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#1
26-04-2004, 19:49
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Crackdown on 30-day tourist visas
Crackdown on "back-to-back" tourist visas
Thai Immigration get brand new computer system Question: Quote:
Answer from Thai Immigration: No, “visa-runs” are not directly illegal, but they are a violation of the intentions in Thai Law on Immigration. The Law doesn’t say anything specific about it, but there is a regulation from 1997, which has never been enforced due to lack of resources, saying following (in plain English): “You are only allowed 3 entries in a row on a Tourist Visa. After the third time you must leave the Kingdom and will not be allowed to return for 6 months”. Since most foreign passports now are electronically readable, and the Royal Thai Police, under which the Royal Thai Immigration belongs, now got a nice, huge server set up in BK, things are going to change. All Immigration checkpoints are today online with HQ in BK, and within short time they will all get the equipment to electronically read passports. It has been tested at BK Airport for about one year, and we are now ready to implement it countrywide. What will happen is following: When you approach the Immigration checkpoint the third time in a row, you will be taken a side, your picture taken, you will be interrogated about what you are doing in Thailand, and how you are financing your stay here. And it won’t help you to show THB 20-30.000 in cash, it’s far from enough. You will have to prove that you have been transferring not less than THB 30-40.000,00 a month from abroad to cover the costings of your stay, going back up to 3 months depending on your visa (3 months or 30 days permit-to-stay). If you fail to do that, you will only be granted a 5-10 days permit-to-stay to give you time to pack your things and leave Thailand (again notice how fair we are). Further you will be prohibited from entering the Kingdom again within a period of not less than 6 months. If you after those 6 months want to re-enter the Kingdom, you must on arrival prove that you got sufficient funds to finance your stay. Now you might ask, “What's the meaning of this”? Well, Thailand got an extremely liberal Law on Immigration, and we for sure don't mind foreigners staying here. We do consider them a valuable contribution to our society. But we do mind having foreigners working illegal and/or running illegal businesses. They are not welcome at all. And them we want to catch, and believe us we will. Foreigners staying under such conditions in the Kingdom better start counting their days here. Finally you are asking about deportation. To get deported from Thailand your offence must be very serious. It’s mostly for people doing serious crimes like overstaying long term, shooting their neighbours, a.s.o. In the case about visa-runs we’ll give you 5-10 days after which you’ll have to leave. But if you don’t do that, if you misuse our fairness in that regard, then you’ll be blacklisted and prohibited from ever returning. Other consequences: If you have been asked to leave the Kingdom, and prohibited from re-entering for a period, you’ll probably find it extremely difficult to obtain a visa at a Thai Embassy again, even after the mentioned period is passed. Source: Thaiimmigration.com 
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#3
27-04-2004, 20:06
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Yes, this will make things a lot more difficult for a lot of people I know.
I guess the easiest way is to "marry" but you still need 400,000, that you can not touch I believe from July this year. In the past you only needed to show that money once a year and lot of people just borrowed money for a few days. Start a company is not so easy anymore and you need an income, companies who don't make profit after three years are illegal in Thailand. Maybe the barowners should put their bars into companies instead, some do, but most don't as I am aware of. This together with the new licenses, new visa rules (from 10 June or July) makes everything more difficult for foreigners trying to make a living here. Quote:
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#4
19-05-2004, 12:25
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rumours again?
oh dear, when are we going to stop all this bullshit talk ,i have been in thailand many years, if its not one thing its another, any bets this will not happen, of cause this is law but this paper was probly coverd with a inch of dust.
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#5
20-05-2004, 14:26
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Actually according to Bangkok Post it's started happening already. Some time ago they had an article regarding an englishman who'd stayed in the northern part of Thailand for years, living on his pension who wasn't high enough according to the immigration rules. He was feeding a whole family there up north. I don't know what the final ruling was, but they tried anyway to kick him out of Thailand. This guy could prove he had a steady income from abroad, but it wasn't enough
 Trond, http://www.affiliateguiding.com Quote:
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#6
05-06-2004, 20:14
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scary
hi farang man, john the scone hear little late but still here, ha ha ,i just read the (pataya today news) it seams they are stoping the 1 month visa but yet to hear a problem .however i am not taking a chance so i am going to take a flight to panang from bangkok ,for 500 baht, plus this and that ,and get a 12 month non imigrant for 6 grand ,i have my family hear must do it. if you are over 50 you can get a retirment visa very easy but you need 800,000 in the bank ,there are ways around it ,my freind has just done it.good luck to all johnthe scone.
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#7
05-06-2004, 20:28
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heavy nicke
take it easy everybody, what could happen ,and what will happen ,are 2 different things.
