Have they cracked down on visa runs done by air?

[ANoobie]

I've read multiple stories about how the Thai police are refusing to allow people to do multiple visa runs by land, but I haven't found much about flying out of the country (perhaps for a few days) and then flying back in. For example, flights from Phuket to Penang are pretty cheap. I'm planning on staying in Patong Beach for 3-6 months. Depending on whether I get an ED visa (which I would probably not be able to renew), that would mean 3-6 visa runs. Is this doable by air?

[sunnyjim5]

If you mean to obtain multiple 30 day "visas exempt entries " then eventually the Immigration Officers will stop you and question what exactly you are doing in Thailand.

You would be better advised to obtain a Tourist visa from a Thai Embassy /Consulate which would provide an initial 60 day stay which can be extended by 30 days at any immigration office.

[Maestro]

Removed a troll post.

[ubonjoe]

While in Penang get a tourist visa from the Thai consulate there. Better than flying out and back just to get a visa exempt entry.

[ANoobie]

While in Penang get a tourist visa from the Thai consulate there. Better than flying out and back just to get a visa exempt entry.

I thought a tourist visa could only be applied for in one's home country? I'm American, but don't want to return to the U.S. just to get a 3-month tourist visa (it would be far cheaper for me to make visa runs if that still works).

[sunnyjim5]

While in Penang get a tourist visa from the Thai consulate there. Better than flying out and back just to get a visa exempt entry.

I thought a tourist visa could only be applied for in one's home country? I'm American, but don't want to return to the U.S. just to get a 3-month tourist visa (it would be far cheaper for me to make visa runs if that still works).

You have been misinformed.

You can apply for a single entry Tourist Visa at a Thai Embassy/Consulate in any of the nearby countries.

[Jackieiam]

Only the new multi entry needs to be done at home country. Single entry can still be done at land boarder. If your are really a tourist have enough fund have bookings of hotel it will be no problem. I was at the Thai consulate in Vientiane today I saw so many Filipino with 3double entry and still applying for single entry tourist visa. So i don't think you'll be reject

[sunnyjim5]

Only the new multi entry needs to be done at home country. Single entry can still be done at land boarder. If your are really a tourist have enough fund have bookings of hotel it will be no problem. I was at the Thai consulate in Vientiane today I saw so many Filipino with 3double entry and still applying for single entry tourist visa. So i don't think you'll be reject

Visas cannot be obtained from land borders !

Visas can only be obtained from Thai Embassies/ Consulate.

[PMZ]

I think there is more attention being paid to those seemingly doing 'visa runs' by air, but I don't sense it is a 'crackdown' as was touted in the past six months or so.

I was at Immigration at Don Muaeng this week and the senior Immig officer was questioning a guy next to me about his frequent travel in and out of Thailand. The guy stated 'working outside Thailand, holiday travel around the region and a wife in Thailand' and was allowed in, but they gave him a five minute Spanish Inquisition.

It's a bit hit and miss, depends a bit on the Immig Officer on the day.

[Suradit69]

While in Penang get a tourist visa from the Thai consulate there. Better than flying out and back just to get a visa exempt entry.

I thought a tourist visa could only be applied for in one's home country? I'm American, but don't want to return to the U.S. just to get a 3-month tourist visa (it would be far cheaper for me to make visa runs if that still works).

The Multi-Entry Tourist Visa (METV) supposedly will only be issued in your home country or country of legal residence, although there was a post written by a Brit who said he was issued one in Australia. Maybe he had some legal residence status there.

The single entry tourist visa (SETV) can be obtained in a nearby country for someone with a US passport.

Flying in and out or crossing in and out of a land border to obtain a visa exempt entry isn't a "visa run" since you are not receiving a visa ... thus the "exempt" in the name. You'll find it less costly and waste less time if you get a few SETVs over time and you'll be less likely to pique immigrations' unwelcome interest if you use proper visas rather than doing serial border runs for visa exempt entries.

[stoneyboy]

While in Penang get a tourist visa from the Thai consulate there. Better than flying out and back just to get a visa exempt entry.

I thought a tourist visa could only be applied for in one's home country? I'm American, but don't want to return to the U.S. just to get a 3-month tourist visa (it would be far cheaper for me to make visa runs if that still works).

The Multi-Entry Tourist Visa (METV) supposedly will only be issued in your home country or country of legal residence, although there was a post written by a Brit who was issued one in Australia.

The single entry tourist visa (SETV) can be obtained in a nearby country for someone with a US passport.

Flying in and out or crossing in and out of a border to obtain a visa exempt entry isn't a "visa run" since you are not receiving a visa ... thus the "exempt" in the name. You'll find it less costly and effective to get a few SETVs over time and you'll be less likely to pique immigrations' interest if you use proper visas.

