Kremlin hits back at Thai Immigration's out-in visa ban

[connda]

I wonder why individual countries, after making agreements for visas, don't impose the same rules to the country that imposes the strictest sanctions. If Thai visitors to the US were only allow a 30 day stay after which they need to go to either Canada or Mexico (or some other country) to renew their extension of stay, this BS would end. Sucks if you're visiting friends and family in, let's say, Kansas.

Edited September 11, 2014 by connda

[sustento]

Entry into Thailand (or anywhere else) is always at the discretion of the immigration officer. They don't need to give any reason for refusing entry no matter what the Kremlin might believe.

They have a contract with Russia. If they brake this contract Russia can also change the Visa rules for Thais.

Simple. All the immigration officer has to say is "I believe that you will work if I allow you entrance into Thailand. Entrance is refused".

Never mess with a man who has your passport in his hand or who has an endless supply of government financed rubber gloves.

[Ricardo]

So how exactly is the Russian government 'hitting back'?

Dunno mate but there's a column of T-80's just rolled past me outside mid-town Asoke and the commander asked if I knew of any cheap seafood buffets in the area.

I've been half-expecting that to happen, for some time now, since Thaksin said in an interview that "I also travel to Russia very often to meet my old friend, Prime Minister Vladimir Putin."

http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/spiegel-interview-with-thaksin-shinawatra-thailand-must-be-united-again-a-768492.html

What after all are old friends, or eternal friends for, especially those whose troops are prone to popping into other countries when on-leave, to help the locals set-up their own states ?

Edited September 11, 2014 by Ricardo

[Thai at Heart]

Interesting that no one has seen this incredibly selective bit of law.

[DJVillain]

Thais do not need visa to go to Russia, that may change, maybe here is the warning.

Ill bet Thai tourists are quaking in their boots about that prospect!

[Likener1]

Okay then so no more back to back runs for all those Thais that illegally work in Russia as a retaliatory measure

I cant see what the issue is, other than Russians standing up for Russians illegally working overseas.

[Jeremy50]

good to see a western country standing up for it's citizens

wish mine would

Russia is in the west? I guess I shouldn't judge my Thai students too harshly for thinking New York is in England.

[ratcatcher]

Putin gonna invade Thailand too?

No chance, Yingluck will put in a good word

[Hobiecat]

I rather miss the days of the Iron Curtain.

[dBrown]

So how exactly is the Russian government 'hitting back'? What a piece of garbage journalism.

Need some glasses?

“According to Paragraph 1 of a bilateral intergovernmental agreement [between Russia and Thailand], Russian tourists are allowed to enter Thailand for up to 30 days, after which they must leave the country, [but] the number of entries is not limited.”

i.e. they can do in and outs as many times as they wish.

So the Kremlin says that their citizens can enter Thailand as many times as they want and the Thais gone bend over and agree with that?

I think the Kremlin may be in for a surprise.

[FangFerang]

Russia threatens to hit back...and stop all those visa running Thais who are flocking to Moscow.

[bubblegum]

Putin has a villa in Kamala, Phuket, that might explain a lot.

[nullx8]

Putin gonna invade Thailand too?

too??

What other country does he invade ?

Or he works for the CIA now and i missed this newsflash ?

[baboon]

Putin has a villa in Kamala, Phuket, that might explain a lot.

What,and if he overstays he will be thrown in gaol and subsequently deported?

[sustento]

I'm glad to see at least one government taking Thailand to task for violating its treaty obligations.

You other posters are making to much of the IO's authority to refuse entry to anyone, especially as you are acting as if such a system is really wonderful and everywhere should be like that.

No other country, except perhaps Chad, allows all discretion to fall to the IO involved. In the often derided US, refusal to subject to review by a superior and a reason is usually given.

Thailand isn't the US.

[Chicog]

How long before Putin gives the Southern terrorists their very own Buk missile launcher?

Edited September 11, 2014 by Chicog

[Tatsujin]

So how exactly is the Russian government 'hitting back'? What a piece of garbage journalism.

Need some glasses?

