Big Impact Expected From Tougher Visa Rules

[JGA]

>FYI, the Thais have backpedaled on grandfathering 3 million baht condo visas. If you gottee you

>gottee and will contine to receive your annual 1 yr visa. After 01/10/06 it's 10 million.

Yes, they have backpeddled, but only if you bought a 3+ million baht *NEW* condo. They are now starting to deny visa extensions to people who bought a second-hand condo, even though they've been renewing for many years already. When I bought my condo in BKK over three years ago, there basically weren't any new condos to purchase (and the only rule was that you had to buy from a Thai national). All of the new condos have been built in just the last couple of years. Every year, I have to give Immigration a copy of my condo deed. They've known since DAY ONE that I didn't buy the condo new, so why are they changing the rules on me after the fact. I'm not grandfathered at all!! My visa isn't up for renewal until next March, so at least I have a little time to figure out what I'm going to if I'm denied another extension. The ownership of my truck/motorcycle and having a Thai driver's license is also tied to me having a Non-Immigrant visa.

JGA

[John K]

I asked the missus yesterday what her opinion was. The response? Get ready for a huge crime wave once the visa runs etc. come to an end.

Could you clarify what she meant?

Crime wave in general because of the economoc impact, or crime wave targetted at the remaining farangs?

Actually I did not initially think of this myself but when it was mentioned to me it started to make sense.

Generally the Thais have no government safety net. Depending on how closely a Thais income is related to people that must now leave (For lack of a better term ex-expats). Hunger will drive the Thais. The remaining expats along with tourists will be seen as sources of easy money. Thaksin has taught them that. What ever method, out and out robbery, mugging, attempted extortion, the remaining non Thais will be a target.

There presently is not enough infrastructure to become employed in non tourist related work. Running a sewing machine for minimum wage will not cut it for many. There is little or no manufacturing in Thailand, most of that now is in China. Also China is doing it’s best to undercut the market to get market share. So the chances of manufacturing at any great level will never happen, and certainty not overnight like the new visa law.

Some may try to get into office work but the Thai education system will have failed them and they will never get past the interview with a paper education. Also there are not enough jobs there to fill the gap.

Some will no doubt turn to prostitution to make ends meet, but again with the reduced number of potential customers prostitution will become much less lucrative. Girls that were asking for 1000 ThB may end up settling for less than half of that. Once again economics 101 supply and demand.

I could list many more reasons but it comes down to everyone needs to eat. Hunger will drive people to do things out of their nature. We have all read about survival stories when 5 go in and 4 come out.

Also the people that would have planned to come here will be looking at other destinations because of the political uncertainty. Elections coming in high season, people seeing that Thaksin is making up bomb stories, TRT making threats and suggesting there will be violence if anti Thaksin protesters gather and or rally and so on. If I was tourist I would be hard pressed to choose Thailand in 2006 or 2007.

I don’t know what started the crime problem in Rio and I don’t know if it will get that bad, however if it does get bad I too will pack and go even that I have a non B and work permit.

I live in the Thong-lo section of Bangkok, and it’s not really viewed as a tourist area. But when the office in my apartment said 30% to 50% of the tenants have tourist visas, it looks that even this upcoming part of town will take a hit.

[grtaylor]

Thailand recently simplified the process for foreigners who want to become permanent residents. The amount of paperwork required has been slashed and the time involved reportedly cut from more than a year to about four months.

Will be very interested in hearing more about this.

Me too!

G

[kiakaha]

Good one Baz!

I have 2 friends that visit Thailand up to a dozen times a year, one of them is there now at a food conference.

One of them has a Thai wife and goes to Thailand with his wife as a " real tourist " as well as the business trips.

These guys are well educated and experts in thier fields. They travel throughout Asia but use Bangkok as a base.

They come from New Zealand wich is visa exempt!!!!

They dont spend "months on end in the kingdom" but they WILL be effected by these changes.

Well they can cry like babies and post useless comments on forums......

OR

they can adapt, identify an alternate course of action and act !

Business traveller friend : get an APEC card, 3 year multi entry, 90 day stay each entry

Married friend : get a 1 year multi entry Non Immigrant O Visa

Thanks in advance for thanking me for my free advice.

Edited September 17, 2006 by kiakaha

[Sunbelt Asia]

Hi All

This is my first post

I was coming to thai in Oct- Nov visiting friends, I was going to get a multi entry non immigrant visa in case i decided to stay for a longer period, I understood I could stay for 90days then leave and come back in. Will i still be able to do that as i would of already stayed my 90 days. is it still posible to leave and come back in to the country say 2 or 3 times so i can stay for the 12 months.

