25 minutes ago, thetruth revealer said:

Who says that? How come the Embassy and Consulates issue those visas again and again ?  Even telling people , next time go apply somewehere else, but not formally denied in future ?Its a bit like the snake bite her own tail isnt it.

They don't issue them again and again, and they don't tell people to apply elsewhere. People apply elsewhere as a way of getting around the individual limits. 

 

The approach by the authorities, over the last 10 years, has been to make it harder for people using the loophole in the system to get visas, rather than announce an overall limit that, without the Embassies/Consulates worldwide being linked, would be difficult to enforce and potentially lead to many getting denied at the border. 

 

I also think there is a conflict between consulates that make money from selling as many visas as possible, and immigration that have to enforce immigration law/regulation.

56 minutes ago, JackThompson said:

 

In my view, they simply made it more expensive to live in Thailand this way, to weed out those who cannot spend 25K+ Baht/yr to hop around to multiple foreign countries.  I think we agree they do not want those just barely hanging-on to stick around.

 

If the goal was to stop long-term tourists, they have an easy solution - set a limit with a future effective-date, publish it everywhere, post it at all entry/departure points and consulates, and issue resolved. 

 

I would not bet against this possibility, at some point in the future.  The result would be thousands of foreigners spending their incomes elsewhere, putting down roots, and later retiring in those other locales.  Whoever is making bucks off TE Visas, and likely investing in this outcome, will be happy with the extra few applicants.  The many thousands of Thais whose businesses and families are wrecked as collateral-damage will not be a concern.  I've seen similar behavior in my own country and elsewhere - greed is universal.

 

The only official document I have seen that backs up the idea that immigration consider tourism short term comes from a guideline issued to IO's about visa exempt entry. I appreciate it is specific to visa exempt entry, but whether entering with or without a visa the entry is for tourism.

"Aliens use the advantage of Tourist Visa Exemption by leaving Thailand and returning immediately for the purpose of extending their stay, which is considered from the tourism point of view to be longer than necessary and not in line with the purpose permitted while entering country. "

Source. No. 0029.171/2076 Date: 24 June 2014. Guideline for inspection of citizen from certain countries that are not required to obtain a visa when entering the Kingdom of Thailand. 

 

I think that it is naive for anyone to believe that Thailand intends for the Tourist Visa to be used to live in the country (regardless of financial status) even though nothing exists to say otherwise. It's a loophole that is obviously being closed, and I expect it will get closed further until the numbers get down to whatever level they are targeting.

 

First time ever in 12 trips over here from the US that I had to sign a statement before boarding that if I was denied entry, I would be paying for my own ticket back.  This was Lufthansa..so maybe they are tired of getting stiffed...and yes, they did check my visa, too.  Funny how the OP took until page 6 to tells he didn't have his show money.  That has been going on for decades...and that was also enforced more about 10 years ago at maesai...even saw some people passing the money through the fence for a family to re-use...I this k it was ten thou per person and twenty for a family...and berberlieve it or not there are families over here with young kids from theUS and elsewhere, who clearly don't have enough funds to avoid becoming a burden on Thailand.

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