Some tourist visa holders being asked to show 20,000 baht in CASH when entering Thailand

[soicee]

Can the B20,000 cash be the equivalent in another major currency e.g. USD, Euro, AUD?

[perthperson]

Just now, soicee said:

Can the B20,000 cash be the equivalent in another major currency e.g. USD, Euro, AUD?

Yes !  Or it can be in the form of travellers cheques. 

[soicee]

13 minutes ago, perthperson said:

Yes !  Or it can be in the form of travellers cheques. 

Good to know,  thks.

[AsianAtHeart]

7 hours ago, Cadbury said:

If you are such an experienced comer and goer into Thailand, which I doubt you are, why then did you post such nonsense as fact that for visa-exempt entry the evidence of money is somewhere between 0 and 20,000 baht. You say like me that you have never been asked to show cash. Then why throw some mischievous untruthful comment into the ring like you did?

Cadbury,

 

Here is some "mischievous" truth for you.

 

And if you want more, you can read the regulations posted here:

 

http://www.mfa.go.th/main/en/services/4908/15405-General-information.html

 

Note 11(2) and 11(9).  The specific amounts those legal points imply are left for specification by publishing in the Gazette.

 

Those points are paralleled as 12(2) and 12(9) here:  http://library.siam-legal.com/thai-law/thai-immigration-act-entering-and-departing-the-kingdom-sections-11-22/ and here: http://web.krisdika.go.th/data/outsitedata/outsite21/file/Immigration_Act_B.E._2522.pdf

 

The amounts were published here, said to come from a special issue of the Gazette in June 2000:  http://www.thaiembassy.org/hanoi/th/services/1761/46327-Announcement-on-the-amount-of-money-that-the-forei.html

 

The actual Gazette publication specifying the amounts required for each visa type: http://www.ratchakitcha.soc.go.th/DATA/PDF/2543/E/053/4.PDF

 

 

Another topic of interest tangentially related to the need for cash at the border as a reason to deny entry--it would appear Thailand has been seeking excuses to keep foreigners out for some years now:

 

 

[gk10002000]

17 hours ago, rkidlad said:

Shouldn't be showing proof of funds when applying for the actual visa be enough? Instead of cluttering up immigration queues with baffled tourists wondering why they should have 20k in cash on them.

 

Every time me and my missus fly back to England, they never ask her to show them cash. That's because that's ridiculous, she's already shown her money when applying for the visa, and this is 2017 where people use debit and credit cards and don't usually carry round large amounts of loseable cash. 

yes, showing proof of funds when first getting the visa should be enough.  however, I will point that several countries that issue online e-visas, reserve the right to refuse entry at the point of arrival!  Just watch that Aussie show border protection.  Many people that got visas online, bought plane tickets, flew the 17 hours or whatever to Australia, and then for various reasons are turned away!  Some valid reasons I will grant you that, but others not so valid.  I believe UBJoe has quoted the regulation that says 20k baht is required and may be asked to be shown.  Plain and simple.  Now that means a fair amount of travel cash that some people don't like to have on them.  ~600 USD.   Some people like to only withdraw local currency and some people want to charge everything, so they don't want to carry much cash.  But still, somebody arriving on a Tourist Visa  usually implies at least a 30 day stay or more, I don't think having 600 USD cash in the pocket is unreasonable.

[tominbkk]

So it's just targeting people working here without proper documentation it seems.


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[Essaybloke]

"Thailand Wants More Tourists Who Act Like Australians" Thaivisa 17 July

 

Good thing I hold an Australian visa and can act like an Australian

Edited July 18, 2017 by Essaybloke
Punctuation errors are unacceptable!

[Billy Bloggs]

18 hours ago, midas said:

I see nothing onerous about this whatsoever.

I mean just based on living a very modest lifestyle without any extravagance- I still can't see how any genuine tourist can make 20,000 baht last for more than a couple of weeks?

What century are you living in, my mate will be visiting soon, he has a pre booked flight out, he will have booked his accommodation before hand and booked before hand any travel within Thailand.

He will have a debit card to get cash if he needs to, so he wont spend that much while here and why run the risk of carrying that type of cash with you in this day and age. 

[stevenl]

Get a grip guys.

 

A few guys got stopped at immigration on suspicion of working illegally, easy excuse for immigration is to deny them entry because they didn't have enough cash.

 

Now TV is doing what it can to get exposure and clicks out of this.

 

That is all there is to it, regular tourists are NOT asked for cash to enter the country.

[stevenl]

12 minutes ago, Billy Bloggs said:

What century are you living in, my mate will be visiting soon, he has a pre booked flight out, he will have booked his accommodation before hand and booked before hand any travel within Thailand.