All help appreciated

Warwick

Yes. This is no problem to come and go even 300 times in a year as you have a visa.

www.sunbeltasiagroup.com

[dsfbrit]

Hi All

This is my first post

I was coming to thai in Oct- Nov visiting friends, I was going to get a multi entry non immigrant visa in case i decided to stay for a longer period, I understood I could stay for 90days then leave and come back in. Will i still be able to do that as i would of already stayed my 90 days. is it still posible to leave and come back in to the country say 2 or 3 times so i can stay for the 12 months.

All help appreciated

Warwick

Yes. This is no problem to come and go even 300 times in a year as you have a visa.

www.sunbeltasiagroup.com

But how will Warwick get a multi entry non immigrant visa ? does he does put 'I want to visit friends' on the application form or does he have to make up a story? Does this mean anyone who wants to come here and stay just gets this visa? Thanks for all your help by the way Sunbelt - appreciated by us all I can assure you!

[dereklev]

Sunbelt.............

Although I am not affected, at the moment, as I am on an extention of stay Non Imm 'O' support of Thai wife. I have many friends who are.

There is much confusion at present as to when the 90 day counting starts.

Can you explain this, is it 90 days from 1st October or is it 90 days from date of arrival at the airport????

As an example I have a friend who arrived 2nd July did border runs end 1st August and 1st September. Is he out on the 1st October? Can he make ONE more run on 1st October? Or can he do 3 more runs 1st Oct/Nov/Dec?

Or maybe it is yet another permutation!!!

Sincere apologies if you have already answered this somewhere. There are just so many threads running with contradictory and conflicting info that it is hard to keep track!

[tjo o tjim]

I'll admit Thailand should do something to fix their system. The current system gives incentives to stay below the radar rather than becomming "legit."

Personally, my wife and I have spent around $35,000 over the past 10 months in Thailand. We live a pretty good life, don't get me wrong-- but we think of ourselves as model (long-term) tourists. I have a business back in the US, and do work for it on a day-to-day basis, and make a trip back every couple months. I don't consider myself as working in Thailand (on advice of legal counsel), and think I do a ###### good job of contributing money into the real economy (as opposed to the fake real economy, property).

We haven't set up a business here because it doesn't make business sense. We haven't invested money here for a longer visa because we live primarily off our investments and the ROI here is too low. We aren't eligible for retirement visas.

If Thailand's real goal is to improve transparency (a legitamate goal-- properly classify tourists and workers), then Immigration isn't the place to start.

Now, for people complaining about teachers and divers being cheap, stingy letches, I will admit to working illegally in the dive industry five or six years ago. Had it not been for that experience (as a cheap, underpaid, stingy letch), I would have never come back to Thailand, nor would we have become the advocates for the country that we are.

As for numerous comparisons to US policy, having gone through that process for my wife, I must say that it gives much more leeway than anything in Thailand. Coming in for six months is easy on a visa waiver, although you will get pulled out of the queue after that. No system is perfect, and it needs to build in enough lienence to accommodate the imperfections. Unfortunately, Thailand hasn't figured out that part yet.

We'll be leaving Thailand in a couple months. This all just makes things not worth the effort. Chok Di.

[Colonel_Mustard]

Personally I think that those suggesting financial meltdown and crime waves are going a bit over the top.

Obviously a large number of people will be affected in one way or another but most should be able to find a solution to stay here if they wish.

This move may will hopefully force employers to do the right thing and get non-immigration B visas and work permits for their foreign staff. Those that don't fall into any particular visa category would appear to be able to stay in Thailand with tourist visas.

Losing a few thousand foreign residents may well have a minor short term impact on the economy as a whole but the foreign resident population in Thailand has grown rapidly in the last 10 years and will continue to grow but maybe just a bit more slowly.

[CM451]

G

et off your high horse and stop feeling so superior to the citizens of this country. Simple get the proper visa, get legal, or if that is too much for you or cannot otherwise be done..... get out, go somewhere where you can drink in peace.

[/color]

I agree there are some high horses around. Why would a name like ThaiVisa.com be a good choice for a forum name in Thailand? The fact that border runs are the way things are is because it has been beneficial to Thailand. Many Other countries allow the same process for the same reasons. Why would you blame people for taking the path of least resistance when dealing with a government?

