Confirmation of clamp down on visa runs at Mae Sai

KTMphil

KTMphil

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Stories all over the internet today about a NEW clamp down (today) on visa runs to Mae Sai, can anyone confirm any of this?
 
Confirmation from the Thai Immigration website, I've just had someone translate it & apparently does confirm no more "visa exempt" visa runs at Mae Sai international border crossing.


From the Thai Immigration website:


Immigration Division 1



visa.jpg
 
Down south they are only allowing 3 visa runs, to get visa exempt stamps, after that you need a visa of some sort.
 
LivinLOS said:
Down south they are only allowing 3 visa runs, to get visa exempt stamps, after that you need a visa of some sort.
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I think it was 4 visa runs allowed at Mae Sai before? Now presumably none (at Mae Sai), with no Thai visa, looking for a visa exempt re-entry into Thailand?



EDIT: looks like 1 maybe allowed and warning issued on the re-entry to Thailand
 
I think I just read from Thaivisa Newsflash, that one run is still allowed.?
 
Talking to some people in Chiang Khong, the new visa exempt re-entry laws may apply at all Thai, land, international border crossings, getting confirmation of this now.
 
In Europe there is a lot of talk what to do with people who do not comply to regulations to stay legitimate.
It is good to see that Thailand takes such measures too.
 
From a translation I've seen on t.v., according to the Immigration notice Phil linked to above, from now, people arriving by air that appear to have done a visa run ('Out-In' / 'O-I') will be warned to apply for a Thai visa before re-entering Thailand again and their passport will be marked with 'O-I'. . After the 12/8, those arriving by air without a visa and with an 'I-O' mark in their passport will be denied entry. (Exactly what 'appears to be an Out-In' will get clarified, one way or another in time, I suppose.)

I would guess that the same kind of system will operate at land borders too - the exception possibly (certainly at Mae Sai today) being at 'grey' crossings (Ranong, Mae Sot, Mae Sai) with Burma where visa run systems have been operated until now - and where you're likely not doing much else then a visa run. (If you actually have a Burma Visa or Burma start visas on arrival then that could be different - as is, I think you can only stay a few nights in the Burma 'visa not required' zones like Tachileik, which maybe isn't good enough.)

Holders of any valid visa covering entry should have no problems entering Thailand, and those with a valid visa for re-entry should have no problems exiting at the Burma crossings mentioned above. (Might be some confusion for a bit though - see what news feeds back from people doing it over the next few days.)

Exactly why this has happened now, considering current political events, who controls Thai Immigration and whether it might all get changed again soon is, of course, debatable... It was only a few months back that G7 passport holders got upped to a month by land... What events happened then and what has happened recently... :hmm

Note, I believe it is the The Ministry of Foreign Affairs that deal with the actual issue of visas - they and Immigration being separate.
 
Have edited a bit...

Also, as to how they'll decide who is trying to stay in Thailand without a visa for more then they deem acceptable, according to the Thai Embassy UK website (Tourist Visa Exemption | ???????????????????? ? ??????????), that would seem to be those people trying to stay in Thailand (without a valid visa) for more than 90 days in any 6 month period.

I can imagine there could be a minimum amount of days that an exit has to be made for though too - before re-entry doesn't look like an 'Out-In'. No idea how many days that might be...
 
When they catch an offender, they normally give a 7 day extension stamp to make things easy for everyone.


crs said:
Have edited a bit...

Also, as to how they'll decide who is trying to stay in Thailand without a visa for more then they deem acceptable, according to the Thai Embassy UK website (Tourist Visa Exemption | ???????????????????? ? ??????????), that would seem to be those people trying to stay in Thailand (without a valid visa) for more than 90 days in any 6 month period.

I can imagine there could be a minimum amount of days that an exit has to be made for though too - before re-entry doesn't look like an 'Out-In'. No idea how many days that might be though...
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Yeh, wouldn't surprise me. Loads of people getting denied entry at the airport would be messy.

Reading the thread on t.v., made me smile a bit, the guy who runs Walden Thai School didn't waste much time posting to offer his services!
 
crs said:
Yeh, wouldn't surprise me. Loads of people getting denied entry at the airport would be messy.

Reading the thread on t.v., made me smile a bit, the guy who runs Walden Thai School didn't waste much time posting to offer his services!
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Is this the Nigel chap with the magical visa's?
 
