Thai visa run crackdown: Latest update from Thai/Cambo border

[webfact]

Thai visa run crackdown: Latest update from Thai/Cambo border



- No Out/In for any nationality along Thai/Cambodian border
- Phu Nam Ron, Kanchanaburi refusing to stamp anyone EVEN people with valid visas
- ‘Business as usual’ at Thai-Laos border

BANGKOK: -- Thaivisa understands that as of yesterday evening (Sept 15th) Immigration officials at checkpoints along the Thai/Cambodian border at Ban Laem/Daun Lem, Ban Pakard/Phsa Prum and Aranyaprathet/Poipet were refusing all nationalities trying to complete Out/In border hops on visa exempt entries.

However, people with valid tourist visas, multiple non-o etc were being allowed to complete an Out/In.

Thaivisa also understands that in some instances, Immigration officials were asking tourists to provide valid travel itineraries for their stay in Thailand.

The situation along the Thai/Laos border has been described as ‘business as usual’ by the owner of a visa run company operating in that area, and Thaivisa is yet to receive any reports of problems from those wishing to enter Laos in order to complete an Out/In border hop.

Regarding the Phu Nam Ron/Htee Khee check point along the Thai/Myanmar border in Kanchanaburi, it seems officials there are implementing the new rules much more strictly than their colleagues along the Thai/Cambodian border.

Yesterday Thaivisa received reports from members who had visited Phu Nam Rom in Kanchanaburi, where Immigration officials had refused to stamp their passports, despite them being in possession of a valid tourist visa.

Thaivisa has spoken to a tour company based in Kanchanaburi who provide a border hop service to the Phu Nam Rom checkpoint. The owner of the company also confirmed that no stamps are being issued currently at Phu Nam Ron, and is therefore best avoided at this moment in time.

AEC News reports that Police Lieutenant-General Sakda Choenpakdee is scheduled to visit Thailand-Cambodia border crossing today (Sept 16) so there may be further updates on the situation later today.


-- 2015-09-16

RELATED:

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

Bomber blame game sees Thailand immigration abruptly change visa rules

Thai Immigration launches 'new' crackdown on visa runners

[jaidam]

This is the immigration equivalent of a huge dose of laxatives. Sit back and squeeze that clartz straight out. A slimmed down expat scene minus the dodgy educators and powder peddlers, it'll all be for the best.

[khwaibah]

Interesting, There are 6 border crossings between Thailand and Cambodia but their only grassing three of theses.

[puukao]

Smart. Keep them in Cambodia and make them spend more money!!!! Remember, this is NOT your country!!!! LOL

Good thing I just bought that Elite Visa Card from a guy at the 30 baht soup stand. I'm home free...

Don't worry tourists.....just denounce your home citizenship and become Thai!!!!!

So much more fun when it doesn't concern you...

I joke!!! I'm Buddhist......I worry about all my brothers and sisters....

Edited September 16, 2015 by puukao

[Thian]

I bet there are long qeueu's now at the Thai embassy's/consulates abroad.

The poor employee's will have to answer all questions/complaints from travellers who just bought tickets to apply for the visa. We have to buy the ticket first and can only apply AFTER that. So they have a ticket now and can't travel from Thailand to Cambodia and see some of the rest of SE Asia.

I guess they will fly straight to Vietnam now and not visit Thailand at all.

[reggaebkk]

WHAT ABOUT IN/OUTS?

[CLW]

I bet there are long qeueu's now at the Thai embassy's/consulates abroad.

The poor employee's will have to answer all questions/complaints from travellers who just bought tickets to apply for the visa. We have to buy the ticket first and can only apply AFTER that. So they have a ticket now and can't travel from Thailand to Cambodia and see some of the rest of SE Asia.

I guess they will fly straight to Vietnam now and not visit Thailand at all.

I think it doesn't affect the normal traveller who come here for holiday

[MZurf]

This is the immigration equivalent of a huge dose of laxatives. Sit back and squeeze that clartz straight out. A slimmed down expat scene minus the dodgy educators and powder peddlers, it'll all be for the best.

