the farcical rules that a local chief has set, for as long they last".

[ubonjoe]

More nonsense from a border crossing in the south.

They are setting their own rules completely different from the rest of the country.

[ColdSingha]

 

a worrying turn, clampdown continues up the chain 

 

Ruling (with no supporting official requirements) to spend one night outside of the country is not a clampdown.

 

It is the same as saying "Sorry we're are being ridiculous at the moment, please come back tomorrow to play all along with the farcical rules that a local chief has set, for as long they last".

 

 

i see your point but its a bit of a mouthful. i'll stick with clampdown if you don't mind 

[Maestro]

It is rather unusual, but some, if not all border crossings in the south seem to apply the stricter entry requirements not only for visa-exempt out-in border runs but also to entries with a visa, presumably based on instructions from the chief for the southern immigration division 6 or perhaps on a misunderstanding of instructions they received.

[ColdSingha]

More nonsense from a border crossing in the south.

They are setting their own rules completely different from the rest of the country.

 

this could be a very valid question to ask the commander the next time TV is granted an interview.

[Kirbicus]

I recently did a non imm multi o marriage 90 day exit and entry a couple of weeks ago at Mae Sai.

Same as normal. No problems or issues.

 

Was just asked if my family was at the address on the arrival card. I politely said yes.

 

Kirbicus

 

[ParadiseLost]

As a married person I have used Penang and the Sadao crossing for many years. For the past few years, as an African passport holder, I have been directed to the "office" upon arrival where a senior officer performs a more stringent check.

 

At Penang consulate they have always refused me a multi entry for 'living' in Thailand and not working - insisting only an extension is acceptable. However, this changed when I worked in Malaysia in 2012 and had a WP (for Malaysia), Penang happily gave me a non-o multi and Sadao was no problem too.

 

If you can prove you are working outside the country then the multi is ok, but expect problems if just living here doing the 90 border hop. The reason I was given is that many (married) people are working illegally. Extending requires (legal) income, or (seeded) money in the bank, neither of which can be verified at the border.

 

I have been shot down before for reporting this, but now it seems they are going to enforce it for everyone.

Edited August 5, 2014 by ParadiseLost

[Suradit69]

 

a worrying turn, clampdown continues up the chain 

 

Ruling (with no supporting official requirements) to spend one night outside of the country is not a clampdown.

 

It is the same as saying "Sorry we're are being ridiculous at the moment, please come back tomorrow to play all along with the farcical rules that a local chief has set, for as long they last".

 

 

'It is the same as saying "Sorry we're are being ridiculous at the moment, please come back tomorrow to play all along with the farcical rules that a local chief has set, for as long they last".'

 

And once again Khun Farang suffers loss of face and its devastating impact to his ego.

[jaydeepdas]

@ Paz ...I hope you are not thai...so why dont you go back to your country rather than making fun of a serious isaus..and if you are thai..then I am sorry to say dat you are an illeterate person in this matter

[ColdSingha]

@ Paz ...I hope you are not thai...so why dont you go back to your country rather than making fun of a serious isaus..and if you are thai..then I am sorry to say dat you are an illeterate person in this matter

spell checker fail :D Edited August 5, 2014 by ColdSingha

[phuketrichard]

Sadao is pissed at Thailand right now cause Thailand has banned their tourist bus's from driving further north than Hat Yai.

Had to do with Malaysia banning thai cars with window tint ( i had to rip mine off in June to be allowed to travel south)

 

Tit for tat

[rjh69]

Just found this notice from Thai Immigration to its embassies and consulates referring to "tourism only"

 

http://www.thaiconsulatesydney.org/english/news/visarun

[ubonjoe]

Just found this notice from Thai Immigration to its embassies and consulates referring to "tourism only"

 

http://www.thaiconsulatesydney.org/english/news/visarun

You also need to notice it only mentions visa exempt entries. No mention of visas.

[Tomtomtom69]

Sadao is pissed at Thailand right now cause Thailand has banned their tourist bus's from driving further north than Hat Yai.

Had to do with Malaysia banning thai cars with window tint ( i had to rip mine off in June to be allowed to travel south)

 

Tit for tat

 

I was under the impression it was due to Thai visa run minivans being banned, nothing to do with ordinary Thai private cars heading into Malaysia. The window tint thing there has been the law for years, as far as I remember. When I bought my brand new car a few months ago, I remember the sales agent asking me how much window tinting we wanted. She said she recommends the maximum that is allowed by Thai law. That's what I agreed with and it's not that dark. At the time I had driving down to Malaysia in mind as a secondary reason as to why I wouldn't want to risk having a very high tint. Now I'm assuming that if a particular percentage tint is legal in Thailand, it must be the same in Malaysia, though I could be wrong but it would make sense for the laws to not be too divergent.

 

I also seem to recall plenty of Malaysian cars in Krabi, all of which had a reasonable amount of window tint, similar to my car. So that seems to confirm my assumptions that my % window tint would pass in Malaysia.

 

Also Sadao is in Thailand and is the border district which you are referring to. I think you mean Bukit Kayu Hitam (BKH), the Malaysian checkpoint. I know it's an easy mistake to make, but it's like posters here talking about Thai immigration at Poipet. Poipet is the Cambodian checkpoint. It's called Aranyaprathet, or just simply "Aran" on the Thai side.

 

Anyway, for a fairly developed country like Malaysia to be concerned about the odd Thai minivan taking away their business is nonsense. I can see the argument in the case of Cambodia or Myanmar who might need this extra income, but Malaysia, which happens to be the only neighboring country which drives on the same side of the road as Thailand shouldn't be antagonizing Thailand over such an issue (and now of course Thailand has reciprocated). I know that when I cross land borders without a car, I would much rather remain on the same form of transport on both sides of the border. Having to change vehicles due to such bickering would mean I personally wouldn't even bother going with a minivan service in the first place. Too much hassle having to change vehicles and then having to deal with a new driver when you just spend a few hours getting to know the previous one. In that case wouldn't it be much easier just to catch a public bus service, which actually crosses the border anyway and is exempt from such nonsense? The only attraction of a visa run minivan to Malaysia is because they were able to drive you directly from Had Yai, Phuket or wherever straight down to Penang. If they can't do that anymore without being forced to change vehicles at the border then catching your own taxi/bus etc. to the Malaysian border and then another one on the Malaysian side is far more convenient and the same thing anyway.

[smotherb]

More nonsense from a border crossing in the south.

They are setting their own rules completely different from the rest of the country.

 

Yes, a friend of mine, an off-shore worker who works 45-45, was told the same thing at Donuk--go back and spend a day in Malaysia--even though he had four years worth of 45-45 in his passport and a job-offer document in his hands.

 

[4evermaat]

Is this happening in ranong as well? The one day out requirement?