What is going on with people being rejected for a SETV in Vientiane despite having just 1 or 2 previous ones from somewhere else in their passport and no warning or remark stamp? And are they being rejected when they request the SETV or at the time they come to pick up their passport?

lots of reports for some time now, well since they became 'free'

Maybe the embassy has finally woken up and realised that there is a likelihood that some, possibly many, of these people with back to back to back visas of some sort or another might be flying below the radar and working illegally and thus they have decided to get tougher on such people?

 

Call me tough, but I reckon they should only allow a a couple of single entry tourist visas per calendar year from South-East Asian consulates and embassies and any more mean you have to go back to your home country which could be seen as showing some sort of times to your homeland.

All Thai consulates and embassies have a number of visas that set of alarm bells when someone  applies for a visa  and exceeds that limit.

That number is set locally by that consulate or embassy.

Now, with free visas being offered those Thai honorary  consulates are losing the fees that helped raise funds for their operation.

Therefore they are now getting stricter at issuing new 'free' visas.

 

23 minutes ago, IMA_FARANG said:

All Thai consulates and embassies have a number of visas that set of alarm bells when someone  applies for a visa  and exceeds that limit.

That number is set locally by that consulate or embassy.

Now, with free visas being offered those Thai honorary  consulates are losing the fees that helped raise funds for their operation.

Therefore they are now getting stricter at issuing new 'free' visas.

 

For example if you have one SETV in the passport. A person with one SETV in their passport said they were rejected recently. So 1 could be the new limit? Seems weird.

3 minutes ago, Essecola said:

For example if you have one SETV in the passport. A person with one SETV in their passport said they were rejected recently. So 1 could be the new limit? Seems weird.

That was in Savannakhet and was rejected for not having tickets out of the country and financial proof.

The only odd rejection I am aware of in Vientiane had a to many visas stamp from Penang after getting 3 tourist visas there.

31 minutes ago, IMA_FARANG said:

Now, with free visas being offered those Thai honorary  consulates are losing the fees that helped raise funds for their operation.

Which nearby location do you think is a honorary consulate. Penang and Savannakhet are official Thai consulates.

The nearest honorary consulate is in Bali.

 

A person in another thread said he was rejected for a tourist visa in Vientiane and had only 1 previous SETV in his passport from a Thai embassy not in Asia.

Edited February 20, 20179 yr by Essecola

34 minutes ago, Essecola said:

A person in another thread said he was rejected for a tourist visa in Vientiane and had only 1 previous SETV in his passport from a Thai embassy not in Asia.

Do you mean the one quoted in this post. Lots of confusion in that topic because it got mixed up with Savannakhet's changes.

 

Personally i do not fully understand why Thailand would discourage long term tourists to enter Thailand.These long term Tourists will feel unwelcome and go to another Country how does this benefit Thailand?

8 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

Do you mean the one quoted in this post. Lots of confusion in that topic because it got mixed up with Savannakhet's changes.

 

It was not in this post. In the post titled 'what happened to vientiane'. Post #26 of that thread.

2 hours ago, mstevens said:

Maybe the embassy has finally woken up and realised that there is a likelihood that some, possibly many, of these people with back to back to back visas of some sort or another might be flying below the radar and working illegally and thus they have decided to get tougher on such people?

 

Call me tough, but I reckon they should only allow a a couple of single entry tourist visas per calendar year from South-East Asian consulates and embassies and any more mean you have to go back to your home country which could be seen as showing some sort of times to your homeland.

So don't issue any visas just in case some of the applicants may possibly being doing something wrong?  Really?  That's the best strategy you think they came up with for blocking illegal workers? Really??  

With these new supposed issues at Vientiene and the new requirement at Penang and Savannakhet..it looks like Yangon is currently the best place to get a SETV.

42 minutes ago, Essecola said:

It was not in this post. In the post titled 'what happened to vientiane'. Post #26 of that thread.

That was by the OP of that topic. I am aware from a PM that he sent me that he a had 3 visas from Penang and had stamp on his last one from them.

 

2 hours ago, IMA_FARANG said:

Now, with free visas being offered those Thai honorary  consulates are losing the fees that helped raise funds for their operation.

None of the consulates in Laos are "honorary." And in Vientiane it would be the Thai embassy, not a consulate.

 

Quote

Personally i do not fully understand why Thailand would discourage long term tourists to enter Thailand.

There are ways to get (relatively) long term tourist stays in Thailand without doing a succession of SETVs by making visa runs.  Anything truly long stay and you cease to be a tourist.

 

 

Edited February 20, 20179 yr by Suradit69

1 hour ago, Destiny1990 said:

Personally i do not fully understand why Thailand would discourage long term tourists to enter Thailand.These long term Tourists will feel unwelcome and go to another Country how does this benefit Thailand?

If your spending more than 6 months in Thailand you can hardly be classed as a Tourist.

The O-A Visa is always an option for 'long stays' to tour Asia.

 

I see two types of 'visitors' who abuse the system.

Young teachers with no qualifications who cannot get a B Visa, so use back to back Tourist Visas.

Retires who cannot meet the financial requirements for an extension and have lived here for years on Visa exempts and TV's.

 

The noose is tightening.

