I had a very unpleasant experience yesterday at the airport in Chiang Mai, when coming back to Thailand (from KL). I was questioned at the immigration about what I'm doing in Chiang Mai. The lady at the immigration seemed quite angry and said "You have record, you come often to Thailand. We need to interview you".

Then I had to follow them and fill out a form which basically asked the same questions as the arrival form, where I'm staying, what I'm doing here "holiday" and what date I would leave Thailand. I had to show an onward ticket (thx god I had one.) After all they stamped my passport but the lady said "next time you can not come back to Thailand without visa. you need to get visa outsode Thailand". Wow. I didn't expect that. So that means no more visa on arrival for me? I'm a German citizen, I'm usually fine with visa on arrival.

The thing is I'm not even the one who's doing typical visa runs. For the record, I was in Thailand in 2014 for 6 months on a double entry. I left Thailand in January 2015 and went to Europe and Africa for 10 months.

Came back to Thailand in November 2015. Stayed 30 days (Tourist on arrival), then left for a week in Bali. Came back and stayed less than 60 days (extended visa on arrival). Went to Turkey for a week. Came back and stayed 30 days. Went to the Philippines for 2 months. Came back and stayed again for 30 days. Went to the US for a week. Came back in June and stayed 60 days (extended visa on arrival) and went to KL for 3 days.

And now I'm back again and I got questioned at the airport. I have never overstayed my visa. I don't always extend, I often leave before 30 days ends. And I never just left for a day (visa run). I never crossed land borders. Always fly. I always entered on visa on arrival, except when I came in 2014.

I just wonder how I could be a suspect and what will happen next time... Anyone similar experiences and tips? Also, does having a tourist visa (obtained from an embassy in another country) guarantees entry? I'm really confused and wonder if Chiang Mai is no longer an option to stay here for extended periods.

Anyone similar experiences in BKK Airport?

Maybe it's not ur day.i use to come to chaing mai every now and then but I don't encounter such problems. Maybe u should pray next time you come to chaing mai or may be u should fly to don muang airport

I reckon, the suspicion was raised because a "normal" tourist does not come and go like what you did over the past couple of years.  They suspect you are abusing the visa excemptions process which are meant for genuine short term tourists.

3 minutes ago, Kopitiam said:

I reckon, the suspicion was raised because a "normal" tourist does not come and go like what you did over the past couple of years.  They suspect you are abusing the visa excemptions process which are meant for genuine short term tourists.

 

In my view, the OP's use of visa exempt entries is legitimate. He clearly likes Thailand, and comes often, but there is nothing to suggest he is anything but someone who travels for pleasure.

 

I think most IOs at Suvarnabhumi would peruse his entries for a while, then stamp him in without even involving a supervisor. My unproven theory is that they see fewer continual travelers in Chiang Mai and Phuket than they do in Bangkok, and (often not being very smart) cannot identify them very well.

Happened to me at bkk swampy in November , was told I was flagged because I had too many visits on visa exempt. I work offshore so was always out after 28days so never bothered with visa. Two of my colleagues were also told the same and obtained visas/permission to stay
Since my wedding was not planned to take place for another six months, I simply carried a letter (in Thai) from my fiancé explaining I will obtain correct visa once we are married.
I came through the immigration a further 3 times and never once got questioned or had to show letter until my fourth entry which was the week before our wedding anyway, the officer looked at letter and wished me well and stamped my passport



Sent from my iPad using Thaivisa Connect

@BritTim

 

 I'm a woman  No worries. Someone told me that I'm not allowed to stay more than 90 days within a 6 months period. So apparently that's why I got in trouble. Is that true with the 90 days limit within 6 months? I wasn't aware of this.

2 minutes ago, 500DaysOfSummer said:

@BritTim

 

 I'm a woman  No worries. Someone told me that I'm not allowed to stay more than 90 days within a 6 months period. So apparently that's why I got in trouble. Is that true with the 90 days limit within 6 months? I wasn't aware of this.

 

Those 2 lines, beginning from "Someone told...  - made your entire OP paragraphs oh so much clearer

7 minutes ago, 500DaysOfSummer said:

@BritTim

 

 I'm a woman  No worries. Someone told me that I'm not allowed to stay more than 90 days within a 6 months period. So apparently that's why I got in trouble. Is that true with the 90 days limit within 6 months? I wasn't aware of this.

 

Actually, that 90 days within 6 months rule was canceled in a police order many years ago. It was only in force for a short period. Unfortunately, there are websites that still erroneously quote this "rule", and you should be very wary of trusting what "someone tells you", even consular officials.

3 hours ago, tifino said:

 

Those 2 lines, beginning from "Someone told...  - made your entire OP paragraphs oh so much clearer

 

sorry for the ignorance but what means OP?

