Not Allowed out, No VoA at Mae Sai

[rikki]

Last week I went to Mae Sai rather than extend my tourist visa, on it's last day, in Chiang Mai.

The official at the border refused to let me/us leave Thailand, to go into Tachilek shopping to return with a Visa on Arrival.

He insisted that we need to go to Mae Sai Immigration to get an extension for our Tourist Visas

So we got a mototaxi back to the new Immigration Office,

2or3 km back on the highway, filled the forms in, paid 1900bt and went on our way.

The minibus had to wait for us, though it didnt take too long

I'd like to know if this is now official policy country wide

There are no VoA stamps on my passport

[ToddinChonburi]

Sounds like a confused border agent but maybe this is a good ? for UbonJoe to look into.

[ToddinChonburi]

Maybe just maybe the agent felt you were trying to get out of paying the 1900 baht ? Kinda looks like you were. Maybe just maybe this was a very sharp border agent that caught you trying to pull a fast one. Better luck next time.

[ubonjoe]

You certainly would not of gotten a 15 day VOA unless you are from a country that qualifies for it.

It seems you were trying to cross and get a visa exempt entry.

Perhaps they did you a favor since you would of only gotten a 15 day entry unless you are from a G7 country.

The officer evidently noted that you qualified for a 30 day extension so should of been doing that instead of doing a crossing for a visa exempt entry.

It is more than likely that crossings policy.

[rikki]

Well, he would have seen that my passport was from UK, and the other guy was from EU, so he got an extra 1400bt each from us for his government.

He absolutely refused to let us over the border, go shopping in Tachilek, have a holiday in Kengtung, etc.

Maybe I meant Visa Exempt Entry, anyway, the normal 30day one you get on arrival

[ToddinChonburi]

yes it looked like you were trying to get out of paying the 1900 baht for 30 day extention on your tourist visa. After a little research it seems the border agent did his job.

[ToddinChonburi]

I think you should have no problem going now but I think you will not receive anymore time in Thailand. I think UbonJoe would know that for sure.

[Suradit69]

The official at the border refused to let me/us leave Thailand, to go into Tachilek shopping to return with a Visa on Arrival.

If you're from the UK. you're not eligible for a visa on arrival.

I think you should have no problem going now but I think you will not receive anymore time in Thailand. I think UbonJoe would know that for sure.

Nonsense. If he's a legitimate tourist, when his 30 day extension ends he could get another tourist visa in Laos or elsewhere or even travel out and back in on a visa exempt entry at most borders. Why dream up things to worry about.

[Maestro]

Sounds like a confused border agent but maybe this is a good ? for UbonJoe to look into.

The OP is a bit confusing but my guess is that is was not the immigration officer at the border who asked for these forms to be signed but the officer at the immigration office who issued the extension of stay.

[Maestro]

Well, he would have seen that my passport was from UK, and the other guy was from EU, so he got an extra 1400bt each from us for his government.

He absolutely refused to let us over the border, go shopping in Tachilek, have a holiday in Kengtung, etc.

Maybe I meant Visa Exempt Entry, anyway, the normal 30day one you get on arrival

Based on the information given by the OP, the immigration officer at the border clearly abused his authority when he refused a departure stamp to leave Thailand.

There is absolutely nothing illegal, dodgy or otherwise wrong with leaving Thailand after having entered it with a tourist visa, entering a neighbouring country on a land border or by sea or air, and then entering Thailand again any time after that, even on the same day, on the visa exemption scheme to which the OP, being a UK national, was entitled.

[Maestro]

An entirely different and unrelated subject, involving a different immigration officer, are the two forms the OP was made to sign when he applied for a 30-day extension of his permission to stay.

1. Acknowledgement of terms and conditions for Permit of temporary stay...
   This form confirms the legal situation, except point 3, about which I have serious doubts, but this obviously does not apply to the OP who applied for an extension of stay for the reason of tourism. An extension of stay is always granted for a specific purpose, in the present case for tourism, and it is self-evident that this extension would not be valid for working, for example, but it is wrong to say categorically that it is invalid for everything else except tourism. For example, it is perfectly legal to join a class to study the Thai language while on a permission to stay for tourism.
   
