Enormous Shakeup Of Visa And Immigration Rules

[CobraSnakeNecktie]

Some companies are offering package deals (for visa runners)on the tv here in Pattaya, and it goes like this.

One trip to get 60 days (suggests Penang) then go for an extention of 30 days.

Then do 3 monthly border trips ie. giving you 6 months.

Start the same process again to get a futher 6 months, and so on.

This package is 18,700bt to his none existing customers.

His existing customers who already do the monthly border trips are being offered a trip to Penang for only 11,500bt then complete runs as normal for 3 months.

Sorry folks think again.

The imm is one step ahead of this lot. They have got wind of this going on and have now clearly stated. ONLY 7 DAYS EXTENTIONS.

Have any proof to back up that claim??

7 days extension on VOA waivers. I have not read anything about 7 days extension on tourist visa's

[teacher]

Thanks for that,

I take it with the multi-entry permit @ 3,800 Baht, the re-entries would only be within the one year of the particular renewal?

I did hear from someone who does only go out a few times a year (I think he just pays the 1000 Baht each time), that you have to be very specific on your return date to Thailand each time, if he is correct it makes for not much flexibility? Or has he got it wrong?

A re-entry permit allows you to return within the validity of your permission to stay.

Single's fee Baht 1000, multiple Baht 3800.

So, if you permit to stay is valid til end of the month, single is better, if longer permission to stay, take a multiple and come and go as often as you wish.

Its B1900 and B3900 now.......and 7 days max extension for all visa's.....its in big lettering at counter 5

[teacher]

Rubber Duck page 33 has confirmed 7 Days max extention for all visa's

[CobraSnakeNecktie]

Rubber Duck page 33 has confirmed 7 Days max extention for all visa's

well what about the 1 year extensions on Marriage (O) type, Education (ED), and Business (, and Retirement? Surely those extensions are beyond 7 days.

[ovenman]

Its B1900 and B3900 now.......and 7 days max extension for all visa's.....its in big lettering at counter 5

Can't imagine that policy will last too long. One would have to think that the overall revenue the various immigrations offices derive from 1900 baht, seven-day, visa extensions will drop to about zero.

[teacher]

Agree with what you saying and think it relates to single entry 60 day + extentions.

[teacher]

The add on the tv will be on Pattaya city news at 8pm just started

[Noel]

Rubber Duck page 33 has confirmed 7 Days max extention for all visa's

Aaah, 'Rubber Duck' as in the ally 'Swift' invented to agree with himself?

Jesus wept...!

[Firefan]

He,he - Noel - well spotted! Let's get Swift's confirmation on the 7 day only extension so we can be sure!

Joking aside: the 7 day extension refers to the visa-free-arrival stamp and not the other visas. At least historically.

Cheers!

[wolfmanjack]

hello jap

surely it cannot be right if a westener earns less than 30,000bht a month - thats only 600euros or so....

if they earn so little and pay no tax or insurance what happens when they reach pension age.. who pays for them then?

it seems like a serious problem to me and better for them and for thailand if they leave now and go and get a proper job and join in society again.

amarka

Sir,

I am repeating myself, but it pertains here. Thousands of foreigners (thousands!!!) are working legally, meaning with teaching license and work permit, for under 30K per month and paying taxes on that. Even for those dong a bit better and making 40K, it's hardly an amount of money to get all excited about.

It's a anomaly that sticks out like a sore thumb, and any discussion about minimum income/cash requirements for foreigners is distorted without somehow factoring in the reality of the 30K Engarishe Teacher. Are you suggesting that these people go home?

Aloha,

Rex

hello Aloha,

yes i realise that thousands of foreigners are either illigal or earning very little.

the bar is being lifted in thailand and the thai authorities clearly do not want these people to stay in thailand and are going to make life difficult for them.

yes i would suggest that they go home and earn a decent wage and visit thailand on holidays if they want to..... and perhaps build up a decent pension and retire in thailand ?

i realise that a lot of these people are in a very sticky situation because they have commitments and family in thailand and will not want to leave...

but .......... what it the future for them? only 30,000bht a month a family to support? i feel very sorry for them and dont know how they do it.. and then when they actually retire what happens then - i assume they have no pension or at least not enough to qualify for a visa....

to me its just a big mess and staying in thailand on such a salary with such a future only makes it worse......

sorry guys - your time is up.....

do what is best for yourselves.........

