"You come too many time"

[Scumbag]

I asked the "supervisor" at immigration who eventually let me in and he said the same, get a visa in China. When I relayed that it would be slightly difficult to do (there over a weekend in a city with no Thai embassy) he said just ask for supervisor again when you come in. Just have to trust him!

 

I'd happily take a 15 day stamp as my flight home is booked for the 1st July. Home in time to vote in an election full of fucktards.

I hope for your sake that he is on duty when you arrive.

[TheFullLength]

I hate to state the obvious here, but wouldn't you expect Thailand to be more lax with their entries? I mean, don't they want our money?

I thought tourism was supposed to be a big part of their economy, and yet they're making it increasingly more difficult for me to get into the country, spend time with my fiancee, and spend money.

[kane666]

I hate to state the obvious here, but wouldn't you expect Thailand to be more lax with their entries? I mean, don't they want our money?

 

I thought tourism was supposed to be a big part of their economy, and yet they're making it increasingly more difficult for me to get into the country, spend time with my fiancee, and spend money.

 

And that's the annoying thing. By all means target the overstayers, fill your boots. But why target people who it is plainly obvious only come here for holidays and clearly don't live here. My guess is I spend far more than the average tourist multiple times over each year.

 

After the bombing, the multiple speed boat accidents causing deaths of tourists (apparently one ran into a container ship, how is that even possible?) one would think they would be encouraging people not doing the opposite. But yes, TiT.

[Scumbag]

I hate to state the obvious here, but wouldn't you expect Thailand to be more lax with their entries? I mean, don't they want our money?

 

I thought tourism was supposed to be a big part of their economy, and yet they're making it increasingly more difficult for me to get into the country, spend time with my fiancee, and spend money.

They are tightening the requirements so your logic isn't correct. What we 'expect' is not relevant.

 

What they are trying to do is stop people abusing the visa system. Many people have abused the system to stay in Thailand long term and even to work. Unfortunately some people (like yourself and the OP) who are benefiting the country get caught up in it but I understand why they are doing it. I bet if people were abusing the visa system in your country you would want the government to sort it out.

 

The vast majority of genuine tourists will not be affected by the current policy. It is not these people that it targets.

[kane666]

They are tightening the requirements so your logic isn't correct. What we 'expect' is not relevant.

 

What they are trying to do is stop people abusing the visa system. Many people have abused the system to stay in Thailand long term and even to work. Unfortunately some people (like yourself and the OP) who are benefiting the country get caught up in it but I understand why they are doing it. I bet if people were abusing the visa system in your country you would want the government to sort it out.

 

The vast majority of genuine tourists will not be affected by the current policy. It is not these people that it targets.

 

Very true and if I have to make endless METV's then so be it. I guess my major gripe is it not being clearly stated anywhere. In fact all that is clearly stated is that you can come and go as many times as you like on the visa waiver. There is no BUT if you come more than 3 times in a 6 month period (or whatever it is, who really knows) then we won't let you in. Having no prior warning before you rock up at immigration at the airport is rather annoying. 

[Bek]

Very true and if I have to make endless METV's then so be it. I guess my major gripe is it not being clearly stated anywhere. In fact all that is clearly stated is that you can come and go as many times as you like on the visa waiver. There is no BUT if you come more than 3 times in a 6 month period (or whatever it is, who really knows) then we won't let you in. Having no prior warning before you rock up at immigration at the airport is rather annoying.

This is a major frustration for me as well.

I use my spare time between jobs for holiday in Thailand. After having a few problems last year (being interrogated at the immigration desk, being hauled in to a small room with a supervisor and another Thai) I went for the METV option. I'm heading home for a renewal soon - I'm a bit anxious to see if they will issue them back to back or not.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[TheFullLength]

They are tightening the requirements so your logic isn't correct. What we 'expect' is not relevant.

 

What they are trying to do is stop people abusing the visa system. Many people have abused the system to stay in Thailand long term and even to work. Unfortunately some people (like yourself and the OP) who are benefiting the country get caught up in it but I understand why they are doing it. I bet if people were abusing the visa system in your country you would want the government to sort it out.

 

The vast majority of genuine tourists will not be affected by the current policy. It is not these people that it targets.

I get what you're saying, and agree to a point.

 

I just think that there must be an easier way to crack down on people working illegally. And I thought the rules for staying long-term on visa waivers were pretty well established anyway?

 

As kane666 mentioned, there should be concrete evidence of these rules. Websites such as this http://www.thaiembassy.com/visa/thaivisa.phpjust make it worse.

 

Check it out:

 

 

 

Under the new provisions of the Visa Exemption Rule (VER), visitors can now come regularly to Thailand without limiting their stay within a total of 90 days in a six-month period. Just keep in mind that under the VER, you are allowed 30 days maximum on each visit.

The restriction has already been abolished so tourists can now visit Thailand as often as they want, provided that they obtain 30 day Visa on Arrival at airports and 15 day Visa on Arrival if they are traveling via land borders. 

What in the name of Isaan vagina does that mean?!

 

I don't know, maybe I just being bitter about it. I'm not doing anything wrong so I feel victimised.

 

I guess I'll just put on my big boy pants and get SE visas every time now, grrrr.

[kane666]

On another forum someone shows the UK visa application form which says 3 visa exempt visits then you must apply for a visa before you come.

