Reports: Thai-Cambo border check points closed to visa runners with immediate effect

[pmugghc]

No more illegal tourists doing back to back border runs.

If you intend to stay in Thailand for an extended period you must apply for the correct visa.

But if they have not enough money for a retirement visa and no wife for a marriage visa and perhaps they do not want to work------- how can they stay here legally?

Unless you go on the Education visa route you can't stay in Thailand the whole time. There is no provision for it. I'd think most countries are the same (with exceptions like Schengen countries).

[KNJ]

Retirement visa - commitment to retire, spend money on the economy.

Marriage visa - commitment to live, spend money on the economy

5 year visa - commitment to live, spend money on the economy

Genuine Ed visa - commitment to live, spend money on the economy.

Tourist visa - commitment to holiday, spend money on the economy.

Fly by night, teachers ( variable qualifications) Non-Genuine Ed Visa, Digital nomads ( geeks?) Financial experts ( definitely no qualifications - the last guy I met did a 3 day course in Hong Kong) Those fallen in love ( forgotten that the pe**s is also used for Pi**ing, but don't have a pot to p**s in) - Do you honestly think that UK, Germany, USA, Australia Sweden en al; would let you in ( save for EU to EU country - and as of this morning Germany seems to want to limit that)

What is it with people that think the world has open borders for people to reside wherever they desire. It does not.

[hawker9000]

who would really want stay in thailand out of choice

ThaiVisa members who whine about everything in Thailand, but still can't find the exit door ?

Now isn't that a strange coincidence? Other ThaiVisa members whining about the things they read here, but with almost exactly same problem - can't find the scroll button. 'Sound like a kinship there?

Or maybe just a common remedy...

[BigBadGeordie]

Many of my friend from the UK come for 6 weeks, like I used to do years ago.. so a trip to the border is a must...

So know they have to fly somewhere ? or get a TR Visa before coming.? Thailand is not as cheap as it used to be, this will now add even more cost to their 6 weeks holiday.

Is it too onerous to get a single entry tourist visa which allows entry to Thailand for up to 60 days prior to arrival?

Turning to the additional expense, it's £25.00. Which is an additional cost per day, for a 6 week (42 day) holiday of 59 pence per day!

Gimme a break will you.

[mikiea]

more fallout cause of the bomber suspect crossing over??

this to shall pass as a thai wet burrito passes in the early evening ..........................

[alanrchase]

Many of my friend from the UK come for 6 weeks, like I used to do years ago.. so a trip to the border is a must...

So know they have to fly somewhere ? or get a TR Visa before coming.? Thailand is not as cheap as it used to be, this will now add even more cost to their 6 weeks holiday.

Is it too onerous to get a single entry tourist visa which allows entry to Thailand for up to 60 days prior to arrival?

Turning to the additional expense, it's £25.00. Which is an additional cost per day, for a 6 week (42 day) holiday of 59 pence per day!

Gimme a break will you.

Yes but that is 42 cans of Chang.

[ignis]

Many of my friend from the UK come for 6 weeks, like I used to do years ago.. so a trip to the border is a must...

So know they have to fly somewhere ? or get a TR Visa before coming.? Thailand is not as cheap as it used to be, this will now add even more cost to their 6 weeks holiday.

Is it too onerous to get a single entry tourist visa which allows entry to Thailand for up to 60 days prior to arrival?

Turning to the additional expense, it's £25.00. Which is an additional cost per day, for a 6 week (42 day) holiday of 59 pence per day!

Gimme a break will you.

It is just another expense + to go to the Thai Embassy = a all day job + an extra £10 fee for personal collection, here Hotels have gone up, Food gone up..

My Cousin used to come here, know it is a lot cheaper to go to Cuba, this year was there 2nd trip..

[BigBadGeordie]

O

Many of my friend from the UK come for 6 weeks, like I used to do years ago.. so a trip to the border is a must...

So know they have to fly somewhere ? or get a TR Visa before coming.? Thailand is not as cheap as it used to be, this will now add even more cost to their 6 weeks holiday.

Is it too onerous to get a single entry tourist visa which allows entry to Thailand for up to 60 days prior to arrival?

Turning to the additional expense, it's £25.00. Which is an additional cost per day, for a 6 week (42 day) holiday of 59 pence per day!

Gimme a break will you.

It is just another expense + to go to the Thai Embassy = a all day job + an extra £10 fee for personal collection, here Hotels have gone up, Food gone up..

My Cousin used to come here, know it is a lot cheaper to go to Cuba, this year was there 2nd trip..

