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Well while you may doubt it, this IS happening later this year according to all officals I have spoken too..
If you follow threads on thaivisa.com and thaiimmigration.com (Nong Khai immigrations english language forum) you will know that all border offices have been linked in a new computer setup.. They will be able to simply swipe your passport and see how many visits you have had on a 30 day visa.
After 3 visits they will want you to prove that you have adequate money coming onto Thailand (so far the figure has bee listed differently on many different 'official' posts) to prove you are not working illegally..
At the same time as this is happening the issuing on Non imm-B visa's has been drastically changed (since beggining of june).. .You can now no longer get a multiple entry non-B from panang or any of the other 'local' south east asian consulates / embassies... Perth being one of the nearest. You can still get a single entry non-B and then proving you pay your minimum wage income taxes (20% +- of 35 - 60k per month depending on country of origin... its all on both the sites listed above) you can get the single entry made into a multiple entry...
In short this makes it very very tough for those of us under retirement age who are not working and paying minimum wage taxes. Being on a tourist visa is unnacceptable to me due to no car ownership, no thai drivers licence, no bank account (technically though many ddont care), no getting a phone line, no etc etc etc etc...
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