Is this the beginning of the end for multi entry tourist visas?

[LRanger]

To a certain extent I understand why Thais want to keep Thai for Thais otherwise it would be over-run by foreign nationals buying up and living there. Its preservation of a nationalistic sort.  Yet my Thai wife and Thai born daughter now have Australian Citizenship, Australian Passport and permanent residency without having to report to immigration ever 30 90 days or whatever.  No reciprocal rights for me....

 

The Melbourne age had an article this morning reconfirming whats been said about visa running.  Seems that is over for now.

[losworld]

To a certain extent I understand why Thais want to keep Thai for Thais otherwise it would be over-run by foreign nationals buying up and living there. Its preservation of a nationalistic sort.  Yet my Thai wife and Thai born daughter now have Australian Citizenship, Australian Passport and permanent residency without having to report to immigration ever 30 90 days or whatever.  No reciprocal rights for me....

 

The Melbourne age had an article this morning reconfirming whats been said about visa running.  Seems that is over for now.

 

Yes I can understand good points.  America and other countries very messed up right now due to lack border enforcement, immigration etc.  However, if the Thais are this xenophobic and worked up over a small number of foreigners perhaps violating laws what will they do when they are overrun by Asean in a year's time?  It won't be pretty.

[The Sly Fox]

To a certain extent I understand why Thais want to keep Thai for Thais otherwise it would be over-run by foreign nationals buying up and living there. Its preservation of a nationalistic sort.  Yet my Thai wife and Thai born daughter now have Australian Citizenship, Australian Passport and permanent residency without having to report to immigration ever 30 90 days or whatever.  No reciprocal rights for me....

 

The Melbourne age had an article this morning reconfirming whats been said about visa running.  Seems that is over for now.

 

Yes I can understand good points.  America and other countries very messed up right now due to lack border enforcement, immigration etc.  However, if the Thais are this xenophobic and worked up over a small number of foreigners perhaps violating laws what will they do when they are overrun by Asean in a year's time?  It won't be pretty.

You can understand people in Aust, UK, USA, Western Europe when they express concern over foreigners pouring in. Hard working tax payers have to fund it. A boat load of illegals roll up in Australia and 5 minutes later they have their snouts in the welfare trough. Tax payers have to fund their medical bills, their kids education, their housing. But foreigners here, do Thai tax payers fund us? We can't work, so we don't take their jobs, we can't own property, other than condos, we pay extra at doctors, hospitals, dentists. We usually pay extra for hotel rooms too. None of us, even farang that have Thai citizenship, can enter the gov, police, military. I can't see one reason why any Thai should feel threatened by farang presence in their country.

[Dave Hedgehog]

This is all just more of what we know and were expecting about tourist visas, the real problem will become reality when they start closing the door on the other options such as education visas, and as said above, increasing the financial requirements of marriage/retirement visas.

 

I've only been back three and a half weeks, hopefully if I can get my thirty day extension at Jomtien then I have plenty of time to see how this plays out post August 12th, but I'm still really worried about going to Laos for an ed visa and getting refused for whatever reason and finding myself locked out.

[socrates]

Spoke to some guys who are here LT working on the net

 

They are like ostriches at the moment I am confident they will have to get their heads out of the sand eventually

[brewster]

Yes I can understand good points.  America and other countries very messed up right now due to lack border enforcement, immigration etc.  However, if the Thais are this xenophobic and worked up over a small number of foreigners perhaps violating laws what will they do when they are overrun by Asean in a year's time?  It won't be pretty.

AEC won't allow freedom of movement within the ASEAN zone. It's nothing like the EU.

[The Sly Fox]

This is all just more of what we know and were expecting about tourist visas, the real problem will become reality when they start closing the door on the other options such as education visas, and as said above, increasing the financial requirements of marriage/retirement visas.

 

I've only been back three and a half weeks, hopefully if I can get my thirty day extension at Jomtien then I have plenty of time to see how this plays out post August 12th, but I'm still really worried about going to Laos for an ed visa and getting refused for whatever reason and finding myself locked out.

