Just returned from a visa-run (flight). Almost got stopped at thai immigration

[Evilbaz]

2 hours ago, JackThompson said:

 

Fortunately, that is not the only other option.  If and when such a limit is invented, the 99% unwilling to fork over that much of our retirement-savings at once for a visa - and/or who think a visa charge exceeding ~20% of our total living-expenses is excessive (living well, by our non-elite standards) - will move to Ed or Volunteer options.  If / when those options are not available, we will retire in one of the other countries, in the area, or around the world, with reasonable visa fees and options.

 

But if you have a Thai partner are you not just transferring all the visa and long stay problems to her in these "other countries"?

[YeahSiam]

On 9/6/2016 at 0:29 AM, moe666 said:

get that500 thousand baht 5 year get out of jail card

 

What if he doesn't want to stay here that long?

Not everyone considers Thailand to be the world's most desirable place to pitch a tent

[ubonjoe]

A flame and a off topic post has been removed.

[JackThompson]

5 minutes ago, Evilbaz said:

 

But if you have a Thai partner are you not just transferring all the visa and long stay problems to her in these "other countries"?

 

The relative-difficulty in obtaining visas does not exist in those countries.  But this assumes that she wishes to relocate and/or loose her job here - creating a new problem with regard to the family-compensation she is expected to pay (for life).

 

When / if "the end" appears inevitable, due to changing visa-rules, a "better offer" for marriage may be offered by some families, to preserve the status-quo.  Even if so, his thread-reply provides a worthwhile perspective on that dynamic:

 

[tonray]

On 9/7/2016 at 10:18 AM, JackThompson said:

 

 

And those who take Thai jobs without work-permits.  There is a reason even volunteer work must have a work-permit - "free" or "surplus" labor drives down wages. 

 

What Thai person will bother to get a degree to teach English here, when a million Filipinos and thousands of bored Westerners will do it on the cheap?

 

The laws regarding "what is work" do not agree with you, but they are not enforcing the law on those working online at present - likely for the very reason that in brings money in, and doesn't affect job-availability for Thais.

 

 

A Filipino English Teacher and a newly minted Thai Uni teaching grad get paid roughly the same in salary....except the Thai will get full benefits and guaranteed job. NES teachers get paid at least twice what new Thai teachers earn....so really not on the cheap.

Edited September 8, 2016 by tonray

[mstevens]

59 minutes ago, YeahSiam said:

 

What if he doesn't want to stay here that long?

Not everyone considers Thailand to be the world's most desirable place to pitch a tent

 

This is a very relevant point.  I spend several months a year in Thailand, but never more than 3 months at a time.  I actually like floating back and forwards between Thailand and Australia, spending 2 or 3 months in each before I get bored and fly back the other way.  The reason I continue to apply for a tourist visa as I need them (previously single or double entry, now the multiple entry) rather sign up for the Elite card is simply that I am not sure how long it will be until I get bored of Thailand.  It's fun for a few months but then the little things start to annoy so I go home for anything from 1 - 3 months and then go back again.  Maybe after my next stint in Thailand I will get bored or annoyed and choose to spend time elsewhere.  Never had a hassle getting tourist visas. but then I always apply in my hometown which probably helps.

[performance]

22 hours ago, darrendsd said:

  

A Tourist Visa IS a proper visa

 

To my understanding he is only using Visa exempt and no its not a proper VISA. after 2 3 visits a year the computer triggers Sir. If he had a paid tourist Visa they would have said 0.

 

 

Get a proper VISA and learn about the system 

[returnofthailand]

what is work anyway? I mean today the definition of work is different of what government says.
when a robot buy stock on line and you make money, are you working.? even the word work should not be used anymore in a world with robots and digital money.
governments are so behind because most dumb people understand one thing : if you don't work from 8 to 5 you are unemployed. and money comes from a salary.
so what is a salary? what about dividends? do you work for dividends? and what is about this 8 to 5 thing? .or Monday to Friday, weekend off.? this is for the slaves. no wonder why so many suicides.

are you working only in a office? and what is an office? a place with a chair and a desk? immigration ask now pictures of your office, what a joke. my office is my bed with a laptop on it. some guys post video on YouTube and make thousand a month. so where is their office?

I mean these talks about work permit is part of last century. I know apple is complaining too about taxation, why tax an application when it s just a digital copy? . we live in a modern world and there is no way to stop people making money, work permit or not, the money comes.

[bbi1]

" It seems that the immigration officer who spoke with me, wanted me to "return to Sweden for a while" (?), next time my tourist visa runs out, because my continuous visa-runs causes some "problems in their system".  - You are contradicting yourself buddy, you have a tourist visa and you said about a visa-run? Which one it is??? I've never had any issues flying to and back from Singapore on the exact same day with a tourist visa. Or do they want you to have a Multiple-Entry TV from your home country and don't want you to have a Single Entry anymore because you have too many?

[bbi1]

On 06/09/2016 at 6:51 AM, ricku said:

Err, I'm not working online. As I said, I'm a shareholder in a company, registered in Sweden. All I'm doing is having short telephone meetings and giving orders over e-mail, phone and SMS.

And even if I did work online, how on earth can that be illegal, if I'm working for my own company abroad??

If what you are saying is true, then living in Thailand means cutting all connections with your company / work at home?? That sounds ridiculous for so many reasons.

