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

[8OA8]

I started a topic here regarding this issue:

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/855465-first-half-of-double-entry-finished/

Maybe someone could shed some light for me:

My agency cancelled on me at 6:30am yesterday while I was on my way out the door.

I was about to goto Cambodia as my Multiple entry TR first entry will expire on the 16th.

So, in MY case, would I be able to drive to Cambodia, go in and out, or do I need to fly to Laos and stay overnight?

I'm also wondering how safe and legal it is to take my car over the border (it's purchased, insured, and registered in my name)...

I'd rather drive to Cambodia in and out than waste time with going to Laos overnight.

Why not fly out to Hong Kong and return the same day on a later flight.

[spermwhale]

Another example of Immigration changing the rules ad hoc. I don't know of any nation that doesn't have to go through rule-making procedures, hold hearings and vet new regulations before putting them into effect. It seems like they change the rules as they see fit, often in a knee-jerk reaction to some problem, which is usually caused by their own incompetence or corruption.

They already know that some of the accused bombing gang members entered the country by bribing officials. So instead of closing the border post to Visa runners, why not crack down on immigration personnel and root out their own bastards that let the terrorists in.

Oh wait! This is Thailand. That would be too logical. Mr. Spock would not survive here.

[thaikahuna]

Would be nice of the authorities to let visa runners know before possibly finding themselves in trouble.

What a mess of a country.

I don't know how much consideration has been given to coming here with a proper visa in the first place but that would help alleviate some of the troubles.

[yellowboat]

Thailand did benefit from people who used Thailand as a second home between jobs. Sometimes you would have to wait for a few months before a job would come. Does or did this benefit Thailand ? These people rent apartments, eat, drink which adds to the local economy. Wonder where the actual numbers come in compared to the retirees ? It would be interesting to see what this costs the country in revenue.

[Shermanator]

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?

[hawker9000]

Sounds to me like a bit of backlash from the Immigration police, deciding that if they can't have things their way, then they will cause maximum aggravation for everybody.

Exactly. The usual childish petulance. Fire, Ready, Aim. Plenty of mockery in store... Well-deserved.

[PaulHamon]

3 months is more than enough to see Thailand maybe 6 months max. I firmly believe that anyone who has back to back tourist visas longer than 12 months (4 entries/visa runs) is not a tourist. People get your shit together and get the correct visa.

rubbish.. I bicycled around Thailand for 5 months, wish I taken 12... was just a tourist....

not everyone is YOU.

[Stoker58]

If you're over fifty you can get a retirement visa. If you're under fifty you should be at home working, not loitering around in Thailand.

[Kitsune]

If you're over fifty you can get a retirement visa. If you're under fifty you should be at home working, not loitering around in Thailand.

I am under 50 and unable to work, do you want to kick me out?

[MobileContent]

Quit complaining, get a proper Visa or go home !!I have lived here 12 years and have always had the proper Visa. It cost 5,700THB for a retirement extension and multiple re-entry permit. Get legal, stay legal or go home !!

The only thing I hate is the day wasted at immigration, they need a better system and allow you to get a 5 year extension,

Oh wise one, since when is doing a 30 day visa run illegal? It's a loophole that's allows people to stay here. But not illegal as far as i know.

A retirement visa cost has no relevance to people under 50, and you forgot to add the 800,000 baht you must have in the bank.

5 year visa! So you want something that does not exist, while telling people to go home who are following the law that does exist?

Thailand Elite Visa gives you five years.

[chrisinth]

Just another excuse to fish for more bribes.

How can closing down a border crossing lead to more excuses for taking more brides?

Judging by what has happened recently, with the alleged bomber suspects paying his way across, taking bribes is likely the very reason that these crossings are now closed

[phuketrichard]

If if was due to bombing, they would close ALL borders.

A terrorist can easily change his journey to another border.

If I were a terrorist I'd be paying someone to smuggle me through the jungle or mountains. Forget about the borders

what good is that? your then in the next country without a stamp.

better to pay at the border and have a stamp in and than can fly out to somewhere else

More than once i have driven into Cambodian and into Thailand ( accidentally) and out with being stamped, not a big deal

[chrisinth]

If if was due to bombing, they would close ALL borders.

A terrorist can easily change his journey to another border.

As can border runners......................

A little bit more inconvenient, but not the end of the world.

[Searat7]

Embassies and Immigration need to have uniform policies which are the same across the board. If they want to institute changes they should give at least 30 days notice in writing. What a messed up country !

[shirtless]

They want revenue borders runners are on a freebie hence they want it stopped.

Yeah, I did a bordern run yesterday, and now everything I want in Thailand is free....duuhhhhhhh

Border runs equate to transport companies revenue , at immigration cost DUH

[Kitsune]

Just another excuse to fish for more bribes.

How can closing down a border crossing lead to more excuses for taking more brides?

Judging by what has happened recently, with the alleged bomber suspects paying his way across, taking bribes is likely the very reason that these crossings are now closed

As if Lao & Malaysian borders never takes bribes !

They will reopen with bigger "officer"s discretion" right of decison and that is going to end up as alway in LOS, in more money to pay for Farangs.

[Srikcir]

Next step would be to stop all ASEAN citizens from crossing the border.

If there is another bombing by foreign nationals, then expect a complete shutdown of the Thai border and say goodbye to the tourist industry.

[yellowboat]

Quit complaining, get a proper Visa or go home !!I have lived here 12 years and have always had the proper Visa. It cost 5,700THB for a retirement extension and multiple re-entry permit. Get legal, stay legal or go home !!

