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

[scubascuba3]

Of course not.
 
Only people they suspect of working are asked for this requirement. And the only reason they are being asked is so the IO has an easy way to reject them.

As you may have read, many people are panicking of all ages, even though unlikely to be working (guy 69 yesterday) so this means loads of people will be carrying it just in case

[stevenl]

2 minutes ago, scubascuba3 said:

As you may have read, many people are panicking of all ages, even though unlikely to be working (guy 69 yesterday) so this means loads of people will be carrying it just in case

Yes, because of misinformation on the www.

[wvavin]

2 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. 

Touch your heart and tell me if they ever look intelligent? This is the reason, mate!

[Estrada]

There are ATMs in the Transit area of the Airport SCB is on 4th Floor but vends only US$. In any case you can use your cards to get cash at any of the exchange booths. Minimum US$50 max US$500 at SCB ATM in transit area which, of course, is air side.

[bkkcanuck8]

The majority of cases of people being asked for 20,000 baht cash for those with tourist visas probably are happening on the southern border -- and I find it suspicious that this hard change was so shortly after the crackdown on the tea money....  my guess .... someone is trying to pay back those at HQ with a little funny business.  From time to time they do ask for 20,000 baht cash on visa waiver at the airports - so the odd case there - nothing new.

[baboon]

5 minutes ago, DLang said:

 

Why does pointing out the obvious = bothered?

 

 

Are you nervous? No other way of working or living here? 

Because this thread is about some holders of tourist - TOURIST - visas being required to show 20,000 Baht on arrival, but you see fit to give your opinions about the issuance of multiple entry 'O' visas and the people who use them.

 

Am I nervous? Why are you bothered if I am or not?

[EricTh]

Unfortunately, a lot of these so-called tourists do work illegally in Thailand if they are frequent visitors to Thailand.

 

I have known quite a few who worked as part time English teachers or doing online business while on tourist visas.

 

20k baht is too little. It should be raised to 100k baht.

 

But this doesn't affect genuine tourists who visit two times per year.

 

Edited July 17, 2017 by EricTh

[Thai Ron]

There was a time when a story like this would have a certain contingent gloating as the misfortunes of these tourists.

Not any more

Everyone's being scrutinized these days - those on everything from tourist visas right up to and including marriage and retirement extensions.

Thailand is becoming more equal after all.

[bkkcanuck8]

1 minute ago, EricTh said:

Unfortunately, a lot of these so-called tourists do work illegally in Thailand if they are frequent visitors to Thailand.

 

I have known quite a few who worked as part time English teachers or doing online business while on tourist visas.

 

But this doesn't affect genuine tourists who visit two times per year.

 

There may be a few English teachers that work illegally, there are probably many more that technically work illegally (but immigration has previously stated - not interested in i.e. Digital Nomads).... but this is more of using a nuclear warhead to take out a fly....  (i.e. not very accurate, and will not take aim at a majority of the illegal labour which is from ASEAN).

[bkkcanuck8]

2 minutes ago, Thai Ron said:

There was a time when a story like this would have a certain contingent gloating as the misfortunes of these tourists.

Not any more

Everyone's being scrutinized these days - those on everything from tourist visas right up to and including marriage and retirement extensions.

Thailand is becoming more equal after all.

It is incremental -- those that wield the power behind the power - don't much like foreigners and don't mix with them day to day (and if they do run into foreigners - they find their lack of social graces grating)....  They don't personally feel that economically they will be affected much and would rather just see a majority of westerners and foreigners ... locked out.

[Vermor]

<quote>The officer could only confirm that people entering Thailand on tourist visas should be able to show they can support their stay in the kingdom.</quote>

I wonder how thai people can support their own life with a minimum salary of 9000thb ??!!! We should send them out of the country if they cannot show 20 000thb every month... ( joke)

[PeCeDe]

1 hour ago, Falcon said:

Although I see nothing wrong with being asked to show money when entering a country, I do disagree with the comment quoted above, which, to me, is a rediculous comment. How does showing 20,00 baht prove your not working in the country? In fact, how can any amount of money prove your not working here in Thailand? If your a genuine tourist, you either travel with credit cards or with cash so part of the 20,000 baht being accessible through a credit card transaction should also be included in the requirement.

