Border Run Alternatives

[elviajero]

3 hours ago, UncleKeith said:

Is it as simple as getting to Nong Khai , walking across border and then coming back?

Yes, as long as you enter Laos before turning around. You can do it at Mukdahan too. And note that you can only make two visa exempt entries, by land, per calendar year

[elviajero]

13 minutes ago, Scott3000 said:

I had was interrogated during my last visa run to DMK airport in Bangkok. I had 2 visa exempt entries in 2016, 2 in 2017, with a SETV in between. Basically, I've been living in Thailand half of the time since 2016, but more than that in 2014-15.

 

I am picking up a new passport Monday.

 

I want to arrive at DMK without a visa (not convenient to get one now), but I could arrive at CNX if it that's a better choice.

 

Am I likely to have problems at Immigration in DMK airport?

 

Thanks!

Getting a new passport isn't going to help you as immigration have access to all your previous entry history.

 

You've already been "interrogated" once so expect it again in the future. Whether or not it happens again is down to the individual IO that processes your entry.

[kuzmol]

Hi there, can you give me any advices. I plan to come to Thailand soon. Lived here before for 2 and half years by tourist visas (first passport finished, so I got new one in our consulate in Vietnam and have only 2 tourist visas in it in 2016). Left Thailand in September 2016. Visited it again for 3 days in March 17 by stamp.

Now I plan to come in November by stamp for 30 days, after it do border run by the land somewhere, return for 8-10 days by stamp again and fly to Indonesia for near 3 weeks by plane after it. In January 2018 I want to return again by stamp from Indonesia for 30 days and only after it do visa in February. Can I get 3 stamps one by one ( I have one stamp from this year already)? One of it will be in next 2018, can it help in my situation, what do you think, guys? Or better to buy ticket to Thailand on other dates and avoid land border run in December?

[ubonjoe]

4 hours ago, kuzmol said:

Now I plan to come in November by stamp for 30 days, after it do border run by the land somewhere, return for 8-10 days by stamp again and fly to Indonesia for near 3 weeks by plane after it.

There would be no reason to do a border run to get the extra days you can apply for a 30 day extension of the 30 day entry at immigration for a fee of 1900 baht.

4 hours ago, kuzmol said:

In January 2018 I want to return again by stamp from Indonesia for 30 days and only after it do visa in February.

No problem looking at your history of visas and etc.

[kuzmol]

8 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

you can apply for a 30 day extension of the 30 day entry at immigration for a fee of 1900 baht.

 

Russians can't do it, only border run or new visa

[ubonjoe]

4 minutes ago, kuzmol said:

Russians can't do it, only border run or new visa

Correct since their entries are from a bilateral agreement instead of the standard visa exempt entry scheme.

[kuzmol]

So I have 2 choises - buy ticket to Thai for later dates (in this case I need to pay additional rent fee for new month where I live now) or do border run in December. I can't do visa in advance, because there no Thai embassy in country where I live now. In my case border run in December will be third stamp in this year.  But I hope to enter from Indonesia in January 2018 also by stamp.

So I try to understand have I any chance to get this third stamp one by one, but one of it will be in new year? In this case I will live half a year there with only one tourist visa. 

[ubonjoe]

5 minutes ago, kuzmol said:

So I have 2 choises - buy ticket to Thai for later dates (in this case I need to pay additional rent fee for new month where I live now) or do border run in December. I can't do visa in advance, because there no Thai embassy in country where I live now. In my case border run in December will be third stamp in this year.  But I hope to enter from Indonesia in January 2018 also by stamp.

So I try to understand have I any chance to get this third stamp one by one, but one of it will be in new year? In this case I will live half a year there with only one tourist visa. 

Have you considered getting a single entry tourist visa from a nearby country instead of doing border run for another 30 day entry. You could get a re-entry permit to keep the remainder of the 60 day entry from it valid if you wanted to leave during the 60 days.

There is no written limit on the number of visa exempt entries by air or land in your case. Once you get to the point where it appears you are trying to live here on them you may be questioned about what you are doing here.

[kuzmol]

Thank you, I understand your idea. I think when I'll cross the border in December I can show my tickets, that I'll fly away  soon and I will look how easy or not it'll be personaly for me. After it I can do visa in Jakarta while I'll be there several days in December.