Um, yeah you are working online "giving orders over e-mail", how else is email done besides "Online"?

 

Yep, it's all work and you technically need a work permit. Yep, pretty stupid laws requiring people not to do any work whatsoever without a work permit but hey, just don't tell anyone about your work you are doing for your own company. Just tell any Thais you are a rich kid who has a shareholding and gets paid dividends/director fees, etc. Passive income baby!!

[bbi1]

On 06/09/2016 at 6:51 AM, ricku said:

Err, I'm not working online. As I said, I'm a shareholder in a company, registered in Sweden. All I'm doing is having short telephone meetings and giving orders over e-mail, phone and SMS.

And even if I did work online, how on earth can that be illegal, if I'm working for my own company abroad??

If what you are saying is true, then living in Thailand means cutting all connections with your company / work at home?? That sounds ridiculous for so many reasons.

Um, yeah you are working online "giving orders over e-mail", how else is email done besides "Online"?

 

Yep, it's all work and you technically need a work permit. Yep, pretty stupid laws requiring people not to do any work whatsoever without a work permit but hey, just don't tell anyone about your work you are doing for your own company. Just tell any Thais you are a rich kid who has a shareholding and gets paid dividends/director fees, etc. Passive income baby!!

[CMEric]

OP you can also get yourself two passports and alternate the use from one to another -then on a cursory glance it looks like you are not staying "back to back" but it looks as if you are away a month and back in LoS a month. Unless they run your name and DoB in their system there is no reason your other passport would show up and them putting two and two together.

[elviajero]

1 hour ago, CMEric said:

OP you can also get yourself two passports and alternate the use from one to another -then on a cursory glance it looks like you are not staying "back to back" but it looks as if you are away a month and back in LoS a month. Unless they run your name and DoB in their system there is no reason your other passport would show up and them putting two and two together.

Passports get linked on the immigration system and the entry record of both passports would be seen by the IO. As soon as someones details are entered any passports/entries associated with the same name and DOB are automatically shown.

[BritTim]

9 hours ago, CMEric said:

OP you can also get yourself two passports and alternate the use from one to another -then on a cursory glance it looks like you are not staying "back to back" but it looks as if you are away a month and back in LoS a month. Unless they run your name and DoB in their system there is no reason your other passport would show up and them putting two and two together.

 

That might work for dual nationals using passports of different countries. However, I have never seen confirmation. If using two passports issued by the same country, excluding a glitch, they will automatically be linked in the immigration computer.

[ctwtn]

The same thing happened to me on Monday - I was stopped for questioning because I've been on visa exemption status + extending my stay each visit. They told me this would be the last time I can do it and just have to apply for a tourist visa on my next entry. It was super stressful but they assured me I'd have no issues if I had a tourist visa next time. 

[CMEric]

I am not saying that you are wrong, but I have used two passports (same nationality) for a few years now and I have never been called out on it. Rhys at Assist Thai Visa in Chiang Mai said to not go through Mae Sai and return on the other passport as that would have highlighted the use of two passports (as in the past one could not travel through Mae Sai in any other way than just border bounce).

 

Anyhow I will keep using both passports and see what happens.

[elviajero]

20 minutes ago, CMEric said:

I am not saying that you are wrong, but I have used two passports (same nationality) for a few years now and I have never been called out on it. Rhys at Assist Thai Visa in Chiang Mai said to not go through Mae Sai and return on the other passport as that would have highlighted the use of two passports (as in the past one could not travel through Mae Sai in any other way than just border bounce).

 

Anyhow I will keep using both passports and see what happens.

Thai immigration will, usually, not allow swapping passports at any land border because they will want to see a departure stamp from the country you are leaving in the passport you are using to enter Thailand.

[Ronuk]

Not that I would but how would I as a UK citizen, get a second valid passport? I've never tried but I cannot imagine they just issue a second one on demand? If they do, that's an eye opener.

[elviajero]

4 minutes ago, Ronuk said:

Not that I would but how would I as a UK citizen, get a second valid passport? I've never tried but I cannot imagine they just issue a second one on demand? If they do, that's an eye opener.

They will issue a second passport as long as you provide justification for needing it. For example, people that travel frequently for work and need to apply for visas during their travels. 

[Ronuk]

2 minutes ago, elviajero said:

They will issue a second passport as long as you provide justification for needing it. For example, people that travel frequently for work and need to apply for visas during their travels. 

Thanks for that. I have never needed it as I always get the one with the most pages I can get. I would imagine though they need some some sort of proof that you really need it and if you were to get caught working the visa system here with 2 passports, there might be consequences? 

[elviajero]

9 minutes ago, Ronuk said:

Thanks for that. I have never needed it as I always get the one with the most pages I can get. I would imagine though they need some some sort of proof that you really need it and if you were to get caught working the visa system here with 2 passports, there might be consequences? 

I got a second passport with a simple letter from my Thai company. 

 

There is nothing wrong with switching passports or alternating them, but there is little to be gained for someone trying to game the system as they will be quickly linked on the immigration system.

[Cinderella Man]

20 hours ago, Ronuk said:

Not that I would but how would I as a UK citizen, get a second valid passport? I've never tried but I cannot imagine they just issue a second one on demand? If they do, that's an eye opener.

 

I believe you can have up to 3... just say you will be visiting Israel and some muslim countries around so you need another passport