20,000 Baht - Interested in genuine opinions

[jeab1980]

1 hour ago, JackThompson said:

 

Let's put it in context, then.  Has your friend coming in August spent more than a few weeks here at a time, in the last 2 years?  If so, the IO could very well flag him on entry, as they did another fellow who was questioned coming in after 7 months out of the country, because he had spent a longer-period in Thailand, the year before:

https://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/988184-immigration-questioned-me-computer-show-up/

 

It would appear that an IO could view any longer-stay, even a year ago, as 'red flag' that the person might be inclined to stay longer this time - so could be interrogated and possibly denied-entry.  I am guessing your friend has not spent a longer-period of time here in 2016, though you did not specify this.  If he attended a language-school and, even worse, still had an incriminating "illegal worker" ED visa in his passport, that could lead to every barrier being thrown his way - even though he had not broken a single law or rule - as happened to this guy (who had the cash):

https://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/971858-rejected-entry-to-thailand-because-too-many-tourist-visa/?do=findComment&comment=11679714

 

But if he has no long-stay history, his "odds of possible interrogation" are small.  I view the purpose of these discussions as being to minimize the number of victims of arbitrary immigration policies.

He is a first time visitor did you actually read what i wrote. 20k GBP that Great Brithish pounds and no repeat 30 day exempts being issued is what he was told. So yes he panicked.

It really does help if you read and understand peoples post before quoting chapter and verse which was unnecessary.

 

[JackThompson]

28 minutes ago, jeab1980 said:

He is a first time visitor did you actually read what i wrote. 20k GBP that Great Brithish pounds and no repeat 30 day exempts being issued is what he was told. So yes he panicked.

It really does help if you read and understand peoples post before quoting chapter and verse which was unnecessary.

 

Not sure who told him 20K UK Pounds.  I haven't seen that here.  It's not our fault if the correct info we provide is relayed incorrectly by someone else down an internet-chain.  The important thing, is word gets out that 10/20K BAHT should be carried.

Repeat exempts can be a problem, but would need to know his full Thailand travel history to begin to calculate his odds.  I provided examples so that no one would assume that legal travel a year before "wouldn't matter" - because it can.  Not that it "should." 

Please don't take it as an attack on you personally - just trying to clarify that his situation requires more detail of his travel-history, to assess his odds of a problem. 

[smotherb]

On 7/25/2017 at 3:08 PM, overherebc said:

I think you might need it.

I think if you don't have it, you  will need it

[Daryle]

I generally travel with a Suit Jacket and Pants. I have never had an immigration question from an official or issue with entering or leaving. Fingers crossed it stays that way.


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[terminatorchiangmai]

aren't there ATM's  before immigration ? 

Looks to me , you just walk back and get the 20.000 if needed ?

[swoods58]

Sorry if this has been asked before but does this 20k requirement only apply to people with visas and not extensions of stay. I'm on an extension based on retirement from an O-A. Do I possibly need the 20k too?

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[ubonjoe]

27 minutes ago, terminatorchiangmai said:

aren't there ATM's  before immigration ? 

There apparently are none. That has been discussed several times before.

[ubonjoe]

22 minutes ago, swoods58 said:

Sorry if this has been asked before but does this 20k requirement only apply to people with visas and not extensions of stay. I'm on an extension based on retirement from an O-A. Do I possibly need the 20k too?

There should be no requirement to show it since you are not doing a new entry when using a re-entry permit. A re-entry permit is totally different than using a visa for entry.

I can only recall a case where people were denied entry using a re-entry permit and it was for people using one for an extension based upon attending school (aka ED) and were out of the country for a long time. That was back when they first cracked down on ED visas and extensions of the entry from them.

[swoods58]

There should be no requirement to show it since you are not doing a new entry when using a re-entry permit. A re-entry permit is totally different than using a visa for entry.
I can only recall a case where people were denied entry using a re-entry permit and it was for people using one for an extension based upon attending school (aka ED) and were out of the country for a long time. That was back when they first cracked down on ED visas and extensions of the entry from them.