amarka

Those of us that are working and making around 30,000 baht per month are making enough to live here. In my case my house is paid for and I do not have to pay rent. I have 2 pickup trucks 1 of which is only a year old and a motorcycle that is only 2 years old. I have fruit trees and a garden for vegetables. I am paying for social insurance which does include a pension. My wife owns land in the mountains and by time I retire i should be able to have apretty nice house built in the mountains with enough fruit trees, coffee plants etc to live. Also the pension from the thai gov should be enough to pay monthly expenses in the mountain. Also the sale of my home in chiang mai should allow me to do any extra curricular activities that i want. What is wrong with this scenario ?? The thai gov might not allow it by the time I retire.

hi...

yes i can understand in your case the house is paid for and so on. it sounds as if you have set yourself up ok... unlike many others.

i assume the house is in the wifes name and i guess thats where the problem comes in - you cant show those assets and therefore they cannot be taken into account....

it looks like you are genuine - but i guess there are others like you who would use a "wife on paper" to abuse the system....

and thats the problem... everytime there are a new set of rules - a great percentage of ex pats put all there enegry into bending them instead of complying.... they ruin it for eveyone...

in your case assuming everything is as you say it is - i would agree with you and i hope for your sake you can find a sypathetic customs official to help you -

amarka

I am in the same situation with the US gov. I do not show enough income to meet the 125% of poverty level for the income requirement to get my wife a visa for the USA. Yes the house is in my wife's name. Also the land in the mountians that I would retire to is in my wife's name. We also have been married for over 7 years and have 2 children together. Thailand and tha USA should take into account all of these factors and the fact that we work for much less here in thailand than we did in the USA. I have to show $27,000 per year to get my wife a green card in the USA. When I was working in the USA I was making $25 an hour so the #27,000 was no problem. Here in Thailand I can not find a job making $27,000 per year and do not need that much to live at the same level as I did in the USA. I just received my Social Security statement and they say that if i retired at 65 years of age I would only get $750 per month with my past earnings. That is enough to live here in thailand but not according to the Thai government. Also I just checked and the Average Social Security check in the USA is only $871.80. At 37 to the dollar that is only 32,256 baht. Therefore the Thai gov is saying that the Average USA retiree does not make enough money to live in thailand. Some will say that most retirees also have a pension which is not true. According to the website I looked at reviewig baby bushes plan on social security only 25% of Americans have a seperate pension. It just totaly blows me away that neither Thailand nor the USA wants my whole family.

[aznyron]

hello jap

surely it cannot be right if a westener earns less than 30,000bht a month - thats only 600euros or so....

if they earn so little and pay no tax or insurance what happens when they reach pension age.. who pays for them then?

it seems like a serious problem to me and better for them and for thailand if they leave now and go and get a proper job and join in society again.

amarka

I guess i am lucky since I get 2 pensions and I get more than the 65000 baht which is required by thai law to get retired visa now I just learned some thing new I did not know as American I need to earn 27000 dollors a year to bring my thai wife to America now my question is since I do not make 27k but I am close to it now what if I take a minium wage job in walmart which will give me about 800 bucks a month which is about 10 k a year will that be suffice or am I just spinning my wheels replies are welcome

Sir,

I am repeating myself, but it pertains here. Thousands of foreigners (thousands!!!) are working legally, meaning with teaching license and work permit, for under 30K per month and paying taxes on that. Even for those dong a bit better and making 40K, it's hardly an amount of money to get all excited about.

It's a anomaly that sticks out like a sore thumb, and any discussion about minimum income/cash requirements for foreigners is distorted without somehow factoring in the reality of the 30K Engarishe Teacher. Are you suggesting that these people go home?

Aloha,

Rex

hello Aloha,

yes i realise that thousands of foreigners are either illigal or earning very little.

the bar is being lifted in thailand and the thai authorities clearly do not want these people to stay in thailand and are going to make life difficult for them.

yes i would suggest that they go home and earn a decent wage and visit thailand on holidays if they want to..... and perhaps build up a decent pension and retire in thailand ?

i realise that a lot of these people are in a very sticky situation because they have commitments and family in thailand and will not want to leave...

but .......... what it the future for them? only 30,000bht a month a family to support? i feel very sorry for them and dont know how they do it.. and then when they actually retire what happens then - i assume they have no pension or at least not enough to qualify for a visa....

to me its just a big mess and staying in thailand on such a salary with such a future only makes it worse......