Could happen, very easily too. First step get rid of all the border run people. Next the ed visa people, just cut that option out altogether. Limits on the tourist visas so only the bona fide tourists can come for a few weeks then fuck off back where they came from. Jack up the financial requirement for the retired/married guys, get rid of all but the wealthy few. Could have the farang in LOS reduced by 90% in a few months. That was Thaksin's dream too: tourists coming for a couple weeks, spending a shitload, then pissing off; or the very wealthy investors...get rid of everything in between.

[samuii]

I still am concerned/confused re my non immigrant o visa,can I do a border run in/out or are all border runs ending,prob have to convert to retirement visa,i usually stay 5/6 months a tear to see out the oz winter

would love any first hand reorts from fellow non o holders on recent border hops

p.s visa issued in Australia

[Roadglide]

You can understand people in Aust, UK, USA, Western Europe when they express concern over foreigners pouring in. Hard working tax payers have to fund it. A boat load of illegals roll up in Australia and 5 minutes later they have their snouts in the welfare trough. Tax payers have to fund their medical bills, their kids education, their housing. But foreigners here, do Thai tax payers fund us? We can't work, so we don't take their jobs, we can't own property, other than condos, we pay extra at doctors, hospitals, dentists. We usually pay extra for hotel rooms too. None of us, even farang that have Thai citizenship, can enter the gov, police, military. I can't see one reason why any Thai should feel threatened by farang presence in their country.

Love to see the Thais in America get treated the same fucking way they treat others in their home country.  Seen too many of them do the 5 year marriage thing get their citizenship and dump the American that got all that for them. 

[The Sly Fox]

Love to see the Thais in America get treated the same fucking way they treat others in their home country.  Seen too many of them do the 5 year marriage thing get their citizenship and dump the American that got all that for them.

 

Same in Australia mate, so many Aussies dumped after PR or citizenship comes through.

[The Sly Fox]

I still am concerned/confused re my non immigrant o visa,can I do a border run in/out or are all border runs ending,prob have to convert to retirement visa,i usually stay 5/6 months a tear to see out the oz winter

would love any first hand reorts from fellow non o holders on recent border hops

p.s visa issued in Australia

Mate if you qualify for a retirement visa then my advice is get one, even for 6 months a year it will be safer than risking being refused back in. I think anyone who can get on a visa that eliminates having to do border exits should do so.

[losworld]

AEC won't allow freedom of movement within the ASEAN zone. It's nothing like the EU.

 

Not true.  You will see plenty of movement wait and see.  It may not be as silly as the EU but it will hurt the Thais big time.  It always hurts the developed countries at the expense of the others as everyone starts to chase bottom wages, lax environmental laws etc. 

[losworld]

Same in Australia mate, so many Aussies dumped after PR or citizenship comes through.

 

You must question the motives of one's govt for sure.  Right now the US is open border and latin america, china and everyone else is enjoying a citizenship buffet free of charge.  Who's interest is the govt acting in?  If all this terrorist propaganda is all true do open borders make sense?  I for one believe the US and all developed countries should operate with reciprocity meaning if you don't let us in we don't let you in and if you don't let us work or give us citizenship we will do the same to you.

[Daddee]

open southern border in the USA, but try to get a thai girl a visa...

 

hahaha, not happening...

 

my country is so fucked up....

[The Sly Fox]

You must question the motives of one's govt for sure.  Right now the US is open border and latin america, china and everyone else is enjoying a citizenship buffet free of charge.  Who's interest is the govt acting in?  If all this terrorist propaganda is all true do open borders make sense?  I for one believe the US and all developed countries should operate with reciprocity meaning if you don't let us in we don't let you in and if you don't let us work or give us citizenship we will do the same to you.

I agree one zillion percent with you...but unfortunately our governments & the folks back home don't like us. Invariably they view us as sex tourists or pedos, taking advantage of poor innocent young 3rd world girls. If the Thai gov throw shit our way and drive us back home, then bully for them.

 

Even guys who marry their TGs and bring them to Aust, USA, UK wherever, invariably the gal is younger and of smaller stature than her hubby, so when she gets PR/citizenship and dumps the chump she's a lovely cute smiling Thai who was taken advantage of by an older pervert, after all she's been through she deserves to stay and have a crack at the good life, as for her hubby who sponsored her and brought her to farangland, the dirty bastard deserved what he got.

 

That's the general mindset were up against and nobody gives a rats about foreign men who make their homes in Asian countries.

