Entry denied Bangkok Airport

[Mattd]

So far these incidents are not exactly widespread, a few isolated events and although the press reports are a good way of spreading word of the requirements, it is still quite strange that they are actually reported, I would almost guarantee that more people get refused entry to the likes of UK & the US on a daily basis and have been for years, yet these are not reported in the International press.

If Thailand are going to really enforce their rules regarding monetary requirements, then they do absolutely need to improve the various websites that contain information, the onus is on the visitor to know the rules and nowadays most would visit websites to get the information, right now it isn't really there or very clear..

Where @chrisinth suggestions for those with visas would work fine, it doesn't for those that would come here on a visa exemption, so the correct info needs to be freely available to people.

Whilst I agree that ATM's prior to immigration would be a very good idea and BKK airport is the biggest receiver, people can enter Thailand in so many ways and entry points, covering them all would be a big task!

[Mad mick]

On 12/07/2017 at 1:11 PM, tonray said:

12(3) means they think you are working on  tour visas

Just a load of rubbish ! go holiday some where eles they r happy u came Vietnam  " thailands a mess economicly jaunta have stuffed the place going down the t_ _ _ _ _t pm is a coconut. Ieave im not coming back fed up with the hypocrisy many other asian countries happy and laugh at thailand they dont need to advertise " thailand doing it for them  wit

 No problem in and out does  matter how many tousist visa u have does not mean you're working its an excuse they use + a lot expats follow that idea " most r married to a thais or retirement visa, not everybody has retirement visas so tourist is the only option ! why should it matter how often u come and go , u spend ur money have a ticket out its tourist place Got nothing else going for it stlill reasnably affordable not long they will be begging u to come back  . Allready plenty of condos up for sale and more to follow ,hard to sell with a reduced price 1 or 2 years if u r lucky " its over in thailand " sorry for thai people " cant make a living crime is rampant Burmese cambodians ; Nepalese , all economic refugees thai building company r rapt hire cheap labor put thais out of work maximizes profits not for long soon the cranes begin to stop then  u know ? recession is at there door ,

Edited July 21, 2017 by Mad mick

[brewsterbudgen]

I'm still not convinced that this is being enforced except in circumstances where the passport holder is suspected of living/working in Thailand on tourist visas. The fact that it's escalated into a full-blown media story is solely down to the power of social media and the lack of substantive news at the moment. Pretty much a non-story really, with genuine tourists almost certainly not affected.

[tonray]

7 minutes ago, Mad mick said:

Just a load of rubbish ! go holiday some where eles and r happy u came " thailands a mess economicly and jaunta place is going down the t_ _ _ _ _t pm is a coconut. Ieave im not coming back fed up with the hypocrisy u go many other asian countries with out any  problem in and out does  matter how many tousist visa u have does not mean you're working its an excuses they make up + a lot expats follow that idea " most r married to a thais or retirement visa why should it matter how often u come and go , u spend money have a ticket out its tourist place Got nothing else going for it . Plenty of condos up for sale now and more to come its over in thailand " sorry for thai people " cant make a living crime is rampant .

Don't get so Mad Mick. 

[JackThompson]

31 minutes ago, phuketrichard said:

a good explanation of the 20,000 baht rule

http://www.thaitravelblogs.com/2017/07/q-a-from-the-tat-about-reports-that-some-tourists-were-refused-entry-to-thailand/

 

 

20 minutes ago, chrisinth said:

Interesting article but in none of the replies to the questions regarding proof of funds does it say that the proof must be in currency or traveler checks.

So for me, being a tourist reading that before a first trip to Thailand, I would assume a bank book/statement, credit/debit card, etc would be sufficient proof of funds.

This, as has been repeatedly reported, is not the case.

Quote

 

Q5: "These days, people don't like to carry so much cash around with them. They prefer to pay with plastic like debit or credit cards. Does Thai Immigration insist on seeing cash or will plastic cards do?"

This random inspection only aims at tourists who may appear as not being able to cover their travel expenses during their stay in Thailand. Thai Immigration will take into consideration all possible facts or information provided by the tourists before making an informed decision whether to grant an entry.

 

That's what's called "Not Answering the Question" - at best.  Of course checks should be at the officer's discretion - no issue there.  But the answer should have been:

"If the officer decides that a finances-check is prudent - YES, it must be in cash or old-fashioned traveler's checks.  Immigration will not permit the traveler access to an ATM to obtain cash to show, and may use lack of cash-in-hand as the official-reason for denying entry, regardless of how much money the traveler actually has access to, via modern technology."

 

36 minutes ago, chrisinth said:

Although your hypothetical article may have been written tongue in cheek, it contains a lot of truth. Your point about having ATMs available pre-immigration check are pointedly valid as well.