sorry guys - your time is up.....

do what is best for yourselves.........

amarka

Those of us that are working and making around 30,000 baht per month are making enough to live here. In my case my house is paid for and I do not have to pay rent. I have 2 pickup trucks 1 of which is only a year old and a motorcycle that is only 2 years old. I have fruit trees and a garden for vegetables. I am paying for social insurance which does include a pension. My wife owns land in the mountains and by time I retire i should be able to have apretty nice house built in the mountains with enough fruit trees, coffee plants etc to live. Also the pension from the thai gov should be enough to pay monthly expenses in the mountain. Also the sale of my home in chiang mai should allow me to do any extra curricular activities that i want. What is wrong with this scenario ?? The thai gov might not allow it by the time I retire.

hi...

yes i can understand in your case the house is paid for and so on. it sounds as if you have set yourself up ok... unlike many others.

i assume the house is in the wifes name and i guess thats where the problem comes in - you cant show those assets and therefore they cannot be taken into account....

it looks like you are genuine - but i guess there are others like you who would use a "wife on paper" to abuse the system....

and thats the problem... everytime there are a new set of rules - a great percentage of ex pats put all there enegry into bending them instead of complying.... they ruin it for eveyone...

in your case assuming everything is as you say it is - i would agree with you and i hope for your sake you can find a sypathetic customs official to help you -

amarka

I am in the same situation with the US gov. I do not show enough income to meet the 125% of poverty level for the income requirement to get my wife a visa for the USA. Yes the house is in my wife's name. Also the land in the mountians that I would retire to is in my wife's name. We also have been married for over 7 years and have 2 children together. Thailand and tha USA should take into account all of these factors and the fact that we work for much less here in thailand than we did in the USA. I have to show $27,000 per year to get my wife a green card in the USA. When I was working in the USA I was making $25 an hour so the #27,000 was no problem. Here in Thailand I can not find a job making $27,000 per year and do not need that much to live at the same level as I did in the USA. I just received my Social Security statement and they say that if i retired at 65 years of age I would only get $750 per month with my past earnings. That is enough to live here in thailand but not according to the Thai government. Also I just checked and the Average Social Security check in the USA is only $871.80. At 37 to the dollar that is only 32,256 baht. Therefore the Thai gov is saying that the Average USA retiree does not make enough money to live in thailand. Some will say that most retirees also have a pension which is not true. According to the website I looked at reviewig baby bushes plan on social security only 25% of Americans have a seperate pension. It just totaly blows me away that neither Thailand nor the USA wants my whole family.

[wolfmanjack]

Im married to Thai properly invested about $ 500,000 for my thia wife and kid and am 1,000,000 happy - if they want me out up to them but id rather stay thnak you till i go

SNOB !

[aznyron]

hello jap

surely it cannot be right if a westener earns less than 30,000bht a month - thats only 600euros or so....

if they earn so little and pay no tax or insurance what happens when they reach pension age.. who pays for them then?

it seems like a serious problem to me and better for them and for thailand if they leave now and go and get a proper job and join in society again.

amarka

I guess i am lucky since I get 2 pensions and I get more than the 65000 baht which is required by thai law to get retired visa now I just learned some thing new I did not know as American I need to earn 27000 dollors a year to bring my thai wife to America now my question is since I do not make 27k but I am close to it now what if I take a minium wage job in walmart which will give me about 800 bucks a month which is about 10 k a year will that be suffice or am I just spinning my wheels replies are welcome

Sir,

I am repeating myself, but it pertains here. Thousands of foreigners (thousands!!!) are working legally, meaning with teaching license and work permit, for under 30K per month and paying taxes on that. Even for those dong a bit better and making 40K, it's hardly an amount of money to get all excited about.

It's a anomaly that sticks out like a sore thumb, and any discussion about minimum income/cash requirements for foreigners is distorted without somehow factoring in the reality of the 30K Engarishe Teacher. Are you suggesting that these people go home?

