Just got kicked out of thai with valid visa

[dunque]

I was here for 8 years on marriage visa but got divorced so i applied for student visa. I dont attend classes as i already speak thai good enough and that was fine until recently. They said they believed that i was working here. I dont work really in thailand i have income from a business in HK. My Ed visa was 7 or 8 month old. Im on the airplane now leaving for Paris.

So, you kind of work in Thailand and you don't attend lessons and you were refused entry on an Education visa? And Thai Immigration screwed up ?

[steven100]

You got to laugh at all the bar stool TV judges on this thread. Some say it's a troll post others whinging and whining about the rules, some even telling us what the IO can and can't do.

You lot really crack me up ... this is way better than any soap opera.

[John1thru10]

If you assume he is a troll, which isn't clear as his story has some plausibility, then why do you believe he is in Thailand and not another timezone?

I don't think the story has any plausibility. Why do you? Look at his posting history. Look at the time posted. Look at his ignoring simple questions.

Sorry, but this thinking is just far too paranoid: why on earth, in your opinion, would anyone even waste the time of posting false information of that sort? it would benefit them how, exactly? And, an OP has no requirement to sit anxiously awaiting all your questions, to be considered valid. Pressumably, the person is in a situation at the moment; are you really suggesting that their top priority is satisfying all your many suspicions from your arm chair somewhere else? Please, stop the paranoia here. It's a major space waster.

The point of an internet forum is selling ads and the more posts made and more people visiting the more the ads are worth if I have the theory right. Digital people feel free to correct. So I would debate your point of it being a space waster. But if it was a space waster then your comment would be wasting more space; better to just let it drop or pm me with your critique.

I think he made the post to worry people with ED visas. Why would he want to do that? You would have to ask him.

I know if I had a visa problem the first thing I would tell people is where it occurred. He has neglected to do this although asked by a number of posters and moderators to do so.

Another poster in this thread said that a blood test was required to do a 90 day address report. Wouldn't you want to know, at what immigration office that occurred? It's just common sense to include where you had problems that are new and different and that no one has experienced before.

I do understand some of your points, there.

[ubonjoe]

Several off topic posts that are just bickering between members have been removed.. Any more of these will be removed without notice.

[WhamBam]

Someone read the reason for me it says insufficient funds. But the officer really got angry when i couldnt read thai. I had 9k baht on me a business world mastercard fully loaded and a kasikorn atm. I believe only cash counts. If i had enough cash i believe he would have said something else.

Sorry to hear of your problems Johnny.

Can I ask, did he ask how much money you had on you?

Best of luck

Presuming he is no longer able to post - he had 9,000 Baht.

[Robert24]

They didnt let me in. I asked 100 times to fly anywhere else than my country and it was refused. They said the only country i can go back is France. Immigration officer told me every ed visa will be checked.

nonsense, they cannot tell you to go home, they can ony refuse entry.

And why can you not write or read even the most basic thai, unless you started studying yesterday?

Well it sounds like a deportation if the only choice he had is to go back to France. And a deportation usually only happens when you break the law, you get arrested and then deported. It does sound though quite draconian that you get deported for not having enough cash on you or for not reading or writing Thai after 6 months when you return from a short overseas trip and you are resident in Thailand.

It sounds plausible to me that this happened. Whether there were other reasons why they refused him entry, I don't know.

I hope we can find out more and hopefully this never happens to me.

How can the OP be deported if he was denied entry ?

To be deported from a country one actually has to be in said country

Well one enters Thailand already when you land and not just after you pass immigration. So Thai Authorities can certainly arrest you there and then deport you without you going through customs.

But again I'm not sure if he was deported but the way he describes it, i.e. paying 600 baht for a guard (I guess avoiding being in a detention cell) and having to book a flight to his home country etc, sounds like a deportation.

[Strangebrew]

Ok Now that he finally said what's what Firstly it seems he was useing ED visa as means to stay here long term So in his passport was all these in's and out's based on ED visa Don't take a rocket scientist to figure this out So sorry but Just get a Gold visa for 2.5 million no reporting every 90 days renew once a year. for 20,000 baht cheapskate.

[Genericnic]

I was here for 8 years on marriage visa but got divorced so i applied for student visa. I dont attend classes as i already speak thai good enough and that was fine until recently. They said they believed that i was working here. I dont work really in thailand i have income from a business in HK. My Ed visa was 7 or 8 month old. Im on the airplane now leaving for Paris.

And so the truth finally comes out. ED visa but no class (pun intended).

David

[SeaVisionBurma]

While we're not going to comment on the particular situation the OP experienced or the reasons for him having issues with immigration this morning - we are aware that he was at Suvanabhumi.

