Cash rule now being enforced at Padang Besar crossing

[mjnaus]

Had a bit of a nasty surprise yesterday after returning to Thailand from a nice little vacation on Penang with my wife (Thai) and my parents. Upon trying to enter Thailand, we were informed in no uncertain terms we'd need to show a fat stack of baht or we would not be allowed to enter the country. The fact we'd only be in Thailand for two nights before leaving again (and I had the air tickets to proof this) did not seem to matter. I tried reasoning with the officer; but he wouldn't have any of it. Either get the cash, or no entry. The amounts we needed to show were 10.000b for each of my parents (entering on a visa exempt stamp) and 20.000b for myself (entering on a non-O visa). Fortunately, my wife was already stamped into the country and was able to take our car and locate an ATM to take out the cash. If my wife wouldn't have been able to do so, we would have had to head back into Malaysia (not sure if Malaysian immigration would allow us to re-enter, without having a Thai exit stamp?) to sort out the money. This indeed seemed the case for a few Singaporean guys before us.

 

I am aware the cash rule exists; however I have never actually seen this enforced. I have crossed this particular border crossing dozens of times over the past 12 years and this is the first time I am seeing this enforced. Strangely, my parents flew into Hatyai (from KL) last week and upon entering Thailand then, no cash was needed. 

 

For those using the Padang Besar border crossing (and possibly the Sadao one as well), be aware of this rule now being enforced (wether entering on a visa exempt or a proper visa, money needs to be shown).

Edited March 15, 2017 by mjnaus

[Dave67]

I used Pedang Basar for years with no issues. I got caught out on Malaysian side going out  because my work Visa was outdated. Never heard of those sums of Money being demanded before

Edited March 15, 2017 by Dave67

[sas_cars]

So what happens if you are refused entry at the border? Will the Malaysian border will let you come in again without a thai exit stamp? You can't be refused entry on both countries right? Leaving you in no man's land?

[JackThompson]

37 minutes ago, Dave67 said:

I used Pedang Basar for years with no issues. I got caught out on Malaysian side going out  because my work Visa was outdated. Never heard of those sums of Money being demanded before

This was also my experience from 5 months ago - they asked for nothing, then. 

But this is the 2nd report of this from Pedang Besar - and this time, a Non-O entry.  Clearly, they are not targeting only 'serial-tourists' or 'visa-exempt runners' - but any one coming in who is part of the core-group who spends foreign-capital into the Thai economy consistently.

 

Be sure to top-off your traveler's checks, and walk around like a sucker waiting to get mugged - as the criminals are undoubtedly aware of this policy.  Maybe keep a "fake wallet" with a "mugger's $20" in it, as is common to do in many US cities, due to the high-crime there.
 

4 hours ago, mjnaus said:

(not sure if Malaysian immigration would allow us to re-enter, without having a Thai exit stamp?

 

4 minutes ago, sas_cars said:

So what happens if you are refused entry at the border? Will the Malaysian border will let you come in again without a thai exit stamp? You can't be refused entry on both countries right? Leaving you in no man's land?

They would have cancelled your exit-stamp, leaving the remainder of your permission-to-stay in Malaysia intact.  Then off to an ATM, get the cash (if your limit is high enough), then back to exit Malaysia and re-attempt entry to Thailand.  This happened to someone I spoke to at HatYai airport who tried to enter at Sadao.

Edited March 15, 2017 by JackThompson

[Dave67]

Land borders are genuinly a pain in the arse by the sound of it ,easy to turn someone around at a Land border. Far harder to turn someone around at an Airport, loads more hassle for immigration. 

Edited March 15, 2017 by Dave67

[JackThompson]

18 minutes ago, Dave67 said:

Land borders are genuinly a pain in the arse by the sound of it ,easy to turn someone around at a Land border. Far harder to turn someone around at an Airport, loads more hassle for immigration. 

Whatever hassle, it hasn't stopped them.  Many have been turned away for no-cash at airports - not just visa-exempts - even those with valid visas.  And if this happens at the Airport, you have a real PITA - expensive last-minute tickets plus detention until the flight.  What if you came from Myanmar, and cannot be sent-back there since you have no visa to enter?  Now it may take days in detention to get a very expensive flight to whatever your passport-country is. 