Thanks for our reply ubonjoe.

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[rak sa_ngop]

58 minutes ago, Daryle said:

I generally travel with a Suit Jacket and Pants. I have never had an immigration question from an official or issue with entering or leaving. Fingers crossed it stays that way.


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Well that should certainly help convince them that you are just a tourist.

 

A bit like speaking Thai to them. How many genuine tourists spend long enough in Thailand to learn to speak the language fluently enough to converse with immigration officials?

 

But of course TIT so who knows!

[Ian1980]

1 hour ago, terminatorchiangmai said:

aren't there ATM's  before immigration ? 

Looks to me , you just walk back and get the 20.000 if needed ?

Just back to Thailand yesterday: there is not atm's machine before the immigration desks: there is just an SCB exchange desk, but without atm

[jeab1980]

2 hours ago, JackThompson said:

Not sure who told him 20K UK Pounds.  I haven't seen that here.  It's not our fault if the correct info we provide is relayed incorrectly by someone else down an internet-chain.  The important thing, is word gets out that 10/20K BAHT should be carried.

Repeat exempts can be a problem, but would need to know his full Thailand travel history to begin to calculate his odds.  I provided examples so that no one would assume that legal travel a year before "wouldn't matter" - because it can.  Not that it "should." 

Please don't take it as an attack on you personally - just trying to clarify that his situation requires more detail of his travel-history, to assess his odds of a problem. 

The point of my post was simple people scaremonger for no reason. Gone from a couple of herberts abusing system to 20k GBP and no 30 day exempts any more parhetic its not Thailand keeping tourists away its mis informed expats or forum readers. I have clarified his sitiuation twice but it doesnt matter he has correct info now.

Edited July 27, 2017 by jeab1980

[BritTim]

1 hour ago, rak sa_ngop said:

2 hours ago, Daryle said:

I generally travel with a Suit Jacket and Pants. I have never had an immigration question from an official or issue with entering or leaving. Fingers crossed it stays that way.


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Well that should certainly help convince them that you are just a tourist.

 

A bit like speaking Thai to them. How many genuine tourists spend long enough in Thailand to learn to speak the language fluently enough to converse with immigration officials?

 

But of course TIT so who knows!

To the Western mind, this seems logical. However, the typical Thai immigration official (especially if older) cares little if you are a genuine tourist, as long as you are (according to his lights) a classy individual. In Thailand the law matters less than you might think.

[natway09]

I just cannot understand why you would bother with "options"

[jeab1980]

5 hours ago, rak sa_ngop said:

Well that should certainly help convince them that you are just a tourist.

 

A bit like speaking Thai to them. How many genuine tourists spend long enough in Thailand to learn to speak the language fluently enough to converse with immigration officials?

 

But of course TIT so who knows!

Rather silly post i must say. I learned Thai before i came to live and work here.

[Tanoshi]

3 hours ago, jeab1980 said:

Rather silly post i must say. I learned Thai before i came to live and work here.

 

[LostinSEA]

On 7/25/2017 at 5:58 PM, mngmn said:

Thanks for that.  Didn't realise the USD 1,000 note was no longer in circulation. Apparently it was taken out of circulation as a precaution against money laundering.  Got me thinking about how much you can actually bring into Thailand.  The maximum is 50k THB (20k USD equivalent in currency without need to declare).  So we have a real Goldilocks situation as far as THB are concerned.  Less than 20k is too little, more than 50k is too much, anything in between is "just right".

 

Mentioned this because there is a real danger that some of the posters on other threads who regularly spend 10K+ on a night out in Pattaya might pull out their wad of 100k planning on a week-long binge and find that it gets confiscated.

 

SGD 1,000 sound good (they actually used to have a SGD 10,000 note).  Not so worried about spending it other than eventually exchanging it at a bank (or money lender).  The amount of traveling I do means it is more or less a permanent requirement to have THB 20k (or equivalent) on me.  On reflection its probably not such a good idea to staple it to my passport as it would probably serve as a magnet for all sorts of "special fees" that would need to be paid.

