Only 2 Visa Exempt Entries At Border Crossings Per Calendar Year Effective Dec 31st

[overherebc]

5 minutes ago, eeyang wah said:

So if it's really every "calendar year", that should mean you can stay 5 months if you fly in at the start of October then do 4 border hops.

Get 2 x 30 days for November and December, spend New Year's Eve in Laos then get another 2 entries the next calendar year covering you for Jan and Feb. 

Right?

 

That's what the rules say!!!!!!!!!

[ubonjoe]

10 minutes ago, cocoonclub said:

Wait, are you saying I can get a Thai tourist visa in Thailand? I thought it has to be done abroad. 

I think he mistakenly thought you were asking about visas to those countries.

Vientiane. Savannakhet and Penang are all good locations to apply for a single entry tourist visa. 

[ubonjoe]

38 minutes ago, phuketrichard said:

Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Burma, Indonesia.

all are very easy (Burma, Cambodia can be done siting at home)

He was asking about a tourist visa for here not another country.

[tonbridgebrit]

Is the following correct ?

It's January, and a British man in Britain applies for a SETV in London. He get's it, and flies to Thailand in mid-Jan, and is given sixty days on entry, at the airport in Bangkok. Okay, he then pays 1900 baht extension, this means he's okay for 90 days.

Now, he goes to Laos or Cambodia, by bus, does a border run, (as in, go into Laos, and walks back into Thailand, almost immediately). Once he walks back into Thailand, he will get a 30 day stamp.

That's 120 days in total so far. And then, just before the 120 days runs out, he now goes to Vietianne or Savanakhet (or Phnom Pen), and applies for the SETV there.

And once he's got the SETV from Vientianne, he can then get the extension for 30 days again. And also, one more border run. That's eight months in total in Thailand, or 240 days. And then, go back to England.

So, this means staying in Thailand for eight months per year, can be done by everybody ?

 

[ubonjoe]

7 minutes ago, tonbridgebrit said:

Is the following correct ?
It's January, and a British man in Britain applies for a SETV in London. He get's it, and flies to Thailand in mid-Jan, and is given sixty days on entry, at the airport in Bangkok. Okay, he then pays 1900 baht extension, this means he's okay for 90 days.
Now, he goes to Laos or Cambodia, by bus, does a border run, (as in, go into Laos, and walks back into Thailand, almost immediately). Once he walks back into Thailand, he will get a 30 day stamp.
That's 120 days in total so far. And then, just before the 120 days runs out, he now goes to Vietianne or Savanakhet (or Phnom Pen), and applies for the SETV there.
And once he's got the SETV from Vientianne, he can then get the extension for 30 days again. And also, one more border run. That's eight months in total in Thailand, or 240 days. And then, go back to England.
So, this means staying in Thailand for eight months per year, can be done by everybody ?

 

Yes if they are from a G7 country (only 15 day entries if not)  but it could be 10 months if they got 30 day extensions of the 30 day entries.

 

[overherebc]

For expats, no matter what their nationality is, trying to stay long term on VE's it will be problem and I wouldn't even make a stab at how many or how few.

It will probably cause problems for expats staying in Laos or Cambodia who like to do regular visits for shopping or visiting friends if they like to do it by land.

For all others here it will not have a big impact nor will it cause big problems for tourists who do a little bit of planning for their holiday.

[Psimbo]

On 12/17/2016 at 5:38 PM, JB300 said:

This is really going to mess up some people's "plans"...


What's next I wonder?

Apply for a proper visa if staying long term?

[brewsterbudgen]

Apply for a proper visa if staying long term?

Or do what has been described in post#245.

[phuketrichard]

3 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

He was asking about a tourist visa for here not another country.

My Bad;

well than PP is easy as well, just use an agent, ( or from really anywhere in Cambodia using an agent

Also Yangon is 1 night

Kota Bharu

[overherebc]

All this reminds me of a W C Fields movie where his wife sees him reading a bible and says, first time in my life I've seen you read the bible'

He answers,

Lookin' for loop-holes honey, looking for loopholes.

A bit of topic I know. Sorry.

[JackThompson]

4 hours ago, jpinx said:

This makes sense.  A tourist arrives from his home country, tours the destination and goes home.  Excursions to neighbouring countries are just that and the METV allows for a nice holiday.  For someone who wants to stay long-term, they need to consider the myriad of other options.  Work, Marriage, Investment, Elite, Retirement, 5/10 year retirement, etc, etc.   Can anyone justify a stay in Thailand that is not covered by one of these options?

 

Yes.  Retired and under 50.  Overseas business owner (including property-rentals) under 50.  These people are currently limited to the use of Tourist Visas, and spend significant funds on visa-travel that could otherwise be spent in Thailand and/or on a fairly-priced visa option.

[thetruth revealer]

On 17.12.2016 at 7:57 PM, overherebc said:

In all honesty I would reckon that 'genuine' tourists come to Thailand for 2 to 3 weeks a year, maybe 4 and some may come twice and this will have no impact on them in any way.