The best humor has truth in it.  If my article had run in the NY Post, those ATM machines would be installed, already.  And with that done, the good immigration people would be sighing in relief, and the hostile ones would be cussing.  Anyone wanting to determine which IOs are people suitable for the job could put a hidden-camera in the break-room, on the day the ATMs are installed.  Just by gauging the responses, it could quickly be determined who needs to be transferred to a job which does not involve dealing with foreigners.

[Cletus]

So, are traveler checks officially ok or it must be cash for the required 20k baht (or equivalent)?

 

I use plastic and don't feel safe with all that cash on me, never bring more than a couple hundred bucks in my wallet.

 

Cheers

 

 

 

[anon789561]

1 hour ago, Mad mick said:

Just a load of rubbish ! go holiday some where eles they r happy u came Vietnam  " thailands a mess economicly jaunta have stuffed the place going down the t_ _ _ _ _t pm is a coconut. Ieave im not coming back fed up with the hypocrisy many other asian countries happy and laugh at thailand they dont need to advertise " thailand doing it for them  wit

 No problem in and out does  matter how many tousist visa u have does not mean you're working its an excuse they use + a lot expats follow that idea " most r married to a thais or retirement visa, not everybody has retirement visas so tourist is the only option ! why should it matter how often u come and go , u spend ur money have a ticket out its tourist place Got nothing else going for it stlill reasnably affordable not long they will be begging u to come back  . Allready plenty of condos up for sale and more to follow ,hard to sell with a reduced price 1 or 2 years if u r lucky " its over in thailand " sorry for thai people " cant make a living crime is rampant Burmese cambodians ; Nepalese , all economic refugees thai building company r rapt hire cheap labor put thais out of work maximizes profits not for long soon the cranes begin to stop then  u know ? recession is at there door ,

haha. it's not that bad!!! enjoy Vietnam if you think it's better. all our property is rented out within weeks. prices still gone up. don't feel 'sorry' for thai people as you say. i'm sure they'll be fine without you. have a nice day. don't be angry. doesn't get you anywhere. well, maybe Vietnam. each to their own I guess ; )

[phuketjock]

3 hours ago, JackThompson said:

Someone reported there are electronic-billboards informing travelers, who just got off the plane, that they need the 20K Baht.  Yet no ATM from which to obtain the funds is available.  Why not put ATMs under flashing signs - and a big "down arrow" pointing to the ATM? 

Even better, have the ATM-fees from that machine donated to needy-children, or cancer-research, or similar - which would smooth-over any hard-feelings about the policy (and the high-fees for foreign-withdrawals).

 

A more interesting article would have been: (headline) "Catch 22 in Thailand's Airports?"  (sub-head) "Travelers Arriving at Bangkok Airports Must Show Cash - But ATM Machines are Conspicuously Absent.  Is it a set-up?" ...

 

(article text beings with) "When entering a banana republic, one might expect that Immigration Officials would play entrapment-games, but some travelers have been shocked to see this sort of scheme playing out in one of the premier tourist-destinations in the world.  Risking its reputation as friendly to foreigners, Thailand's Airport Immigration have begun a new policy of arbitrarily asking to see 'Cash On Arrival' - while withholding the means to obtain that cash. The state of modern banking means that people no longer have to risk robbery by carrying large amounts of cash, or purchasing Travelers Checks to fund their time in a foreign country.  But Thailand has created a 1970s-era zone between the airplane and Immigration, leaving travelers no way to meet this generally unknown requirement to enter the country ..."

Jack you are at it again, those electronic notice boards you refer to have been around, in

non electronic form, for more than 20 years, so nothing new.

I have travelled most of my working life and i would never dream of going to another

country, on holiday or for work, without having at least 2 or 3 hundred pounds in cash or 

travellers checks and i would wager that 99% of the tourists that come to Thailand on 

holiday do exactly that, anyone who doesn't is rather foolish imo.

You have been reading too much fiction Jack.

[MartinBKK]

1 hour ago, phuketjock said:

Jack you are at it again, those electronic notice boards you refer to have been around, in

non electronic form, for more than 20 years, so nothing new.

I have travelled most of my working life and i would never dream of going to another

country, on holiday or for work, without having at least 2 or 3 hundred pounds in cash or 

travellers checks and i would wager that 99% of the tourists that come to Thailand on 

holiday do exactly that, anyone who doesn't is rather foolish imo.

You have been reading too much fiction Jack.

I will take that wager. Most people now are using plastic not cash and travelers cheques. It's a matter of choice but I wouldn't call those people foolish because an argument can be made the other way too.