Aloha,

Rex

hello Aloha,

yes i realise that thousands of foreigners are either illigal or earning very little.

the bar is being lifted in thailand and the thai authorities clearly do not want these people to stay in thailand and are going to make life difficult for them.

yes i would suggest that they go home and earn a decent wage and visit thailand on holidays if they want to..... and perhaps build up a decent pension and retire in thailand ?

i realise that a lot of these people are in a very sticky situation because they have commitments and family in thailand and will not want to leave...

but .......... what it the future for them? only 30,000bht a month a family to support? i feel very sorry for them and dont know how they do it.. and then when they actually retire what happens then - i assume they have no pension or at least not enough to qualify for a visa....

to me its just a big mess and staying in thailand on such a salary with such a future only makes it worse......

sorry guys - your time is up.....

do what is best for yourselves.........

amarka

Those of us that are working and making around 30,000 baht per month are making enough to live here. In my case my house is paid for and I do not have to pay rent. I have 2 pickup trucks 1 of which is only a year old and a motorcycle that is only 2 years old. I have fruit trees and a garden for vegetables. I am paying for social insurance which does include a pension. My wife owns land in the mountains and by time I retire i should be able to have apretty nice house built in the mountains with enough fruit trees, coffee plants etc to live. Also the pension from the thai gov should be enough to pay monthly expenses in the mountain. Also the sale of my home in chiang mai should allow me to do any extra curricular activities that i want. What is wrong with this scenario ?? The thai gov might not allow it by the time I retire.

hi...

yes i can understand in your case the house is paid for and so on. it sounds as if you have set yourself up ok... unlike many others.

i assume the house is in the wifes name and i guess thats where the problem comes in - you cant show those assets and therefore they cannot be taken into account....

it looks like you are genuine - but i guess there are others like you who would use a "wife on paper" to abuse the system....

and thats the problem... everytime there are a new set of rules - a great percentage of ex pats put all there enegry into bending them instead of complying.... they ruin it for eveyone...

in your case assuming everything is as you say it is - i would agree with you and i hope for your sake you can find a sypathetic customs official to help you -

amarka

I am in the same situation with the US gov. I do not show enough income to meet the 125% of poverty level for the income requirement to get my wife a visa for the USA. Yes the house is in my wife's name. Also the land in the mountians that I would retire to is in my wife's name. We also have been married for over 7 years and have 2 children together. Thailand and tha USA should take into account all of these factors and the fact that we work for much less here in thailand than we did in the USA. I have to show $27,000 per year to get my wife a green card in the USA. When I was working in the USA I was making $25 an hour so the #27,000 was no problem. Here in Thailand I can not find a job making $27,000 per year and do not need that much to live at the same level as I did in the USA. I just received my Social Security statement and they say that if i retired at 65 years of age I would only get $750 per month with my past earnings. That is enough to live here in thailand but not according to the Thai government. Also I just checked and the Average Social Security check in the USA is only $871.80. At 37 to the dollar that is only 32,256 baht. Therefore the Thai gov is saying that the Average USA retiree does not make enough money to live in thailand. Some will say that most retirees also have a pension which is not true. According to the website I looked at reviewig baby bushes plan on social security only 25% of Americans have a seperate pension. It just totaly blows me away that neither Thailand nor the USA wants my whole family.

You might have made 25 buck a/hour but you did not pay into the SSA enough money over the past 10 years to get such a low pension from the USA My Mother who is still alive (89) recieves over 800 bucks a month from SS and when she worked she was a waitress she was not a skilled person and she is retired for over 25 years plus she has to pay 88 bucks a month to her medicare and she lives in Brooklyn New York Now there are 2 options you can collect on your own SS # or collect on your spouse SS # if you collect on your spouse you get a reduced rate I believe it about 50% of his or her SS income now if she collected on her husband ss# he would have to have 1600 bucks a month ss income and my step dad was no high income earner I just thought I would reply to you and let you know to do some more checking on your SS (gov) pension from USA

[wolfmanjack]

I guess i am lucky since I get 2 pensions and I get more than the 65000 baht which is required by thai law to get retired visa now I just learned some thing new I did not know as American I need to earn 27000 dollors a year to bring my thai wife to America now my question is since I do not make 27k but I am close to it now what if I take a minium wage job in walmart which will give me about 800 bucks a month which is about 10 k a year will that be suffice or am I just spinning my wheels replies are welcome

The $27,000 dollars is because we also have 2 children. If you have no children then it is less.