 

That is then immediately refuted by someone saying that a Thai Police Order would need to be issued for this and hasn't been. As usual confusion abounds.

 

The next question will be can you get unlimited back to back METV's? Too early to know I guess.

 

Could all be part of their cunning plan to force people to buy the Thai Elite card so they can stem the bleeding the scheme is costing them.

[kane666]

Was bored and came across a Thai Visa site with free online chat advice.

 

They advised Thai immigration has become stricter, I asked but is it law?

 

Eric:

It is not necessarily a law in black and white.

 

Yep, that's Thailand.

[kane666]

Eric:

Well it was previously a written rule for immigration that you have a limited number of times that you can enter Thailand on visa exemption.

 

Me: Do you know where this is written?

Eric:

That has been previously removed however because a lot of travelers seem to abuse the visa free entry, it is the discretion of the immigration officer to deny you entry based on that old rule/

[Tarl]

...

The next question will be can you get unlimited back to back METV's?

 ...

That is the interesting question for me. I will be reapplying in a few weeks.

[Scumbag]

 

Eric:

That has been previously removed however because a lot of travelers seem to abuse the visa free entry, it is the discretion of the immigration officer to deny you entry based on that old rule.

 

No matter where you travel entry is always at the discretion of the immigration officer. Even a visa does not guarantee entry.

[Scumbag]

That is the interesting question for me. I will be reapplying in a few weeks.

Are you 50 years old or older? If so a retirement visa or an extension of stay for retirement and a multiple entry permit might be a good option.

[The Viking]

A mate of mine, Australian was took into an office at Swampy and told to book a return flight there and then and make sure he was on it or he would be arrested. He was only given 15 days visa.

A mutual american friend of ours had the same when we came from Hong Kong a few months back, the ticket office was closed so they finally let him through on 30 days which he then left for Laos and got a proper visa at the embassy. I would be scared shitless, lol.

[Tarl]

Are you 50 years old or older? If so a retirement visa or an extension of stay for retirement and a multiple entry permit might be a good option.

Yeah thanks mate, will be option B if I get knocked back. Not an issue for me to satisfy those requirements if I need to but I really do like the fact the METV forces me to get off my behind and do a short trip out of Thailand.

[chilly willy]

Yeah thanks mate, will be option B Also,if I get knocked back. Not an issue for me to satisfy those requirements if I need to but I really do like the fact the METV forces me to get off my behind and do a short trip out of Thailand.

I had a 'retirement visa' for 7 years.

Also, Thai Immigration will accept income declarations that are notarized by one's embassy.

[Yahooka]

                          As members say the constant iconsistency at different checkpoints is the most annoying thing.I fly through Suvarnabhumi on Visa Excempts 4-6 times a year,no problems at all.I have friends who on a frequent basis lands in Phuket and was told 2 years ago that they where not allowed in with visa excempts any more,visa only(They started to use Suvarnabhumi Immigration...no problems).Reports from Don Muang about the same thing,don`t fly to any neighbouring country for a couple of days and then return,you will be scrutinized (same as Phuket).

Some border crossings to the North and East is still Ok for return,while the Southern border crossings at Malaysia and the Ranong crossings have been to known to refuse returns .

 

                          It`s a total pain in the ass and I don`t think it will be more relaxed in the future.As for the thought that Thailand would be happy to receive our cash : " Xenophobia trumps the money " !!

[Scumbag]

Another report of the same has just been posted: Red flagged at immigration

[kane666]

Yep i'd say the days of endless 30 day waivers are over. I suspect there has been no actual change to the law but certainly a change in policy. I have zero issues complying with whatever they want I just wish they would make it clear. Wishful thinking I know 

[Scumbag]

Yep i'd say the days of endless 30 day waivers are over. I suspect there has been no actual change to the law but certainly a change in policy.

Yes no change in law is required. The visa waiver scheme is for 'tourism purposes'. It is very easy for them to decide that people arriving continually are not arriving for tourism but for other reasons. One valid conclusion is that people are using it to reside in Thailand. Whether that is true or not is irrelevant.

[sabato]

I read somewhere (can't remember where, a thread discussing refusals at land borders) that the month of August will be when they start cracking down on visa runs via the airport. I wouldn't be relying on a visa exemption during this period if only going out of the country for under a week or two. Maybe there's nothing to it, but something I'd want to avoid.

[sinbad5]

This information may be out of date. As reported by the OP it appears that the policy has been changed and it is now 3 entries per year. This is not the first time this has been reported on the forum.

 

Would that be three times per calendar year or three times in any 12 months?

[Scumbag]

Would that be three times per calendar year or three times in any 12 months?

I'm not even sure that it is such a definite number. I certainly don't know if is the previous 12 months or a calendar year although the previous 12 months would make more sense.

 

I guess another option is that it might be 3 in a row and there has been communication problems during the reported instances?? That is pure speculation on my part.

[kane666]

The Immigration officer at Suvarnabhumi told me 3 times without specifying over what period.

 

A phone call to Immigration thismorning told me 6 times in 1 year.

 

Clear?

[Scumbag]

A phone call to Immigration thismorning told me 6 times in 1 year.

 

Clear?

You need to remember that incompetence is rife in Thailand. I would believe what the guy said as you entered the country to be closer to the truth.