The End Of Border Runs From Oct 1, 2006

[silverbird]

Have been in my bank yesterday...because of the supposed changes of the visa -inv-regulations!
I thought I haven't any need to deposit anymore 3 mio Baht for minimum interest from now!... had the idea to save whatever I can...
The answer was, " oh, Sir, you're Farang, we'll proof if it's ok that you transfer your money out of TH...please, come back next week!"...

My lawyer from Bangkok is informed about this, confirmed me that I can transfer my money out of TH wherever/whenever I want to do, and he'll try to teach the bank-stuffs about these circumstances by fax at first.
It cost me 5,000 Baht...wtf

TH becomes more and more a banana-country.... to cheat seems to become a public sport...

Changes have been made during the last week and more might come from big meeting at Immigration Head Office today.

For your information no new 3M investment visas will be issued. But existing holders will now be grandfathered. It means they will be able to get the extension forever as long as they renew.

[silverbird]

There will be a press conference at Immigration Head Office today at 3 pm.

All TV- Channels have been invited.
For those that do not understand Thai Channel 3 has news around 5 pm where there is an option to listen in English if you have a dual language TV. Otherwise Channel 11 at their Newsline program at appr. 9.45 pm – all in English.

Please notice I have not stated information from the press conference will me broadcasted in these programs.

[BaaBaa.]

From Stickmans Website.

UPDATE ON NEW VISA RULES - an email from a reader, 13 September.

I went to Department Of Immigration on Soi Suan Plu to ask some questions and this is what I got:

1.) There are some changes for perpetual tourist. This is the new routine:

a.) Maximum of three 30 day stamps in a period of 90 days. Then you have to wait another 90 days before you can get a new stamp. So you can make 3 visa runs in a row.
b.) After you've made 3 visa runs in a row, you need to travel to foreign country and apply at a Thai embassy for 60 day visa. The rule is 3 30 day stamps in 90 days. The new rules do not prevent you from re-entering with a 60 day visa which you can extend for 30 days at Immigration department in Soi Suan Plu.
c.) With the tourist visa you will clear 90 days, 60 day tourist visa and 30 day extension. You are free to go back to (a.) and repeat the process.

2.) What about my 5 years of consecutive visa stamps from Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia and Burma? They don't mean a thing. Don't worry about those. The new rules take effect Oct 1 2006 and they start counting stamps after Oct 1st 2006. All stamps and visas before Oct 1st 2006 are of no concern.

[buksida]

Thailand tightens re-entry rules for tourists

Thailand will tighten its immigration rules for tourists who exploit visa free regulations, effective on October 1.

The move will affect tourists from 41 countries who have been enjoying privileges by being allowed to stay in Thailand without a visa for up to 30 days. Among the 41 countries are Australia, the UK, Canada, France, Germany, Japan and the US.

Tourists can extend their stay by travelling to neighbouring countries - Cambodia, Malaysia Laos and Burma - and returning with new entry stamps.

The new rules are issued as an increasing number of tourists have overstayed the period allowed.

"Under the current rules, people from these countries can stay in Thailand for as long as they want. Some even stay here for one year. Many work illegally in Thailand," an informed source said.

Instead of sightseeing, the tourists take advantage of the visa exemption by doing business here.

From October 1, tourists from the designated countries may still enter Thailand without visas and stay for up to 30 days, but their entry stamps will be renewable twice at most for a maximum stay of 90 days.

Tourists who stayed for 90 days must leave the Kingdom for at least 90 days before being permitted to reenter Thailand.

Thailand tightened immigration rules last year for South Asian tourists who were allowed to apply for visas on arrival which permitted them to stay in Thailand for 30 days. A large number of them took advantage by travelling to neighbouring countries and returning to get a new visa on arrival at the airport.

Under the new rules, they are allowed to obtain a visa on arrival only twice from neighbouring countries. They are then required to go back to their country of origin to obtain an entry visa to Thailand.


Source: The Nation

I think its all pretty clear now.

[silverbird]

From Bangkok Post - Breaking News - internet.


Thailand tightens visa regulation

Bangkok (dpa) - Thailand on Friday announced new visa regulations for tourists limiting visitors to a maximum stay of 90 days every six months, in an effort to put prevent foreigners from remaining in the kingdom on a long-term basis.