Slightly different take on the new rules in Phuket - From Phuket news:


Immigration clarifies Phuket visa run ?crackdown?




"Tourists may renew 30-day or 15-day visas three times. We will check their details every time they come to Immigration."




What emerges is not a "crackdown" as such, but a more stringent application of existing rules being applied at all border posts in the country.
The Superintendent of Ranong Immigration, Pol Col Ekkor Butsababodin explained to The Phuket News that the tightening of the rules comes in response to the growing number of crimes committed by foreigners in Thailand, and the number of tourists who are thought to be working illegally,
Tourists on visa runs are now being required to provide checkable details of where they are staying, with address and contact numbers. They will also be asked what they will be doing while in Thailand.
Col Ekkor explained, "Immigration officers have found that a lot of tourists staying in Phuket, Krabi, Samui and other tourism places don't tell the truth. Their information cannot be confirmed by our sources.
"There have been crimes committed by tourists. We also have to accept that some look for ways to work illegally in Thailand. We are fully computerised now with internet connections, so we can check very fast.
"Tourists may renew 30-day or 15-day visas three times. We will check their details every time they come to Immigration."
One crucial detail Immigration is looking for is evidence that tourists are staying in the places they claim to be staying in.
If Immigration cannot confirm, for three visa runs in a row, where a tourist is staying, then the tourist will get just seven days' stay and will be told they have to leave Thailand at the end of that time and come back only when they have a new visa from a Thai consulate in another country, stamped in their passport.
In cases where tourists' accommodation can be confirmed every time they do a visa run, Immigration officials will allow them back in, but after three extensions may not be keen to give them further extension without good cause.
Immigration officers may also ask for proof that tourists have enough money to support themselves for the proposed stay in Thailand before stamping them back in for 15 or 30 days.
It is important to understand that Immigration officials have wide discretionary powers. If, for example, a visa-run tourist can show that he or she is staying in a certain place and has enough money, then a fourth or fifth extension may well be granted.
But if a tourist's "record" is deficient, or the tourist gives any other sign that he or she is not a genuine, happy-go-lucky tourist, then an attempt at a fourth visa extension is unlikely to be successful.
"To be honest, if they want to work or do business in Thailand [or stay long-term], then they should do it properly [with a non-immigrant visa].
One major aim of tightening the rules is to limit the number of people who arrive as tourists but are in fact planning to commit crimes - skimmers and ATM robbers are recent examples.
The Superintendent of Phuket Immigration, Pol Col Sanchai Chokkayaikij, commented, "Phuket is a tourist destination. So it is a good thing for us to be more careful about who we allow to stay on the island."
- See more at: Immigration clarifies Phuket visa run ?crackdown?
 
However that was back on the 8th..

Like I said last week down south they started a 3 strikes rule again, but then this came about after that..
 
is it possible to exit the country via land crossing and then apply for a double entry tourist visa in Lao or Cambodia at the thai embassy then re-enter the country via land??
 
Travis said:
is it possible to exit the country via land crossing and then apply for a double entry tourist visa in Lao or Cambodia at the thai embassy then re-enter the country via land??
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This is just a personal opinion -


As you will then have a valid Thai immigration visa on re-entry into Thailand, i would have thought that would be ok.



(the "education visa" business is about to get very busy)
 
All the news pieces I have read say the 'rules' will allow anyone with a tourist or non imm visa to enter the country.. The only question is will the northern border points know these rules or have their own idea ??

Various online reports say business as usual at Aranyaprathet/poipet.. Visa runs per normal.. And Ranong seems to be operating the 3 strikes system.. So once again, who knows !!

- - - Updated - - -

It also throws up an interesting catch 22..

They give you 30 days temporary bike import at the border.. So now you go back to the border to visa run your bike, and HAVE to leave, but they wont let you ?!?!?
 
KTMphil said:
They will let you leave, just won't let you come back in? & seems very little sympathy if you're stuck in a Myanmar "free zone" without a Myanmar visa.
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Thats was my point.. If you leave to Myanmar theres no way for the bike to go further in..
 
And there is the incoming bona fide traveller on a bike who has come to a Thailand land border..... what's in store for him?
 
Looks like it is actually being enforced by Phuket immigration, from the Phuket Gazette


Russian denied entry at Phuket International Airport over ?visa? crackdown




"Officers denied entry to Mariia Sgibneva, 26, more than a week before the May 3 crackdown on the "three-visa-and-out rule" aimed at stymieing international crime.