In an attempt to stop some of the troll accusations and bickering - it should be known that we do have some advice about the OP's story occurring today.

[Anthony5]

While we're not going to comment on the particular situation the OP experienced or the reasons for him having issues with immigration this morning - we are aware that he was at Suvanabhumi.

In an attempt to stop some of the troll accusations and bickering - it should be known that we do have some advice about the OP's story occurring today.

How the OP can be back online 5 1/2 hours after he departed for France?

He's online right now.

[csabo]

When things started shaking up a few moths back I know many people that ran for ED visa's. I decided to wait and see. I am glad I did.

[brianp0803]

I wouldn't think he has a direct flight?

What would likely be a place he might transition to a flight to France?

possible timing?

[RichardThailand]

Interesting! Since the ED visa is not only issued to learn Thai, What happens to the Brit that is enrolled in a Japanese course or the Japanese person that is enrolled in an English course?

Quite ridiculous, right? If a Japanese really wanted to learn English, why go to Thailand? Makes much more sense to go somewhere where you'll be immersed in the language. A Brit (etc) who goes to Thailand to learn Japanese (etc.) is probably not so committed to language learning... probably has some other priorities. In fact, perhaps this is just a way to get past tourist visa restrictions (god forbid!)? I suspect the government 'gets this.'

Wrong actually but I don't have the time to explain that not everyone thinks the same way as you.

[MrWorldwide]

Very interesting thread. Makes me wonder which group of expats will be next to face stringent crackdowns. Retirement maybe? All those alcoholic wrecks living on pensions in Pattaya and elsewhere, it wouldn't surprise me at all if the financial requirements are raised significantly in the near future.

You're very late to the party on that one - we had a ding-dong battle here a couple of months back between the under-50s and those of us fortunate enough to be able to live here on the basis of retirement, and the 'significant rise in the financial requirements' portent of doom was thrown at the latter group with monotonous regularity. The big difference between the other visa classes and the retirement extension is simple : how many employers in Thailand (be they Thai or foreigner) do you think would be willing to hire a Farang over the age of 50 ?

In a country where the newspapers have absolutely no problem running ads for teaching jobs that specify the ideal candidate as a female under 25, I just dont see the same problems for Immigration with the older generation, and definitely not the stereotypical Pattaya barfly you've nominated. The TV 'jury' seems to have tried and convicted the OP as guilty of staying in Thailand under false pretences, just as it tried and convicted a host of others for abusing the Tourist Visa - in both cases, we can thank the people who have repeatedly abused both methods of entry over the last 2 decades for this crackdown. The implementation has been flawed, but several of us have sailed through Immigation in recent weeks so there must be an element of 'wrong place, wrong time' in some of these tales of woe.

FWIW, the only surefire method I know of for under-50s who cant find a legit job in Thailand - and the visa/work permit to go with it - is the Elite Card and that's a whole other can of worms. If you think this issue gets people fired up, just tell them they need to pay 500K+ to be able to park themselves on a Thai beach longterm ....

[Anthony5]

I wouldn't think he has a direct flight?

What would likely be a place he might transition to a flight to France?

possible timing?

When immigration send you back to your home country they don't allow indirect flights.

[ubonjoe]

While we're not going to comment on the particular situation the OP experienced or the reasons for him having issues with immigration this morning - we are aware that he was at Suvanabhumi.

In an attempt to stop some of the troll accusations and bickering - it should be known that we do have some advice about the OP's story occurring today.

How the OP can be back online 5 1/2 hours after he departed for France?

He's online right now.

There is are some airlines that do have internet available on their aircraft.

[csabo]

Interesting! Since the ED visa is not only issued to learn Thai, What happens to the Brit that is enrolled in a Japanese course or the Japanese person that is enrolled in an English course?

This question has been asked a thousand times and I have never seen a reply to it. One would think though that if you are asked what you are studying and you reply "Thai Language" than you get the test. Any other reply and you probably walk through as it would be nearly impossible to test for every language and training offered. A total assumption on my part would be that most people here on ED extensions are studying Thai language therefore, enforcing that specific study will have the desired effect of cutting into ED visa scammers or slow learners.

[John1thru10]

Very interesting thread. Makes me wonder which group of expats will be next to face stringent crackdowns. Retirement maybe? All those alcoholic wrecks living on pensions in Pattaya and elsewhere, it wouldn't surprise me at all if the financial requirements are raised significantly in the near future.