[Dave67]

9 minutes ago, JackThompson said:

Whatever hassle, it hasn't stopped them.  Many have been turned away for no-cash at airports - not just visa-exempts - even those with valid visas.  And if this happens at the Airport, you have a real PITA - expensive last-minute tickets plus detention until the flight.  What if you came from Myanmar, and cannot be sent-back there since you have no visa to enter?  Now it may take days in detention to get a very expensive flight to whatever your passport-country is. 

When you say "Many" what do you mean , Hundreds, Thousands, has anyone posted on here , who were turned around at the airport

[JackThompson]

1 minute ago, Dave67 said:

When you say "Many" what do you mean , Hundreds, Thousands, has anyone posted on here , who were turned around at the airport

Yes, they have posted here.  Many Visa-Exempts who had the cash have been sent back, and written in Thai in the passport is "didn't have the cash" (a lie).  Then there are the cases where the person entering had a valid visa, but (really) did not have the cash, and was sent back.  In all cases, they either had to pay a guard to watch them in departures until their flight left (as if they were actually going to "run for it"), or were locked-up in detention if their flight did not leave that day.  You can google them - reported on other sites, as well.  Add to this, many reports of seeing others being stopped and questioned, or many others being questioned in a separate area while the poster was questioned.  It is not possible to statistically-extrapolate from the cases reported here, what the actual rejection numbers are - but it happens.  I suspect they have a "quota" system, so a few unlucky travelers have their plans ruined per-shift.

 

As these policies do not address the masses illegal-workers, most of who come from neighboring countries on still-unlimited visa-entries, these efforts are all downside for Thais and foreigners alike.  Thais lose potential customers, and foreigners have a bad day (or days).  It is unfortunate they do not allocate all the personnel wasting time on these efforts to work interdicting contraband or security-threats. 

[Dave67]

6 minutes ago, JackThompson said:

Yes, they have posted here.  Many Visa-Exempts who had the cash have been sent back, and written in Thai in the passport is "didn't have the cash" (a lie).  Then there are the cases where the person entering had a valid visa, but (really) did not have the cash, and was sent back.  In all cases, they either had to pay a guard to watch them in departures until their flight left (as if they were actually going to "run for it"), or were locked-up in detention if their flight did not leave that day.  You can google them - reported on other sites, as well.  Add to this, many reports of seeing others being stopped and questioned, or many others being questioned in a separate area while the poster was questioned.  It is not possible to statistically-extrapolate from the cases reported here, what the actual rejection numbers are - but it happens.  I suspect they have a "quota" system, so a few unlucky travelers have their plans ruined per-shift.

 

As these policies do not address the masses illegal-workers, most of who come from neighboring countries on still-unlimited visa-entries, these efforts are all downside for Thais and foreigners alike.  Thais lose potential customers, and foreigners have a bad day (or days).  It is unfortunate they do not allocate all the personnel wasting time on these efforts to work interdicting contraband or security-threats. 

Cheers never heard of it before,when they said "Did'nt have the money" what money are they talking about, back handers or enough to live on

[JackThompson]

4 minutes ago, Dave67 said:

Cheers never heard of it before,when they said "Did'nt have the money" what money are they talking about, back handers or enough to live on

20K baht in cash or travelers checks - required for entry on a Tourist, Non-O, or Ed Visa.  10K required for a Visa-Exempt entry. 

On the one-hand, it's not enough to cover the expenses of a visit to Thailand - so a useless test.  On the other-hand, 20K is too much (IMO) to be carrying around in cash - making people a mugging-target.  Most folks don't use travelers checks any more - though they would be wise to learn about this "pre-ATM Machine" system of financing travel, if visiting Thailand.

Edited March 15, 2017 by JackThompson

[12DrinkMore]

16 minutes ago, JackThompson said:

In all cases, they either had to pay a guard to watch them in departures

If they had no cash, how did they pay?

 

What is the daily/hourly rate?

[JackThompson]

4 minutes ago, 12DrinkMore said:

If they had no cash, how did they pay?

 

What is the daily/hourly rate?

Here is one account - not the only one:

This guy had lots of money - one of the several "they lied" cases of denial based on not having money which he did have. 

 

Here's another more recent, where the guy wound up in a holding-cell:

 

 

[michemiche]

At Sadao border, the "rules" is to put 200 baths inside your passport.
No questions asked and no problems.
Hundred of people do that every day.
"Toutist" who make border run from Koh Samui-Phangan-Tao and probably more.....

