Changes To Visa Run Rules - A Poll

[GuestHouse]

Given the huge number of people who viewed and commented on the news that the government are planning to close the loop hole by which people remain in Thailand on tourist visas by making constant visa runs, I thought it might be interesting to gauge the impact on TV members.

[bendix]

Just a small point of order, but you might want to change the wording. Visa runs are not being outlawed . . .border runs to get another 30 days on a permit to stay pass are being outlawed.

People with bonafide tourist visas have nothing to worry about.

[JCCR6]

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Edited September 12, 2006 by JCCR6

[visarunner]

I would not be surprised that they will stop issueing 2-3 entry Tourist Visa.

Do not understand why they drop a article in the newspaper which was poorly done and let everyone guess/panic .

Why not issue a official statement which should clear up the air.

[sooboofarang]

Just a small point of order, but you might want to change the wording. Visa runs are not being outlawed . . .border runs to get another 30 days on a permit to stay pass are being outlawed.

People with bonafide tourist visas have nothing to worry about.

my visa run is to Osmack up near Surin

BanKruad

I go there some times when i am to lazy to go to sydney to get a 90 day visa

on a penison I can only stay for 90days

up the problem is the camboidan entry visa takes up 1 page in the passport

1 page for 20 minutes in camboida

1200 bath for the visa and 300 bath for not staying in camboida for 3 days

so 1500 for a visa

i guess you will be able to make a visa in the new airport

every time I come in to Thailand the place is clossed but many sitting inside

TIT this is Thiland

[womble]

This is only going to effect low income people and illegal workers. First time visitors it doesn't harm as they will be able to get the visa a couple of time, by which time they would have learnt the correct channels to go through.

I think we're gonna see some divers and english teachers heading home soon.

[ace]

It was a tough call, but I voted in support. I have usually relied on the 30 day VOA, but this has made me actually take a look at the Thai embassy website and the legit options available and there's really quite a lot of good visas available.

And importantly this will allow (potentially) a better application of the law to stop the many undesirables who wash up on the shores of LoS.

[bkkmadness]

Just a small point of order, but you might want to change the wording. Visa runs are not being outlawed . . .border runs to get another 30 days on a permit to stay pass are being outlawed.

People with bonafide tourist visas have nothing to worry about.

my visa run is to Osmack up near Surin

BanKruad

I go there some times when i am to lazy to go to sydney to get a 90 day visa

on a penison I can only stay for 90days

up the problem is the camboidan entry visa takes up 1 page in the passport

1 page for 20 minutes in camboida

1200 bath for the visa and 300 bath for not staying in camboida for 3 days

so 1500 for a visa

i guess you will be able to make a visa in the new airport

every time I come in to Thailand the place is clossed but many sitting inside

TIT this is Thiland

The cost of the visa in baht is only 1000. And there is no charge for not staying in Cambodia, you got scammed for 300 baht. Don't tell me you bought the medical slip too?

[Jockstar]

Fortunately i am leaving the country in about 4 weeks and have no need to get another visa. I dont do the visa run every month. NO IDEA WHY PEOPLE DO THIS! Well actually i do. But i cant understand why they dont go to a country near by and get a real visa that is good for 3-6 or 9 months in theory.

[Ulysses G.]

I just got another one year working visa so it would be easy to sit back on my fat behind and pretend that this doesn't apply to me, but it does.

This is a drastic step, and one could find that next year when one goes to renue their visa, the rules have been tightened to the point that one is forced out of the country along with our back-packer friends.

Don't be too smug!

[Boon Mee]

rules have been tightened to the point that one is forced out of the country along with our back-packer friends.

Where's DJ Pat and his thoughts on Backpackers...?

[Ulysses G.]

rules have been tightened to the point that one is forced out of the country along with our back-packer friends.

Where's DJ Pat and his thoughts on Backpackers...?

Isn't he over on loser.com?

[chuchok]

I just got another one year working visa so it would be easy to sit back on my fat behind and pretend that this doesn't apply to me, but it does.

This is a drastic step, and one could find that next year when one goes to renue their visa, the rules have been tightened to the point that one is forced out of the country along with our back-packer friends.Don't be too smug!

Interesting.A friend of mine in NZ, has grown a business around backpackers.he is now filthy rich.

[jdinasia]

It was a tough call, but I voted in support. I have usually relied on the 30 day VOA, but this has made me actually take a look at the Thai embassy website and the legit options available and there's really quite a lot of good visas available.

And importantly this will allow (potentially) a better application of the law to stop the many undesirables who wash up on the shores of LoS.

Ummm what would keep those same undesirables from doing whatever you plan to do?

[Ulysses G.]