[freedomnow]

On 9/27/2017 at 9:40 AM, ubonjoe said:

Probably not worth the extra cost. Immigration at the airport in Phuket can be just as bad if not worse than Don Mueang.

You should not have a problem on entry since you will have a visa for entry.

A few weeks old on above post, but connected...does Chiang Mai airport have a bad rep. for grillings like Don Muang/Swampy and Phuket on those that have been doing a mixture of visa-exempt and paid tourist visas for quite a while ? I never really read anything about CM....

Edited October 19, 2017 by freedomnow

[Mangkhut]

Visa run, alternatives and how?

 

It must be at least 10 years since I did a visa run and things have probably changed a lot since then. Hence this posting -

 

I entered Thailand 27th of september on a visa excemption which gives me 30 days. I will extend that with another 30 days in the beginning of next week. But my return ticket back home is 15th december so I need to do a visa run too to stay legally in the country the last 18-19 days. I carry a norwegian passport btw.

 

I based in the north of Thailand so a visa run to Mae Sai - as I used to do back 10-12-15 years ago - is that possible? 

Or do one have to stay overnight in another country nowadays?

I might be going south for a trip in that time, maybe Hua Hin, Ranong or Phuket - is there a visa run option nearby in the south? At Ranong for example?

 

Thanks in advance folks! 

[elviajero]

26 minutes ago, Mangkhut said:

Visa run, alternatives and how?

 

It must be at least 10 years since I did a visa run and things have probably changed a lot since then. Hence this posting -

 

I entered Thailand 27th of september on a visa excemption which gives me 30 days. I will extend that with another 30 days in the beginning of next week. But my return ticket back home is 15th december so I need to do a visa run too to stay legally in the country the last 18-19 days. I carry a norwegian passport btw.

 

I based in the north of Thailand so a visa run to Mae Sai - as I used to do back 10-12-15 years ago - is that possible? 

Or do one have to stay overnight in another country nowadays?

I might be going south for a trip in that time, maybe Hua Hin, Ranong or Phuket - is there a visa run option nearby in the south? At Ranong for example?

 

Thanks in advance folks! 

You are only allowed 2 visa exempt entries per year at land borders, so as long as it's your 1st or 2nd land entry you will be able to get another 30 days at Mae Sai. No need to stay out of the country overnight.

 

Yes you can get a visa exempt entry at Ranong.

 

Edited October 19, 2017 by elviajero

[Mangkhut]

Exellent news Elviajero, thanks a lot mate. In case I choose to do the borderrun from Ranong - do I need to arrange a visa for Myanmar in advance?

[elviajero]

3 minutes ago, Mangkhut said:

Exellent news Elviajero, thanks a lot mate. In case I choose to do the borderrun from Ranong - do I need to arrange a visa for Myanmar in advance?

No visa needed in advance.

[Scott3000]

5 hours ago, elviajero said:

You are only allowed 2 visa exempt entries per year at land borders, so as long as it's your 1st or 2nd land entry you will be able to get another 30 days at Mae Sai.

Can these visa exempt entries at land borders be extended for another 30 days at Immigration offices in Thailand?

[elviajero]

37 minutes ago, Scott3000 said:

Can these visa exempt entries at land borders be extended for another 30 days at Immigration offices in Thailand?

Yes they can, for 1,900 baht.

[fondue zoo]

I'm not clear on the visa exemptions granted at land borders.

 

what I think I know -

1. Only 2 per year are allowed.

2. Each grants a 15 day stay in Thailand.

 

 

Can the two exemption stamps be "combined" on the same day to grant a 30 day stay?

If not combined and used separately each can be extended for 30 days at 1900 baht, granting 45 days each use?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[JackThompson]

13 minutes ago, fondue zoo said:

I'm not clear on the visa exemptions granted at land borders.

 

what I think I know -

1. Only 2 per year are allowed.

2. Each grants a 15 day stay in Thailand.

 

Can the two exemption stamps be "combined" on the same day to grant a 30 day stay?

If not combined and used separately each can be extended for 30 days at 1900 baht, granting 45 days each use?