I hope he enjoys his trips!

Or he could just pay the 1,900 Baht to get his visa exemption extended here.

That would reduce the addition expenditure to 49 Baht a day!

But I suppose that involves a trip to immigration, motorcyle taxi, cold drink a half day job etc etc.

As I said before, gimme a break!

Edited September 14, 2015 by BigBadGeordie

[Soutpeel]

He is not referring to tourists. He is referring to the loads of people abusing the system and working illegally in Thailand or trying to live here for extended periods without valid long stay visas (i.e. retirement visas, marriage visas, work permits).

1. i'm in my 40s so no retirement visa available

2. i don't need to work. i'm self-sufficient and if i ever were to work again it would be in the west (ie. western salary) and not thailand.

3. i'm not interested to engage with/marry a thai woman

so according to you people like me have no right to stay longterm in this country? i speak the language better than most clowns who married here or "work" here, i have genuine friends here (and not a bunch of parasites eating my cash). i've never been illegal in the country, i do things by the book (although i have been offered all kinds of solutions by the always friendly $mm$gration p€ople), but i deliberately am a longterm tourist which seems to annoy a certain type of people on TVF. is it jealousy? or plain bitterness... please enlight me. cheers.

Just do what I did, buy the 5 year visa. It's plain sailing all the way once you get that.

Of course you need to put your money where your mouth is with this option...

And if was really committed to Thailand he could spring for the full TE option and never have to bleat again

Been offed all kinds of solutions by immigration for ££££....but even with his outstanding Thai ability, genuine friends and obviously at one with his Thainess doesn't know about the TE program, which was implemented for such high standing people such as himself

[Soutpeel]

No more illegal tourists doing back to back border runs.

If you intend to stay in Thailand for an extended period you must apply for the correct visa.

But if they have not enough money for a retirement visa and no wife for a marriage visa and perhaps they do not want to work------- how can they stay here legally?

Unless you go on the Education visa route you can't stay in Thailand the whole time. There is no provision for it. I'd think most countries are the same (with exceptions like Schengen countries).

TE visas spring to mind, so not a question of can't, but more of a question of won't

[hendrixx]

I just came back from a visa run to Mae Sai last night (Sept 13, 2015), to start my 2nd entry on my 2-entry visa. Didn't have any problems and everything went smoothly. I did see that the had "No more visa runs" sign that freaked me out a bit, but I guess this is only if you don't have a visa already.

[WitekM]

I just came back from a visa run to Mae Sai last night (Sept 13, 2015), to start my 2nd entry on my 2-entry visa. Didn't have any problems and everything went smoothly. I did see that the had "No more visa runs" sign that freaked me out a bit, but I guess this is only if you don't have a visa already.

what if you went to thailand for 2-3 days and try to re-enter a month later for another couple of days? That would not be suspicious !

[Massilia06]

"Visa Renewal Services to Cambodia & Laos

Current news about illegal activities: we would like to thank Thai Immigration at Ban Laem and Nong Khai for always being helpful and considerate with persons leaving and entering Thailand. Our procedures are in line with Thai Immigration request and all of our customers will stamp in/out in person. As of now, our Services to Ban Laem and to Nong Khai commence as announced on this page. Thank you

Update 14th September 2015 @06:00am, valid Ban Laem Checkpoint.

Our TAT License 11-06684. Breaking News! Thai Immigration will allow travelers to stamp 15 or 30 day visa waiver stamp. Condition: travelers who did not stay 90 days on visa exempt in a calendar year. The time on Tourist Visa is not counted towards that 90 day allowance. People with valid Multiple Entry Thai Visa have no problem, it is OK to activate your second or third entry of a Tourist Visa or a valid Multiple Entry Non Immigrant Visa. Condition to leave Thailand if you have extension of stay based on Non B or Non ED visa, please check with us! "

[theguyfromanotherforum]

More chaos and confusion.

Maybe this is the start of the big overhaul of Immigration.

Why don't Immigration ever put out official news or statements?

Thanks Thai Visa, proving to be an invaluable information source again.

Those who do the in/out visa runs could be up sh1t creek because of this.

Come ooooonnnnnnn....

I is more than 6 month since Immigration announced that they would no longer allow visa runners.......

Exactly. And now some certain people whining around instead of taking care to get a proper visa in this six months. And also complaining about no law enforcement in general but when they do it doesn't fit them...

My god. I'm going to get married soon and will have a long term visa. If I ever spout nonsense like this please ban me.