Yes, arbitrarily enforced rules - all for the best!

[DeeMak9]

I bet there are long qeueu's now at the Thai embassy's/consulates abroad.

The poor employee's will have to answer all questions/complaints from travellers who just bought tickets to apply for the visa. We have to buy the ticket first and can only apply AFTER that. So they have a ticket now and can't travel from Thailand to Cambodia and see some of the rest of SE Asia.

I guess they will fly straight to Vietnam now and not visit Thailand at all.

I think it doesn't affect the normal traveller who come here for holiday

Sure it does. Especially at Phu Nam Ron & Kanchanaburi. But hey, it's no problem until its your problem, right?

[SuwadeeS]

It will cost Thailand a lot of money. That for sure.

Don't worry. Thailand is a rich country. They don't need foreigners.

Let see, what happens.

Edited September 16, 2015 by SuwadeeS

[CLW]

I bet there are long qeueu's now at the Thai embassy's/consulates abroad.

The poor employee's will have to answer all questions/complaints from travellers who just bought tickets to apply for the visa. We have to buy the ticket first and can only apply AFTER that. So they have a ticket now and can't travel from Thailand to Cambodia and see some of the rest of SE Asia.

I guess they will fly straight to Vietnam now and not visit Thailand at all.

I think it doesn't affect the normal traveller who come here for holiday

Sure it does. Especially at Phu Nam Ron & Kanchanaburi. But hey, it's no problem until its your problem, right?

The latest news article is talking about in/out border hops. Which tourist does that?

[brewsterbudgen]

I bet there are long qeueu's now at the Thai embassy's/consulates abroad.

The poor employee's will have to answer all questions/complaints from travellers who just bought tickets to apply for the visa. We have to buy the ticket first and can only apply AFTER that. So they have a ticket now and can't travel from Thailand to Cambodia and see some of the rest of SE Asia.

I guess they will fly straight to Vietnam now and not visit Thailand at all.

I think it doesn't affect the normal traveller who come here for holiday

Sure it does. Especially at Phu Nam Ron & Kanchanaburi. But hey, it's no problem until its your problem, right?

The latest news article is talking about in/out border hops. Which tourist does that?

A tourist who wants to continue their holiday and doesn't have a visa.

[Geordie59]

All these nonsense comments when everyone knows that it is the repeated in/out "tourists" they want to crack down on.

[tigermoth]

The whole visa question is a total shambles. The system is not only too complicated but also a total lack of education on the visa rules to all immigration officers is largely to blame. It can't be that difficult to get all the heads of all checkpoints together and give them precise instructions on how the rules are to be applied. The same goes for all their overseas embassies and consulates who almost without exception apply their own version and 99% of them all differ.

[Richard Hall]

There seems to be some confusion what a tourist is particularly when it comes to Thailand.

Obviously, a tourist travels around for sightseeing and/or pleasure and within 30 or even 60 days you can surely see and enjoy a lot of Thailand. If 30 days are not enough there is the possibility to extend the permisson of stay but certainly only on reasonable grounds or apply for a tourist visa prior to arrival.

If crossing the border a tourist is supposed to travel with his or her luggage rather than leaving it at a hotel since he or she is on tour and usually tour means continuous travelling.

Well, sometimes people go on shortime trips for example to visit surrounding attractions such as for example the crocodile farm when staying in BKK. When leaving the country, however, particularly upon staying there for several weeks already one would suppose that the tour is continued at the country of destination and hence the travel planning is already kind of figured out before even going on tour.

In any case, the reason for staying in a country must be obvious. There is no such thing as longtime tourist because in that case we are not talking a tourist anymore but rather an expatriate and a proper permission of stay is required.

[brewsterbudgen]

All these nonsense comments when everyone knows that it is the repeated in/out "tourists" they want to crack down on.