According to Paragraph 1 of a bilateral intergovernmental agreement [between Russia and Thailand], Russian tourists are allowed to enter Thailand for up to 30 days, after which they must leave the country, [but] the number of entries is not limited.

i.e. they can do in and outs as many times as they wish.

So the Kremlin says that their citizens can enter Thailand as many times as they want and the Thais gone bend over and agree with that?

I think the Kremlin may be in for a surprise.

They may well be in for a surprise, and then Thailand will be in for a surprise when all those Russian tourists stop altogether on orders from the Kremlin ... Edited September 11, 2014 by Tatsujin

[tubby johnson]

[SteveFong]

“If we believe their purpose in coming to Thailand is not what they say it is, then we will order them to leave and they will be blacklisted.

They will not be able to return to Thailand, ever.”

If we do not believe?

For what reason is there then the blacklisting?

That sounds like arbitrariness, according to there daily mood.

Yes, the rules are based on personal judgement and belief and not actual prof of any kind. Its a total personal decision based on the immigration officers feeling and belief in the situation. Maybe that is why so much attention is put on the word "luck" here :-) Crossing borders is just like playing the lottery. Nothing called "benefit of the doubt" here.

Good luck to all :-)

it is my xperience that whatever the infraction, if you are traveling with a thai female and she vouches for you, immigration will allow you entry

[55Jay]

Thais do not need visa to go to Russia, that may change, maybe here is the warning.

Are Thais lining up at the airport to fly to Russia? I actually don't know, it's an honest question.

[BudRight]

I'm glad to see at least one government taking Thailand to task for violating its treaty obligations.

You other posters are making to much of the IO's authority to refuse entry to anyone, especially as you are acting as if such a system is really wonderful and everywhere should be like that.

No other country, except perhaps Chad, allows all discretion to fall to the IO involved. In the often derided US, refusal to subject to review by a superior and a reason is usually given.

Thailand isn't the US.

You can't compare Thailand to the US when Thailand compares favorably and then say 'Oh no, Thailand isn't the US' when it compares unfavorably.

Either;

1. Thailand is just a country in the world and should be evaluated in comparison to those other countries.

2. Thailand is exceptional and should be evaluated based on internal rather than external factors.

If you pick #1 than the Kremlin is right to criticize the in/out crackdown as being in violation of Thailand's treaty obligations.

If you pick #2 than I never want to hear again that Thailand is easy to get into and stay compared to the US, or the UK or some other place. Or that beer is cheap because in Norway it costs 10 times as much. Or that no reasonable person would expect to be able to turn up in the West and disregard local laws like Westerners (and Thais) do with regularity in Thailand, especially not overstay their visas or work illegally.

[Chicog]

it is my xperience that whatever the infraction, if you are traveling with a thai female and she vouches for you, immigration will allow you entry

And how many times have you attempted illegal entry?

[theslime]

Putin gonna invade Thailand too?

Where has Putin invaded? You must read Murdochsteins Rag, All the other papers have the US and Co. invading Countries for quite a few Years now.

[SteveFong]

it is my xperience that whatever the infraction, if you are traveling with a thai female and she vouches for you, immigration will allow you entry

And how many times have you attempted illegal entry?

illegal, never,

missing paperwork, or repeat entries on tourist visa, and one day runs, several

[sustento]

I'm glad to see at least one government taking Thailand to task for violating its treaty obligations.

You other posters are making to much of the IO's authority to refuse entry to anyone, especially as you are acting as if such a system is really wonderful and everywhere should be like that.

No other country, except perhaps Chad, allows all discretion to fall to the IO involved. In the often derided US, refusal to subject to review by a superior and a reason is usually given.

Thailand isn't the US.

You can't compare Thailand to the US when Thailand compares favorably and then say 'Oh no, Thailand isn't the US' when it compares unfavorably.

Either;

1. Thailand is just a country in the world and should be evaluated in comparison to those other countries.

2. Thailand is exceptional and should be evaluated based on internal rather than external factors.

If you pick #1 than the Kremlin is right to criticize the in/out crackdown as being in violation of Thailand's treaty obligations.