Obviously, some officials (with the power to do so) have decided it is no longer beneficial for Thailand to allow infinite border runs. Some of the foreigners living here will be affected others won't this time. But we should all have a little empathy and keep track which way the wind is blowing.

Summing up, a policy that has been in place for a long time was canceled, 2 weeks notice given to people who have been using a perfectly legitimate process to stay in Thailand. A few years ago many of them would have been receiving longer term non-immigrant visas but times are changing.

IMO, Yes, get right with the new rules and expect the rules to continue to change. And oh yes.... don't buy a house..... And good luck.

[britmaveric]

I agree with Bendix,

What we might see is some of the 5000 bars in Pattaya closing. I am not Pattaya bashing as I live there and love the place but hey, a child living in the city can not walk to a public school without passing a bar and seeing a Happy Hour 9am to 5pm sign and some farang in there at 9am drinking a beer for 35 bt then coming home after school and seeing the same farang. What kind of picture does that paint for a child.

What does someone (farang or thai) having a drink in a bar have to do with a child?? Nought and certainly doesnt have anything to do with visa(s).

[taxexile]

when children observe adult behaviour patterns on a regular basis it becomes the 'norm' to them.

a child who watches adults smoke cigarettes all day every day will see nothing wrong in adopting that behaviour.

a young girl exposed regularly to the antics of beer bar greeters or go go girls will see that as normal female behaviour.

kids seeing adults in beer bars or pubs sucking on beer bottles all day will have the wrong message imprinted into their heads and when those adults are falangs then the association becomes extremely negative indeed.

these places should be away from schools , preferably strictly zoned , and not open to the street.

[angusandtj]

I agree with Bendix,

What we might see is some of the 5000 bars in Pattaya closing. I am not Pattaya bashing as I live there and love the place but hey, a child living in the city can not walk to a public school without passing a bar and seeing a Happy Hour 9am to 5pm sign and some farang in there at 9am drinking a beer for 35 bt then coming home after school and seeing the same farang. What kind of picture does that paint for a child.

What does someone (farang or thai) having a drink in a bar have to do with a child?? Nought and certainly doesnt have anything to do with visa(s).

Good point. It has absolutely nothing to do with it. Besides, I think he needs to get his facts straight. For starters, the child wouldn't be able to read the sign in English. Also, how could he walk to school and see a farang drinking a beer at 9am when all schools in Thailand start before 9am? Explain that one to me. Lastly, it would probably paint a similar picture to the one they see practically every day at home and at friends homes when they see their family and family friends sucking down beer and whiskey at any time of day or night and then jumping on their motorcycle and driving off somewhere, often with the child he is talking aboout sitting on the back or front of the motorcycle. What kind of picture does that paint?

Edited September 17, 2006 by angusandtj

[John K]

when children observe adult behaviour patterns on a regular basis it becomes the 'norm' to them.

a child who watches adults smoke cigarettes all day every day will see nothing wrong in adopting that behaviour.

a young girl exposed regularly to the antics of beer bar greeters or go go girls will see that as normal female behaviour.

kids seeing adults in beer bars or pubs sucking on beer bottles all day will have the wrong message imprinted into their heads and when those adults are falangs then the association becomes extremely negative indeed.

these places should be away from schools , preferably strictly zoned , and not open to the street.

This is Asia, insurance companies don’t insist you wrap yourself in 3 feet of foam rubber. It is simply part of the atmosphere of getting away from the restrictions of the west that makes it so exciting for some, but we are getting off topic.

Edited September 17, 2006 by John K

[britmaveric]

when children observe adult behaviour patterns on a regular basis it becomes the 'norm' to them.

a child who watches adults smoke cigarettes all day every day will see nothing wrong in adopting that behaviour.

a young girl exposed regularly to the antics of beer bar greeters or go go girls will see that as normal female behaviour.

kids seeing adults in beer bars or pubs sucking on beer bottles all day will have the wrong message imprinted into their heads and when those adults are falangs then the association becomes extremely negative indeed.

these places should be away from schools , preferably strictly zoned , and not open to the street.

Tax - last I checked thats what Parents are for - teach their lil ones. Do as you are told, not what you see.

Anyways I don't think most people who frequent those spots are up at 9am - more like afternoon.

[kokotorrio]

Big impact expected from tougher visa-free entry rules

BANGKOK: -- The days of foreign visitors doing endless "border runs" in order to live - and often work - in Thailand are over, the Immigration Police announced yesterday.