"They stopped me at immigration, and ask me why I did so many visa runs. All my documents were okay. I returned from Russia in October," Ms Sgibneva explained to the Phuket Gazette on Wednesday".
 
But Phuket is operating a 3 strikes rule.. You can visa run 3 times on a 30 day visa exempt stamp, and the 4th time they stop you (initially they said land borders only but now they seem to have applied the airport). Think of all the 100s of offshore oil workers on 28/28 rotations, who go direct Thailand to work and back home again for whom getting a visa is almost impossible around work schedule.. Even the married ones have a very hard time doing the non imm Os as they have to go once for the meeting and once a month later to collect, with no leeway on timing. Immigration needs to qualify what they mean by back to back and how long a gap in between must be.

So Phuket is applying 3 strikes with it applying on the 4th.. Mae Sai not allowing a second.. and Poipet just as per normal ?!?!?

- - - Updated - - -

skeedary said:
And there is the incoming bona fide traveller on a bike who has come to a Thailand land border..... what's in store for him?
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Well at least the first entry should be OK.
 
Confusion at Chiang Mai Immigration today.

Dropped in after the lunch break to get a simple single re-entry for my O Visa which is normally a 20 minute procedure. People everywhere hanging out the entrances, all hot and bothered, i have never seen it so busy so this morning would have been bad.

Tried to explain to the stressed out counter staff who are under the pump, and they suggested i come back in a week, asked me for copy of confirmation of travel eg plane or bus ticket. Bit difficult when i want to leave by motorbike at a land border. Managed to get an emergency queue number from them but the wait in very hot conditions did not appeal.

So i made a few phone calls, one to our mate Tony of Tonys Place in Nan who confirmed that there is an Immigration office there with minimal wait time. Tomorrow is Buddha day and a public holiday so will go to the Nan Immigration on Wednesday as i want to exit out of Nan Thursday.

Gary
 
Reading through this I'm a little concerned, I'm one of the offshore lot mentioned above but I dont do a rotation, I am usually away for 6 to 8 weeks then back in LOS for 4 to 5 and just go to the local immigration in Sakon Nakhon to get an extra week if needs be, I think I'll be ok with the 90 day in any 6 month period as mentioned in the article above but what concerns me most is the needing a return ticket as I never have a flight booked out of Thailand as this comes as and when/wherever my next job will be,

I'm married (officially) and have 2 kids with all paperwork etc but have never bothered with the marriage visa or any other sort for that matter as have never needed it, I'll be honest and say i'm a bit naive when it comes to the visa process as have never looked much into it as the tourist visa has always been fine for me,

So any of the more knowledgable folks on here think I'll have issues when I next come back into the country?

I'm now going to keep a copy of my marriage cert etc in my carry on should I have any issues as hopefully that will help but seems the logical way forward will be to start looking into the process of getting a proper visa although as mentioned above the timing of this isn't easy due to working adhoc and never knowing when I'll be home or away.
 
^ A Non-O 'Family' 1 year multi-entry is probably the way to go - I think most Thai Embassies and Consulates can supply a multi-entry (and not just a single entry - 90 day one) but the requirements of what you need to show vary. A multi-entry Non-O means you have to leave every 90 days or less but you can leave and enter as many times as you like.

Here's a list of visa availability in neighbouring countries: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic...ilability-summary-from-neighboring-countries/
 
Rudeboy said:
Reading through this I'm a little concerned, I'm one of the offshore lot mentioned above but I dont do a rotation, I am usually away for 6 to 8 weeks then back in LOS for 4 to 5 and just go to the local immigration in Sakon Nakhon to get an extra week if needs be, I think I'll be ok with the 90 day in any 6 month period as mentioned in the article above but what concerns me most is the needing a return ticket as I never have a flight booked out of Thailand as this comes as and when/wherever my next job will be,
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If you read between the lines the 90 in 180 is old news.. they reference that its on the MFA website, but loads of Thai immigration websites are old and out of date.. Or have conflicting information.

If you read the immigration officers comments, he says after Aug 12, its one 30 day only..

What none of these articles seem to ask, the vital question, is what is immigration's definition of 'consecutive'.. EXACTLY what do they mean.. If you go to Thailand once on in year we would all assume its fine.. Or once in 6 months ?? But how about once per month ?? How many days, weeks or months, outside of the country does it take for it not to be 'consecutive' ??
 