Except that the current policy with effect from last weekend is that NO 30-day visa exempt stamp holders will be allowed to exit & re-enter, irrespective of whether they've done it before

Hopefully a temporary change and only seems to affect the Cambodian border and Kachanaburi.

Edited September 16, 2015 by brewsterbudgen

[Bulldozer Dawn]

The whole visa question is a total shambles. The system is not only too complicated but also a total lack of education on the visa rules to all immigration officers is largely to blame. It can't be that difficult to get all the heads of all checkpoints together and give them precise instructions on how the rules are to be applied. The same goes for all their overseas embassies and consulates who almost without exception apply their own version and 99% of them all differ.

Lack of precision fosters opportunity for tea money.

[chumpy]

This is the immigration equivalent of a huge dose of laxatives. Sit back and squeeze that clartz straight out. A slimmed down expat scene minus the dodgy educators and powder peddlers, it'll all be for the best.

And all the better if it would get rid of people like you.

[tajtom]

No need to comment its all good for a laugh they will work it out

Its like a juke box just wait for the right song

[thai006]

what about mae sai ?

[Richard Hall]

Well, everywhere in the world a visa does not necessarily give the right to enter a county but eventually the decision lies in the discretion of the border police. In the US for example an immigration officer's word in final. The same goes for visa applications.

In case of the Schengen States law offers ways to object decisions by the officers but even in case a visa has been granted entry can still be refused by the border police.

In Thailand's case there is the way to file a petition if entry into the Kingdom has been refused at the border. Law says that the Interior Minister himself must make a decision whether entry is eventually permitted or refused within 7 days.

Obviously, at some border checkpoints inproper activities came to light and hence those are on special observation now. Those in the fire act understandably extremly cautious now while at other checkpoints the usual procedure appears to continue in accordance to the law. As per the law immigration officiers have a certain liberty to decide themselves from case to case because every case is different. Hence, anyone who plans to enter or re-enter the country should be well prepared to document clearly the reason for entering. If there are any doubts entry may not be permitted at the discretion of the immigration officer in charge.

[Thian]

All these nonsense comments when everyone knows that it is the repeated in/out "tourists" they want to crack down on.

Maybe they want to ban the repeated borderrunners but what THEY DO is not stamping ANYBODY with a tousist visa.

I have been standing in the qeueu for many hours at the Thai embassy in Europe and heard many story's from people willing to travel around in SE-Asia. That means they also go over the landborders to Cambodia. Backpackers but also old retired couples who just rent their own private tourguide to drive them around.

There are even specialised travelagency's offering that service and nope not for anybody, only for certain European country's. They even wouldn't let my thai wife book our honeymoon at their office in BKK because she is Thai. I had to go there myself in person to make them do it.

[Thian]

I bet there are long qeueu's now at the Thai embassy's/consulates abroad.

The poor employee's will have to answer all questions/complaints from travellers who just bought tickets to apply for the visa. We have to buy the ticket first and can only apply AFTER that. So they have a ticket now and can't travel from Thailand to Cambodia and see some of the rest of SE Asia.

I guess they will fly straight to Vietnam now and not visit Thailand at all.

I think it doesn't affect the normal traveller who come here for holiday

Sure it does. Especially at Phu Nam Ron & Kanchanaburi. But hey, it's no problem until its your problem, right?

The latest news article is talking about in/out border hops. Which tourist does that?

Which tourists do that?

Well just ordinary tourists like yourself, who are proud to have been on the Bayoke skytower.

I have been there plenty of times, but only when they just charged everyone 500 baht, not like now when they double charge tourists only.

[Mothman]

The whole visa question is a total shambles. The system is not only too complicated but also a total lack of education on the visa rules to all immigration officers is largely to blame. It can't be that difficult to get all the heads of all checkpoints together and give them precise instructions on how the rules are to be applied. The same goes for all their overseas embassies and consulates who almost without exception apply their own version and 99% of them all differ.

Agree, totally! But then again I supposed you and many others knew that it's an impossible feat for the one in-charge to apply those simple fundamental rule of governance.