[tonyacat]

Not true.  You will see plenty of movement wait and see.  It may not be as silly as the EU but it will hurt the Thais big time.  It always hurts the developed countries at the expense of the others as everyone starts to chase bottom wages, lax environmental laws etc.

 

AEC will provide freedom of movement and rights to work only for 8 professional fields -- accountancy, engineering, surveying, architecture, nursing, medical services, dental services and tourism

[The Sly Fox]

"and tourism"

 

That's a very wide field, covers a lot of territory.

[macpayne]

Could happen, very easily too. First step get rid of all the border run people. Next the ed visa people, just cut that option out altogether. Limits on the tourist visas so only the bona fide tourists can come for a few weeks then fuck off back where they came from. Jack up the financial requirement for the retired/married guys, get rid of all but the wealthy few. Could have the farang in LOS reduced by 90% in a few months. That was Thaksin's dream too: tourists coming for a couple weeks, spending a shitload, then pissing off; or the very wealthy investors...get rid of everything in between.

Yes all that you say here is probably correct pity also all those poor pay for play lady's in Pattaya they have had it great for years getting 10 times the odds for there services from the farang  compared to what any local Thai guy would pay, there life style will have to change drastic to suite there lower income maybe even having to go back to kampong and work in the paddy :(  

[Billyboy294]

Lots of rumours around.  This one sounds rather alarmist and I'd be very surprised if it happened.

 

I seem to remember a few years ago that Immigration used to raid Niram Condo and other condos where cheap charie overstay guys would live and check passports..

[Scumbag]

This is all just more of what we know and were expecting about tourist visas, the real problem will become reality when they start closing the door on the other options such as education visas, and as said above, increasing the financial requirements of marriage/retirement visas.

 

I think you are taking this too far. There is no indication of any changes to immigration law at the present time. All the changes are only in regards to the enforcement of long established laws. Unfortunately many people have abused the the system and tightening was only a matter of time.

[Dave Hedgehog]

I think you are taking this too far. There is no indication of any changes to immigration law at the present time. All the changes are only in regards to the enforcement of long established laws. Unfortunately many people have abused the the system and tightening was only a matter of time.

 

I'm not trying to say there will be concrete changes in the law, but if we agree that people have abused the system it's only natural that the next play will be to look at what these people do, and it's highly like with something like a 4 hours per week commitment there will be a rush for education visas which is kind of thumbing their noses at the authorities as nothing will really change.

 

I'm also not trying to fear monger, I'm just genuinely concerned with my own situation.

[dazz_au]

Just got my Extension on my First entry at Jomtien - same as always no questions asked, all smiles and in n out in 1 hour.

 

I did however make sure i had a copy of some future hotel bookings in BKK & Hau Hin as well as my return flight, Kbank bank book ann my Lease.agreement which is paid up front.

 

The real test will be when i come back in to and use my 2nd entry - this is my 4th Toutist Visa in a row - i did ask in Brisbane when i got it issuesd about what they have been advised and the answer was Nothing has changed - that was early June....

 

Cheers

[The Sly Fox]

I think you are taking this too far. There is no indication of any changes to immigration law at the present time. All the changes are only in regards to the enforcement of long established laws. Unfortunately many people have abused the the system and tightening was only a matter of time.

I keep hearing the date August 12 being bounced around. So do you know exactly what is happening on August 12, other than Mother's Day & The Queen's Birthday? Is immigration meeting on August 12, or new regulations take effect from August 12?

[furryman]

I keep hearing the date August 12 being bounced around. So do you know exactly what is happening on August 12, other than Mother's Day & The Queen's Birthday? Is immigration meeting on August 12, or new regulations take effect from August 12?

IIRC Aug. 12 is the day that the new out/in policy is going into full effect and  I am pretty sure that is the day that the new penalties for overstaying go into effect as well, but both of those are from memory, I'd have to go back and double check to be 100% on those. 

[The Sly Fox]

IIRC Aug. 12 is the day that the new out/in policy is going into full effect and  I am pretty sure that is the day that the new penalties for overstaying go into effect as well, but both of those are from memory, I'd have to go back and double check to be 100% on those. 

Thanks furryman, that's what I thought too, the date the new policy/penalties go into effect. But I seem to recall hearing something about a meeting on August 12...hopefully this will be the end of changes to immigration laws for a long time to come   :-)