[JackThompson]

40 minutes ago, phuketjock said:

Jack you are at it again, those electronic notice boards you refer to have been around, in

non electronic form, for more than 20 years, so nothing new.

I have travelled most of my working life and i would never dream of going to another

country, on holiday or for work, without having at least 2 or 3 hundred pounds in cash or 

travellers checks and i would wager that 99% of the tourists that come to Thailand on 

holiday do exactly that, anyone who doesn't is rather foolish imo.

You have been reading too much fiction Jack.

I have years of traveling under my belt - all over.  Being an older guy, and having lived through a time when ATM machines were not ubiquitous, I bought $200 in travelers checks before leaving my passport-country for the last time.  That was ~10 years ago, and I still have those travelers checks - never needed them.  Fortunately, they never expire.  In all that time, I was always able to to to an ATM and withdraw as much cash as was needed for expenditures.  Cash, today, is something most people acquire in a "just in time" fashion - withdrawn immediately when needed. 

 

Only when this issue came up with Thailand's entry points, did I think about travelers checks, again.  Unable to find a place to buy them in Cambodia, I came in with $400 in cash to cover the rest of the 20K baht.  The first thing I did after crossing the border, was to deposit $200 of that cash in my my Bangkok Bank account, for safety.  Eventually, I spent the remaining $200 USD on Lao and Cambodian "Visa On Arrivals" - having no other use for it, other than to save a bit, vs the "Baht" price, of a VOA.

 

I wish we could poll today's travelers - especially younger ones - to find out how many travel with 20K Baht in cash or old-fashioned travelers checks.  When you arrive at an airport, you need a snack and a taxi - so under $50.   Even for these "immediately upon arrival" expenses, everyone knows that every airport has ATM machines in it, and everyone expects to be able to withdraw cash there - in the local currency - or from a street-corner - 24/7.   On my last trip to Penang, I arrived there with about 1500 Baht, and immediately withdrew local-currency from an ATM at the airport for my expenses.  When I returned to Thailand, I still had that same 1500 Baht in my wallet.

 

I respect Thailand's desire to ensure people entering are not destitute.  Who want's more bums?  If they believe that 20K Baht in cash satisfies that requirement, that is their call to make.  The point is, don't trap people in a zone without ATM Machines, then accuse them of not having money.  Put a machine right below the "you need money to enter" sign. 

[Tony125]

5 hours ago, JackThompson said:

Glad the 20K Baht requirement is getting some print (since almost no one knows about it who doesn't read specialized forums), but the headline and lack of context of the piece is very deceptive.  In both of these cases, the person in question was not short of funds.  The person with the Tourist Visa had 25K Baht in cash.  The one on the ED had plenty on plastic - all they had to do was let him access an ATM to prove it.    Many others have begged to go to an ATM to prove their worth, and were denied.  The fact that these travelers were denied ATM-access, though that would take less officer-resources than detention, shows that this 'crackdown' clearly is NOT about the title of this piece - the odd "beg-packer."   The article could as well have been written by a PR Firm.

 

As to the article's title, if a foreigner is seen begging, they should be questioned and have their names added to an Immigration "watch for" list (assuming they are not already on overstay or otherwise breaking the law), subject to additional financial proof requirements if attempting to enter the country in the future.   A list of additional required financial proofs, to be shown upon entry, for those with a history of staying for longer periods, is perfectly reasonable - provided that list of required documents is published and uniformly accepted.

I think the NY Post article is saying that checking for funds is being done frequently now as to sort out those who are coming into Thailand with no money and have to work or beg to stay here. As to your remark about letting you go to an ATM they are located in another area and if they even escorted you there they have now let you into Thailand and if funds were not available they would have to go thru the whole process of deporting you.  What they don't seem to realise you could have 100,000 baht in funds  on you and doesn't mean your not a fool who will blow all his money and not have funds to get home.

[jimster]

On 7/12/2017 at 2:22 PM, lkv said:

I've been following your posts for a while, you always advise people to have the cash, onward ticket etc, which I started to carry for a while as well, mostly because I have become paranoid due to some threads here.

 

Perhaps I shouldn't have.

 

But advising people to avoid airports is a bit stretched in my opinion. When I start avoiding airports, I will start to avoid Thailand as a whole. I've been through DMK and BKK multiple times without an issue (on tourist visas) as have many others.

 

With Poipet i agree though, there are many believable reports about arbitrary things happening.

 

 

He's right and so are many other members. I've been following these topics since 2014 (before I decided to become a member of this forum) and have noticed that most of these denials happen at airports (Don Muang being worse than Suvarnabhumi despite being a more pleasant airport in all other aspects). Choosing to enter via land is a much safer option in most cases, surprisingly it may seem because air arrivals are traditionally seen as being "richer" but with the advent of cheap low cost airlines such as Air Asia this assumption may no longer be entirely valid.