You're very late to the party on that one - we had a ding-dong battle here a couple of months back between the under-50s and those of us fortunate enough to be able to live here on the basis of retirement, and the 'significant rise in the financial requirements' portent of doom was thrown at the latter group with monotonous regularity. The big difference between the other visa classes and the retirement extension is simple : how many employers in Thailand (be they Thai or foreigner) do you think would be willing to hire a Farang over the age of 50 ?

In a country where the newspapers have absolutely no problem running ads for teaching jobs that specify the ideal candidate as a female under 25, I just dont see the same problems for Immigration with the older generation, and definitely not the stereotypical Pattaya barfly you've nominated. The TV 'jury' seems to have tried and convicted the OP as guilty of staying in Thailand under false pretences, just as it tried and convicted a host of others for abusing the Tourist Visa - in both cases, we can thank the people who have repeatedly abused both methods of entry over the last 2 decades for this crackdown. The implementation has been flawed, but several of us have sailed through Immigation in recent weeks so there must be an element of 'wrong place, wrong time' in some of these tales of woe.

FWIW, the only surefire method I know of for under-50s who cant find a legit job in Thailand - and the visa/work permit to go with it - is the Elite Card and that's a whole other can of worms. If you think this issue gets people fired up, just tell them they need to pay 500K+ to be able to park themselves on a Thai beach longterm ....

I was a part of the 'ding dong battle' (and you and I got into it a couple of times, at that), but these are some good points you've made about the difference in ages/visas.

[samran]

There is no law requiring you to fly back to your country - so at least you can contest that part, but you have to be adamant about talking to the supervisor. As in your case there is no extradition happening - just a refusal to enter the country. Don't be rude or condescending with the officials, just state that there indeed are laws that do not require you to travel to the country.

Perhaps, but no airline is going to fly someone who has he risk of being turned around and the airline is liable for flying home. As such, it sounds like the EU or bust, unless the OP gets lucky.

[MrWorldwide]

Yes I have been following the threads, have you? I agree that there has been a massive crackdown on back to back visa exempt entries, but there has been little if any crackdown on back to back tourist visa issuance or entries.

Sure have, and there are dozens concerning issues with back-to-back tourist visas. Ubonjoe and several of the other moderators have helped numerous people after they were bounced for having either too many 30-day stamps, back-to-back TVs or some arbitrary combination of the two. No surprises when the Ed visa slid neatly into Immigration's crosshairs - in each case, they are trying to identify people who *might* be rorting the system to work here illegally. I'm not suggesting that the OP is one of those folk, merely that he's not the first and he probably wont be the last to find himself in this situation assuming his report is genuine.

Given that this thread is about the Ed visa, I'm happy to leave it there - apologies to all for the brief derailment.

[brianp0803]

While the OP admitted that he was on an ED visa for 7-8 months at and a major language school and not attending classes, the punishment seems severe.

People can clear 11 year overstay with a 20,000 baht fine and immediately apply for double tourist visa and get the visa.

Why an Ed abuser would get this treatment?

Something were not being told?

[MrWorldwide]

Interesting! Since the ED visa is not only issued to learn Thai, What happens to the Brit that is enrolled in a Japanese course or the Japanese person that is enrolled in an English course?

This question has been asked a thousand times and I have never seen a reply to it. One would think though that if you are asked what you are studying and you reply "Thai Language" than you get the test. Any other reply and you probably walk through as it would be nearly impossible to test for every language and training offered. A total assumption on my part would be that most people here on ED extensions are studying Thai language therefore, enforcing that specific study will have the desired effect of cutting into ED visa scammers or slow learners.

Quick question - could I survive 6 months in a real Muay Thai camp without some understanding of the language ? Even at 25, when I was a reasonably fit individual training in a martial art 3 nights a week, that training alone would have killed me (forget actually fighting someone in the ring ..) - anyone fronting Immigration with an Ed visa to continue their Muay Thai education should be asked to remove their shirt. Personally I think anyone silly enough to sign up for 6 months in a camp with real MT fighters deserves an Ed visa, but that's just me.

[gerry1011]

I think that the Thailand Elite staff will be very busy in the coming days registering new memberships

I feel sorry for those who have to worry about their situation.

But, really, who could expect that the so called "tourists" and "students" could abuse the visa regulations forever...

It's a problem for the real students though. But there are so few of these, they must pay for the vast majority of the abusers.

[csabo]

He says studing Thai for 6months but has a car to sale I have to wonder what popped up on that computer when his name was run thru the scanner. I suspect he has been here longer than a few months.

Yeah, who visits a country for a few months and buys a car?? That kinda says a lot about your intent. But, passing a writing test after 6 moths would be tough. And for everyone saying you can't learn Thai because class requirements were only 2 days per week etc., the majority of learning takes place outside the classroom. For every hour of class, a student should be studying 5 hours at home.