Not strictly true,depending on ones circumstances,as in my case obtaining a 30 day visa exemption and extending it for a further 60 days based on having a Thai child actually works out cheaper and far less hassle than an over night trip to Vientiane or the like to obtain a SETV or further more a trip with the whole family to Savanakhet to obtain a non 0.

Obviously much depends on each individual's circumstances and having previous extensions of stay under clause 2.24 for having a child shows immigration that I have a genuine reason for visiting.

I have been told in the past to obtain a non o whereby I say yes next time,but never do.

[Suradit69]

While in Penang get a tourist visa from the Thai consulate there. Better than flying out and back just to get a visa exempt entry.

I thought a tourist visa could only be applied for in one's home country? I'm American, but don't want to return to the U.S. just to get a 3-month tourist visa (it would be far cheaper for me to make visa runs if that still works).

The Multi-Entry Tourist Visa (METV) supposedly will only be issued in your home country or country of legal residence, although there was a post written by a Brit who was issued one in Australia.

The single entry tourist visa (SETV) can be obtained in a nearby country for someone with a US passport.

Flying in and out or crossing in and out of a border to obtain a visa exempt entry isn't a "visa run" since you are not receiving a visa ... thus the "exempt" in the name. You'll find it less costly and effective to get a few SETVs over time and you'll be less likely to pique immigrations' interest if you use proper visas.

Not strictly true,depending on ones circumstances,as in my case obtaining a 30 day visa exemption and extending it for a further 60 days based on having a Thai child actually works out cheaper and far less hassle than an over night trip to Vientiane or the like to obtain a SETV or further more a trip with the whole family to Savanakhet to obtain a non 0.

Obviously much depends on each individual's circumstances and having previous extensions of stay under clause 2.24 for having a child shows immigration that I have a genuine reason for visiting.

I have been told in the past to obtain a non o whereby I say yes next time,but never do.

"Not strictly true ..."

I was responding to the O/P for whom it would be true.

[jasonsamui55]

What if someone wasn't really waiting til the end of their visa or visa exempt periods but rather was flying in every weekend for multiple weekends. I live here in Thailand now and have no visa issues but what if I were to take a job in Hong Kong or Singapore and then fly into Thailand on a visa exempt entry (with round trip tickets show flight back home) every Friday night and fly back home every Sunday night, and repeat this pretty consistently for all but maybe 1 month around Christmas and another month in the western summers, for a total of 40-something in and out 48 hour trips per year? Assume also I could show a home, a job and income and bank accounts in these countries and also could show I own a holiday home in Thailand. If someone were to be doing all of this and only coming in and out in Friday nights to Sunday nights, it seems that to get a 60 day visa in the "home country" of Hong Kong or Singapore wouldn't work because one would need 5 or 6 of them per year, and going to immigration offices in Thailand to get re-entry permits wouldn't work because they're not open on weekends anyway, So what options, other than an elite visa, exist for someone like this? Obviously this is the kind of tourist Thailand appears to want, one who just comes to an expensive beach villa and spends money in their free time. But if one had to spend lots of money on an elite visa, it makes more sense to have that weekend holiday beach spot in another country with equally good beaches that wouldn't care less if someone flew into their country for 40+ weekends per year.

[sunnyjim5]

What if someone wasn't really waiting til the end of their visa or visa exempt periods but rather was flying in every weekend for multiple weekends. I live here in Thailand now and have no visa issues but what if I were to take a job in Hong Kong or Singapore and then fly into Thailand on a visa exempt entry (with round trip tickets show flight back home) every Friday night and fly back home every Sunday night, and repeat this pretty consistently for all but maybe 1 month around Christmas and another month in the western summers, for a total of 40-something in and out 48 hour trips per year? Assume also I could show a home, a job and income and bank accounts in these countries and also could show I own a holiday home in Thailand. If someone were to be doing all of this and only coming in and out in Friday nights to Sunday nights, it seems that to get a 60 day visa in the "home country" of Hong Kong or Singapore wouldn't work because one would need 5 or 6 of them per year, and going to immigration offices in Thailand to get re-entry permits wouldn't work because they're not open on weekends anyway, So what options, other than an elite visa, exist for someone like this? Obviously this is the kind of tourist Thailand appears to want, one who just comes to an expensive beach villa and spends money in their free time. But if one had to spend lots of money on an elite visa, it makes more sense to have that weekend holiday beach spot in another country with equally good beaches that wouldn't care less if someone flew into their country for 40+ weekends per year.

A friend of mine enters the country on a regular basis using the "visa exempt" facility. He was challenged once but had cash and evidence that he worked abroad. The immigration officers were satisfied and he has never again (to date) been stopped.