 

I have been through Aranyaprathet many times (Poipet is the Cambodian side and there's never any problems entering or leaving there, it's only the Thai side) and have encountered no issues whatsoever. A legitimate tourist will equally find no issues entering or leaving there compared to any other land border, though in general, smaller crossings are still more pleasant and have fewer hassles than Aranyaprathet, Padang Besar, Ranong or Sadao. These 4 land based crossings should be avoided by those individuals that may not be your typical expat or irregular tourist - leaving Thailand via these ports is fine, entering is the problem.

[phuketjock]

5 minutes ago, JackThompson said:

I have years of traveling under my belt - all over.  Being an older guy, and having lived through a time when ATM machines were not ubiquitous, I bought $200 in travelers checks before leaving my passport-country for the last time.  That was ~10 years ago, and I still have those travelers checks - never needed them.  Fortunately, they never expire.  In all that time, I was always able to to to an ATM and withdraw as much cash as was needed for expenditures.  Cash, today, is something most people acquire in a "just in time" fashion - withdrawn immediately when needed. 

 

Only when this issue came up with Thailand's entry points, did I think about travelers checks, again.  Unable to find a place to buy them in Cambodia, I came in with $400 in cash to cover the rest of the 20K baht.  The first thing I did after crossing the border, was to deposit $200 of that cash in my my Bangkok Bank account, for safety.  Eventually, I spent the remaining $200 USD on Lao and Cambodian "Visa On Arrivals" - having no other use for it, other than to save a bit, vs the "Baht" price, of a VOA.

 

I wish we could poll today's travelers - especially younger ones - to find out how many travel with 20K Baht in cash or old-fashioned travelers checks.  When you arrive at an airport, you need a snack and a taxi - so under $50.   Even for these "immediately upon arrival" expenses, everyone knows that every airport has ATM machines in it, and everyone expects to be able to withdraw cash there - in the local currency - or from a street-corner - 24/7.   On my last trip to Penang, I arrived there with about 1500 Baht, and immediately withdrew local-currency from an ATM at the airport for my expenses.  When I returned to Thailand, I still had that same 1500 Baht in my wallet.

 

I respect Thailand's desire to ensure people entering are not destitute.  Who want's more bums?  If they believe that 20K Baht in cash satisfies that requirement, that is their call to make.  The point is, don't trap people in a zone without ATM Machines, then accuse them of not having money.  Put a machine right below the "you need money to enter" sign. 

Jack endless posts again.

This issue did not just come up it has been law for over 20 years and is now becoming an issue

for those who have been abusing the tourist visa/exempt entry system, not for anyone else.

The VOA argument is a red herring only a few countries a eligible for such a visa.

It is not rocket science Jack make sure you obey the rules and you will not have any problems,

and the rule for Thailand in this instance is make sure you have proof that you have the required

amount of money to enter, with the appropriate visa or exempt entry. Simple really.

 

[anon789561]

3 minutes ago, phuketjock said:

Jack endless posts again.

This issue did not just come up it has been law for over 20 years and is now becoming an issue

for those who have been abusing the tourist visa/exempt entry system, not for anyone else.

The VOA argument is a red herring only a few countries a eligible for such a visa.

It is not rocket science Jack make sure you obey the rules and you will not have any problems,

and the rule for Thailand in this instance is make sure you have proof that you have the required

amount of money to enter, with the appropriate visa or exempt entry. Simple really.

 

and the rule for Thailand in this instance is make sure you have proof that you have the required

amount of money to enter, with the appropriate visa or exempt entry. Simple really.

 

you're correct. can't understand how some don't get it. it's simple

[JackThompson]

7 minutes ago, Tony125 said:

I think the NY Post article is saying that checking for funds is being done frequently now as to sort out those who are coming into Thailand with no money and have to work or beg to stay here. As to your remark about letting you go to an ATM they are located in another area and if they even escorted you there they have now let you into Thailand and if funds were not available they would have to go thru the whole process of deporting you.  What they don't seem to realise you could have 100,000 baht in funds  on you and doesn't mean your not a fool who will blow all his money and not have funds to get home.

There are ATMs in Departures, and that's where they take you after they decide you cannot enter - so it is not necessary to "enter Thailand" to get to one.  Some who were refused-entry reported using these 'departure' ATMs.  As both the arrival and departure areas are No-Man's-Land, I can see no reason ATMs could not be placed in both.