[MacWalen]

No need to worry yet. If we hear of more reports like that then people can start getting concerned. This is very unusual case and it has never happened before so do not jump to conclusions based on this one case. People with a long visa history may not look like genuine students to the immigration. For example we hear a lot about those who take tourist visas and then change to ED visa and then another double entry tourist visa etc. One guys in this thread was just advertising how smart it is and how much cheaper it is. It does not take a scientist to tell that it looks like a way of extending your stay in the kingdom. ED visa works for all genuine students and it is not so hard to fulfil the requirements.

[TSF]

Very interesting thread. Makes me wonder which group of expats will be next to face stringent crackdowns. Retirement maybe? All those alcoholic wrecks living on pensions in Pattaya and elsewhere, it wouldn't surprise me at all if the financial requirements are raised significantly in the near future.

You're very late to the party on that one - we had a ding-dong battle here a couple of months back between the under-50s and those of us fortunate enough to be able to live here on the basis of retirement, and the 'significant rise in the financial requirements' portent of doom was thrown at the latter group with monotonous regularity. The big difference between the other visa classes and the retirement extension is simple : how many employers in Thailand (be they Thai or foreigner) do you think would be willing to hire a Farang over the age of 50 ?

In a country where the newspapers have absolutely no problem running ads for teaching jobs that specify the ideal candidate as a female under 25, I just dont see the same problems for Immigration with the older generation, and definitely not the stereotypical Pattaya barfly you've nominated. The TV 'jury' seems to have tried and convicted the OP as guilty of staying in Thailand under false pretences, just as it tried and convicted a host of others for abusing the Tourist Visa - in both cases, we can thank the people who have repeatedly abused both methods of entry over the last 2 decades for this crackdown. The implementation has been flawed, but several of us have sailed through Immigation in recent weeks so there must be an element of 'wrong place, wrong time' in some of these tales of woe.

FWIW, the only surefire method I know of for under-50s who cant find a legit job in Thailand - and the visa/work permit to go with it - is the Elite Card and that's a whole other can of worms. If you think this issue gets people fired up, just tell them they need to pay 500K+ to be able to park themselves on a Thai beach longterm ....

I'm fairly new to this forum so there have been countless prior threads I have no knowledge of.

Myself I'm on annual retirement extensions so I certainly do not wish to see changes coming in but I fear they will. I have no doubt Thai authorities would like to rid the country of the great majority of all these farang that have set up home here. First to go the border runners. Next the Ed visa crowd. There are many retirement people they could get rid of fast by raising the financial requirements considerably. If one had to show 1.5mil in a Thai bank, how many pension guys could do that?

I honestly hope I'm wrong but I have a bad feeling that sometime in 2015 we'll see a stiff rise in financial requirements plus demands for further paperwork when applying for retirement extensions. We're going to see a lot of people moving over to Cambodia next year.

[impulse]

While the OP admitted that he was on an ED visa for 7-8 months at and a major language school and not attending classes, the punishment seems severe.

People can clear 11 year overstay with a 20,000 baht fine and immediately apply for double tourist visa and get the visa.

Why an Ed abuser would get this treatment?

Something were not being told?

Like you (maybe), I skipped from post #40 to post #291 to miss out on the bickering.

I would bet the OP had quite a history of visa runs in his passport, and jumped on the ED visa when his well worn in-out plan was no longer viable . (Timing is right- he's been on ED visa about long enough, and it seems he may have even conceded that in a post I skipped.) His rejection at the border may have been more related to the 93 visa runs over the past 10 years than the 6 months on ED visa without any Thai writing skills we read about in the OP.

I'm not passing judgment on what's happened to the OP, or why. But I wish the whole story would come out sooner- so lessons can be learned by people with potential visa issues- and then they can sleep at night.

No use getting everyone's panties in a bunch over a situation that's not as described in the OP. Folks on legitimate ED visas have enough to do* without reading to the 200th post to find out they're not in anywhere near the same situation.

*So many women. So little time...

[CLW]

Everything is right in my opinion what the immigration officer did. The OP mis-used his ED-Visa which makes it not valid and also the flight restriction is a legal safety measure from any state authority to prevent problems with other countries he might planned to go. Btw, after his divorce why he didn't try to ge another legal visa for Thailand?

[Nuddy]

something is not straight ahead

[KOZMO]

They didnt let me in. I asked 100 times to fly anywhere else than my country and it was refused. They said the only country i can go back is France. Immigration officer told me every ed visa will be checked.

Should of waved the white flag of surrender