If you pick #2 than I never want to hear again that Thailand is easy to get into and stay compared to the US, or the UK or some other place. Or that beer is cheap because in Norway it costs 10 times as much. Or that no reasonable person would expect to be able to turn up in the West and disregard local laws like Westerners (and Thais) do with regularity in Thailand, especially not overstay their visas or work illegally.

3. Thailand is Thailand and should not be compared to any other country. It is what it is in just the same way that Colombia and Yemen are what they are. If you chose to leave your homeland and live somewhere else you have no right to be surprised when that somewhere else is not the same as the place you left whether it compares favourably or not to the place you left.

[JDGRUEN]

In my opinion the whole point of this issue is IF the wording of the treaty agreement between Russia and Thailand is as presented ... “According to Paragraph 1 of a bilateral intergovernmental agreement [between Russia and Thailand], Russian tourists are allowed to enter Thailand for up to 30 days, after which they must leave the country, [but] the number of entries is not limited.” ... then Thailand is unilaterally reneging on the treaty without any formal discussion between the parties.

But it remains to be seen that in that referenced treaty the wording "...[but] the number of entries is not limited.”... is really there or not ... or was it just implied or inferred because no wording was including prohibiting numerous entries or otherwise limiting the number.

Even if the treat is as claimed, I doubt much could be done about it - except to stop allowing all tourist from Russia to visit Thailand. If there was enough economic impact then Thailand might change its mind. Or if Russia is supplying other services or loans or energy ... then Russia would have some sway in the matter. Or it might be that such publicity only adds to the dismal Public Relations Thailand is currently projecting and things will change.

But with Russians and all others ... I find it incongruous that Thai Immigration suddenly starts to enforce an old dusty law that they had not been enforced at all for many years ... and even facilitated the comings and goings of people across borders doing ridiculous border runs / visa runs - making the ins and outs totally allowed - and now not only wants to begin enforcement but call those who availed themselves of the NON ENFORCEMENT in past years abusers or worse ... Amazing Thailand... TiT... (let the dog out of the cage to run free - then put the dog back in the cage and call him BAD DOG)... so fricken funny. And TVF members who join in with this absurdity by Thai Immigration and call people names for doing only what was allowed and facilitated at the time are even more duplicitous than Thai Immigration.

[airconsult]

Bring back the Bowring Treaty terms I say! That's what made Bangkok a big city!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bowring_Treaty

Edited September 12, 2014 by airconsult

[whybother]

I wonder why individual countries, after making agreements for visas, don't impose the same rules to the country that imposes the strictest sanctions. If Thai visitors to the US were only allow a 30 day stay after which they need to go to either Canada or Mexico (or some other country) to renew their extension of stay, this BS would end. Sucks if you're visiting friends and family in, let's say, Kansas.

Do you know how hard it is for Thai's to get visas from the US (and other western countries). If Thailand was to apply the same standards as many other countries, the number of tourists here would dive.

[Equalizer]

In all fairness, the Thai authorities should not be dictating what a tourist should be. At the end of the day if you are in this country and you are not working, you do the border runs, you abide by the rules etc what is the problem. ''If they really want to travel around the country for more than 30 days, then they must show us a plausible plan''. WHY? There may be no grand plan! this is pure paranoia. ''If we believe their purpose in coming to Thailand is not what they say it is, then we will order them to leave and they will be blacklisted. They will not be able to return to Thailand, ever.” So if a guy says i want to stay here for a year or two spend my money and have a good time this warrants a life time ban? What are these people thinking, it it totally bizarre. If they work ban them, fine but don't tarnish everyone with the same brush.

[SDM0712]

good to see a western country standing up for it's citizens

wish mine would

Russia is in the west? I guess I shouldn't judge my Thai students too harshly for thinking New York is in England.

Yes, slightly less than half of Russia, including Moscow and St. Petersburg, is in Europe, which is definitely "the west", the bigger chunk is in Asia however.

There is a New York in England, near Harrogate North Yorkshire. Your Thai students are clearly better informed than their teacher *

SDM

* Sarcastic joke, offense not intended.