He was taking the mick.

[buick]

15 minutes ago, Estrada said:

There are ATMs in the Transit area of the Airport SCB is on 4th Floor but vends only US$. In any case you can use your cards to get cash at any of the exchange booths. Minimum US$50 max US$500 at SCB ATM in transit area which, of course, is air side.

 

the transit area cannot be accessed by those arriving and planning to enter thailand.  it is only for those departing from thailand or those who are using a connecting flight to their final destination.

 

there are no ATMs on the arrival level prior to immigration (i've walked it twice looking for them).  there are currecy exchange booths, i do not know if you can use a credit card to get a cash advance at these.  maybe.

 

edit - i've used the SCB ATM to get USD before and then lost it at the vietnamese casinos !!!

Edited July 17, 2017 by buick

[theguyfromanotherforum]

16 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?

 

clueless 

 

This particular guy showed his bank statement in the equivalent of 11mb.

 

He even handed the immigration the online password to his bank account.

 

He offered to withdraw money from ATM.

 

Having 20k baht proves nothing especially not working in Thailand.

 

I have no idea why are they enforcing this decades old law.

Edited July 17, 2017 by theguyfromanotherforum

[DLang]

10 minutes ago, baboon said:

Because this thread is about some holders of tourist - TOURIST - visas being required to show 20,000 Baht on arrival, but you see fit to give your opinions about the issuance of multiple entry 'O' visas and the people who use them.

 

Which is based on a crack-down of those using incorrect visas to work here.

 

The other visas used to do so are:

 

Multi-Entry Non-Immigrant O Visas given out like candy without having to show the required proof of funds to get it.

 

And less so the Ed Visa. That was big until the crack down on it 2 years or so ago. 

 

Quote

Am I nervous? Why are you bothered if I am or not?

I'm not. But you're acting nervously as we discus criminal behavior here. Good luck to you if you're living life as a criminal here - illegally working. 

[stevenl]

1 hour ago, Falcon said:

Although I see nothing wrong with being asked to show money when entering a country, I do disagree with the comment quoted above, which, to me, is a rediculous comment. How does showing 20,00 baht prove your not working in the country? In fact, how can any amount of money prove your not working here in Thailand? If your a genuine tourist, you either travel with credit cards or with cash so part of the 20,000 baht being accessible through a credit card transaction should also be included in the requirement.

It doesn't. The IO is just taking the easy way out, hoping the 'tourist' does not have the 20k so he/she can be refused.

[PeCeDe]

14 minutes ago, EricTh said:

Unfortunately, a lot of these so-called tourists do work illegally in Thailand if they are frequent visitors to Thailand.

 

I have known quite a few who worked as part time English teachers or doing online business while on tourist visas.

 

20k baht is too little. It should be raised to 100k baht.

 

But this doesn't affect genuine tourists who visit two times per year.

 

100k would certainly put a damper on tourism, both real and imagined

[hobz]

46 minutes ago, DLang said:

 

What?!?  Criminals, those with no qualifications, no skills, no education..... yeah, that's a great idea!!  

 

Didn't finish school? Tired of mopping the toilets in McDonald's in Stoke-On-Trent? Fly to Thailand, mop the toilets in McDonald's Bang Khen and be given a long term visa for doing so! 

If there's someone willing to employ them and someone willing to take the job.

 

Also, i said make it easier. I did not say let everyone. Stop the criminals. The rest should be determined by market forces. If someone is unskilled, let the employer determine that. 

If someone wants to mop toilets, why not? Highly unlikely....

[DLang]

15 minutes ago, EricTh said:

But this doesn't affect genuine tourists who visit two times per year.

 

Most genuine tourists don't even need a tourist visa. They simply get given a 30 day VE upon arrival of their holiday here. :) 

[AGareth2]

the question is who is this designed to target and exclude?

[bkkcanuck8]

1 minute ago, PeCeDe said:

100k would certainly put a damper on tourism, both real and imagined

Yes, it would also make for a very thick wallet when going through immigration.  

[phycokiller]

no big deal for me, my illegal job in Thailand pays me so well that I have at least 20000 in my pocket at all times

[Kerryd]

Seriously people. You either know what the real situation is and don't want to admit it (for what ever reason) or you are just trying to dump on the authorities for actually doing their job.