I agree entirely on the last part, though.  I would be 95%+ of those who end up "broke in Thailand" could easily have passed the 20K bar on arrival upon request.  It doesn't take long in "beer bar" / "go-go" land to go through that sum.  Most long-stayers who get sequential Tourist Visas are the Exact Opposite of those types of people, hence their ability to continue to jump through the hoops to stay legal, and Not Overstay.

[jimster]

13 minutes ago, JackThompson said:

I have years of traveling under my belt - all over.  Being an older guy, and having lived through a time when ATM machines were not ubiquitous, I bought $200 in travelers checks before leaving my passport-country for the last time.  That was ~10 years ago, and I still have those travelers checks - never needed them.  Fortunately, they never expire.  In all that time, I was always able to to to an ATM and withdraw as much cash as was needed for expenditures.  Cash, today, is something most people acquire in a "just in time" fashion - withdrawn immediately when needed. 

 

Only when this issue came up with Thailand's entry points, did I think about travelers checks, again.  Unable to find a place to buy them in Cambodia, I came in with $400 in cash to cover the rest of the 20K baht.  The first thing I did after crossing the border, was to deposit $200 of that cash in my my Bangkok Bank account, for safety.  Eventually, I spent the remaining $200 USD on Lao and Cambodian "Visa On Arrivals" - having no other use for it, other than to save a bit, vs the "Baht" price, of a VOA.

 

I wish we could poll today's travelers - especially younger ones - to find out how many travel with 20K Baht in cash or old-fashioned travelers checks.  When you arrive at an airport, you need a snack and a taxi - so under $50.   Even for these "immediately upon arrival" expenses, everyone knows that every airport has ATM machines in it, and everyone expects to be able to withdraw cash there - in the local currency - or from a street-corner - 24/7.   On my last trip to Penang, I arrived there with about 1500 Baht, and immediately withdrew local-currency from an ATM at the airport for my expenses.  When I returned to Thailand, I still had that same 1500 Baht in my wallet.

 

I respect Thailand's desire to ensure people entering are not destitute.  Who want's more bums?  If they believe that 20K Baht in cash satisfies that requirement, that is their call to make.  The point is, don't trap people in a zone without ATM Machines, then accuse them of not having money.  Put a machine right below the "you need money to enter" sign. 

And even more worrying is that this is happening at a time when governments around the world are actively trying to discourage the use of cash.

 

I just came back from a business trip to China after an absence of 3 years. I was astonished by just how popular and widespread cashless payment apps are becoming (Ali Pay and WeChat being the main ones) used to pay for just about everything and nearly every local uses these apps to settle their bills now (not just young people either) - taxi fares, supermarket purchases, restaurant bills (yes even hole in the wall restaurants accept these payment methods now!), not to mention department stores (as you would expect), airlines, cinemas, just about every type of business in China now accepts cashless payments (even wet markets!) I was one of the few individuals that still used cash and kind of felt out of place! Perhaps in another 3 years cash will be gone altogether, who knows?!

 

In India, the government denominated the largest bills, restricted ATM withdrawals and at the same time, a local company implemented a cashless payment system that has now become so widespread it is revolutionising the way Indians pay for goods and services.

 

I have to say, I am still traditional and prefer cash and credit/debit cards, so I wouldn't have a problem showing cash if I needed to (though I rarely carry 20000 Baht on me, I don't see the point unless I know I will need that amount for a larger purchase - 5000 or so will more than adequately cover my initial expenses).

 

It's interesting how Thailand is so far behind - it's still very much a cash and debit/credit card economy. Though in a certain way I hope things don't change - but let's see here - Indians struggle to get 20,000 THB out of an ATM because their withdrawal limits are much lower than this and Chinese have stopped using cash - how will Thai immigration respond?

 

The era of cash is well and truly over, well except in Thailand (so far).

[jimster]

4 hours ago, Mattd said:

So far these incidents are not exactly widespread, a few isolated events and although the press reports are a good way of spreading word of the requirements, it is still quite strange that they are actually reported, I would almost guarantee that more people get refused entry to the likes of UK & the US on a daily basis and have been for years, yet these are not reported in the International press.

If Thailand are going to really enforce their rules regarding monetary requirements, then they do absolutely need to improve the various websites that contain information, the onus is on the visitor to know the rules and nowadays most would visit websites to get the information, right now it isn't really there or very clear..

Where @chrisinth suggestions for those with visas would work fine, it doesn't for those that would come here on a visa exemption, so the correct info needs to be freely available to people.

Whilst I agree that ATM's prior to immigration would be a very good idea and BKK airport is the biggest receiver, people can enter Thailand in so many ways and entry points, covering them all would be a big task!