#1 - Correct - 2 by land per calendar-year.
#2 - Each grants 30 days for everyone with a passport from countries on the Visa-Exempt list.  The old 15-day bit was rescinded.

There is no "combining" on the same day.  Each visa-exempt entry is a separate event, requiring leaving Thailand, entering another country and leaving it (stamping in and out of the other country - cannot "turn around" in no-man's land), and then returning to Thailand to apply for a new Visa-Exempt entry, at the discretion of the IO.

[fondue zoo]

#2 - Each grants 30 days for everyone with a passport from countries on the Visa-Exempt list.  The old 15-day bit was rescinded.

 

Thank you.

 

That was what I was not aware of, the rescinding of the 15 day rule. Out of curiosity does any have a link to the amendment restoring the 30 days granted?

I'm going with the 'Thai Visa Service' crew on their same day border run.

 

[ubonjoe]

8 minutes ago, fondue zoo said:

That was what I was not aware of, the rescinding of the 15 day rule. Out of curiosity does any have a link to the amendment restoring the 30 days granted?

I'm going with the 'Thai Visa Service' crew on their same day border run.

 

Thai Visa Service has this posted on their website. http://www.thaivisaservice.com/

Quote

• Visa exempt limit TWO stamp for 30 days per calendar year, regardless of Port of Entry, but countries under visa exempt get 30 days since 31.12.2016. 

It has been effect for a long time now so not a problem to get the 30 days now.

[travel museums]

Hi,

I used both my Thai land crossings earlier this year.

I'm wondering when I'd next be allowed to cross by land into Thailand?

Is it 365 days from my last land crossing?

Or does the clock reset in 2018 (end of the calendar year)?

 

I have to say these new rules seem so arbitrary. It forced me to take a bus and fly out of Kunming last spring. I used to end my SEA trips by crossing the Thai border to get a cheap flight to BKK then a long haul back home. Now I do this in China. Kunming is exploding with budget options to Shanghai and Chengdu. Thailand's hurting their own air industry.

 

My first border crossing lasted just one minute. In January I wanted to get a new Cambodia visa so I just walked over and back. In March I did the same thing to get a new Laos visa. Though I decided I might as well spend a few weeks in Chiang Rai.

 

Actually that turned into a THIRD crossing after I spent an hour walking around Tachilek. The Thai IO officer at the Myanmar border suggested I pop over for a visit. She said not to worry about it. But exiting back into Laos a different Thai official gave me a big lecture and threatened to fine me. Hilarious.

 

The stupid thing is I barely spent much time in Thailand on these crossings. I know they are trying to discourage expats from living in Thailand. But these limits are also discouraging a lot of backpackers from visiting the poor border provinces. As well as forcing us to use China's airports to hub into SEA. Both seem like a bad deal for everyone... except China.

 

 

Edited October 23, 2017 by travel museums

[ubonjoe]

9 minutes ago, travel museums said:

I used both my Thai land crossings earlier this year.

I'm wondering when I'd next be allowed to cross by land into Thailand?

Is it 365 days from my last land crossing?

Or does the clock reset in 2018 (end of the calendar year)?

It is per calendar year. You can do a another crossing on or after January 1st 2018.

With a little planning you might find flights from Vientiane or Luang Prabang on Air Asia to Bangkok are not that expensive.

[travel museums]

Less than 30 dollars to fly international? That's what I'd usually pay from Isan to BKK. Crossing the border by air has major fees. VTE to BKK is usually $200 minimum. You have to pay fees to both countries.

 

Thailand is competing for my tourism dollars with every other country. If they are going to make it difficult they will lose out. Plain and simple.

 

Their economy is already in the toilet. These arbitrary rules aren't helping. The changes are not even keeping the expats from living there. So what's the point?

 

Think about it. They're essentially going to lose two months of my tourism dollars to Malaysia. Not to mention the lost dollars to the border provinces When I travel through Yunnan to Kunming.

 

Thailand is losing thousands of dollars money on BOTH ends of my trip! That's crazy. I'm just a tourist. Why?

 

Last spring I probably dumped $1500 into Xishuangbanna's economy.  That could have gone to Chang Rai or Mai. Oh well.