I just got another one year working visa so it would be easy to sit back on my fat behind and pretend that this doesn't apply to me, but it does.

This is a drastic step, and one could find that next year when one goes to renue their visa, the rules have been tightened to the point that one is forced out of the country along with our back-packer friends.Don't be too smug!

Interesting.A friend of mine in NZ, has grown a business around backpackers.he is now filthy rich.

If it is retail, they must make the back-packers shop naked. Too many of them will nick anything that isn't chained down!

[GuestHouse]

Perhaps the reason for the unfounded attacks on backpackers is envy.

The vast majority of backpackers I've met are middle class, well educated and generally well off. A significant number are young professional people who having established their careers take a year off funded by savings and income from property.

[Jockstar]

Don't start people on here regarding Backpackers. Just read DJ Pats thread from a couple of years ago.

[COBBER]

Providing the nearby consulates keep isueing Tourist Visas this policy change does not stop those that were doing the 30 days visa runs from remaining here.

Its just the uncertainty and continual policy changes that have everybody up in arms.

[siddv]

I don't undestand why this is just being viewed as "visa runs" I work and live in the USA and visit my Gf and her family numerous timesper year. We are in the midts of buying a home and while I am still working had hoped to by making at least 6/7 trips per year for visits and enjoy my home. Now what? I can probably get the Visa for my late October visist but then may not be able to visit in December for the holidays? (I have more than 3 entries in the past 6 months) This absolutey sucks if I'm understanding this ridiculou lnew law.

[COBBER]

Perhaps the reason for the unfounded attacks on backpackers is envy.

The vast majority of backpackers I've met are middle class, well educated and generally well off. A significant number are young professional people who having established their careers take a year off funded by savings and income from property.

Agread. If your doing extended travelling instead of just staying at 1 or 2 places it makes much more sense to use a backpack rather than lugging around huge suitcases, regardless of your mode of transport or quality of accomodation.

Edited September 12, 2006 by COBBER

[lung]

only a update

(for the 33% )

News from the new regulation:

This is coming from the Chief of Immigration.

1.Retirement Visa extension. If you have a foreign married spouse who is a dependent they will be able to get this dependent visa now. ( change of what has been happing the last couple weeks)

2.Retirement visa extension: If you have children under 20. They will no longer be able to get a dependent visa based on you having an extension of stay on retirement. They want these kids to get it based on education so they go to school.

3..Investment Visa extension: Will no longer be available after Oct 1st for new applicants on 3 million Baht.

4. Investment visa extension. For existing extension of stay holders of 3 million Baht, we are now being told this will now be grandfathered in and they will be able to get the extension forever as long as they renew. (Yes I know reversal from several hours ago but the government is aware that people bought condos before on this scheme and now will allow it.)

5.Now the news for frequent visitors: We have checked this upwards and backwards all day and it has been confirmed by a copy of the new regulation we have. If you have a visa on arrival more than three times in six months, you cannot come into Thailand without a visa from an Embassy/Consulate. When you enter Thailand, even if you are here just 1 hour, this counts as 30 days. If you come back 6 weeks later for 2 days, this again is 30 days. If you arrive a month later for 4 days, still counts as 30 days. When you leave, you cannot enter Thailand for 3.5 months without coming back with a visa. The reason is to force people who are supposed to have work permits to do so and pay tax.

Another example; you arrive for a week, this counts as 30 days, One month later 3 days and its 30 days, two months later and its for a two week period, still another 30 days. You can reenter Thailand in 6 weeks without having a visa.

6.On extension of stay based support of a Thai national (Marriage visa), before if you applied for this extension of stay, you would get a 30 day consideration stamp. Once you return in 30 days you would get the one year extension. Now it will be the same as an extension of stay based on business with the norm of three 30 day consideration stamps. Immigration will go out and check to see if it’s a real marriage or a sham before issuing the one year.

7.On an extension of stay based on being a Monk. No dependents will be allowed to get an extension of stay based on being a dependent.

http://www.sunbeltasiagroup.com

Edited September 12, 2006 by lung

[Oishi]

Given the huge number of people who viewed and commented on the news that the government are planning to close the loop hole by which people remain in Thailand on tourist visas by making constant visa runs, I thought it might be interesting to gauge the impact on TV members.

Interesting vote but some might think beyond there own situation here and now.

Some issues have already been brought up on other posts, but let’s round up a few more, since clearly the politicians of this caretaker government haven’t had the time - or something else to do the same:

Who else will be affected by this sudden decision?

1. Visa run operators – let’s not forget that these companies actually conducts a legitimate business – transporting people from A-B-A.