Rex

You might have made 25 buck a/hour but you did not pay into the SSA enough money over the past 10 years to get such a low pension from the USA My Mother who is still alive (89) recieves over 800 bucks a month from SS and when she worked she was a waitress she was not a skilled person and she is retired for over 25 years plus she has to pay 88 bucks a month to her medicare and she lives in Brooklyn New York Now there are 2 options you can collect on your own SS # or collect on your spouse SS # if you collect on your spouse you get a reduced rate I believe it about 50% of his or her SS income now if she collected on her husband ss# he would have to have 1600 bucks a month ss income and my step dad was no high income earner I just thought I would reply to you and let you know to do some more checking on your SS (gov) pension from USA

I assumed it was lower because I have not worked in the USA for 8 years. I have been living in thailand and have not ben contributing during that time. My uncle was a farmer and did not pay into SS until right before he retired. I don't know how much he paid but he is receiving the maximum. If SS is still around when I turn 60 I will try to do the same thing.

[aznyron]

I have read many complaints on this subject and many answer to some of the new rules let me say this I am over 50 I have the required income to live here and I am retired with a pension from the USA now for my opinion I think after the smoke settles thing will be better for those who qualify for the ret/visa and for those who just come for sex and to get drunk well maybe it will not be easy for you to stay on here after 90 days and those of you who work here for 30 or 40 k a month maybe you should consider returning to your home country and work there and plan for you retirement and then come back to live I keep all my options open just in case life here becomes differcult then I look at other country in asia like malaysia what I like about Malaysia there money does not go up and down I don't like paying attention to the currentcy market

[BlackJack]

what i would like to see is that there is some kind of means test as if you own your own place then your not paying rent.

But renters and owners are all lumped together.

the 800K for retirees is for spending as most own a place so no rent

800K for renters - say 25K per month - more than a 3rd on rent

whatever way i look at this it seems to be not thought out properly

[backflip]

"most own a place"

Not true at all. Most retirees rent.

[tropo]

"most own a place"

Not true at all. Most retirees rent.

And if you're , I would highly recommend just renting in Thailand because that way you're not stuck when they refuse you entry or change the rules.

Edited October 14, 2006 by tropo

[BlackJack]

"most own a place"

Not true at all. Most retirees rent.

we must swim in different circles as every retiree I know owns a place as they have thought out their retirement properly and every penny saved --------

Plus the returns on real estate over the last few years ahs been impressive

The FTA with Australia last time i looked had a compensation clause for properties bought and should something happen compensation would be paid.

Anyway we can expect more changes - good or bad TIT

[teacher]

Last May i put most of my money (over 800,000bt) into a fixed term 12 months account with the Bank of Bangkok as it guaranted me 4% min return.

As i was told money must be going in and being used to get another retirement visa as mine runs till January 07 i thought i would ask the question.

So I went to Pattaya immigration last Friday with my Fixed term investment account book. (Bangkok bank) Asked if i will be ok with this? his reply was "NO PROBLEM". I then asked do i need the money coming in and going out of my account? His reply was "No this is not your first time".

[teacher]

First timers who can not show history of three months in your account but have 800,000bt will get a one month stamp. You must then return to immigration and then they will check your account book to see if the 800,000 or a little less is still there. If so you get another month and repete the process until three months is up. If you still have the 800,000bt in then they will give you a retirement for 9 months. However at this stage you have used up to 300,000bt of the money (leaving just 500,000bt they will still grant you the visa.

[the pleiadian]

I have been out and in of Bangkok 3 times since Oct 1, the alleged new rule starts on Oct 1. I went to Yangon for a wekend, then back to BKK, a trip to Singapore to see a friend, then back to BKK, another trip to Macau, and just came back to BKK. The immigrattion all 3 times did not look at other stamps at all, stamped me in seconds, I did not sense any diffrence compared to before, I still have lots of suspicion how are they will count the 90days out of 180 days cycle. Especailly like me with hundreds of stamps squeezed on all over the pages. I also doubt they will have all the computers systems all over every single immigrations to count automatically. I personally thin the new rule is not enforceble by this Thai standards.

[Firefan]

Do the after 1st Oct entry stamps not look different and/or have been marked somehow with color/number(1,2,3...)/or the letter "Q"? This is what others have reported. Cheers!

I have been out and in of Bangkok 3 times since Oct 1, the alleged new rule starts on Oct 1. I went to Yangon for a wekend, then back to BKK, a trip to Singapore to see a friend, then back to BKK, another trip to Macau, and just came back to BKK. The immigrattion all 3 times did not look at other stamps at all, stamped me in seconds, I did not sense any diffrence compared to before, I still have lots of suspicion how are they will count the 90days out of 180 days cycle. Especailly like me with hundreds of stamps squeezed on all over the pages. I also doubt they will have all the computers systems all over every single immigrations to count automatically. I personally thin the new rule is not enforceble by this Thai standards.