2. The Acknowledgement of Penalties for a Visa Overstay
   Everything about this form is wrong.
   
   a. Let's start with the title. A permission to stay is not a visa. A visa is not a permission to stay. A visa overstay is not possible.
   
   b. It is unreasonable to expect that a tourist should know what is part of the Immigration Act B.E. 2522 and to ask him to sign an acknowledgment that particular penalties are part of this law.
   
   c. The penalties mentioned in the form are not currently part of the Immigration Act or of a Ministerial Regulation or any official rule. Personally, I would sign this form only after adding this text in the space above my signature: "I acknowledge having read the above information" (If I felt like being provocative, I would display the Immigration Act in Thai on my tablet - saved on my Google Drive - and ask the officer to be so kind as to show me what section of this law mentions the penalties stated in the form)

[Maestro]

I see that the Acknowledgement of terms and conditions for Permit of temporary stay... is addressed to the Commissioner of Immigration Bureau. I'm quite sure that he has no knowledge of this form and I would mail him a copy of the form I was made to sign:

Sir,

For your information I enclose a copy of the form which I was made to sign at the Nong Khai Immigration Office, in case the immigration officer forgot to send you the original.

Yours sincerely,

<signature>

P.S. As a matter of principle, I never sign any document unless I am given a copy of it for my files.

Edited November 1, 2014 by Maestro
added postscipt

[rikki]

Yes, 3 of us were turned away as we presented our passports at the exit desk. There was no argument, etc

The New Immigration Office is on the main road, twice as far from the border as the old one.on the same side

I should have got the name of the Officer

[flupke]

Yes, 3 of us were turned away as we presented our passports at the exit desk. There was no argument, etc

The New Immigration Office is on the main road, twice as far from the border as the old one.on the same side

I should have got the name of the Officer

Rikki , i have the same experience last week ,

i got refused exit @ Thai border Mae Sai by not so friendly lady , her boss then directed me to immigration for extension , wich i got denied because i couldn t show or proof my adres with my rental contract ,

i was on my last day of stay so i drove straight to Chiang Kong and crossed the Mekong into Laos succesfully there .

another thing , also no more vip pass for shopping in Tatchilek ,

leaving for Vientiane soon now to get new visa

[Christie Paul]

These immigration regulations/directives/enforcements are part of a strategy to ensure that people enjoy themselves in Thailand and will favour it with their future travel and living choices. The idea is to ensure that people who spend time and money here are offered the best possible options for ease of travel. This they believe will ensure that travellers promote Thailand within their own circles of friends and acquaintances, because word of mouth is very important. It is hoped these polices will improve Thailand's image as a hub for living in Asia.

Authorities are perplexed however, that instead of tourism numbers increasing they are falling rather dramatically. They are looking always to augment positive policies and so far have come up with series of crackdowns, more red tape and ever-changing and stricter regulations.

The concern is that will they be able to move quickly enough to turn around a tanking tourist industry? And this has led to some dramatic proposals. One of which is to completely ban visitors altogether. The idea behind this proposal is that tourists need to be taught a lesson and be forced to go to Burma, Cambodia, Laos and the Philippines. This proposed idea has so far received the full support of the tourism authorities of Burma, Cambodia, Laos, Philippines and the highly respected ANP (Applied Neurosis for Progress) think tank.

[jpinx]

Certainly seems odd that you're not allowed to leave Thailand without good reason. Is it becoming like some kind of prison? Did the real immigration officer ask you why you were leaving? At any border I am deeply suspicious of everyone - there's so many guys in pseudo-uniforms it's really hard to tell who the real guy is. The real immigration officer will stamp your passport out without questioning you unless you give him reason to suspect something.

BTW - I believe that as a UK passport holder you would have got 15 days entry on return - not 30 days 'cos it's not an airport.

[ubonjoe]

A UK passport holder like those from the other G7 countries get a 30 day entry at border crossings. New rule for a year now already.

[ALFREDO]

Heard yesterday, a story from a 79 year old German man, married to a Thai woman, who lives since years, decades? in TH and has a small Hotel in Udon Thani.

His Passport has only 1,5 pages left free for Visa or stamps.

The last page of the Passport is the only completely free one without stamps and there you have some printing, but I think is ok for use.

He heard? or was been told in Thailand's Vientiane Consulate, that his available space is unfit for a Non Immigrant O.

So he had to come back to TH in Nong Khai last month, with a 30 days allowance of stay. same day I believe.

There should have been discussions on the border, they made problems to let him in.