He will have a debit card to get cash if he needs to, so he wont spend that much while here and why run the risk of carrying that type of cash with you in this day and age. 

And your mate will not be asked to show cash.

[Essaybloke]

1 hour ago, gk10002000 said:

yes, showing proof of funds when first getting the visa should be enough.  however, I will point that several countries that issue online e-visas, reserve the right to refuse entry at the point of arrival!  Just watch that Aussie show border protection.  Many people that got visas online, bought plane tickets, flew the 17 hours or whatever to Australia, and then for various reasons are turned away!  Some valid reasons I will grant you that, but others not so valid.  I believe UBJoe has quoted the regulation that says 20k baht is required and may be asked to be shown.  Plain and simple.  Now that means a fair amount of travel cash that some people don't like to have on them.  ~600 USD.   Some people like to only withdraw local currency and some people want to charge everything, so they don't want to carry much cash.  But still, somebody arriving on a Tourist Visa  usually implies at least a 30 day stay or more, I don't think having 600 USD cash in the pocket is unreasonable.

Maybe it's not 'unreasonable' to expect a tourist to carry THB20,000 but arriving at U-Tapao and lining up for my 30 day VOA, I'd be mighty cheesed off if I were refused entry and were not permitted to go to an ATM to get the cash. The big problem is inconsistency in the application of the regulations.

[gk10002000]

Just now, Essaybloke said:

Maybe it's not 'unreasonable' to expect a tourist to carry THB20,000 but arriving at U-Tapao and lining up for my 30 day VOA, I'd be mighty cheesed off if I were refused entry and were not permitted to go to an ATM to get the cash. The big problem is inconsistency in the application of the regulations.

yeah but it is a regulation.  One should not be upset for the times it is enforced, just because it has not been enforced that often before.

[captspectre]

19 hours ago, midas said:

I see nothing onerous about this whatsoever.

I mean just based on living a very modest lifestyle without any extravagance- I still can't see how any genuine tourist can make 20,000 baht last for more than a couple of weeks?

in a word it is called "Chinese"!

[Essaybloke]

14 minutes ago, gk10002000 said:

yeah but it is a regulation.  One should not be upset for the times it is enforced, just because it has not been enforced that often before.

Yes you're right, just one of the frustrations of dealing with bureaucracy. At least now I know about it!

[gk10002000]

Just now, Essaybloke said:

Yes you're right, just one of the frustrations of dealing with bureaucracy. At least now I know about it!

oh believe me I get it.  Over the years since I first visited Thailand and saw all the easy things it allowed people to do slowly go away.  Then they started enforcing things.  I am so glad I didn't buy the two businesses I had an interest in.  The paperwork, greased palms, change in PMs, two coups, etc.  I am sure I would now be much less happy. I am so glad I avoided such things, kept working, landed a huge windfall contract and had a great time in Southern California.  Made it to the million mark, social security 1 1/2 years away should I take the early payments.  got no debt, no bills, etc.  Probably will work about 8 more months to wrap up this job and then contract again part time to keep from getting bored, while spending about 6 months each year in Thailand, 90 days at a time. 

[hobz]

6 hours ago, coulson said:

 

Plenty of frequent tourists have Thai bank accounts.

 

They just don't want to pay 220 baht each trip to the atm or choose not to exchange hard cash at the airport.

 

 

 

Ok. I stand corrected. But it must be less than 1 out of 1000 tourists.

[hobz]

8 hours ago, Lamar said:

A few years ago we could open an account with a tourist visa, without any problem it took a few minutes ... I did it when I went on vacation with all my money in my pocket and there was no security box in my hotel; A friend expat then advised me to open an account in Thailand; it is convenient for a tourist to have a Thai ATM card: no need to take too much cash on oneself, it is easy to pay in restaurants or Supermarkets ... Money can be deposited in advance for the next holiday or, once there, withdraw money from our home country account via ATM on the front of the bank and then enter the bank to deposit this money on our account ... So, yes, we can be tourist (and not make money in Thailand) but have an account in Thailand that serves as a purse!

Ofcourse we can.. But its highly unusual. As a matter of fact. I had a tourist visa and opened thai bank account with it. That was before i got a real work permit. (Yes i was 'working illegally' at the time, digital nomad, clients outside thailand.. Unofficial statements from chiang mai immigration at the time said we were ok as long as we didnt have thai clients).

[daiwill]

8 hours ago, perthperson said:

Ok -- Tell me about other Western countries which do not have "stupid" laws associated with tourists. Which of them can be entered either with a visa exempt or with a visa on arrival by almost anyone? 

The UK , where you can just row up to the shore in boat and be welcomed with open arms, and where they give you money  and a house for doing so.  