The Kingdom will tighten its immigration rules for tourists who exploit visa-free regulations, starting from the end of the month.

The move will affect tens of thousands of visitors from 41 countries who have been allowed to stay in Thailand for up to 30 days without a visa - often for many months or years.

The 41 visa-exempt countries include Australia, the United Kingdom, Canada, France, Germany, Japan and the United States.

Tourists have been able to extend their stay by travelling to neighbouring countries - Cambodia, Malaysia, Laos and Burma - and returning with a further 30-day entry stamp.

But new rules have been issued because an increasing number of tourists have stayed for extended periods - without paying proper amounts of tax. This has also helped them avoid close scrutiny by authorities here and in their homeland.

"We are trying to make it more difficult for bad people to get in," Immigration Police chief Lt General Suwat Thamrongsrisakul said at a press conference yesterday.

"I don't think it's going to hurt good people because they can apply for a tourist visa [in their homeland]," he said.

The move is expected to have a big impact on the foreign community and some sectors such as teaching and diving, plus places where there are many bars run by foreigners, such as Pattaya and Chiang Mai.

From October 1, tourists from the 41 visa-exempt countries may still enter Thailand without visas and stay for up to 30 days, but they will only be able to extend their stay here two times - that is, for a maximum of 90 days.

And tourists who stay for 90 days must leave the Kingdom for at least 90 days before being permitted to re-enter Thailand.

Suwat denied the crackdown was related to the arrest in Bangkok last month of John Mark Karr, the American teacher who was thought to have been involved in the high-profile JonBenet Ramsey murder case. He said there were many reasons that extended back for a long period.

Suwat conceded the move may cause some problems, but said "maybe we have to do something to make it better [later]".

However, if foreigners wanted to work here they should get a work visa, he said.

A source added: "Under the current rules, people from these countries can stay in Thailand for as long as they want. Some even stay here for one year. Many work illegally in Thailand."

Instead of sightseeing, these tourists have taken advantage of the visa exemption by getting married to Thai women "for reasons other than love", and have conducted business here. Many of them have not paid tax.

The immigration move is a hot topic among foreign residents, and comes at a time when many are fearful about possible changes in regard to firms with local nominees.

Hundreds of comments were logged on local Web boards within hours of the Immigration Department press conference. Some said foreigners should abandon Thailand for neighbouring countries, while others predicted it might force school bosses to pay foreign teachers a proper wage or cause a boom in men wanting to marry Thai women.

Most believed the move could cost Thailand a small fortune.

Meanwhile, plans are under way to simplify the process for foreign teachers to work here as the current system requires 13 separate steps, which take many months to complete.

Heads of international schools have been meeting with the Immigration Department to try to simplify the process.

Thailand recently simplified the process for foreigners who want to become permanent residents. The amount of paperwork required has been slashed and the time involved reportedly cut from more than a year to about four months.

Last year Thailand tightened its immigration rules for South Asian tourists, who were allowed to apply for visas on arrival that permitted them to stay for 30 days. Many of them took advantage by travelling to neighbouring countries and returning to get a new visa on arrival at the airport.

Under the new rules, they are allowed to obtain a visa on arrival only twice from neighbouring countries. They are then required to return to their country of origin to obtain an entry visa to Thailand.

Jim Pollard

-- The Nation 2006-09-16

Here is the new rules from Oct 1, 2006

So my question is :

I have arrived on the 10th of september in Thailand with a 60 day tourist-visa, how many visa runs can i do, and can later i go get a new tourist-visa in a neighbouring country?

I use to stay in Thailand for about six or seven months (of course i don´t work in Thailand) and after i go back to Spain for about 4 or 5 months and work there.

How would i be able to do something similar? I don´t mind going to Malasya, Laos for a few weeks or a month. Can i get then get a new 2 months tourist-visa?

Marcel

[threelegcowboy]

The RED STAMP is here now!

I posted several days ago about a red stamp issued to a friend and now I hear of another. This is a preview of what is about to happen. They are not going to strand anybody at the airport or the boarder with too many 30 day stamps.

My prediction on available knowledge is:

Oct 1 immigration at all entrys will look into incomming passports and make a quick decision about how many stamps the holder has. When they are over the limit they will be given a RED STAMP put in a profound spot (like the first page). This RED STAMP says " Upon exiting Thailand you MAY NOT be permitted to reenter"

So this person would have a month and maybe an extension to go pack his bags or try to get another type of Visa.