There are usually ATMs located at land border crossings, though usually a good 50-100m from the actual immigration checkpoint. Similarly, money changers (official and unofficial) can be found at most land border crossings too.

[JackThompson]

7 minutes ago, phuketjock said:

Jack endless posts again.

This issue did not just come up it has been law for over 20 years and is now becoming an issue

for those who have been abusing the tourist visa/exempt entry system, not for anyone else.

The VOA argument is a red herring only a few countries a eligible for such a visa.

It is not rocket science Jack make sure you obey the rules and you will not have any problems,

and the rule for Thailand in this instance is make sure you have proof that you have the required

amount of money to enter, with the appropriate visa or exempt entry. Simple really.

 

I agree it primarily affects those with a history of longer-stays.  Visa Exempts are one thing - with their own separate rule-set.  Tourist Visas cannot be "abused" other than violation of their terms (not working, not overstaying, etc).  The fellow turned-away with 25K Baht and a Tourist Visa followed the rules.  As others have pointed out, what "they say" goes - rules/laws or not - which is sad.

I mentioned VOA for other countries (not Thailand), as the only use I had for the USD I brought here, other than to satisfy Immigration entry-requirements.

I agree people should find out about this rule, and should carry the cash, because this rule is being enforced.  I hope more learn of this rule, so their plans are not derailed by an antique rule, combined with an absence of ATMs between incoming aircraft and Immigration control.

[anon789561]

3 minutes ago, jimster said:

And even more worrying is that this is happening at a time when governments around the world are actively trying to discourage the use of cash.

 

I just came back from a business trip to China after an absence of 3 years. I was astonished by just how popular and widespread cashless payment apps are becoming (Ali Pay and WeChat being the main ones) used to pay for just about everything and nearly every local uses these apps to settle their bills now (not just young people either) - taxi fares, supermarket purchases, restaurant bills (yes even hole in the wall restaurants accept these payment methods now!), not to mention department stores (as you would expect), airlines, cinemas, just about every type of business in China now accepts cashless payments (even wet markets!) I was one of the few individuals that still used cash and kind of felt out of place! Perhaps in another 3 years cash will be gone altogether, who knows?!

 

In India, the government denominated the largest bills, restricted ATM withdrawals and at the same time, a local company implemented a cashless payment system that has now become so widespread it is revolutionising the way Indians pay for goods and services.

 

I have to say, I am still traditional and prefer cash and credit/debit cards, so I wouldn't have a problem showing cash if I needed to (though I rarely carry 20000 Baht on me, I don't see the point unless I know I will need that amount for a larger purchase - 5000 or so will more than adequately cover my initial expenses).

 

It's interesting how Thailand is so far behind - it's still very much a cash and debit/credit card economy. Though in a certain way I hope things don't change - but let's see here - Indians struggle to get 20,000 THB out of an ATM because their withdrawal limits are much lower than this and Chinese have stopped using cash - how will Thai immigration respond?

 

The era of cash is well and truly over, well except in Thailand (so far).

it's an online country. it really is. maybe not at the borders or in the bars. its not that far behind. most of the money that matters here is changing hands online. cash is cute. it will be faded out

[JackThompson]

5 minutes ago, jimster said:

There are usually ATMs located at land border crossings, though usually a good 50-100m from the actual immigration checkpoint. Similarly, money changers (official and unofficial) can be found at most land border crossings too.

I always shook my head as I passed the machine just AFTER entering Thai Immigration (never one on the other side).  Hopefully, they will put "deposit" type machines there, so the cash withdrawn to be shown can be safely put back in the bank immediately upon entry.

[lkv]

12 minutes ago, JackThompson said:

The fellow turned-away with 25K Baht and a Tourist Visa followed the rules.  As others have pointed out, what "they say" goes - rules/laws or not - which is sad.

 

Did it not occur to you that that particular report may have either been fake or that we may not be getting the complete story?

 

Other than that, what's being circulated in the papers now is a lot of misleading information based on unsubstantiated rumours.

 

Why are people being advised to "get a visa next time" by IO's?

 

Why are people on exempt told to at least use a mixture of exempts and visas, by IO's?

 

 

 

Edited July 21, 2017 by lkv

[seancbk]

3 minutes ago, lkv said:

12 minutes ago, JackThompson said:

The fellow turned-away with 25K Baht and a Tourist Visa followed the rules.  As others have pointed out, what "they say" goes - rules/laws or not - which is sad.

 

Did it not occur to you for that that particular report may have either been fake or that we may not be getting the complete story?

 

Other than that, what's being circulated in the papers now is a lot of misleading information based on unsubstantiated rumours.

 

Why are people being advised to "get a visa next time" by IO's?