4 minutes ago, 500DaysOfSummer said:

 

sorry for the ignorance but what means OP?

 

"Original Poster"

5 hours ago, BritTim said:

 

In my view, the OP's use of visa exempt entries is legitimate. He clearly likes Thailand, and comes often, but there is nothing to suggest he is anything but someone who travels for pleasure.

 

I think most IOs at Suvarnabhumi would peruse his entries for a while, then stamp him in without even involving a supervisor. My unproven theory is that they see fewer continual travelers in Chiang Mai and Phuket than they do in Bangkok, and (often not being very smart) cannot identify them very well.

 

Based on what I experienced exiting Thailand recently, the IO must involve a supervisor to get past the computer blocking the transaction (in or out).  Likely, the supervisor must also fill out some paperwork explaining his override of the system / rule (though there is no published rule that we know and can abide by).

Edited August 8, 20169 yr by JackThompson
gramar

1 minute ago, JackThompson said:

 

Based on what I experienced exiting Thailand recently, the IO must involve a supervisor to get past the computer blocking the transaction (in or out).  Likely, the supervisor must also fill out some paperwork explaining his override of the system / rule (though there is no published rule that we know and can abide by).

 

Perhaps you are correct, but that is not my impression. I think it is just an alert from the official to scrutinize the entry more closely. It may well be that the policy at some borders is to involve a supervisor any time such an alert appears. With some alerts (those for visa exempt entries) the officials at some land borders seem to be under instructions to simply deny entry, but I do not think this is computer controlled.

You say that “I'm not even the one who's doing typical visa runs” but if I count your visa exemptions it seems you needed the 6th one in less than a year. This is the same someone living here full time would need (with 30 day extensions), and you also had a few of these, so most likely you were flagged as a non-tourist.

 

A tourist visa is no guarantee that you can enter Thailand, some embassies will even give you a paper (with the visa) emphasizing this, and the possibility of being asked for return flight ticket and 10,000 baht or similar.

 

But in practice it would seem their system is mostly concerned about people with a significant number of visa exemption entries.

Edited August 8, 20169 yr by lkn

41 minutes ago, lkn said:

You say that “I'm not even the one who's doing typical visa runs” but if I count your visa exemptions it seems you needed the 6th one in less than a year. This is the same someone living here full time would need (with 30 day extensions), and you also had a few of these, so most likely you were flagged as a non-tourist.

 

A tourist visa is no guarantee that you can enter Thailand, some embassies will even give you a paper (with the visa) emphasizing this, and the possibility of being asked for return flight ticket and 10,000 baht or similar.

 

But in practice it would seem their system is mostly concerned about people with a significant number of visa exemption entries.

Since 2006 they have cracked down on the overuse of visa exempt entry and pushed people on to tourist visas. Visa Exempt Entry and Tourist Visas are meant for short term tourism, having made it impossible to live here full time using visa exemption  it is logical that will make it harder for perpetual tourism using visas.

13 minutes ago, elviajero said:

Since 2006 they have cracked down on the overuse of visa exempt entry and pushed people on to tourist visas. Visa Exempt Entry and Tourist Visas are meant for short term tourism, having made it impossible to live here full time using visa exemption  it is logical that will make it harder for perpetual tourism using visas.

 

I hear where you are coming from, but what purpose does this serve?  They said the 'in/out exempt' folks were working.  Ok, let's say that was true.  Add in pushing out the 'poor-bum' types, who cannot afford the longer runs and fees, the generation of visa-fee revenue, and to screen applicants. 

 

Those with "under the table" jobs cannot take several week-days off every 3 mo to make consulate-trips - nor pay for that on their salary.  They have the other bases covered.  I cannot fathom the "goal" of the new policy?  Who is being targeted, and why?

7 minutes ago, JackThompson said:

I hear where you are coming from, but what purpose does this serve?  They said the 'in/out exempt' folks were working.  Ok, let's say that was true.  Add in pushing out the 'poor-bum' types, who cannot afford the longer runs and fees, the generation of visa-fee revenue, and to screen applicants. 

 

Those with "under the table" jobs cannot take several week-days off every 3 mo to make consulate-trips - nor pay for that on their salary.  They have the other bases covered.  I cannot fathom the "goal" of the new policy?  Who is being targeted, and why?

I assure you that there were many working here and doing border hops prior to 2006. I wasn't working, but I did plenty of border hops, and was often the only one not working. After the restrictions came in some gave up and left, but many switched to using double entry tourist visas from Vientiane etc. Doing away with those will have sent a few more home, but the problem still exists. Digital nomads and other remote workers have also created a problem, and as there numbers grow they will be a reason for further restrictions.