It's all about position, title, rank, influence, hierachy and connection in Thailand. It's their very order of existence.

When it boils down for action to be executed all of the above applies.

Those in the position of power at any nook or cranny runs it like his own little kingdom and would exert and extend his reach as far as he could.

Thus there's lots of these revered little King's in their little Kingdom.

Order and instruction coming from the one in-charge and from the nation's capital can will be applied only when deem fit.

It will be tweaked, modified, nullified to facilitate the implementation. Never followed to the letter but more as a face saving act.

I never doubt for even for a millisecond Mr. P, is any different. He's loved, hated, revered and despised by his underlings all at one time.

Sorry for my digress but these visa crack down is nothing new at all. It's really an exercise to fatten as those little King's in their kingdom (the immigration check points) and at the same time the coffers in the capital.

Just slip in 2-5 pieces of the little red paper, look at them with a poker face and you'll breeze through it.

And all are back to normal (normal, by Thai definition) again.

Those who live here long enough in a house on the land under any district would know how the Municipal Council chief, the Tambon chief, and the Or Bor Tor chief runs it.

Business...simply bloody business. Live and let live!

[Time Traveller]

When referring to Immigration/Visa crackdowns, could everyone please start referring to each crackdown by number. Eg. Crackdown #395......almost every week for the last 5 years there is a new "crackdown" by immigration.

If there are still any foreign criminals left in thailand, then the Thai immigration department are the most incompetent clowns on the planet and they'd better not bother with any more crackdowns because they ain't working.

Edited September 16, 2015 by Time Traveller

[metisdead]

An inflammatory post has been removed as well as the replies.

[Colabamumbai]

Most legitimate tourists have a proper visa and have a plan and a dated return ticket, visa runs are not included in their plans, to get an extra 15 or 30 days.

[laocowboy2]

I bet there are long qeueu's now at the Thai embassy's/consulates abroad.

The poor employee's will have to answer all questions/complaints from travellers who just bought tickets to apply for the visa. We have to buy the ticket first and can only apply AFTER that. So they have a ticket now and can't travel from Thailand to Cambodia and see some of the rest of SE Asia.

I guess they will fly straight to Vietnam now and not visit Thailand at all.

I think it doesn't affect the normal traveller who come here for holiday

Hopefully - but if I am visiting the family in the NE and want to go over to Laos, who knows if I will be allowed back? So no trip to Luang Prabang as planned :-(

[laocowboy2]

Most legitimate tourists have a proper visa and have a plan and a dated return ticket, visa runs are not included in their plans, to get an extra 15 or 30 days.

I have an Irish passport so do not need a visa for a 30 day stay - and never stay longer than 30 days (including side trips abroad) as I have a job away from LOS. And as I live in Cyprus (no embassy or consulate) a visa would be impossible anyway. During my visits, I have in the past gone for short side trips to Laos and Cambodia but it now appears that this will no longer be possible.

[Jip99]

Most legitimate tourists have a proper visa and have a plan and a dated return ticket, visa runs are not included in their plans, to get an extra 15 or 30 days.

I have an Irish passport so do not need a visa for a 30 day stay - and never stay longer than 30 days (including side trips abroad) as I have a job away from LOS. And as I live in Cyprus (no embassy or consulate) a visa would be impossible anyway. During my visits, I have in the past gone for short side trips to Laos and Cambodia but it now appears that this will no longer be possible.

I believe those trips will be possible.

I think your case is strengthened if you can show a reservation for your destination in Cambodia/Laos and also a return flight confirmation for you exit from Thailand.

Consider the logic (dangerous I know!) - you enter Thailand on 30 days visa exempt, you have your return flight booked and paid for 28 days hence. You decide to visit Angkor Wat for 3 days and book a hotel in Siem Reap. Although you will be given 30 days when crossing back into Thailand you don't actually need to extend your stay because you have your booked flight. Hardly terrorist material are you?

I would like to think that even the half-wits at the border could see that......