 

Having multiple back-to-back 30 Day stamps and/or Tourist Visas in a passport is a giant red flag that someone probably is not a "genuine tourist". Those are the people that seem to be getting "singled out" by Immigration. A Jane Doe or Beijing Betty showing up with a single, shiny new tourist visa in their passport is somewhat different than Darwin Dave, Alabama Andy and Leeds Larry showing up with passports crammed full of back-to-back 30 day stamps and Tourist Visas. 

 

It's not rocket science people ! Thailand is trying to weed out the people that keep trying to skirt the rules and live here with little or no money and those that are working "under that table". That was the reason behind the change to the rules regarding the 30 day stamps at the borders. That was the reason behind the change in the rules regarding having to have your money "in the bank" for 3 months prior to applying for an Extension. No doubt also the reason for the crackdown on marriage Visas (like having to prove you actually are married and living with your wife).

They are cracking down on the people that are abusing the system and don't meet the requirements to be here.

 

Thailand has every right to do that and the people that complain tend to forget that they have no  right to break the rules, regardless of their origin (or attitude). I'm sure there are some who think that they have the god-given "right" to stay in Thailand as long as they want and do whatever they please, whether or not if they have any money at all.

 

However, Thailand obviously doesn't want to turn into a haven for penniless drifters that spend their time cluttering up the sidewalks and malls and beaches begging for money so they can go drink more. 

Showing a bank statement is as useless as the little books some girls have showing they are "disease free". It's only valid at the moment the statement (or book) was made, and 30 seconds (or 1 john) later it's already out of date.

Like the guy ahead of me at Immigration when I went to do my last Extension. He had a bank book. Yep, showed that 3 months ago he'd deposited the required money into an account. Only problem is, he hadn't updated the book since then to show that the money was still there, probably hoping the IO wouldn't notice (but she did and sent him off to "update" his book).
Logging into your bank account on your phone and showing a balance would be great - for the tiny percentage of people that could do that, and not take 15 minutes trying to remember their log-in and password and "oops - oh darn, my battery just died at the most inconvenient time, shucks, you'll just have to trust me that it was all "jing jing".

Having foreign currency to meet the 20,000 baht requirement would be a joke as well. How long do you think it would be before people were showing up with wads of Zimbabwe hundred million dollar bills that are worth pennies (at most) or old Iraqi currency (with Saddam's face on it - you could buy 6 inch thick stacks of bills for a couple dollars at the bazaars). Koreans love playing that trick on girls already, handing them 1,000 Won bills that are worth barely 30 baht.

The IOs are not bankers and are not going to sit there surfing and calculating exchange rates for every person that shows up at their counter with a fistful of Paraguayan Guara's (20,000 Guaras = about 121 baht).

 

Not to mention the length of the Immigration lines and the wait times if every IO had to go through all that BS with every person that showed up with a Tourist (or other) Visa.
"Hi honey ! My plane just landed and I'm at Immigration now. The lines aren't that long it seems so if you show up here 2 days from now I may be through and ready to go !"

Obviously the ideal solution would be to have a bank of ATM machines at the back of the Immigration area so that if needed, people could just zip back and grab the needed cash and then zip back to the IO that is holding their passport. Unless of course, "those" people don't actually have the money...........might be a bit "awkward" then.

 

I've no idea why they don't unless it has something to do with "that side" of the airport being "international" and you are not really (legally) in Thailand until you've passed through Immigration ? I'm trying to recall other airports I've gone through (like Vancouver, Dubai, Bahrain) and if I recall, it's the same thing - no ATM machines until after you've gone through Immigration. No problem in the Transit/Departure areas though. Strange as "that side" is also on the "other" side of Immigration (after you've been stamped out of the country).  Curious.

 

[hobz]

4 minutes ago, PeCeDe said:

100k would certainly put a damper on tourism, both real and imagined

Agreed, no real tourist carries 100k cash. Maybe a few morons from the stone age that thought it would be a good idea to exchange all their money before leaving their home country. Extremely risky to carry 100k cash. 

 

Even 20k cash is super rare to see on a tourist before entering thailand.