We are all aware that 99% of people now are being asked to show a visa prior to boarding for a flight to Thailand. Is that any different to my wife needing a visa to go to UK on holiday with me for a fortnight. Let's face it, she couldn't do border runs to France monthly and stay as long as she wanted.

If it impacts on some teachers who may be unqualified etc and use border hops to keep going and have to leave next year then maybe, just maybe it might change the attitude of the schools that hire them. We all live in hope I suppose.

Quite how it will affect the digital nomads who will convince you they make mega-bucks I don't know.

Maybe they will have to bite the bullet and pay for the Elite Visa?

Your assumption that 99% of people being asked for Visa to board a flight is far from Reality.

[overherebc]

3 minutes ago, thetruth revealer said:

Your assumption that 99% of people being asked for Visa to board a flight is far from Reality.

99% of the people I know have been. Flying long haul from USA  EU  NZ they mostly are.

[ubonjoe]

7 minutes ago, overherebc said:

99% of the people I know have been. Flying long haul from USA  EU  NZ they mostly are.

You should of wrote a visa or a flight out of the country within 30 days of arrival.

[LivinLOS]

19 minutes ago, JackThompson said:

 

Yes.  Retired and under 50.  Overseas business owner (including property-rentals) under 50.  These people are currently limited to the use of Tourist Visas, and spend significant funds on visa-travel that could otherwise be spent in Thailand and/or on a fairly-priced visa option.

 

But they did make the Elite 5 year.. 

 

Anyone claiming high net worth, that isnt prepared to spend 500k for a worry free 5 years.. Is not being 100% honest somewhere. 

[overherebc]

3 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

You should of wrote a visa or a flight out of the country within 30 days of arrival.

 

True ?

[JackThompson]

2 minutes ago, LivinLOS said:

But they did make the Elite 5 year.. 

Anyone claiming high net worth, that isnt prepared to spend 500k for a worry free 5 years.. Is not being 100% honest somewhere. 

 

"High net worth" by a Thai or Swiss standard?  Thailand is attractive because it has good value for the money, compared to our home-countries.  Anyone who is not very wealthy would be foolish to squander 500K Baht on a visa - a full year of living expenses in Thailand (at 6x a minimum Thai full-time salary) - which could instead be invested or saved. 

 

I can get 5 years in Cambodia ~65K Baht or Vietnam for ~25K Baht.   Thailand is pricing itself out of its own market.  The people who suffer most are the Thais who earned their incomes from those being driven away by these policies.

[jpinx]

45 minutes ago, JackThompson said:

 

Yes.  Retired and under 50.  Overseas business owner (including property-rentals) under 50.  These people are currently limited to the use of Tourist Visas, and spend significant funds on visa-travel that could otherwise be spent in Thailand and/or on a fairly-priced visa option.

They can easily get the Elite 5-year visa.

[JackThompson]

 

5 minutes ago, jpinx said:

They can easily get the Elite 5-year visa.

 

I said "reasonably priced."  See other countries in the region (my previous post) to see where the price-point is in the market - somewhere between 5% to 13% the Thai offer (left off the Philippines - similar in cost to Cambodia).

[jpinx]

3 minutes ago, JackThompson said:

 

 

I said "reasonably priced."  See other countries in the region (my previous post) to see where the price-point is in the market - somewhere between 7% to 20% the Thai offer (left off the Philippines - similar in cost to Cambodia).

That is perfectly reasonable - if these people can not afford to buy the necessary visa to come to Thailand, Thailand does not want them.  There is no "reasonable price" - - the price is what it is, for reasons that have been aired in here for years.

[buick]

4 hours ago, tonbridgebrit said:

Is the following correct ?

It's January, and a British man in Britain applies for a SETV in London. He get's it, and flies to Thailand in mid-Jan, and is given sixty days on entry, at the airport in Bangkok. Okay, he then pays 1900 baht extension, this means he's okay for 90 days.

Now, he goes to Laos or Cambodia, by bus, does a border run, (as in, go into Laos, and walks back into Thailand, almost immediately). Once he walks back into Thailand, he will get a 30 day stamp.

That's 120 days in total so far. And then, just before the 120 days runs out, he now goes to Vietianne or Savanakhet (or Phnom Pen), and applies for the SETV there.

And once he's got the SETV from Vientianne, he can then get the extension for 30 days again. And also, one more border run. That's eight months in total in Thailand, or 240 days. And then, go back to England.

So, this means staying in Thailand for eight months per year, can be done by everybody ?