The only thing I hate is the day wasted at immigration, they need a better system and allow you to get a 5 year extension,

Oh wise one, since when is doing a 30 day visa run illegal? It's a loophole that's allows people to stay here. But not illegal as far as i know.

A retirement visa cost has no relevance to people under 50, and you forgot to add the 800,000 baht you must have in the bank.

5 year visa! So you want something that does not exist, while telling people to go home who are following the law that does exist?

Thailand Elite Visa gives you five years.

Cambodia gives you a residence visa for B12,500 a year . The basic elite card comes in at B500,000 for five years. Cambodia is a 1/4/ of the price.

[Kitsune]

If you're over fifty you can get a retirement visa. If you're under fifty you should be at home working, not loitering around in Thailand.

I am under 50 and unable to work, do you want to kick me out?

If you're unable to work how do you live in Thailand? Are you rich?

Invalidity pension.

[anto]

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?

I think i know the Aussie guy you are talking about .He used to advertise openly on F.B. He said that he was employed by Thai Immigration .He has not advertised now for about a year .Living in Chiang Mai ,its quicker and cheaper to do the 90 day run to MaeSai(Burma ) rather then to Lao as you said .The very modern Green bus do a day return for around B750 plus you need to pay B500 to enter Burma.

[phuketrichard]

Quit complaining, get a proper Visa or go home !!I have lived here 12 years and have always had the proper Visa. It cost 5,700THB for a retirement extension and multiple re-entry permit. Get legal, stay legal or go home !!

The only thing I hate is the day wasted at immigration, they need a better system and allow you to get a 5 year extension,

Oh wise one, since when is doing a 30 day visa run illegal? It's a loophole that's allows people to stay here. But not illegal as far as i know.

A retirement visa cost has no relevance to people under 50, and you forgot to add the 800,000 baht you must have in the bank.

5 year visa! So you want something that does not exist, while telling people to go home who are following the law that does exist?

Thailand Elite Visa gives you five years.

Cambodia gives you a residence visa for B12,500 a year . The basic elite card comes in at B500,000 for five years. Cambodia is a 1/4/ of the price.

actually its only $285 (around 10,000 baht) for a 1 year extension.

[Kitsune]

Quit complaining, get a proper Visa or go home !!I have lived here 12 years and have always had the proper Visa. It cost 5,700THB for a retirement extension and multiple re-entry permit. Get legal, stay legal or go home !!

The only thing I hate is the day wasted at immigration, they need a better system and allow you to get a 5 year extension,

Oh wise one, since when is doing a 30 day visa run illegal? It's a loophole that's allows people to stay here. But not illegal as far as i know.

A retirement visa cost has no relevance to people under 50, and you forgot to add the 800,000 baht you must have in the bank.

5 year visa! So you want something that does not exist, while telling people to go home who are following the law that does exist?

Thailand Elite Visa gives you five years.

Cambodia gives you a residence visa for B12,500 a year . The basic elite card comes in at B500,000 for five years. Cambodia is a 1/4/ of the price.

That's about right 4 times less things to do and 4 times less food to eat.

[Stoker58]

If you're over fifty you can get a retirement visa. If you're under fifty you should be at home working, not loitering around in Thailand.

I am under 50 and unable to work, do you want to kick me out?

If you're unable to work how do you live in Thailand? Are you rich?

Invalidity pension.

Yeah, rich then. Well if Thailand doesn't want to give you a long term visa - and it's their country after all - go somewhere that's more welcoming to rich retired foreigners. Malaysia has a much better attitude. Come back and visit Thailand whenever you feel like it.

[Soutpeel]

Quit complaining, get a proper Visa or go home !!I have lived here 12 years and have always had the proper Visa. It cost 5,700THB for a retirement extension and multiple re-entry permit. Get legal, stay legal or go home !!

The only thing I hate is the day wasted at immigration, they need a better system and allow you to get a 5 year extension,

Wow retired and whinging about a wasted day in your busy schedule !

5 year extension great idea, so in the case of getting an extension via the 800k route, fancy putting Thb 4.0 million in a bank instead of the 800k to cover the 5 years ?

[thai006]

what about mae sai ?

[ratcatcher]

If you're over fifty you can get a retirement visa. If you're under fifty you should be at home working, not loitering around in Thailand.

I am under 50 and unable to work, do you want to kick me out?

If you're unable to work how do you live in Thailand? Are you rich?

Invalidity pension.

Many on this forum would question why, as someone on a disability pension, you would choose, and I quote, " to live in a 3rd world, banana republic run by a military junta". Of course, they are the disgruntled few who have never managed to enjoy their lives in Thailand.

[kerrysum]

Just one more example of how much Thailand v as lies its visitor industry.

Imagration laws are making foreigners stop investing in Thailand

The laws always change

It makes even visiting Thai l and stressful.

I agree, that is why I do not return there anymore. And decided not to retire their either.

Think Thailand needs to wake up. There are other countries to live in.... Maybe we should call it corruption sprawl. Quite a shame in my opinion.

[Kitsune]

Invalidity pension.

Yeah, rich then. Well if Thailand doesn't want to give you a long term visa - and it's their country after all - go somewhere that's more welcoming to rich retired foreigners. Malaysia has a much better attitude. Come back and visit Thailand whenever you feel like it.

Do you have any idea of what an invalidity pension is ?

[anto]

what about mae sai ?

Mae Sai ,was very quiet but running as normal when i done my 90 day run on Wednesday last the 9 th of Sept.There did seem to be extra road check points on my way back towards ,Chang Rai .

[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!