[Yme]

"Visa Renewal Services to Cambodia & Laos

Current news about illegal activities: we would like to thank Thai Immigration at Ban Laem and Nong Khai for always being helpful and considerate with persons leaving and entering Thailand. Our procedures are in line with Thai Immigration request and all of our customers will stamp in/out in person. As of now, our Services to Ban Laem and to Nong Khai commence as announced on this page. Thank you

Update 14th September 2015 @06:00am, valid Ban Laem Checkpoint.

Our TAT License 11-06684. Breaking News! Thai Immigration will allow travelers to stamp 15 or 30 day visa waiver stamp. Condition: travelers who did not stay 90 days on visa exempt in a calendar year. The time on Tourist Visa is not counted towards that 90 day allowance. People with valid Multiple Entry Thai Visa have no problem, it is OK to activate your second or third entry of a Tourist Visa or a valid Multiple Entry Non Immigrant Visa. Condition to leave Thailand if you have extension of stay based on Non B or Non ED visa, please check with us! "

The original story I posted before has also been updated as from as of a few hours ago with similar information. Bomber Blame Game Sees Thailand Immigration Abruptly Change Visa Rules (Updated)

Update: This article was updated at 11.25 am on Sept 14, 2015: Thailand Immigration Bureau advises that visa exempt entry into Thailand has recommenced at all previously affected border crossings.

<snip>

At the time of writing AEC News Today has been unable to independently verify if the situation has returned to normal at all previously affected Thailand-Cambodia border crossings or the Phu Nam Ron/ Htee Khee border crossing at Kanchanaburi crossing into Myanmar

[ldiablo]

It's easy to blame your own incompetence on some other department as is the case with Somyot. Whenever I've went to Cambodia I have been stopped numberous times at various checkpoints manned by both military and police and they have never checked my bags have a quick glance at my passport and insist on commenting on the fact that they think I'm overweight.

Edited September 14, 2015 by ldiablo

[Jip99]

More chaos and confusion.

Maybe this is the start of the big overhaul of Immigration.

Why don't Immigration ever put out official news or statements?

Thanks Thai Visa, proving to be an invaluable information source again.

Those who do the in/out visa runs could be up sh1t creek because of this.

Come ooooonnnnnnn....

I is more than 6 month since Immigration announced that they would no longer allow visa runners.......

Exactly. And now some certain people whining around instead of taking care to get a proper visa in this six months. And also complaining about no law enforcement in general but when they do it doesn't fit them...

My god. I'm going to get married soon and will have a long term visa. If I ever spout nonsense like this please ban me.

If you are living here it is probably an extension based on marriage that you will be getting.

[Artisi]

No more illegal tourists doing back to back border runs.

If you intend to stay in Thailand for an extended period you must apply for the correct visa.

But if they have not enough money for a retirement visa and no wife for a marriage visa and perhaps they do not want to work------- how can they stay here legally?

They can't, and rightly so, try staying in America, Australia, NZ. and many other countries without enough money to support yourself - bye bye, and more importantly, why should they want you here.

[Yme]

It's easy to blame your own incompetence on some other department as is the case with Somyot. Whenever I've went to Cambodia I have been stopped numberous times at various checkpoints manned by both military and police and they have never checked my bags have a quick glance at my passport and insist on commenting on the fact that they think I'm overweight.

Interesting though yeah? No one else has raised the issue of the extra security checkpoints.

Sounds like they spoke to one really p*ssed off immigration cop.

According to one immigration official who spoke on the condition of anonymity as he was not authorised to speak to the media, he didn't want to get his nuts ripped off by Somyot or Prayut

[stickylies]

He is not referring to tourists. He is referring to the loads of people abusing the system and working illegally in Thailand or trying to live here for extended periods without valid long stay visas (i.e. retirement visas, marriage visas, work permits).

1. i'm in my 40s so no retirement visa available

2. i don't need to work. i'm self-sufficient and if i ever were to work again it would be in the west (ie. western salary) and not thailand.

3. i'm not interested to engage with/marry a thai woman

so according to you people like me have no right to stay longterm in this country? i speak the language better than most clowns who married here or "work" here, i have genuine friends here (and not a bunch of parasites eating my cash). i've never been illegal in the country, i do things by the book (although i have been offered all kinds of solutions by the always friendly $mm$gration p€ople), but i deliberately am a longterm tourist which seems to annoy a certain type of people on TVF. is it jealousy? or plain bitterness... please enlight me. cheers.

