Crackdown Banning 'walk-In Visa Runs' To Begin August 13

[radioman]

A double entry 60 day tourist visa would do me fine, if only they'd make the activate by period 6 months from date of issue.

 

What is the activation period? I'm sure it would be more than a week or two, or ask for it to be at least.

 

In the past, I would say I want a one year visa so I can buy a condo. Always worked, but had to do a 90 day visa run to exit LOS.

 

I was buying a condo for nearly 10 years! never bought one, still looking...

 

Sounds fine to me, maybe a lot will start doing that and TAT will proclaim Thailand the hub of condo buying so spurring even more of a housing bubble leading to a crash so we can all really buy condos

[Flashermac]

Good idea, since I have friends who bought condos as investments when they were cheap after the 1997 crash. They are still stuck with them, since no one wants to buy them.

 

p.s. Also, you have to pay maintenance on a condo, even if no one is living in it.

[robaus]

What is the activation period? I'm sure it would be more than a week or two, or ask for it to be at least.

 

The Perth consulate takes two business days to issue visa. I don't want to leave it till the last minutes in case of the unforeseen, so I get visa 2 weeks before I leave. She writes on visa both entries must be activated 3 months from issue date. The clock is already ticking...

 

get visa 2 weeks before I leave + 2 months 1st entry = just 2 weeks left to travel other places I enjoy...Nepal, India, Philippines, Cambodia..before I have to dash back to Thailand before the original 3 months activation expiry kicks in.

 

There must be quite a few other long term travellers touring SE Asia in the same boat.

 

Maybe I should try one of the other consulates in Aus or the embassy in Canberra. See if they will give me 6 months to use the 2 * 60 day entries.

 

Such is life!

[The_Munchmaster]

In August 2012 I entered Thailand and did the following;

 

LOS 29 day > Cambo 4 day > LOS 28 day > Sing 4 day > LOS 29 day > Laos 10 day > LOS 29 day > back to UK

 

About 3.5 months later in April 2013 I returned to Thailand and did pretty much the same thing, just longer;

 

LOS 26 day > Sing 4 day > LOS 27 day > Laos 11 day > LOS 29 day > Sing 5 day > LOS 29 day > HK 5 day > LOS 30 day > back to UK

 

I suppose that's no longer possible by visa on arrival at airport?

[Flashermac]

Tourist visa runs are not dead: Immigration boss

 

 

PHUKET: Tourists who can prove that they are genuinely staying only short-term while travelling in Thailand will be allowed to leave on “visa-runs†and re-enter the country, Immigration Commissioner Pharnu Kerdlarpphon confirmed to the Phuket Gazette.

 

“Genuine tourists are fine. All they have to do is prove to the immigration officer at the border checkpoint that they really are tourists by presenting evidence such as their travel itinerary, hotel booking, tour bookings and any other documents to prove their travel in Thailand is genuine,†Lt Gen Pharnu said on Wednesday.

 

“Then they will be allowed to re-enter the country.â€Gen Pharnu clarified the focus of the new immigration regulation, which allows most foreigners to enter the country only once using visa-exempt status.

 

“The crackdown is all about preventing foreigners from using visa-exemptions and tourist visas to stay in Thailand and work,†Gen Pharnu said.

 

“We should have done this a long time ago. We have let foreigners work illegally in Thailand on tourist visas for too long. It’s time to stop them.â€

 

The new regulation has nothing to do with ill-fated Malaysian Airlines Flight MH 370 and the passports from Phuket that were used to board the flight, the general added.

 

The immigration chief was clear that from August 13 any foreigners who fail to prove that they are tourists will not be allowed to re-enter the country on visa exemption status (story here), as explained in a formal notice posted on Bangkok Immigration’s website on May 8.

 

“From August 13, if we suspect any foreigner of working illegally in Thailand on a tourist visa, that person will be detained and deported, even if the foreigner has not previously completed even a single visa run,†he said.

 

“People who are deported will be banned from re-entering Thailand for five years, not forever. After that, the foreigner may appeal to re-enter the country.

 

“This is what we have been doing for years with foreigners who have been deported, and any foreigner who is added to our blacklist is issued a formal notice explaining what they have done wrong.

 

â€Gen Pharnu noted that immigration officers were ordered to give special attention to Russians, South Koreans, Vietnamese and Chinese attempting to extend their stays by completing visa runs.

 

Ranong Immigration Superintendent Ekkorn Bussababordin confirmed to the Gazette on May 12 that foreigners will continue to be allowed to re-enter Thailand on three consecutive “walk-in†visas until August 12.

 

As reported in the Gazette last week, after August 12, such foreigners risk being stranded in Myanmar.

 

The May 8 order, posted in Thai, stated that the new rule is to come into effect at all immigration checkpoints, including airports.

 

“Thailand is open to all tourists,†Gen Pharnu said, “but we will not allow illegal workers. If you want to work here please do the right thing. Apply for a business visa and live here legally.â€

 

 

http://www.phuketgazette.net/phuket-news/Tourist-visa-runs-not-dead-Immigration-boss/29460#ad-image-0

[TroyinEwa/Perv]

Asinine

[jitagawn]

Discretion of the border agent= Baht in hand...

[baa99]

Clear as mud.

[Flashermac]

Border insecurity mounts as tourist visa abuse is targeted

 

 

The Immigration Bureau's tough stance is mainly aimed at South Koreans, Russians and Vietnamese working in Thailand illegally, but could affect any nationality.

 

[Long report from the BP]

 

http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/security/410342/border-insecurity-mounts-as-tourist-visa-abuse-is-targeted

[nkped]

The Perth consulate takes two business days to issue visa. I don't want to leave it till the last minutes in case of the unforeseen, so I get visa 2 weeks before I leave. She writes on visa both entries must be activated 3 months from issue date. The clock is already ticking...

 

get visa 2 weeks before I leave + 2 months 1st entry = just 2 weeks left to travel other places I enjoy...Nepal, India, Philippines, Cambodia..before I have to dash back to Thailand before the original 3 months activation expiry kicks in.

 

There must be quite a few other long term travellers touring SE Asia in the same boat.

 

Maybe I should try one of the other consulates in Aus or the embassy in Canberra. See if they will give me 6 months to use the 2 * 60 day entries.

 

Such is life!

That may be. The Thai consulate in Los Angeles says you would have 180 days to use a two entry tourist visa. http://www.thaiconsulatela.org/service_visa_detail.aspx?link_id=25