Thai immigration clamps down on visa runs | Bangkok Post: news

Jems such as: 'We're strict about this because 90% of all foreigners making re-entries actually work in Thailand, mainly as language instructors.'

Yeh, cos they make so much money as teachers, it's so easy to get schools to sort you a work permit and they take all the jobs away from the over abundance of Thai National language teachers here - there's no need for foreigner language teachers at all in Thailand, I'm sure... Lets make it more difficult for them.

EDIT: I doubt the majority of foreigners doing re-entries are paid 'language instructors' but, whatever, this will likely reduce the numbers some. Great attitude, understanding of the situation and forward thinking... A big help for Thailand with ASEAN, etc.
 
It's not really surprising, the visa-exempt 30 day system wasn't intended to be used as a means for tourists to stay in Thailand for ever, although reading a few other forums you get the feeling many have been deprived of their birthright!
 
LUFC said:
It's not really surprising, the visa-exempt 30 day system wasn't intended to be used as a means for tourists to stay in Thailand for ever, although reading a few other forums you get the feeling many have been deprived of their birthright!
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But again.. The issue isnt the rules.. Have any rules you like. But hard and fast rules, that apply the entire country wide, that stay the same for years at a time. and a system when a rogue officer makes an asshat call, where you can go up the chain of command to have the issue correctly implemented, instead of the other way around where every rogue call is then backed up in face saving.

Rules are great, all for them, fixed rules applied consistently. Otherwise how can anyone plan any process.
 
Phuket News:


Phuket: Immigration boss confirms the Out-In visa run is dead




[h=1]Phuket: Immigration boss confirms the Out-In visa run is dead[/h]PHUKET: The national commander of Thai Immigration, Lt Gen Phanu Kerdlaphon, has confirmed that "Out-In" visa runs are - apart from a few exceptions - a thing of the past.

Out-in visa runs will still be possible but they have to show a credible tourism plan and give details of their accommodation to the officials.
"Thirty days should be enough for a normal tourist. If they really want to travel around the country for more than 30 days, then they must show us a plausible plan. If officers are suspicious, then they will carry out checks.
 
So Thailand has decided it no longer wants tourists to use the 'hub of asia' airport at swampy ?? No longer wants tourists who may travel the region in and out of countries ?? Or who just come and go without a plan.

Lots of lost revenue anyway.
 
This will definitively affect me, in all the years I have lived here (9 now) I have only twice had proper tourist visas.
As I work outside Thailand and on weird rotations, I have never bothered to fly to another country first after coming off work, then go to an embassy, put in application, wait 3-4 days for a visa, then fly to my home here in Thailand.
Usually I only needed to stay in Thailand for 1-3 weeks before getting a call for work and if I had to wait longer I would simply do a visa run to Mae Sai, now that option seems out of the question for me. A bit more hassle I guess.
Funny how these crack downs always comes at a time when the govt. is in trouble.
 
How many language schools are about to open that will be licensed to offer Thai, one year education visa's for 17,000 Bht?





Lightemup said:
This will definitively affect me, in all the years I have lived here (9 now) I have only twice had proper tourist visas.
As I work outside Thailand and on weird rotations, I have never bothered to fly to another country first after coming off work, then go to an embassy, put in application, wait 3-4 days for a visa, then fly to my home here in Thailand.
Usually I only needed to stay in Thailand for 1-3 weeks before getting a call for work and if I had to wait longer I would simply do a visa run to Mae Sai, now that option seems out of the question for me. A bit more hassle I guess.
Funny how these crack downs always comes at a time when the govt. is in trouble.
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Lightemup said:
Funny how these crack downs always comes at a time when the govt. is in trouble.
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I'm sure i read somewhere that a Govt official said that this latest crackdown was sparked by the PP's for sale racket exposed by the 2 guys on the missing Malaysian airlines plane?
 
Loop said:
I'm sure i read somewhere that a Govt official said that this latest crackdown was sparked by the PP's for sale racket exposed by the 2 guys on the missing Malaysian airlines plane?
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Yes that has been said.. but stands up to zero scrutiny.. Just yet more daft stuff said by officialdom IMO. Same as 90% of people who use visa exempt stamps are working as english teachers.. Just made up statements.
 
As an aside, just talked to a lady at Hull Consulate, UK... The Thai Consulates/Embassy in the UK are no longer issuing retirement non-Os unless you're over 65!
 
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