[BlackJack]

I have been out and in of Bangkok 3 times since Oct 1, the alleged new rule starts on Oct 1. I went to Yangon for a wekend, then back to BKK, a trip to Singapore to see a friend, then back to BKK, another trip to Macau, and just came back to BKK. The immigrattion all 3 times did not look at other stamps at all, stamped me in seconds, I did not sense any diffrence compared to before, I still have lots of suspicion how are they will count the 90days out of 180 days cycle. Especailly like me with hundreds of stamps squeezed on all over the pages. I also doubt they will have all the computers systems all over every single immigrations to count automatically. I personally thin the new rule is not enforceble by this Thai standards.

you're going to have a strange look on your face when one day they say oh sorry come back in 3 months

[the pleiadian]

Quote: Do the after 1st Oct entry stamps not look different and/or have been marked somehow with color/number(1,2,3...)/or the letter "Q"? This is what others have reported. Cheers!

I looked to see the recent arrival stamps, they do not look any diffrent. The only thing written on is the scribble of flight numbers, barely can read them anyways. And one of the 3 recent stamps besides the flight number, also the official wrote 30, i think it means 30 days visa. So I don't sense anything different yet.

[Estrada]

Quote: Do the after 1st Oct entry stamps not look different and/or have been marked somehow with color/number(1,2,3...)/or the letter "Q"? This is what others have reported. Cheers!

I looked to see the recent arrival stamps, they do not look any diffrent. The only thing written on is the scribble of flight numbers, barely can read them anyways. And one of the 3 recent stamps besides the flight number, also the official wrote 30, i think it means 30 days visa. So I don't sense anything different yet.

Mine was marked with green felt tip, but no number 1.

[Estrada]

I have been out and in of Bangkok 3 times since Oct 1, the alleged new rule starts on Oct 1. I went to Yangon for a wekend, then back to BKK, a trip to Singapore to see a friend, then back to BKK, another trip to Macau, and just came back to BKK. The immigrattion all 3 times did not look at other stamps at all, stamped me in seconds, I did not sense any diffrence compared to before, I still have lots of suspicion how are they will count the 90days out of 180 days cycle. Especailly like me with hundreds of stamps squeezed on all over the pages. I also doubt they will have all the computers systems all over every single immigrations to count automatically. I personally thin the new rule is not enforceble by this Thai standards.

They will not need to count the days until 60 days from your first entry after 1st October [think about it logically], then the fun starts! I think they are highlighting the stamps because many passports like mine, have Thai and Malaysian entry/exit stamps squeezed into every availabel space between my Libyan stamps. So without highlighters and sequence of numbers they would be hard to find quickly.

[the pleiadian]

I still can't see them count the days visually. If I stay in Thailnd for a 180 day period, I probably have gone in and out for 12-15 trips out of the Thai country. I may have total over 90 days or less in the 180 day period. There is just simply no visual way to count the total days from tons of stamps of all the nations unless the immigration check in staff can do remote viewing or have psychic abilities.

Also the highlighter use seem up to the immigtation staff. I did not have any highlighter on visa stamps and a my friend has 2 visa stamps after Oct 1, one has highlighter, one doesn't have.

If you have a passport with only few stamps, and have 3 obvious stamps of Thailand, then its obvious and easy to count, but for many of us who are in and out constantly, the only way to keep track the total days is by a very advanced computer program that has to be connected to every single immigration computer at every corner of Thai. The program has to set the day of the begining of each person's 180 day cycle, since each one came in diffrent time after Oct1, then add all the entry days each visit, since each person has different number of visits and different number of stay days each visit. This system is the only possible way to calculate the total days of each person, if the Thai really want to enforce the rule, the system is the only way, othwerwise, there is no simple way to do by visual unless you have only a few visa stamps.

[tropo]

This system is the only possible way to calculate the total days of each person, if the Thai really want to enforce the rule, the system is the only way, othwerwise, there is no simple way to do by visual unless you have only a few visa stamps.

You summed that up very well. The fact that your friend received no markings on his passport stamps would lead one to believe they've already put counting days in the too-hard-basket.

[lung]

you will get this stamp ( walk 1,walk 2...) on the LANDBORDER

on the airport ...

is a other story ...