I also believe that although there is no limit on Tourist Visas, or a published definition of a 'tourist', that immigration regard a tourist as a short term visitor, that can visit frequently but that goes home. IMO if they wanted long term tourists they would have a long term tourist visa. Although they do with the PE visa it's at a price that's unaffordable, probably for the obvious reasons, to most.

 

Unfortunately Jack, you are in a minority of people under 50 that can live here without working that is going to suffer because of visa abuse, and the sheer increase in people somehow funding a long stay using short term visas

I wonder if the OP can help me since she is from Germany. I have a can of fish and the labelling is all in German. I know gerauchert means smoked but what does genobbt mean. Thanks for your help.

37 minutes ago, Briggsy said:

I wonder if the OP can help me since she is from Germany. I have a can of fish and the labelling is all in German. I know gerauchert means smoked but what does genobbt mean. Thanks for your help.

 

Warning: I am not German, and have not used the language for over 20 years. I think the word is gemobbt. The most common meaning of that word is "bullied". In the context of a tin of fish, I suspect it means something like "pressed".

@Briggsy

 

I don't eat fish/meat, I had to google myself what "genobbt" means, in combination with fish, haha. It means they removed the head of the fish and also the intestines. Hope that helps.

Edited August 8, 20169 yr by 500DaysOfSummer

The fish indeed had no heads.

12 hours ago, Kopitiam said:

I reckon, the suspicion was raised because a "normal" tourist does not come and go like what you did over the past couple of years.  They suspect you are abusing the visa excemptions process which are meant for genuine short term tourists.

 

I agree with your conclusions.  So much travel in and out is often a sign of some sort of business and can raise eyebrows as to whether it is just tourism.  At face value nothing seems amiss, but that doesn't mean they won't get suspicous

I came in from Ho Chi Minh after a Non B visa and was told the same thing.

I think it's the government making it harder to stay in Thailand.

I don't mean to be cruel. but could you answer this direct question if asked by immigration thus question......do you work in Thailand, and then if you are not working in Thailand where does your income come from.?

Thais don't like to be asking such dircct qurstions as both they and the person they are confronting "lose face" with such direct questions.

Many farang don't understand that to many Thais, direct confrontational questionsmake both questioner and questioned "lose face" and is therefore avoided if posssible by most Thais

So they try to avoid direct confrontation, by avoiding such direct questions and rather asking why ou are entering on a "viss exempt" entry and not with the "proper visa" (whatever that is).

I have ound from experience that having a Thai bank passbook with a few hundred thousand Baht in an account in your name often is a good way to avoid such questions.

I fully realise that not everyone can provide such an answer, however.

In my case however, it is documents showing a monhly government pension paid into a Thai bank every month.

So far this response has also worked for "to many tourist visas" questions.

How long that will continie in the future I don't really know.

If you are a German citizen or even a legal resident of Germany, and you can afford the time and hassle, you should at least look into the possibility of a Multiple Entry Tourist Visa (METV) from a Thai consulate  or embessy in Germany

You may not be the "typical visa runner" but then you are also not the "typical tourist" either.  Most "tourists" can only afford to visit for a maximum of a couple months at most (Europeans, Americans less so).  Obviously your profile has been flagged and they have made it very clear that you will likely have troubles if you enter Thailand again without a visa.  To avoid any risk you should make sure you have a "tourist visa" the next time you visit, as well as documentation as to the source of income that you live on.  I went through this before and the first time I entered Thailand on a tourist visa (following the prior discussion at Suvarnabhumi Airport for 45 minutes with humming and hawing etc.) I was invited to have another 10 minute discussion with the senior immigration officer on duty (DM Airport).   I suspect that if you are able to document that you have income supporting you outside the country (and you have a further invitation to discuss it) that whatever "flag" there is will be reset (though not the visa exempt flag).  By "flag" I mean that until you explain to them your source of income, they might very well be suspicious that you are doing some work in Thailand illegally.  As long as you are visiting the country further without a full year as a break -- you will likely be "required" to have a tourist visa from an embassy to avoid any future problems.  

 

As others have noted that you should never be confrontational with Thai immigration officers since if you cause them to lose face they will get their backs up and it will be an even less pleasant experience.   Answer their questions with short clear answers and if possible provide documentation to prove that you have income sources outside of Thailand.   If you do any work online while you are here - do not say you do - since it will only open another avenue for discussion (even if immigration allows it as a grey area - just mentioning work or work related stuff while in Thailand is not a good idea -- for that matter any country).  Don't answer questions that are not asked.  And at all times be deferential and friendly with the Immigration staff even if you feel like you are being interrogated.  If they want time to do their theatrics while flipping through your passport humming and hawing - let them.   Smile (or at least don't give them an angry or frustrated look), relax and don't get frustrated....  and thank them in a pleasant voice after your extended discussion -- even if you would prefer otherwise.