[brewsterbudgen]

What century are you living in, my mate will be visiting soon, he has a pre booked flight out, he will have booked his accommodation before hand and booked before hand any travel within Thailand.
He will have a debit card to get cash if he needs to, so he wont spend that much while here and why run the risk of carrying that type of cash with you in this day and age. 

Because he might be asked to show the cash. Now he knows the situation it would be better to be prepared. He can always bank the cash once he's here.

[brewsterbudgen]

The UK , where you can just row up to the shore in boat and be welcomed with open arms, and where they give you money  and a house for doing so.  

You could try that here. Assuming you're a genuine refugee and seeking asylum. Otherwise your point is ridiculous.

[CutiePi]

A fair and balanced report; it's good to see the IOs are on their toes.

[JAG]

5 hours ago, XBroker said:

So, if I have a non immigrant O, then the 20k does not apply? I was going to forgo getting Baht at my stateside bank and just get some when I arrive.

I don't know, my point was that if you are living here then they are the appropriate visas rather than repeated tourist visas.

 

I'm sure that the Visa forum could answer that.

[jaywalker]

I've blasted thru 20,000 baht in an afternoon in BKK.

 

9 bars or so later, (booze and women) I managed to come back to earth.

 

Most of my money I just wasted though.

[Ace of Pop]

At the Land Crossings they only seem to ask the scruffy chang vest type folk , not clean looking peeps


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[Essaybloke]

41 minutes ago, daiwill said:

The UK , where you can just row up to the shore in boat and be welcomed with open arms, and where they give you money  and a house for doing so.  

Last year my mate ( a Pom) moved from Indonesia where he had been working back to the Old Dart. Took his Indo wife with him. You never saw such a <deleted>-storm of bureaucracy and legalese in your life. Every time he cleared an obstacle, they seemed to put two or three in his path.

 

Dare I say, welcomed with open arms, and where they give you money  and a house for doing so is a tad exaggerated?

[Mad mick]

19 hours ago, champers said:

No money no honey.

no thats not the point sorry about the rant ? how do immigration handle tourist's from china , Indian with show us 20,000 baht cash they dont have on them let al "all paid up accomadation + flights in thier country's of understand the ? All paid up in country of origin via chinese or lndian tourist companies + guides with flag pole so they dont get lost hand over 10 + passports to immigration , have seen many times , all eat at Chinese owned resteraunt , hotel's etc " very little money actually comes into thailand economy ' only what spent at 7/11 or family mart " what's the difference with any other nationiality  these people had hotels booked, plane tickets rtns + some cash to start off with + visas etc' why do they have show 20,000 thb or 800 or 900$ in cash cash  "everyone has atm cards these days border line reverse discrimination " im going back a few years ! u never told immigration anything about money " once on route to your destination taxi robbery was rife " my thai wife of over 26 yrs ! told me in early 90s don't tell them anything stuck to that " if pulled up all Indians and Chinese quality tourist show and tell how much cash u do they have on them " you would be piled up 5 deep trying to sleep waiting

to enter thails possibly a week or 2 , just in time to leave amazing thailand holiday . Robbery is more relevant now than anytime since the coup massive unemployment no thai jobs for thais " no money no honey for them too. Reason more and more r going people are holidaying in Vietnam .

1Death island out of control phuket all farangs apparently go to commit suicide " why else would u go " we go else where haveva good holiday,  every 2 cnd yr quick hello to family. Thailnd has gone backwards . Ok they let all chinese no choice purchased 2 or 3 submarines what for only be in dry dock " dont worry about creating jobs for thai's lets kill farang  tourism off  " doing a very good job at it i might add " jaunta machine.

[DLang]

17 hours ago, Godang said:

You show funds when applying for Non O visa.

Incorrect.

 

In some places you do. In some places you don't.

 

There's a consulate in a neighboring country that has been handing them out like candy with no need to show any funds for the the last half a decade! 

 

Marry the tilak, go there with the cert, show no money, shown no income, get the 12 month visa. 

[Zikomat]

15 hours ago, PremiumLane said:

So basically what has happened, a few people with lots of tourist visas were pulled over and asked to show money. Some were denied entry. 1 person with an ED visa also had this.

 

TVF blows it out of proportion and the regular posters go into a frothing rage - like flies around sh@t

It is all about the tendency. Not just a couple of cases. The rules become stricter and stricter every day. Many people are worried about their future in this country. Even those who did not have a single problem until now. They know that their turn may be coming quite soon.

Edited July 18, 2017 by Zikomat

[Itay]

All it takes is 1 Purple 500 Euro bill

[ravip]

26 pages for a 20k Baht news item!

Unbelievable!

(or have I missed an important point?)