 

 

this is how i stay in thailand for 8-9 months a year.  i start with an SETV from my home country and extend it.  90 day stay.  but i don't get another SETV in a nearby country.  i just do visa exempt entries by flying to a nearby country, usually staying there for one or two weeks.  do this 3 times (usually extend two of the visa exempt entries).  i was questioned by immigration 4 or 5 years ago and they told me i should use tourist visas - i was doing only visa exempt entries for a number of years (always by air and always staying out of country more than a week each time).  i got double entry visas for a couple years but now i'm doing more visa exempt entries until they stop me again.  some members of TV claim this is using a loophole and what i do is forbidden.  but i keep doing it and have no problems.  i did turn 50 this year and will likely get retirement extension of stay at some point.  but i will be doing a couple visa exempt entries before i deal with that.  we'll see if they stop me for a discussion.

[jpinx]

12 minutes ago, JackThompson said:

 

"High net worth" by a Thai or Swiss standard?  Thailand is attractive because it has good value for the money, compared to our home-countries.  Anyone who is not very wealthy would be foolish to squander 500K Baht on a visa - a full year of living expenses in Thailand (at 6x a minimum Thai full-time salary) - which could instead be invested or saved. 

 

I can get 5 years in Cambodia ~65K Baht or Vietnam for ~25K Baht.   Thailand is pricing itself out of its own market.  The people who suffer most are the Thais who earned their incomes from those being driven away by these policies.

Hoisted by your own petard - People who struggle to get 500k together for a 5 year visa really need to think again about travelling. 

 

[JackThompson]

Just now, jpinx said:

That is perfectly reasonable - if these people can not afford to buy the necessary visa to come to Thailand, Thailand does not want them. 

 

The fantasy about a handful of rich people and floods of Chinese solving everything is over.  Time to come back to reality, and recognize what other countries in the region have already figured out - the more people like I described who come in, the better it is for their own people, and the future of their country.

[jpinx]

Not really -- Thailand is being destroyed by the influx of cheap-charlie tourists who spend very little but demand the same services as high rollers.  Look what happened about the zero-dollar tours.......

[buick]

38 minutes ago, LivinLOS said:

 

But they did make the Elite 5 year.. 

 

Anyone claiming high net worth, that isnt prepared to spend 500k for a worry free 5 years.. Is not being 100% honest somewhere. 

 

i have what i consider to be a high net worth (all cash/stocks, not property).  why should i spend 500,00thb for a visa ?  i'd rather spend the money on travel and use a combo of tourist visas and visa exempt entries.  i don't get worried about my 'process' at all.  i've talked to immigration in the past.  not a big deal. 

[JackThompson]

Just now, jpinx said:

Not really -- Thailand is being destroyed by the influx of cheap-charlie tourists who spend very little but demand the same services as high rollers.  Look what happened about the zero-dollar tours.......

 

The zero-dollar tours reflect what did not work.  The "cheap charlies" were not Westerners - they were the Chinese, which is exactly my point.  

 

No harm in encouraging quality short-term tourists and offering special visas for high-rollers - but no sense wrecking opportunities to get billions of baht more from those I listed, when there is no shortage of condo-space or Thai businesses seeking customers.  The people who used to fill the condo-building I live in are the solution - not a problem to be removed by visa-crackdowns. 

 

There is profit for Thais, and sales-taxes paid, in every baht I spend here.  No "free services" that I am aware of.  High-rollers rent limos and larger condos.  I rent taxis and a smaller condo.  There are many more like me than "high rollers."  Both are a net-gain in foreign-sourced capital.  There is no need to pick one instead of the other. 

[SheungWan]

It would appear that the main problem is that those who were doing more than two land border runs per year are in practice complaining about the additional cost of converting those land runs into air flights. Given the additional cost of short flight hops, is it so terrible a prospect?

[jpinx]

8 minutes ago, JackThompson said:

 

The zero-dollar tours reflect what did not work.  The "cheap charlies" were not Westerners - they were the Chinese, which is exactly my point.  

 

No harm in encouraging quality short-term tourists and offering special visas for high-rollers - but no sense wrecking opportunities to get billions of baht more from those I listed, when there is no shortage of condo-space or Thai businesses seeking customers.  The people who used to fill the condo-building I live in are the solution - not a problem to be removed by visa-crackdowns. 

 

There is profit for Thais, and sales-taxes paid, in every baht I spend here.  No "free services" that I am aware of.  High-rollers rent limos and larger condos.  I rent taxis and a smaller condo.  There are many more like me than "high rollers."  Both are a net-gain in foreign-sourced capital.  There is no need to pick one instead of the other. 

It is unclear who is being "protected" here.  Someone who has enough funds to have a condo, car, etc in Thailand, will  obviously have enough for an Elite Visa. As I said before, anyone scratching around to get 500k together for a 5 year visa is really not going to be benefitting Thailand with much in Sales tax, etc. 

[myfriendu]

45 minutes ago, jpinx said:

Hoisted by your own petard - People who struggle to get 500k together for a 5 year visa really need to think again about travelling. 

 

You be stupid to spend 500k on a visa for 5 years if only traveling a year 

[jpinx]

2 minutes ago, myfriendu said:

You be stupid to spend 500k on a visa for 5 years if only traveling a year 

We are talking about people buying a car and condo -- not a quick one-year visit.  Do try to keep up