 

Why are people on exempt told to at least use a mixture of exempts and visas, by IO's?

 

Exactly. 

Also given the huge numbers of people coming through the airports, and the large number of Westerners that live here (in Bangkok) and how many of them must be coming and going, there haven't been that many reports of people being turned away.

Some recent stats (this doesn't cover all foreign nationalities as you'll see) :-

Men make up 61% of Bangkok’s 2.1 million foreigners, with 47,000 expats coming from the UK, 89,000 from the USA, 9,500 from Australia, 4,900 from Canada and 2,700 from South Africa.

That is 153,100 expats in Bangkok from UK, USA, Australia, Canada and SA.      

 

 

 

[thaibeachlovers]

On ‎7‎/‎12‎/‎2017 at 11:48 AM, Essecola said:

Isn't it there had been comments elsewhere that up to now no one with a SETV and money in hand + ticket etc had been refused entry? Maybe the "now" has arrived.

 

There are 1000s of people arrive at suwannapum every day. Surely lots of these ppl have SETVs, cash plus onward ticket and have spent time in the country before. But yet it seems like a little game of "just pick out a few people" each day to keep the deportation room occupied to whatever level. I heard they charge people 700 baht per day spent in there. SMH

 

 

The thousands of people arriving every day are mostly on visa exempt entries or with no consecutive back to back tourist visas.

 

The good ol' days are over, sadly.

 

Pity that embassies/ consulates are still giving tourist visas when they shouldn't, due to such as the OP's problem.

[anon789561]

Just now, thaibeachlovers said:

The thousands of people arriving every day are mostly on visa exempt entries or with no consecutive back to back tourist visas.

 

The good ol' days are over, sadly.

 

Pity that embassies/ consulates are still giving tourist visas when they shouldn't, due to such as the OP's problem.

yes they will. it's just a few weeks crack down. watch it unfold. back to normal in a few weeks. same old haha. don't believe me? copy and paste this next month and tell me I'm wrong

[thaibeachlovers]

55 minutes ago, jimster said:

And even more worrying is that this is happening at a time when governments around the world are actively trying to discourage the use of cash.

 

I just came back from a business trip to China after an absence of 3 years. I was astonished by just how popular and widespread cashless payment apps are becoming (Ali Pay and WeChat being the main ones) used to pay for just about everything and nearly every local uses these apps to settle their bills now (not just young people either) - taxi fares, supermarket purchases, restaurant bills (yes even hole in the wall restaurants accept these payment methods now!), not to mention department stores (as you would expect), airlines, cinemas, just about every type of business in China now accepts cashless payments (even wet markets!) I was one of the few individuals that still used cash and kind of felt out of place! Perhaps in another 3 years cash will be gone altogether, who knows?!

 

In India, the government denominated the largest bills, restricted ATM withdrawals and at the same time, a local company implemented a cashless payment system that has now become so widespread it is revolutionising the way Indians pay for goods and services.

 

I have to say, I am still traditional and prefer cash and credit/debit cards, so I wouldn't have a problem showing cash if I needed to (though I rarely carry 20000 Baht on me, I don't see the point unless I know I will need that amount for a larger purchase - 5000 or so will more than adequately cover my initial expenses).

 

It's interesting how Thailand is so far behind - it's still very much a cash and debit/credit card economy. Though in a certain way I hope things don't change - but let's see here - Indians struggle to get 20,000 THB out of an ATM because their withdrawal limits are much lower than this and Chinese have stopped using cash - how will Thai immigration respond?

 

The era of cash is well and truly over, well except in Thailand (so far).

So, in India and China, how do they pay "tea money", given the recipients won't want a provable link to them.

 

While some may not want to use cash, they are putting their faith in governments and banks, which is foolish in the extreme. Remember Cyprus!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[anon789561]

you're a hippy. i'm not saying that's wrong. but you're in Thailand. this is a money country. kind of third world. you know what it is. enjoy their beaches but remember. money is number 1. without that good luck. that goes for family, business the lot. if you cant support yourself, don't expect anyone else too. they won't

[lkv]

I can see this whole story in the media taking the angle of "farang beggers on the street" or "begpackers" as they call them. Which justifies the scrutiny, it's being said.

 

Google search "denied entry Thailand" and have a read of what comes up under the News tab.

Edited July 21, 2017 by lkv

[anon789561]

9 minutes ago, Happy enough said:

you're a hippy. i'm not saying that's wrong. but you're in Thailand. this is a money country. kind of third world. you know what it is. enjoy their beaches but remember. money is number 1. without that good luck. that goes for family, business the lot. if you cant support yourself, don't expect anyone else too. they won't

ahh. nice aston martin just arrived. db7. couldn't afford the 9. going to get that wrapped in film. life's a bitch. got it in black. was thinking grey. not important. no shit 555 really. should have upgraded the alloys. next week. little problems

[Mad mick]

3 hours ago, tonray said:

Don't get so Mad Mick. 