I believe it was his first border run after the Non Immigrant O, but I not 100 % sure now.

His wife had to come to the Border to intervene.

He was told, he would not be allowed to do that border run again. He is confused, the age, his wife helpless, they went last week to the Udon Thani Immigration and where told, no extension possible.

Visa free allowance of stay finished 19.11.

Surely, the older man and his uninformed wife asked for the wrong extensions, until he has a new regular Passport,

can be 4-5 weeks is ready.

So, tomorrow a better informed German and me will go with him and his wife and get him a extension of stay for 60 days,

as he is married to a Thai lady and supporting her or a 30 day extension on him 30 day land border entry.

Than he has time to make a Emergency Passport or has enough time to get all his papers together to get his regular 10 year, Passport.

Not easy nowadays.

Edited November 2, 2014 by ALFREDO

[paz]

Heard yesterday, a story from a 79 year old German man, married to a Thai woman, who lives since years, decades? in TH and has a small Hotel in Udon Thani.

His Passport has only 1,5 pages left free for Visa or stamps.

The last page of the Passport is the only completely free one without stamps and there you have some printing, but I think is ok for use.

He heard? or was been told in Thailand's Vientiane Consulate, that his available space is unfit for a Non Immigrant O.

The consulate is correct, only pages that says VISA at the top can be used.

So, tomorrow a better informed German and me will go with him and his wife and get him a extension of stay for 60 days,

as he is married to a Thai lady and supporting her or a 30 day extension on him 30 day land border entry.

Than he has time to make a Emergency Passport or has enough time to get all his papers together to get his regular 10 year, Passport.

Hopefully immigration will find space for the extension stamp, he may need to get the new passport first anyway.

[ALFREDO]

The consulate is correct, only pages that says VISA at the top can be used.

Hopefully immigration will find space for the extension stamp, he may need to get the new passport first anyway.

Only, when we approached the Immigration office, I realized, that the space left in the Passport could have been, the main obstacle.

BUT,

the last page in the Passport showed on half of its page, the wording -This Passport has 32 pages- that in all EU countries languages, that irritated the Immigration in Udon Thani.

There was also a print on top of that Page =For Visa purposes= But that was seemingly ignored form the Thai Immigration, did not convince them.

And, there was a second page half empty to.

So, insecure, the young female Immigration officer had sent the old German away to make a new Passport.

For that was now not really enough time. Only for a Emergency Passport, followed by a trip over the border again, with possible problems when returning.

Or a Non Immigrant O in that Passport than.

Anyway, with a few words I convinced the same young female officer to stamp a 60 days extension on the available half empty page, -reason = married and providing for a Thai woman and the problem is solved.

Today the elderly German are in Bangkok to apply for a new Passport.

[joy16]

The consulate is correct, only pages that says VISA at the top can be used.

Hopefully immigration will find space for the extension stamp, he may need to get the new passport first anyway.

Only, when we approached the Immigration office, I realized, that the space left in the Passport could have been, the main obstacle.

BUT,

the last page in the Passport showed on half of its page, the wording -This Passport has 32 pages- that in all EU countries languages, that irritated the Immigration in Udon Thani.

There was also a print on top of that Page =For Visa purposes= But that was seemingly ignored form the Thai Immigration, did not convince them.

And, there was a second page half empty to.

So, insecure, the young female Immigration officer had sent the old German away to make a new Passport.

For that was now not really enough time. Only for a Emergency Passport, followed by a trip over the border again, with possible problems when returning.

Or a Non Immigrant O in that Passport than.

Anyway, with a few words I convinced the same young female officer to stamp a 60 days extension on the available half empty page, -reason = married and providing for a Thai woman and the problem is solved.

Today the elderly German are in Bangkok to apply for a new Passport.

I think a full available page on passport is required for a visa, not haft page.

[ALFREDO]

I think a full available page on passport is required for a visa, not haft page.

You are right and need even more space for stamps.

Bur the real problem was than in the Udon Thani Immigration, as the female officer at the first visit declined to give the old German and his wife a extension of stay, 60 days - reason married to a Thai and providing for her.

Without such an extension the man had to apply first for a temporary, emergency Passport and had to leave Thailand to get a Non Immigrant O Visa.

With the extension, he has now 2,5 month to bring his things in order = getting a new regular Passport, without leaving Thailand.