HOPE THIS HELPS THOSE IN NEED.

LLL

[bendix]

Bendix and nuffsaid, get off of your high horses and get into the street level of this thing.

LMAO.

No, I like the view from my high horse, thank you.

[mark lamai]

does this attractive red stamp say NEVER or Wait for 90 days?

[chuchok]

when children observe adult behaviour patterns on a regular basis it becomes the 'norm' to them.

a child who watches adults smoke cigarettes all day every day will see nothing wrong in adopting that behaviour.

a young girl exposed regularly to the antics of beer bar greeters or go go girls will see that as normal female behaviour.

kids seeing adults in beer bars or pubs sucking on beer bottles all day will have the wrong message imprinted into their heads and when those adults are falangs then the association becomes extremely negative indeed.

these places should be away from schools , preferably strictly zoned , and not open to the street.

Tax - last I checked thats what Parents are for - teach their lil ones. Do as you are told, not what you see.

Anyways I don't think most people who frequent those spots are up at 9am - more like afternoon.

Well that just doesn't happen that much in reality.If a young kid sees this type of thing all the time, they can be told untill they are black and blue in the face and many will still end up thinking that this behaviour is ok.

[Big Dogster]

when children observe adult behaviour patterns on a regular basis it becomes the 'norm' to them.

a child who watches adults smoke cigarettes all day every day will see nothing wrong in adopting that behaviour.

a young girl exposed regularly to the antics of beer bar greeters or go go girls will see that as normal female behaviour.

kids seeing adults in beer bars or pubs sucking on beer bottles all day will have the wrong message imprinted into their heads and when those adults are falangs then the association becomes extremely negative indeed.

these places should be away from schools , preferably strictly zoned , and not open to the street.

What's all that got to do with the visa situation. You should take that to the family forum

[britmaveric]

Well that just doesn't happen that much in reality.If a young kid sees this type of thing all the time, they can be told untill they are black and blue in the face and many will still end up thinking that this behaviour is ok.

It did with my parents and most everyone I know. Mind you thats the problems these days - Parents not up to snuff, and blame on it on society instead of themselves. Anyways this has nought to do with visas, so its pointless arguement.

[taxexile]

No, I like the view from my high horse, thank you.

the perfect answer. spot on.

[angusandtj]

In a perfect world the view from your high horse may indeed look good. The fact is though that the Thai government does does look after the average Thai citizen that barely scrapes by. The wealthy here will survive as always but the poor will become poorer as there is less money to be passed down their way and jobs will be lost. This will happen and these people will have to survive somehow. Someone said earlier in this thread that the tourist industry only accounts for 17% of the GDP for Thailand and this small amount of money that will be lost will not be significant. Are you kidding?!?! If even 5% of that were taken away the results would be tremendous. Thailand is a third world country in case some of you have forgotten. Try taking away even a small amount of money from someone that can barely pay their bills and ask them if it willl effect them. Most Thais have to borrow money at exorbitant interest rates at one time or another just to scrape by. These people are not thriving and rolling around on the floor giggling with all of their money. Look at it from their point of view sitting on the floor eating their daily staple of rice and ??? while you and your high horse are deciding what you'd like to eat tonight.

Edited September 17, 2006 by angusandtj

[Colonel_Mustard]

Someone said earlier in this thread that the tourist industry only accounts for 17% of the GDP for Thailand and this small amount of money that will be lost will not be significant. Are you kidding?!?! If even 5% of that were taken away the results would be tremendous.

The tourist industry is hardly going to be affected though. I personally can't see that people who will leave because of this account for 5% of GDP. Those that do leave will soon be replaced by others coming in.

[angusandtj]

Someone said earlier in this thread that the tourist industry only accounts for 17% of the GDP for Thailand and this small amount of money that will be lost will not be significant. Are you kidding?!?! If even 5% of that were taken away the results would be tremendous.

The tourist industry is hardly going to be affected though. I personally can't see that people who will leave because of this account for 5% of GDP. Those that do leave will soon be replaced by others coming in.

I don't know about you, but I spend almost as much living here as when I was a "good tourist" and I'm sure I'm not the only one. There will be others that come here to vacation but who will help the Thais during the low season after a huge portion of the "bad tourists" have left?

Edited September 17, 2006 by angusandtj

[threelegcowboy]

does this attractive red stamp say NEVER or Wait for 90 days?