3 hours ago, mstevens said:

Maybe the embassy has finally woken up and realised that there is a likelihood that some, possibly many, of these people with back to back to back visas of some sort or another might be flying below the radar and working illegally and thus they have decided to get tougher on such people?

 

Call me tough, but I reckon they should only allow a a couple of single entry tourist visas per calendar year from South-East Asian consulates and embassies and any more mean you have to go back to your home country which could be seen as showing some sort of times to your homeland.

Why don't the authorities start clamping down on the people who illegally do the employing and severe punishments for anyone caught working illegally, instead of harassing innocent tourists all the time? Or is it the brown envelope thing again.

6 minutes ago, possum1931 said:

Why don't the authorities start clamping down on the people who illegally do the employing and severe punishments for anyone caught working illegally, instead of harassing innocent tourists all the time? Or is it the brown envelope thing again.

Because it's the authorities that pay the schools to pay crap salaries to fully qualified teachers.

 

Define an 'innocent' Tourist.

28 minutes ago, dentonian said:

Because it's the authorities that pay the schools to pay crap salaries to fully qualified teachers.

 

Define an 'innocent' Tourist.

People who want to come and explore and travel around this beautiful country for much more than 30 days, there are plenty of them

and they deserve better treatment than what they are getting from the Thai authorities.

2 minutes ago, possum1931 said:

People who want to come and explore and travel around this beautiful country for much more than 30 days, there are plenty of them

and they deserve better treatment than what they are getting from the Thai authorities.

You mean backpackers who have the time to explore because they don't hold down any employment and travel on the benefits their paid from the taxes I paid. Yeah right!

Why should there be any time limit for someone who likes to travel and see Thailand? Some may have only a few weeks off work in their country, others may take a year off, 2 years etc, etc. if they have the money and time to do it why not? Doesn't mean they must be teachers breaking the rules. 

1 minute ago, Freespirit said:

Why should there be any time limit for someone who likes to travel and see Thailand? Some may have only a few weeks off work in their country, others may take a year off, 2 years etc, etc. if they have the money and time to do it why not? Doesn't mean they must be teachers breaking the rules. 

If your employed and can only take a few weeks away from work, then the Visa exempt allows 30 days for most, the TV allows 60 days extendable to 90 days. How much longer do you think an employer would keep his job open.

 

If you can afford to take two years out, you can afford the Thai Elite.

 

I believe the authorities are making a statement by saying get the correct Visa for the purpose of your visit.

45 minutes ago, Freespirit said:

Why should there be any time limit for someone who likes to travel and see Thailand? Some may have only a few weeks off work in their country, others may take a year off, 2 years etc, etc. if they have the money and time to do it why not? Doesn't mean they must be teachers breaking the rules. 

What is the time limit in your country, people just come in and hang out with no requirements, I do not think so. Thailand has tighten the noose because of people living long term here on monthly visa runs, education visas, and tourist visas. I think not any more. Yes a few real tourist will be affected but not enough to put a dent in the real tourist numbers

42 minutes ago, dentonian said:

If your employed and can only take a few weeks away from work, then the Visa exempt allows 30 days for most, the TV allows 60 days extendable to 90 days. How much longer do you think an employer would keep his job open.

 

If you can afford to take two years out, you can afford the Thai Elite.

 

I believe the authorities are making a statement by saying get the correct Visa for the purpose of your visit.

So by your logic (deeply flawed), all students on a year off to go backpacking have the funds for an elite card. NO.no no. think agan!

Just like to add i am not rich, but it doesn't take much money to live in Thailand, ask the Thai's. So why would any one have to qualify for an elite card to be a long term tourist.

1 hour ago, dentonian said:

If your spending more than 6 months in Thailand you can hardly be classed as a Tourist.

The O-A Visa is always an option for 'long stays' to tour Asia.

 

 

The O-A visa is not an option if you're under 50. 

7 minutes ago, moe666 said:

What is the time limit in your country, people just come in and hang out with no requirements, I do not think so. Thailand has tighten the noose because of people living long term here on monthly visa runs, education visas, and tourist visas. I think not any more. Yes a few real tourist will be affected but not enough to put a dent in the real tourist numbers

Thailand has a big tourist industry, why try to impose restrictions like in other countries, and then destroy the appeal Thailand had as a relaxed tourist destination. They seem intent on destroying what they had, and in doing so destroying the tourist industry and its income. If they keep making it more difficult to stay here, tourists will go elsewhere. The decline has already started, hence their need to offer free tourists visas.

4 minutes ago, lordblackader said:

The O-A visa is not an option if you're under 50. 

Correct!

Exactly the point I'm making.

Thailand only offers long term stays to those over 50 who have proof of sufficient funds, ideally for retirees with regular monthly incomes.

They welcome 'tourists' as in those who spend 3-4 weeks in Thailand blowing their yearly savings.

 

For those who fall in-between, they offer nothing.

3 minutes ago, lordblackader said:

The O-A visa is not an option if you're under 50. 

You are missing the point. Why should there be any limit to how long a tourist wants to stay. Why 60 days. They used to have triple tourist visas 60 + 60 + 60 with 3 x 30 day extensions. Total 270 days. You can be a genuine tourist for however long you like. Its only now they are trying to eliminate that. If an individual likes to travel that's his or her free choice. They are just making it harder to do so in Thailand. 

Exactly they are offering nothing for those that fall between those groups.