Just do what I did, buy the 5 year visa. It's plain sailing all the way once you get that.

Of course you need to put your money where your mouth is with this option...

And if was really committed to Thailand he could spring for the full TE option and never have to bleat again

Been offed all kinds of solutions by immigration for ££££....but even with his outstanding Thai ability, genuine friends and obviously at one with his Thainess doesn't know about the TE program, which was implemented for such high standing people such as himself

Ah, the not so intelligent TV ^Elite found its computer keyboard.

I never said I experience any problems staying here (i don't, sofar). I'm a longterm tourist (not retired, not working, not married) and sofar never needed an alternative spontaneously offered by immigration - eg. educational visas or sickness visas (sic) - nor did I have to abuse the system with ongoing overland in-out hops (which btw would only allow me 15 days and not 30). I simply replied that some of us stay here for extended periods without retirement visas, marriage visas, work permits (which apalink_thailand suggested are the only proper valid longstay visas).

And yes I know about TE and yes i could easily afford that and no i'm not interested because I don't know where I will be tomorrow. My solution is way cheaper too btw. Of course I can't feel special and impress others which is probably priceless for people like you

[Nice Boyd]

I just booked a Tourist Visa run for tomorrow in Pattaya,they raised the price from 1900 baht before this Debacle, now 2400baht for Cambodia Run,so it seems the border is open for tourist,marriage,will let u know tomorrow if allowed or not

Edited September 14, 2015 by Nice Boyd

[brewsterbudgen]

I just booked a Tourist Visa run for tomorrow in Pattaya,they raised the price from 1900 baht before this Debacle, now 2400baht for Cambodia Run,so it seems the border is open for tourist,marriage,will let u know tomorrow if allowed or not

If you have a visa it should be fine. It's multiple visa exempt entries they're stopping (temporarily).

[ukrules]

Many of my friend from the UK come for 6 weeks, like I used to do years ago.. so a trip to the border is a must...

So know they have to fly somewhere ? or get a TR Visa before coming.? Thailand is not as cheap as it used to be, this will now add even more cost to their 6 weeks holiday.

You can and should just get a single entry tourist visa and you're good to stay for 60 days, that's 8 and a half weeks without doing anything from arrival to departure.

This can then be extended for a further 30 days by visiting immigration if you really want the hassle.

[wcoast]

How would I find out about Mai Sai? I have a double entry tourist visa and im in CM. Need to go out and back in the next 10 days to activate it....

I live near Mae Sai, plan on going there today or tomorrow. I'll post regarding my findings. From my experience living in the area nothing has changed, but I will enquire at both the immigration office and border, and post the results.

Thanks very much

Everything is normal in Mae Sai

Sent from my SGH-I337M using Tapatalk

[elviajero]

Do you need 20.000 in cash or is there any way to prove your funds?

Visa exempt entry = 10k min

Tourist visa = 20k min

It's best to have cash but you should be ok with travellers cheques for some of it.

I tell you what the problem is. The problem is that you don't know what information to consider reliable. This is p#ssing me off so badly.

Did you know that the MFA Thai Website still states in FAQ that you can spend 90 days out of 180 days in Thailand max? Yes, that section of a government website was not updated since 2008.

So for tourist visa I'm clear, it says 20K. However, both elviajero and another user are right, because it is both 10k and 20k for visa exempt.

10k according to the MFA (Ministry of Foreign Affairs) and also the Immigration Website. Probably not updated.

20k according to lawyers visa websites.

Who to believe? You'd think the government websites right? Well you can't rely on them too much can you?

Although I'm not in a visa exempt situation, I would be curious to see what would come out of an argument between me and the IO, me telling him its 10k and him telling me its 20k because "he says so". I'd probably be left wondering in Cambodia no?

This is what I find frustrating. This is only an example of what makes people moan on this forum. Cheers to all of those guys saying the forum is full of negativity.

I understand your frustration but some people on this forum do know what they are talking about. Yes the 90/180 is still mentioned on the MFA site and also appears on the London Embassy website too. But I assure you it was repealed in 2008 and the websites are out of date.

Here is the link to the order repealing the 90/180 rule in favour of reducing border entries from 30 to 15 days. http://www.immigration.go.th/nov2004/doc/temporarystay/policy778-2551_en.pdf

G7 countries were later allowed allowed to go back to 30 days as detailed in this link.

http://www.immigration.go.th/nov2004/doc/services.pdf

Here is the full list for the amount of cash required. Sorry but I don't have an official link. These rates were set years ago but are rarely enforced.