Cant help it im mad mick " kwai jaunta have worn me down " im not on my own many others " im glad i left probably many expat's r happy I've gone 5 5 5 ! Whats going on why do they keep reinventing the wheel " if its not brocken jaunta will break it " thai's are thier own worst enemy . His atm card idea was rejected he wanted to prove had money in the bank will use atm reciept at immigration unfortunately they dont have any atm machines at immigration " 8000 thb cash was not enough home he went , " not many people carry $800 US in the back pocket or any other currencies = 20,000 thb onto a plane " his atm idea was rejected by immigration so plastic could not save him , he had a 3 month visa issued in uk thai embassy must show 

onward travel or rtn ticket before granted 3 month visa, he was complaining about only had 8,000 thb cash on him obviously he would use atm card bkk + had rtn ticket , hotel vouchers paid for " no entry " Yesterday another guy 25,000 thb on him more than 

20,000 thb as per new reg's u must have cash 20,000 or equivalent in cash " he was deported or refused entry because he had to many tourist visas in out so what ! Thailand tourist country , that's how the thais made money in first place from tourisim "oh no he must be working " why maybe he liked thailand as a base easy travel any where back and forth u still spending money " i did for 3 years no problem after all the bull i left to where im welcome 3 month x 3 multiple  

tourist entrys " in out is no problem better beaches cleaner same price for all Vietnam .

not 1 price for farang and 1for thai " thailand is tourist founded country via back paker's mainly 

after vietnam war " boom time kicked in early 80s " obviously thai jaunta more happy with quality chinese tourist who pay everything in home country of origin spend very little money in thailand ! oh sorry they love 7/11 and family mart for 1 or 2 beers and 4 day tour group trip over off they go" + are not stopped by immigration show us  20,000 thb check " if they did every one would be waiting at least a week or 2 + + to enter kwailand just in time for next visa run or head back home ur not welcome in thailand " go phillipines or Vietnam great pristine beaches ,Burma great beaches slowly developing into the next boom or Cambodia is ok no problem with visas " Ur Unwelcomed in Amazing thailand " we are not in the mix of what jaunta call quality tourists .

 

[anon789561]

1 minute ago, Mad mick said:

Cant help it im mad mick " kwai jaunta have worn me down " im not on my own many others " im glad i left probably many expat's r happy I've gone 5 5 5 ! Whats going on why do they keep reinventing the wheel " if its not brocken jaunta will break it " thai's are thier own worst enemy . His atm card idea was rejected he wanted to prove had money in the bank will use atm reciept at immigration unfortunately they dont have any atm machines at immigration " 8000 thb cash was not enough home he went , " not many people carry $800 US in the back pocket or any other currencies = 20,000 thb onto a plane " his atm idea was rejected by immigration so plastic could not save him , he had a 3 month visa issued in uk thai embassy must show 

onward travel or rtn ticket before granted 3 month visa, he was complaining about only had 8,000 thb cash on him obviously he would use atm card bkk + had rtn ticket , hotel vouchers paid for " no entry " Yesterday another guy 25,000 thb on him more than 

20,000 thb as per new reg's u must have cash 20,000 or equivalent in cash " he was deported or refused entry because he had to many tourist visas in out so what ! Thailand tourist country , that's how the thais made money in first place from tourisim "oh no he must be working " why maybe he liked thailand as a base easy travel any where back and forth u still spending money " i did for 3 years no problem after all the bull i left to where im welcome 3 month x 3 multiple  

tourist entrys " in out is no problem better beaches cleaner same price for all Vietnam .

not 1 price for farang and 1for thai " thailand is tourist founded country via back paker's mainly 

after vietnam war " boom time kicked in early 80s " obviously thai jaunta more happy with quality chinese tourist who pay everything in home country of origin spend very little money in thailand ! oh sorry they love 7/11 and family mart for 1 or 2 beers and 4 day tour group trip over off they go" + are not stopped by immigration show us  20,000 thb check " if they did every one would be waiting at least a week or 2 + + to enter kwailand just in time for next visa run or head back home ur not welcome in thailand " go phillipines or Vietnam great pristine beaches ,Burma great beaches slowly developing into the next boom or Cambodia is ok no problem with visas " Ur Unwelcomed in Amazing thailand " we are not in the mix of what jaunta call quality tourists .

 

jesus. you don't believe that. the junta didn't do anything wrong. just a bit of a clear out. about time