[12DrinkMore]

33 minutes ago, JackThompson said:

Here is one account - not the only one:

 

Case # 1. He had a 1.5 year overstay already.

 

Case # 2. He had been staying in Thailand for 1.5 years on tourist visas, and they thought he was working.

 

[JackThompson]

3 hours ago, 12DrinkMore said:

Case # 1. He had a 1.5 year overstay already.

Case # 2. He had been staying in Thailand for 1.5 years on tourist visas, and they thought he was working.

Case #1 - The OP wrote: "I have never done anything illegal never overstayed my visas."  Unless he said something else in that thread, which I could have missed, overstay was not an issue.  He was loaded with cash.  His mistake was telling the truth, that he was planning to get an ED visa and stay awhile - and not having a Tourist Visa before coming, thus submitting himself to the random Visa-Exempt rejection-lottery.

 

Case #2 - The OP was returning from Japan after weeks out of Thailand.  Do people working under-the-table in Thailand vacation in Japan?   A month's expenses in Thailand get maybe 5 days in Japan?  He had an METV, so had at least $5K in the bank for months, just to qualify for that - and had returned home to get it.  His mistake was not knowing they would ask to see cash, as if he was living in 1970 and had no access to ATM machines (and they did not allow him to withdraw the cash).  So, they said he "didn't have the money" - then had him buy a ticket all the way home, which cost as much or more then them amount needed - so they knew, beyond any doubt, he had the money, but used a technicality to harm this foreigner and their own countrymen, by extension.

 

The money for the "tickets-home," plus the other money these two did not spend here, were taken directly from Thai businesses - the same as if someone had mugged people about to walk into them.  Thai employees were fired or not hired, and two visitor's lives were turned upside-down for no reason.  The purpose of a government is to serve and protect the interests of the citizens.  If harming foreigners helps Thais, it can most certainly be justified.  But in these two cases, and many other similar cases reported here, the actions taken in no way benefited Thai people.

Edited March 15, 2017 by JackThompson

[Microgenius]

@mjnaus I had the same issue in Padang Besar in the same day you had!

 

Furthermore, I've got the necessary amount of cash in USD, but the officer said I had to show it only in Thai Baht. No equivalent! Which is ridiculous.

 

So, there was no currency exchange on the border, I had to go back to Penang by train and came back to Phuket by FireFly airlines on the next day.

 

Never again.

 

 

[Lovethailandelite]

Posted on Jim's page today regarding Penang. The flight ticket out of Thailand must now be at the end of the visa period (At the end of 60 days).

Hello my friends and clients living in thailand,if u want a tourist visa please bring a house or hostel or bungalow rental ageeement or a receipt and a flight ticket out of thailand after 2 months and please please please print it out in thailand before u come to Penang.thank u

[thecyclist]

[mention=52571]mjnaus[/mention] I had the same issue in Padang Besar in the same day you had!
 
Furthermore, I've got the necessary amount of cash in USD, but the officer said I had to show it only in Thai Baht. No equivalent! Which is ridiculous.
 
So, there was no currency exchange on the border, I had to go back to Penang by train and came back to Phuket by FireFly airlines on the next day.
 
Never again.
 
 

Unbelievable, they won't even accept hard currencies any more, unheard of.
This is just pure harassment.

Sent from my ASUS_Z00UD using Thaivisa Connect mobile app

[Danielsiam]

What happened if we're losing our passport in the No Men's Land ?

What if the both countries decides both to don't allow us to enter the country blacklisted both from Thailand & Malaysia ?

 

I know is quite weird, but what happened in case ?

 

What the latest solution ? Suicide ?

[SoFarAndNear]

Wow that's a shocking thread for me. I am already 3 years in Thailand with yearly extensions because I have a child in Thailand. I recently got my multi re entry permit and planned to travel to Vietnam soon. Will I have problems to get back to Thailand even if I have a valid non-o visa with extension?!

[JackThompson]

4 hours ago, Microgenius said:

@mjnaus I had the same issue in Padang Besar in the same day you had!

 

Furthermore, I've got the necessary amount of cash in USD, but the officer said I had to show it only in Thai Baht. No equivalent! Which is ridiculous.

 

So, there was no currency exchange on the border, I had to go back to Penang by train and came back to Phuket by FireFly airlines on the next day.