 

 

Edited October 23, 2017 by travel museums

[ubonjoe]

17 minutes ago, travel museums said:

Less than 30 dollars to fly international? That's what I'd usually pay from Isan to BKK. Crossing the border by air has major fees. VTE to BKK is usually $200 minimum. You have to pay fees to both countries.

Air Asia middle of next month 1813 baht.

[BritTim]

1 hour ago, travel museums said:

Less than 30 dollars to fly international?

As @ubonjoe has pointed out, there are generally reasonably priced tickets to Bangkok now from Vientiane, Yangon and HCMC (as well as Kuala Lumpur and Singapore, but that is nothing new). To get good prices, you do need to book in advance.

[travel museums]

Yeah but I don't know exact dates and the baggage fees usually double that cost.

[JackThompson]

 

4 hours ago, travel museums said:

The changes are not even keeping the expats from living there.

Many expats have left, and fewer longer-stay tourists are coming - which is one reason there are so many empty condos at bargain prices right on the beach.  I live in one now - it's cheaper/better every year.   Plenty of Chinese tour-buses, now, so 711 is doing well - the Chinese seem to love those.

 

4 hours ago, travel museums said:

... Thailand is competing for my tourism dollars with every other country. If they are going to make it difficult they will lose out. Plain and simple.

... Think about it. They're essentially going to lose two months of my tourism dollars to Malaysia. Not to mention the lost dollars to the border provinces When I travel through Yunnan to Kunming.

The people who are making things difficult don't care.  TAT (tourism authority) tried to set up a Multiple-Entry Tourist-Visa option to boost tourism, but other factions added so many rules, it became worthless to 90% of applicable cases. 

 

Most expats have no interest in shipping their body in an aluminum-tube 1/2 way across the world to hand in paperwork for a visa.  It is an application process one would expect for a poor-nation's citizen applying to visit Europe/USA - not Europeans/Americans coming to visit a country where wages are a fraction of their home-countries. 

 

4 hours ago, travel museums said:

So what's the point? ... Thailand is losing thousands of dollars money on BOTH ends of my trip! That's crazy. I'm just a tourist. Why?

Western-based transnational corporations created a trade-surplus which funded a huge Chinese military/industrial buildup - becoming the regional super-power.  So what must the Thais be thinking? (holds up wet finger to the wind) 

 

Bottom Line: Self-preservation.  Considering Thailand's size and relative power, they are remarkably good at it.  So the "why" is the goal to replace us with Chinese tourists - foster "good relations" with the big dog on the block.  They are also likely predicting our economies are on the way-out, thanks to the West's suicidal trade and immigration policies. 

 

4 hours ago, travel museums said:

Last spring I probably dumped $1500 into Xishuangbanna's economy.  That could have gone to Chang Rai or Mai. Oh well.

Income-loses to "red shirt" country up North?  I bet there are few wet-eyes hearing that story in certain circles.  Plenty of Chinese are traveling there though, I have heard.  The 7-11s must be booming with activity.  Ironically, more tourists like you would undermine the reds' propaganda at the root, by expanding the middle-class / small businesses.

 

I realize getting Tourist Visas from nearby countries and/or flying in is a PITA, but I would encourage you to help out Thai businesses, by jumping through the hoops to come here.  It's not that hard, and only takes a  stop in Penang, if coming via Malaysia, which isn't a bad place to spend a couple days.

[travel museums]

It's extortion to pay $200 for a Thai visa that I'll use a few months. I'll just wait two month and go to KL, Jakarta, Bali, & the Philippines. Thailand can wait. Thankfully I spent a lot of time there before they decided they didn't want my money.

 

For $150 I got a straightforward 10 year visas for BRIC countries at consulates in NY. It took a few hours or days for each. The hassle of finding a printer while traveling in a third world country isn't worth it.

 

I'm home in New York now. I have the time to settle it. Their consulate is closed all week and would probably bust balls anyway. It's mind boggling that getting to Thailand is so hard. But if they don't want my money I'm happy to spend it elsewhere.

 

I'm actually considering skipping Thailand for the whole of 2018. Then I'll have four land crossings to use next Oct-Nov. I can do my trip unmolested by bizarre restrictions. They'll probably change the rules again by then.