2. Border towns like Aranyaprathet will again become a dull and boring town,

already on the low end of receiving any funds from the government.

3. Airline companies: Clearly they are already suffering and to implement a new system to check if all passengers are legal to enter Thailand is a costly affair.

4. Outsourcing companies in Thailand be it software, call centres or similar.

Customers from abroad will not be able to enter Thailand more than a few times with a space of 90 days between the visits or only if the obtain a visa at a Thai consulate or embassy before entry. Forget that use Bangalore, Malaysia or Cambodia instead.

5. Mobile operators will see a decrease in roaming, mobile rent and customers using there network. To bad since all of them was counting on revenue on that.

6. Entertainment venues – forgive me but partying with 50+ year old dudes is just not the same.

7. Kids and education: A Thai teacher will teach English, French or Japanese and we all know what that sounds like – “Me s-speak angit very much”.

8. Police, immigration officers and other similar officials will loose some...a lot of the “500 baht” customers.

9. Foodland, Tops, Carrefour, Tesco Lotus: No customers for the French bread, Danish cheese and so on.

10. Sunbelt: Will soon see an increase of bars, diving shops, beauty salons on their broker webpage but no buyers. You know the story: A good investment has become available since the owner suddenly had to move overseas.

11. Landlords obviously and real estates brokers, contractors, architects.

Forget about building new condos or housings close to the airport.

12. True move, CS Loxinfo, TOT and other internet providers will loose a lot of those customers buying the biggest so called broadband package they have.

13. UBC-TV: With many of the bars closing so will the expensive sports package.

14. McDonald, Pizza Company, KFC and other delivery services will see customers disappear.

15. Beer Chang…come on, no Thai drinks that 

16. Most companies selling garments in size XL

17. Hatari the famous fan maker a must for most foreigners

18. Thais who has moved abroad and started a new life: Coming to Thailand to see the family getting a 30 day tourist stamp.

19. Thais spouses and kids of foreigners: Mom! Where is dad? Oh honey he had to leave for 90 days. Don’t worry it wont affect you later in your adult life.

20. This forum: Some of the banners on this page will be affected.

21: You can fill out the list yourself

In all a bad idea that might look swell on a PowerPoint presentation at the TRT headquarter, but on the bottom-line will cost Thailand more in the years to come in social expenses, than they will ever get from a few teachers paying tax.

Remember the daily advertisement in Thai TV: Thailand one people one country?

Well only if you have a NON B or NON O, married or over 50 years old.

Don’t get me wrong I do pay tax and I do think people staying here and doing any job or business shall pay tax – including the Prime Minister himself.

I have a business, a visa and work permit, I am married to a Thai, but below 50 years old…yes both of us 

But the least they could do was to inform of the idea, give those people time, people who have invested millions in the country. But is seems lately that the caretaker government has seen the writing on the wall and trying to make as much damage before their own ending is coming.

But this is a typical TRT decision, to punish the few – we will spray on all of them.

My thought goes to those people who lost everything a couple of years ago, building the restaurant, small shop or guest house back from nothing. And now the government is giving you - not a hand, but the finger saying: Go home!

Isn’t that sweet of them…Thai hospitality?

[Big Dogster]

Just a small point of order, but you might want to change the wording. Visa runs are not being outlawed . . .border runs to get another 30 days on a permit to stay pass are being outlawed.

People with bonafide tourist visas have nothing to worry about.

bonafide tourists will not go out of their way to get visas prior to coming here after not having problems prior. The second they hear of anyone getting turned away at a border, they will make other plans in a more friendly country

[Big Dogster]

This is only going to effect low income people and illegal workers. First time visitors it doesn't harm as they will be able to get the visa a couple of time, by which time they would have learnt the correct channels to go through.

I think we're gonna see some divers and english teachers heading home soon.

Total and 100% bullshit. I am an early retiree spending upwards of 200K baht per year and I know countless others in same situation. We will bail and Thailand loses big paying customers in mass and economy crashes.

[Big Dogster]

Fortunately i am leaving the country in about 4 weeks and have no need to get another visa. I dont do the visa run every month. NO IDEA WHY PEOPLE DO THIS! Well actually i do. But i cant understand why they dont go to a country near by and get a real visa that is good for 3-6 or 9 months in theory.

Those visas will be finished too, smart guy

[Big Dogster]

I just got another one year working visa so it would be easy to sit back on my fat behind and pretend that this doesn't apply to me, but it does.

This is a drastic step, and one could find that next year when one goes to renue their visa, the rules have been tightened to the point that one is forced out of the country along with our back-packer friends.

Don't be too smug!

Thanks UG, you have the right attitude, the smug people are morons and jackasses