 

Never again.

That is not the law.  It can be any hard-currency - or travelers check (which is equivalent).  Did you ask to speak to a supervisor?

 

Flying in is a trap to catch you and send you across the world - this sounds like a ruse.  Phuket airport would reject you more likely than most.

Edited March 15, 2017 by JackThompson

[notmyself]

Never been asked for it but always carry the 20k (Baht) when entering the country.

[Maestro]

I don't think I could find a bank in Switzerland within a 20 km radius to sell me 20k Baht for my trip to Thailand.

Sent from my Nexus 5X using Thaivisa Connect mobile app

[notmyself]

1 hour ago, Maestro said:

I don't think I could find a bank in Switzerland within a 20 km radius to sell me 20k Baht for my trip to Thailand.
 

 Which is likely why it was 20k Baht or the equivalent in another currency. Not sure it was literally any currency most if not all major ones. Not really an issue for me as I buy the currency here before I leave but people who are not going to return for 6-8 months are unlikely to do so. Surely the whole point of the exercise is too be able to show you have money in your pocket so which particular currency is meaningless.

 

To some extent I can understand the idea with visa exempt entries and perhaps even SETV entries but anything above that would already have had to have shown proof of a lot more money than that 20k in order to get the visa in the first place.

[ubonjoe]

5 hours ago, SoFarAndNear said:

Wow that's a shocking thread for me. I am already 3 years in Thailand with yearly extensions because I have a child in Thailand. I recently got my multi re entry permit and planned to travel to Vietnam soon. Will I have problems to get back to Thailand even if I have a valid non-o visa with extension?!

You will be enter with a re-entry permit  that is for a approved and valid extension of stay so you should not have a problem since you are not entering with a visa.

[Mattd]

8 hours ago, thecyclist said:

Unbelievable, they won't even accept hard currencies any more, unheard of.
This is just pure harassment.

Sent from my ASUS_Z00UD using Thaivisa Connect mobile app
 

Not sure about the pure harassment bit, but it is certainly pure stupidity, countries like Thailand need hard currencies, the whole point of tourism is to generate cash from overseas!

Thai banks / currency exchange companies make a lot of profit buying and selling USD etc. I'm sure they would prefer the average tourist to arrive in to Thailand with hard currency.

Feel sorry for anybody having to exchange in the UK or similar!

 

[lopburi3]

11 hours ago, Microgenius said:

@mjnaus I had the same issue in Padang Besar in the same day you had!

 

Furthermore, I've got the necessary amount of cash in USD, but the officer said I had to show it only in Thai Baht. No equivalent! Which is ridiculous.

 

So, there was no currency exchange on the border, I had to go back to Penang by train and came back to Phuket by FireFly airlines on the next day.

 

Never again.

 

 

Are you sure?  When I used that crossing I often changed currency at the train station/immigration office itself.  I am sure there would be currency exchange service closer than Penang.

[JackThompson]

2 minutes ago, lopburi3 said:

11 hours ago, Microgenius said:

@mjnaus I had the same issue in Padang Besar in the same day you had!

Furthermore, I've got the necessary amount of cash in USD, but the officer said I had to show it only in Thai Baht. No equivalent! Which is ridiculous.

So, there was no currency exchange on the border, I had to go back to Penang by train and came back to Phuket by FireFly airlines on the next day.

Never again.

Are you sure?  When I used that crossing I often changed currency at the train station/immigration office itself.  I am sure there would be currency exchange service closer than Penang.

It's a first post  / new-user - not sure I'm buying this story.  Sorry if you are for real Microgenius, but changing currency nearby would be the logical step - even if the IO was violating the rules this blatantly - it doesn't add up.  Land-border IOs love to tell people to fly in (see Poipet/Aranyaprathet), to set people up, but no one in their right-mind would attempt to fly into Phuket airport (one of the least friendly), if there was any question with their visa being accepted.

[4evermaat]

It could be a temporary shakedown and/or misinterpretation of rule. How can any visitor be expected to have THB (not equivalent)?  Even if they demand to see money, they would have to allow equivalent currency.

 

You could also try the land border (right outside the train station).  

[lopburi3]

The law is Thai baht (which is what you spend here) and that is the requirement when asked.  But normally there will be facilities to change/obtain from ATM in such cases.