You may not be the "typical visa runner" but then you are also not the "typical tourist" either.  Most "tourists" can only afford to visit for a maximum of a couple months at most (Europeans, Americans less so).  Obviously your profile has been flagged and they have made it very clear that you will likely have troubles if you enter Thailand again without a visa.  To avoid any risk you should make sure you have a "tourist visa" the next time you visit, as well as documentation as to the source of income that you live on.  I went through this before and the first time I entered Thailand on a tourist visa (following the prior discussion at Suvarnabhumi Airport for 45 minutes with humming and hawing etc.) I was invited to have another 10 minute discussion with the senior immigration officer on duty (DM Airport).   I suspect that if you are able to document that you have income supporting you outside the country (and you have a further invitation to discuss it) that whatever "flag" there is will be reset (though not the visa exempt flag).  By "flag" I mean that until you explain to them your source of income, they might very well be suspicious that you are doing some work in Thailand illegally.  As long as you are visiting the country further without a full year as a break -- you will likely be "required" to have a tourist visa from an embassy to avoid any future problems.  

 

As others have noted that you should never be confrontational with Thai immigration officers since if you cause them to lose face they will get their backs up and it will be an even less pleasant experience.   Answer their questions with short clear answers and if possible provide documentation to prove that you have income sources outside of Thailand.   If you do any work online while you are here - do not say you do - since it will only open another avenue for discussion (even if immigration allows it as a grey area - just mentioning work or work related stuff while in Thailand is not a good idea -- for that matter any country).  Don't answer questions that are not asked.  And at all times be deferential and friendly with the Immigration staff even if you feel like you are being interrogated.  If they want time to do their theatrics while flipping through your passport humming and hawing - let them.   Smile (or at least don't give them an angry or frustrated look), relax and don't get frustrated....  and thank them in a pleasant voice after your extended discussion -- even if you would prefer otherwise.

The lady at immigration said,"You have record, you come often to Thailand. ''

 

For the record,

1.I was in Thailand in 2014 for 6 months on a double entry

2.Came back to Thailand in November 2015.Stayed 30 days (Tourist on arrival),

3.Came back and stayed less than 60 days (extended visa on arrival)

4. Came back and stayed 30 days.

5. .Came back and stayed again for 30 days.

6.Came back in June and stayed 60 days (extended visa on arrival)

7 ..And now I'm back again

 

LOL....well she was right..Not a typical tourist.in/out...in/out..I'd flag you to.

 

12 hours ago, elviajero said:

I assure you that there were many working here and doing border hops prior to 2006. I wasn't working, but I did plenty of border hops, and was often the only one not working. After the restrictions came in some gave up and left, but many switched to using double entry tourist visas from Vientiane etc. Doing away with those will have sent a few more home, but the problem still exists. Digital nomads and other remote workers have also created a problem, and as there numbers grow they will be a reason for further restrictions.

I also believe that although there is no limit on Tourist Visas, or a published definition of a 'tourist', that immigration regard a tourist as a short term visitor, that can visit frequently but that goes home. IMO if they wanted long term tourists they would have a long term tourist visa. Although they do with the PE visa it's at a price that's unaffordable, probably for the obvious reasons, to most.

 

Unfortunately Jack, you are in a minority of people under 50 that can live here without working that is going to suffer because of visa abuse, and the sheer increase in people somehow funding a long stay using short term visas

You are just saying what I have said in some of my recent posts, the under fifties who don't want to get married, need some more

assistance from Thailand Immigration, there are a lot of quality people among them who want to stay in Thailand long time and

make good contributions to their economy.

Thank you all for the replies, special thx to @bkkcanuck8

I get it now, I shouldnt enter Thailand without a visa, even then when I know I will stay less than 30 days. 

I'll make sure to get a visa next time I'm coming back. I wasnt aware that a VOA raises more flags than  Visa stickers in my passport. I always thought I should avoid getting visas as too many stickers in my passport might look suspicious either. Guess I was wrong.

Also I do have a bank account here in Thailand where I'm transferring my funds. I have enough savings to live a couple years here. However I'm a bit hesitant to send big amounts to my Thai bank, so far I only send month by month enough cash for 30 days. Do you suggest to mention my Thai Bank Account next time I come back (if I get asked).

Actually I forgot to mention, they did ask me at the airport how much cash I was carrying with me. I had 25k Baht with me.

Edited August 9, 20169 yr by 500DaysOfSummer

17 hours ago, tifino said:

 

"Original Poster"

I thought OP meant opening piece also. There are too many posters who are just too lazy to

print full words, then use initials that other posters don't understand.