 

I'm happy to hear that these bizarre visa rules are driving away foreigners and hurting Thai businesses. Money talks. I hope their economy completely tanks.

 

I stayed up all night researching. Pretty much all the info isn't on properly using a tourist visa. But gaming it to live there. Why live somewhere that doesn't want you? Plenty of countries that have no problem welcoming me and taking my money.

Edited October 23, 2017 by travel museums

[JackThompson]

3 hours ago, travel museums said:

The hassle of finding a printer while traveling in a third world country isn't worth it.

There is a copy-shop directly across or next-to many Thai Consulates.  Those shops will also take pictures, get you proof of a flight, hotel-bookings, etc (as China also requires, since you mentioned travel in lieu of Thailand).  A stop-off in Penang and dropping your passport off with an agent who will do everything (for about the same as taxi-fare) is all that you would need to do on your way here.

 

3 hours ago, travel museums said:

I'm actually considering skipping Thailand for the whole of 2018. Then I'll have four land crossings to use next Oct-Nov.

It doesn't work that way.  You get two land-crossings "per calendar year" - you cannot save them up like frequent-flyer miles.  It sounds like a single-entry Tourist Visa (1000 Baht) + a multiple re-entry permit (3800 Baht) would work for your planned 2-month stint in 2018.

 

3 hours ago, travel museums said:

For $150 I got a straightforward 10 year visas for BRIC countries at consulates in NY.

Brazil, India, Central-America, etc - literally masses of starving or near-starving people, many unsafe areas, etc (I lived in CentAm for years).  Is it really a surprise they don't care what tourists do, given what they are dealing with locally?  Thailand is much further along in development.

 

In Shengen-Europe, you get "free" entry, but only 90-days in, then must be 90-days out pre-return.  In Australia, your month-overstay (in Brazil, mentioned above) would have resulted in arrest, missing your flight-out, then deportation and banning.  A month-overstay in Thailand, by comparison, would have resulted in a 15K Baht fine at the airport, then "free to go" on your planned-flight with no ban.

 

Thailand is middle-of-the-scale when it comes to Immigration-hassles.  Yes, many problems / foolish-policies, but far less arbitrarily-cruel to most visitors arriving from 10+hr flights than immigration in the USA, UK, or Australia, for example. 

 

3 hours ago, travel museums said:

I'm happy to hear that these bizarre visa rules are driving away foreigners and hurting Thai businesses. Money talks. I hope their economy completely tanks.

It's not a happy thing to those of us who care about Thailand.  Thanks to the West adopting 'globalist' policies, the SE-Asian economy is mostly in China's hands, now. 

 

3 hours ago, travel museums said:

I stayed up all night researching. Pretty much all the info isn't on properly using a tourist visa. But gaming it to live there. Why live somewhere that doesn't want you?

A lot of info out there isn't true.  Many of the sites you visited are created by people who love Thailand, but are too young to qualify for retirement.  "Properly" using a Tourist Visa, requires 2 things: Do not overstay, and Do not take a Thai job while using it.  They put limits on Visa-Exempts, but allow those willing and financially-able to do Visa-trips to return as often as they want, provided they exit on-time, and purchase/qualify for a new Visa before they return. 

 

Quote

Plenty of countries that have no problem welcoming me and taking my money.

We agree the visa-restrictions are a PITA and self-destructive.  So, I'm guessing you won't be visiting Bhutan, then?

Edited October 24, 2017 by JackThompson

[BritTim]

9 hours ago, JackThompson said:

13 hours ago, travel museums said:

I'm actually considering skipping Thailand for the whole of 2018. Then I'll have four land crossings to use next Oct-Nov.

It doesn't work that way.  You get two land-crossings "per calendar year" - you cannot save them up like frequent-flyer miles.  It sounds like a single-entry Tourist Visa (1000 Baht) + a multiple re-entry permit (3800 Baht) would work for your planned 2-month stint in 2018.

I guess the idea is to start using visa exempt entries by land in Oct/Nov 2018, using two in 2018 and two in 2019. I would be nervous about doing this. I can imagine some official deciding to reinterpret the rules leaving your travel plans in tatters.