Most tourists i know withdraw 20k after they already entered the country. But not before.

Families are more likely to prepare a big sum back home. So i guess its not entirely stupid but 100k is way off the top and once the rule is set every illegal worker would find a way to produce 100k at the border too..

 

 

wow what a robbery opportunity to hold up a minivan filled with tourists with some aks a few clicks from the border. 8 tourists 800k CASH baby.

[Vermor]

1 minute ago, Kerryd said:

keep trying to skirt the rules and live here with little or no money 

Really ? 
So it s ok that the locals "live here with little or no money" but foreigner coming on Holiday should show 20 000thb ?! I don't get it...
How thai people can "look after themselves" with a (offical) minimum salary of 9000thb/ month, while a Tourist should have more than 20 000thb no matter the lenght of his stay ?! This reason is a fake reason. The reality is probably that those who give a tip to the MCT ( Money Collection Team) won't have any problem to enter the country... 

[bkkcanuck8]

2 minutes ago, Kerryd said:

 

It's not rocket science people ! Thailand is trying to weed out the people that keep trying to skirt the rules and live here with little or no money and those that are working "under that table". That was the reason behind the change to the rules regarding the 30 day stamps at the borders. That was the reason behind the change in the rules regarding having to have your money "in the bank" for 3 months prior to applying for an Extension. No doubt also the reason for the crackdown on marriage Visas (like having to prove you actually are married and living with your wife).

 

You are right, it is not rocket science.... but it does not mean that asking for 20K in cash at the border is not stupid for visa holders.  The requirement could be upped when applying for a visa -- requiring at least 30K / month deposited in a bank with a recent statement at the time of applying for the visa (in addition to not as an option to a ticket out; so 80K without a ticket).  Once you have that visa, asking for 20K in cash at the border has no effect on those actually making cash under the table working illegally in Thailand.  

 

BTW, once you reach the immigration counter - no immigration officer will allow you to re-enter the terminal looking for a cash machine without already having a boarding pass in hand for an existing flight.... not anywhere that I know of anyways.

[stevenl]

2 minutes ago, Vermor said:

Really ? 
So it s ok that the locals "live here with little or no money" but foreigner coming on Holiday should show 20 000thb ?! I don't get it...
How thai people can "look after themselves" with a (offical) minimum salary of 9000thb/ month, while a Tourist should have more than 20 000thb no matter the lenght of his stay ?! This reason is a fake reason. The reality is probably that those who give a tip to the MCT ( Money Collection Team) won't have any problem to enter the country... 

"So it s ok that the locals "live here with little or no money" but foreigner coming on Holiday should show 20 000thb ?" Which is not what he was saying.

"This reason is a fake reason." Yes, very correct, the real reason is suspicion of working. Your references to Thai salaries are totally not connected to this BTW.

[PeCeDe]

6 minutes ago, theguyfromanotherforum said:

 

clueless 

 

This particular guy showed his bank statement in the equivalent of 11mb.

 

He even handed the immigration the online password to his bank account.

 

He offered to withdraw money from ATM.

 

Having 20k baht proves nothing especially not working in Thailand.

 

I have no idea why are they enforcing this decades old law.

Good comment, but the problem as I see it is neither you, or I know the full story behind any of these accusations, perhaps they found his name on Thai business cards in his wallet etc. We'll never know the full story, because we only have one side..

[CantSpell]

2 hours ago, bendejo said:

And after you show your 20,000 baht how much will you be putting back in your pocket when you've cleared immigration?

 

 

 

Was going to ask, if you have 20k and accept to spare them, do one need a Visa Mr Officer?

Stamp me 

[baboon]

10 minutes ago, DLang said:

 

Which is based on a crack-down of those using incorrect visas to work here.

 

The other visas used to do so are:

 

Multi-Entry Non-Immigrant O Visas given out like candy without having to show the required proof of funds to get it.

 

And less so the Ed Visa. That was big until the crack down on it 2 years or so ago. 

 

I'm not. But you're acting nervously as we discus criminal behavior here. Good luck to you if you're living life as a criminal here - illegally working. 

There is no legal financial requirement for a single or multiple entry 'O' visa if married.

 

You have no idea how I am acting or what is going through my mind but I'll wager you are desperate to know...