60 Visa, NOT VOA

[Sporty]

Okay...

 

I have read here and elsewhere, about the VOA issue.

 

Brings 4 questions to my mind, concerning my travels,and habits, in recent years.

 

Question 1

Generally, I leave the USA, with 60 day Visa, from the NYC Consulate, with purchase of an additional entry, also good for 60 days, for a total, of 120 days. Requring 1 exit, on the 60th day.

 

I can see clearly, that this would violate the spirit, of the new rules, concerning VOA. BUT, it is different, will it still be allowed? I have not seen anything, in print concerning this type VISA, issued from my home country?

 

Question 2

After, or near the expiration, of the above, 2 entry visa, about the 119 day mark, it has been my habit, to travel to Laos,spending a few days, and purchase at the embassy there, an addition VISA, for 60 days. Again, not with the spirit of the new VOA restrictions, yet again different?

 

I am retired and in the past few years, this has worked well, to get me out of the USA, for the winter. 1st of November till the end of April. Typically returning on the last day of the discounted Round Trip Ticket is good for (180 days).

 

Question 3

Mostly, I stay in Hotels, and spend modestly more than $4,000 USD per month. Often I have a BKK long stay room, I keep, while traveling elsewhere. So, lets say,let say I spend 25K USD, or about 1,000,000 baht, and represent 250 nights in hotel stays. I have met many others, some not so trifty, as I am. Do you think in the big picture, it will impact Thailand?

 

Question 4

Where can I go, that is a warm climate, for close to this amount, and get as much of a BANG for my BUCK?

 

 

[Roger_Baby]

Go to the Philippines. The girls speak English there too. Quite refreshing.

[Neo]

A1: I myself am going to watch with interest what happens over the next couple months. Right now we know what the govt is trying to do (get everyone on the proper visa), but not the extent they are going to go.

 

A2: This will be a problem. Vientiane has rules posted that they will not issue tourist visas to people with too many tourist visas in their passport; something like 4-5.

 

A3: It may reduce the number of foreigners in Thailand, but not a great extent. Existing people seem set on finding a new long stay scheme and many ideas are already springing up like carrying 2 passports. The rules aren't tough enough to send everyone packing, at least not yet. And besides, Thailand thinks quality tourists like you will buy their 1 million baht elite card.

 

A4: South America?

 

[Julian2]

I got the word today from a long term resident that if you left the country before your ninety days were up you could return and theoretically start again. He had got this from contacts in BKK immigration yesterday. Some information from this guy has proved unreliable in the past.

I lived in Vientiane for nearly a year on tourist visas. After four months I was called in for questioning and told I would have to leave the country to renew. I used to go to the consulate in Khon Kien as it was cheaper and a day out on the train etc, but there would be no reason you couldn't use an agent in Nong Kai.

I agree that most residents using the visa run system will look at different visas, such as non immigration O which involves getting married.

Phillipines or Cambodia are good warm climate P4P places and if the worst happens I will live 3 months here and 3 months in angeles City.

[Lord Toad]

I do not think getting many tourist visas is against the spirit. I am not sure what they really want to achieve, and I do not think they really know themselves. To an extent the reason the 30 runners have become so many is because of difficulties with most other visa. Multiple entry O which many non working people had where sort of banned. They keep closing doors and forcing people into other streams, but the real problem is there are many people who live here, are under 50 and do not work here. There are people retired here who neither earn enough, nor have enough, to get a retirement visa. All these groups are doing nobody any harm and are bringing in considerable sums of money every year

[cavanami]

TIT = This Is Thailand!

 

Throw logic out the window.

 

The Thai government already has piles of laws on the books...so enforce the existing laws!

 

Also, get to the source of the problem:

 

Paying taxes? how about starting with the 99% OF The Thais that pay ZERO tax.

 

Illegally working...how about coming down hard on the many businesses that hire these people!