I do exactly this & carry a s$1,000 SGD note in my wallet whenever I travel, though more for emergencies than to be able to show proof of funds.

 

Can confirm that I had no problem changing 1 in Thailand when my ATM card got swallowed by a machine, but it was funny seeing the young girls face in the exchange booth & she must have checked it against her little book 1,000 times before handing me the 24,000+ Baht (possibly more than a months salary to her so I can understand her nervousness) 

 

[Xaos]

You dont need 20k on non O

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[Mrshorthair]

I entered on Monday the 24th at Don Meung with an ED visa that I had already entered with and had a re entry permit in an Australian passport.

 

Ive got a 8 year old passport with loads of Thai stamps and 3 tourist visas in it. But only 1 from this year.

 

I was hassled by the lady at the immigration counter for awhile about if I'm working in Thailand. I spoke to her in as much Thai as I could due to having an Ed visa for studying Thai. She still wasn't happy and called over a lady supervisor who asked her a few questions and then was told to stamp me in.

I had the funds equivalent in AUD but was never asked to show it.

[Gumballl]

2 minutes ago, Mrshorthair said:

I entered on Monday the 24th at Don Meung with an ED visa that I had already entered with and had a re entry permit in an Australian passport.

 

Ive got a 8 year old passport with loads of Thai stamps and 3 tourist visas in it. But only 1 from this year.

 

I was hassled by the lady at the immigration counter for awhile about if I'm working in Thailand. I spoke to her in as much Thai as I could due to having an Ed visa for studying Thai. She still wasn't happy and called over a lady supervisor who asked her a few questions and then was told to stamp me in.

I had the funds equivalent in AUD but was never asked to show it.

Congratulations.  You passed the test.

[lkv]

1 hour ago, Mrshorthair said:

I entered on Monday the 24th at Don Meung with an ED visa that I had already entered with and had a re entry permit in an Australian passport.

 

Ive got a 8 year old passport with loads of Thai stamps and 3 tourist visas in it. But only 1 from this year.

 

I was hassled by the lady at the immigration counter for awhile about if I'm working in Thailand. I spoke to her in as much Thai as I could due to having an Ed visa for studying Thai. She still wasn't happy and called over a lady supervisor who asked her a few questions and then was told to stamp me in.

I had the funds equivalent in AUD but was never asked to show it.

 

So what are the "loads of Thai stamps" in your passport over the last 8 years out of interest?

[mngmn]

9 hours ago, LostinSEA said:

I do exactly this & carry a s$1,000 SGD note in my wallet whenever I travel, though more for emergencies than to be able to show proof of funds.

 

Can confirm that I had no problem changing 1 in Thailand when my ATM card got swallowed by a machine, but it was funny seeing the young girls face in the exchange booth & she must have checked it against her little book 1,000 times before handing me the 24,000+ Baht (possibly more than a months salary to her so I can understand her nervousness) 

 

Where did you get the SGD 1,000 note? Easy to get out not?

[Annu Nair]

I carry 6 1 hundred dollar bills in my wallet and have had nothing to fear at least in Thailand.

[LostinSEA]

29 minutes ago, mngmn said:

Where did you get the SGD 1,000 note? Easy to get out not?

Very easy if you have a bank account here, just go in to the branch, take out > s$1,000+ & ask for one.

 

If you're in Singapore a lot but don't have a bank account here, I'll happily swap you mine for smaller s$ notes or 24,500 THB which is roughly today's rate... Obviously if it's in 1 months time & the rate changes we can agree a rate, I typically work on the rate from http://www.xe.com/currencyconverter/convert/?Amount=1000&From=SGD&To=THB 

 

 

That's how I get most of my THB nowadays as I have a few mates that work in Bangkok who visit Singapore on a semi-regular basis for work so they just bring Baht in & when we meet up I give them whatever the xe.com rate is at that time so we both win, they'd never get as many SGD as I give them & I'd never get as many THB as they give me.