I am taking it that it IS NOT A LIFETIME BLACKBALL. It implys that on your exit you should wait 90 days or go get a visa.

LLL

Edited September 17, 2006 by threelegcowboy

[Colonel_Mustard]

Someone said earlier in this thread that the tourist industry only accounts for 17% of the GDP for Thailand and this small amount of money that will be lost will not be significant. Are you kidding?!?! If even 5% of that were taken away the results would be tremendous.

The tourist industry is hardly going to be affected though. I personally can't see that people who will leave because of this account for 5% of GDP. Those that do leave will soon be replaced by others coming in.

I don't know about you, but I spend almost as much living here as when I was a "good tourist" and I'm sure I'm not the only one. There will be others that come here to vacation but who will help the Thais during the low season after that a huge portion of the "bad tourists" have left?

No doubt tourist numbers will continue to increase as will people looking to live in Thailand on retirement/marriage/work visas.

[zeusbheld]

when children observe adult behaviour patterns on a regular basis it becomes the 'norm' to them.

a child who watches adults smoke cigarettes all day every day will see nothing wrong in adopting that behaviour.

a young girl exposed regularly to the antics of beer bar greeters or go go girls will see that as normal female behaviour.

kids seeing adults in beer bars or pubs sucking on beer bottles all day will have the wrong message imprinted into their heads and when those adults are falangs then the association becomes extremely negative indeed.

these places should be away from schools , preferably strictly zoned , and not open to the street.

Tax - last I checked thats what Parents are for - teach their lil ones. Do as you are told, not what you see.

Anyways I don't think most people who frequent those spots are up at 9am - more like afternoon.

Well that just doesn't happen that much in reality.If a young kid sees this type of thing all the time, they can be told untill they are black and blue in the face and many will still end up thinking that this behaviour is ok.

it amazes me that adults assume children are completely incapable of thinking for themselves. children are smarter than adults give them credit for. more often than not, they are smarter than adults.

Edited September 17, 2006 by zeusbheld

[zeusbheld]

I think I fall into a category mentioned above, where I work outside Thailand, but come back into the country every other month, for about 25 days. ...

Is this not EXACTLY what they are trying to stop, LIVING and WORKING in Thailand, not paying tax, no work permit and 15 years on 30 days stamps?

apparently your skill at reading EXACTLY equals your skill at using the quote boxes so generously provided by the web forum--that is to say, nonexistent.

I have read so many of these threads in the past few days, the message is so, so clear - get legal and get a visa, or end stay in LOS.

given your dazzling display of reading skills (see above) i doubt you could accurately glean a message from reading *anything*.

Try being a Thai going overseas (especially UK, US and Australia) and just 'living' there. These three consulates are merciless, I know from personal experience sponsoring partner to go to UK, we had to show an opngoing relationship (2 years), land titles in Thailand, money in the bank, paid airfares, that we had accomodation in the UK, that she had previously travelled with me (yes, they checked my passport and hers for corresponding stamps!!!!!).

is your girlfriend a bargirl? mine got a 10-year tourist visa to visit the US quite easily, on her own, before she was my girlfriend. biggest challenge was the long line apparently.

Just in case anyone thinks I am harsh here,

not harsh, just a bit dim.

I make a trip once a year to the UK to renew my NON - B, even although I have a REAL work permit, with thai employees, and I am paying tax, and so are the employees as well as social fund, etc.

what if they decide that the real problem is foreigners *working* in thailand? or married to thais? or foreign part-ownership of chain stores (oops they're already playing with that one). i for one eagerly await your law-and-order rant on that occasion.

So, no excuses, it can be done. Lots of others on this forum are doing exactly the same, complying with the law and applying for and receiving legal visas.

please ACTUALLY READ the posts you pretend to reply to, k? no excuses, it can be done. having mastered the visa process you obviously have the raw brain power to do so, even if you keep it well hidden.

Also, read the comment from Immigration carefully - there is no problem getting a visa in your home country. That is what they are trying to force, not Penang, KL, Vientiane, etc HOME COUNTRY, that way the 'bad guys' don't get back out!!!!!

so what exactly are pseudo-moralists like you gonna do if and when you find out that this new policy is all election-time glad-handling and that the 'perpetual tourists' are given a workaround by the thai government? will the thai government have let you down? don't worry, it's obvious from the charm you've exhibited here that you'll still find a way to feel superior.

just don't base it on your reading comprehension, thanks, bye.

Edited September 17, 2006 by zeusbheld