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#8
14-06-2004, 19:04
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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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#10
25-06-2004, 20:48
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All these changes will effectively make it a lot more difficult for expats to live in Thailand. I always go to penang to renew my NON-B every year and this is bad news for me. I could apply for one year extension but I never did because I enjoy my visa runs and it also involves more reuirements and paperwork. (When I looked into one year extensions few years ago I also heard the officials required 'tea money' to grant the extension, I don't know if this is the case today.)
Guess I will have to look into one year extension again. Quote:
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#12
01-07-2004, 18:45
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Hi Bangla,
No, I havent considered that option simply because I like my life here in Thailand ten times better. Sweden is very nice during the summertime but the winter is too long and I like to wear t-shirt all year round. I have more sparetime to do what I want to do and Thailand is more exciting and relaxing in many ways. I also meet so many great and interesting people from around the world, especially board members. I dont know about the future, I may be returning home but not yet. Or maybe I try to move to another country if and when I cant stay here. Quote:
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#13
01-07-2004, 19:05
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Quote:
Nicke can I smell marzipan? (wedding cake) More than 1 way to stay in Thailand just reverse the roles and be a bar boy (oops you are a bar boy) just follow the same path as BG, marry and sprogs, then you have dependents.... hee hee mmm can definatley smell it............... G G
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#14
16-07-2004, 20:39
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(back to topic)
This was posted on Thaivisa.com today by Sunbelt Asia. Quote:
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#15
18-07-2004, 08:23
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visa waiver program
Was having lunch in my favorite San Diego Thai Restaurant yesterday, and while waiting for my panang gai, (and guzzling a Singha) I grabbed the "Lonely Planet's guide to Thailand" that was on the mag table. Paraphrase: Residents from certain countries, US, GB, AUS, FR, ETC, need only a passport to enter Thailand (no visa) and can stay for a maximum of 30 days. This can be extended by 10-15 days while in country, but if you exit Thailand and re-enter, you are granted another 30 days. Quote: "There is no limit as to the number of times you can do this".
 In the US we call this the "Visa Waiver Program". Folks from certain countries can enter the US without a visa and stay for 90 days. (great if you have a Japanese girlfriend, any other Asian country, forget it). What do you know about this, Nicke??Mark
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#16
18-07-2004, 14:14
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Yes, this is the case now. But rumours from Immigration officials is that they may begin crackdown on people who use the short 30 days tourist visa on arrival to stay in Thailand long time and work illegally.
I also read that people applying for 1 year extension of "marriage" visa get visits from immigration or the local police to check that the couple is really living together and ask neighbours to confirm it is the case. If you can show photos from the marriage it also helps. This is not new but it looks like they check every case now. Quote:
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#17
18-07-2004, 16:03
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Sounds like fcuking UK except if you are an illegal alien or assylum seeker then you can walk in and do what you fcuking want including getting benefits and a free house, courtesy of me a stupid tax payer
lol sounds thatskin is talking to Tony Blair about more than just Liverpool FC G
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#18
18-07-2004, 16:41
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Visa Experiences
Went last week to renew 1year 'O' Non-Imm and good job had the now prerequsit 400K THB in bank - but were no problems getting extension, only annoying thing is 3 month wait for 1 year (then effectively) 9 months as BKK take so long approving (same thing happened last year) - so thaivisa.com and other sites are right in saying that cost of living here have lept at least 100%!!
Of key note is that the details were keyed into computer system, which is a first!
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#19
16-09-2006, 13:57
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Anyone else in the same position as me ?
I work 28/28 rotation which is effectively 29 days out of Thailand 27 in country.(56 day cycle) What I dont seem to grasp is can I make one visit, return to work and at the end of my hitch return & re enter with another VOA I would have no problems proving I sustain myself without working as have a Thai bank account and transfer far to much money into the Kingdom to sustain a barstool lifstyle. I work in India and noticed on several websites that the Thai authorities are quoting illeagal Indians as one reason for the enforcement of this law 
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#20
16-09-2006, 14:01
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You in exact the same position as my housemate (who also works indian ocean rigs)..
Until they clarify if they are going to count stamps or days your a bit up in the air.. I am pretty sure some accomodation will be made for you guys.. Also do you not have a second passport.. Almost every other offshore worker I know has one and I doubt that tracking will be able to follow this. Right now you wont get a solid answer until we see how they really try to police these changes in reality after Oct 1st.
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Men have only 2 emotional states, hungry and horny.. So ladies, if you see me without an erection, make me a sandwich.
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#21
16-09-2006, 16:17
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Money trail
I live here all year round and don't keep a large sum in the local bank.I make regular withdrawals on my Visa Card with ATMs.
 All I will have to do to provide evidence that I bring in 40,000 Baht + per month is to simply print off my Visa statements.They not only show the amount but the actual ATM location and Bank Branch all of which are in Patong.
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 If you can't take a joke you shouldn't have joined up!!! 
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#23
16-09-2006, 19:04
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Yes, thats why I am not surprised by the latest moves as I expected it to happen someday, as it was announced in 2004 already.
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