 

 

Currently have approx 23,000 THB just waiting for my next trip to Bangkok in mid September :)

 

 

Edit: Alternatively you could go in to a branch with s$1,000 in smaller bills or a bank/money changer with the necessary Thai Baht/other currency and ask to exchange it for one, most will accommodate you but I'd recommend Change Alley near Raffles Place MRT for best rates if you're changing currency.

 

 

Edited July 28, 2017 by LostinSEA

[Annu Nair]

I havent been to Singapore, but yes, one S$1000 bill and you are through unless your passport is not right or something. Dont worry. 

Edited July 28, 2017 by Annu Nair
clarity

[jimster]

18 hours ago, Annu Nair said:

I havent been to Singapore, but yes, one S$1000 bill and you are through unless your passport is not right or something. Dont worry. 

Or a 1000 CHF bill, which is currently equivalent to around THB 35000.

 

I wouldn't bother with EUR 500 bills, because the ECB is apparently going to be taking those out of circulation soon, making the 200 EUR bill the largest around. So if you don't travel much and just keep this bill in your wallet for years, you'll suddenly find yourself with a worthless piece of paper that will be even less useful than Nepalese Rupees with the only place you will then be able to exchange such bills being the European Central Bank. To that person who mentioned the USD 1000 bill, those were taken out of circulation decades ago and now there is even some talk about the USD 100 being demonetized sometime in the future. In many parts of Europe, they won't even exchange USD 100 bills anymore.

[mngmn]

22 hours ago, Annu Nair said:

I carry 6 1 hundred dollar bills in my wallet and have had nothing to fear at least in Thailand.

Risky! You are only 35 baht over the 20,000 according to online rates and probably under using the rates at airport exchange booths.

 

This was the point of my question about exchange rates. If IO asks to see the money they have probably already decided to try and exclude you and being under the 20,000 will be a good enough reason to do so.

[ubonjoe]

8 minutes ago, mngmn said:

sky! You are only 35 baht over the 20,000 according to online rates and probably under using the rates at airport exchange booths.

 

Using yesterdays closing exchange rate (32.91) on Bangkok Bank's website $600 is only 19,746 baht. Best to make it $700 now.

[LostinSEA]

6 hours ago, jimster said:

Or a 1000 CHF bill, which is currently equivalent to around THB 35000.

 

I wouldn't bother with EUR 500 bills, because the ECB is apparently going to be taking those out of circulation soon, making the 200 EUR bill the largest around. So if you don't travel much and just keep this bill in your wallet for years, you'll suddenly find yourself with a worthless piece of paper that will be even less useful than Nepalese Rupees with the only place you will then be able to exchange such bills being the European Central Bank. To that person who mentioned the USD 1000 bill, those were taken out of circulation decades ago and now there is even some talk about the USD 100 being demonetized sometime in the future. In many parts of Europe, they won't even exchange USD 100 bills anymore.

I would definitely be getting shut of 500 Euro notes as they've either become or likely to become unusable because of the clamp down on Money laundering... 

 

As an aside I got poleaxed by India suddenly canceling the 500 Rupee notes & am sat on 40,000+ INR that's basically worthless...

 

Top Tip, if you want to buy duty free in Mumbai Airport you can use any currency except INR!!! - Idiot here took out 40,000 to pick up a couple of presents for my gf''s birthday (which I'd missed because I was in India for work) get to the counter & "We don't take Rupees Sir", had to use all my Singapore Dollars and a few NZ$s I had left over from a previous trip...

 

[mngmn]

13 hours ago, LostinSEA said:

I would definitely be getting shut of 500 Euro notes as they've either become or likely to become unusable because of the clamp down on Money laundering... 

 

As an aside I got poleaxed by India suddenly canceling the 500 Rupee notes & am sat on 40,000+ INR that's basically worthless...

 

Top Tip, if you want to buy duty free in Mumbai Airport you can use any currency except INR!!! - Idiot here took out 40,000 to pick up a couple of presents for my gf''s birthday (which I'd missed because I was in India for work) get to the counter & "We don't take Rupees Sir", had to use all my Singapore Dollars and a few NZ$s I had left over from a previous trip...

 

The world is moving away from cash except for one particular country...