• Transit Visa holder: Must hold minimum THB 10,000 per passenger or THB 20,000 per family.
• Tourist Visa holder: Must hold minimum THB 20,000 per passenger or THB 40,000 per family.
• Visa on Arrival: Must hold minimum THB 10,000 per passenger or THB 20,000 per family.
• Non Immigrant Visa holder: Must hold minimum THB 20,000 per passenger or THB 40,000 per family.

Anyone concerned about the amount they need should carry 20k then they have nothing to worry about.

[MeHere]

Hi Guys... Hope this is some comfort/benefit to some:

I was activating the second leg of my double-entry TR visa giving me 60 with the option for another 30 days after.

FYI I went in and out of Cambodia at Sa Kaew/Poi Pet within 30 minutes no problem.

I did enlist the help of the cattle herders at the parking lot, as I've never done this before and wanted it to go smoothly.

Cost THB1500 for the Cambodian visa and THB600 for super-quick in out stamps from Cambodian, THB100 for parking.Immigration. Gave the guy who filled in all my forms THB300 bringing the grand total to THB2500...

I probably could save a couple bucks if I did it myself, but really I just wanted to get the proverbial f#<k out of Dodge!

[GAZZPA]

Absolutely typical. They make a mockery of their own processes and security checks by taking back handers and turning a blind eye. All the time they are increasing their own personal wealth and when it all goes horribly wrong they close everything to make a statement that they have had enough! What a farce.

Well if the suspected bomber was let into the country with a backhander on a fake passport and he is proven to be guilty I hope the people who profited from the 20,000 baht are all for the firing line,,

[Nerone]

8 months ago in Chiangmai I sat across an Australian fugitive who was offering to sell education visa to my 2 expat friends. All he needed was the passport and a deposit money and he would enroll his clients in a specific language school and get them the proper immigration stamps. He claimed to be working in collaboration with high level Chiangmai Immigration officers. My friends didn't go with because they didn't trust him with the money but how many people would be prepared to pay this crook to stay a year instead of making the stressful journey to the Lao border every 3 months. This is just one form of corrupt practice by the Immigration Department that uses Farang accomplices as baits. What others are there?

Did he had a red porsche 924? i don't remember his name, is it this guy? https://www.facebook.com/nigel.d.wells?fref=ts

[chrissables]

No idea what all the fuzz is about. Get a legal visa, i.e. retirement, b, or marriage visa! Stop whining if they clamp down on cheap Charly flip flop and Batik clothes wearing idiots (working illegally as tour guides, touts, dive masters, drug dealers, fraudsters, forgers, etc.) who think that doing a visa run every 30 days will flawlessly work forever. I pay a lot of money to keep my tax papers, visa and work permit in order, pay employees, their social insurance, etc.... Why should anyone else have it the easy, illegal and cheap way?

A 30 visa on arrival is legal!

Who is working illegally?

What you pay has no meaning at all to people who are staying within the law.

6,000 baht for a year visa and work permit is a lot???

So by your deluded maths, a visa runner who pays (for example) 2,000 baht per month is is paying more than three times more than you!

Not only reading skills but the ability of contemplating and understanding a full sentence would help you to get out of that tiny, pityful box you must live in.

Here the sentence for you again, in bold, so you can find where it starts and where it ends since you seem to have problems with that: I pay a lot of money to keep my tax papers, visa and work permit in order, pay employees, their social insurance, etc...

On top of it all I provide jobs for 7 Thai and 6 Burmese workers, all paid every 1st of the month in full plus expenses, social insurance and visa etc. for our Burmese employees.

Your turn!

Interesting that you don't answer regarding the legality of 30 day visa's, and who is working illegally.

You stated the cost of the work permit and visa which is insignificant compared the costs the "cheap charlies" pay to to stay here.

You did not state how many employees you had, also this has no meaning to the point i am making. You employed them, so of course you must pay them.

I am unaware of the taxes you pay, so regarding that you have a point. But maybe you should quantify those costs if you feel it's ok to slag others off? What do you call a lot of money?

It would be interesting to know what this "lot of money" is when you take away the wages.

Why do you think having a work permit makes you a better person than a tourist would also be interesting.

[amerasianex]

No reason at all for Visas. All Passports are electronic and they to will be replaced with a credit card type passport like I have now. Basically once you scan into a country your background is checked that very moment, Your either allowed entry or not. Simple as that. And if you do something wrong in a country your passport card can be frozen at any time. No reasn at al for Visas anymore its an antiquated system.