Immigration Police Chief Lieutenant General Suwat Thamrongsrisakul said the new regulations were aimed at blocking foreigners who created social problems and posed internal security treats from living in the country indefinitely.

"Some people were using the loopholes in the old regulations to work in Thailand, while others were staying here to engage in criminal activities," said Suwat.

Under the old regulations, foreigners from 41 countries that have good relations with Thailand, were granted 30-day tourist visas that could be extended twice within the country.

With a quick trip abroad, one could pick up another tourist visa and thereby live in Thailand on an annual basis.

There is a heavy flow of foreigners living in Thailand to neighbouring countries such as Cambodia, Laos and Malaysia on cheap "visa runs."

Under new regulations, going into effect on October 1, nationals from the same 41 countries will be allowed 30-day tourist visas which may be extended twice, after which the tourists will have to stay out of Thailand for at least 90 days before returning again.

The 41 favoured countries include most European nations, China, Japan, Canada, USA and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) among others.

"Tourists (from the 41 countries) will not be allowed to stay in Thailand more than 90 days every six months," said a statement issued by the Immigration Department.

Nationals from other countries are only allowed 30-day tourist visas, non-extendable in the country.

The new regulation will likely affect hundreds of English-language teachers who work semi-legally in Thailand, and other foreigners working in Thailand without the requisite working papers.

------------------
My comment: Nothing new - but more detailed info is likely to come later

[lomuamart]

As a quick aside and on the subject of returning to your home country to get a visa, I managed to speak to the consulate in Hull this morning - they'd been engaged for 3 days.
It's OK for me to get a multi-entry Non O. They wanted to see our marriage certificate, which I've got here, in Thai. They'll accept that, although it would be better to have a certified translation. I'll also supply a copy of my wife's passport (details page, UK visa and entry stamp), together with a copy of her ID card. Both have my surname now. Was told that the visa wouldn't be a problem and turnaround is two days by post.
She also said that they were issuing plenty of these at the moment and I wouldn't think that all will be for UK nationals who're married to Thais. I expect they're still giving them "to visit family and friends" if needs be.
If I hear any more from this end, I'll post again.

[pookie]

I think that, after all the comotion, the keyword they are using is "tourist"
For the moment at least they are leaving the O types alone, it seems


Pookie

[PeteC]

When all this takes hold, I think there may be hundreds or perhaps thousands of farangs who simply go underground. Those who can't afford to travel back to their home and cannot get a visa in a nearby local country, and many other situations.

It's a good bet the Thai police are aware of this and random passport/visa checks is going to be the norm rather than the exception. Especially for the stray expat wandering the town and not looking like a tourist.

Really good idea to start carrying it all the time when out, or at least a copy of the front ID page and copy of your current visa. Pete

[Mart]

I was 1 month into my marriage extension visa consideration period, but had to come back to the UK urgently. As I couldn't state how long I would be away, immigration told me to re-apply when I got back.
I'm here without my wife - what are the chances of me getting the one year multi entry visa from Hull? I have my marriage cert. Would it be a good idea to get my wife to send through copies of her passport/ID card etc?
Should I just apply for the non 0 visiting friends/family?

Cheers

Mart

[STEVE G]

Prcscct wrote:
It's a good bet the Thai police are aware of this and random passport/visa checks is going to be the norm rather than the exception. Especially for the stray expat wandering the town and not looking like a tourist.
Really good idea to start carrying it all the time when out, or at least a copy of the front ID page and copy of your current visa.


I think that this is a useful piece of advice from Pete. I got caught up in random passport checks sometimes in Indonesia, I used to have mine hidden in the car so I was OK, but I knew other people who were locked up for hours whilst they had to get someone to bring it to the police station. Most asian police don’t care that you have left it at home or in a hotel, they just lock you up until you work out a way of getting it.

[Onlyme]

Mart. Just apply for 90 day non imm o visa from hull, the Thai marriage certificate will suffice. Upon arrival in Thailand and before the visa runs out, visit the immigration and apply for right to stay for supporting spouse etc..........
No problems.
Onlyme.
PS. If you need, please PM me.

[Guess]

More heasat but twice within 30 minutes of the same story but from two completely unconnected sources.

The story is that farang who had been multiple 30 day Ranong crosiing for sometime got stopped on his return to immigaration and was told to retun to Burma and not return for 90 days. This was supposed to have happened yesterday.

The second story is of a farang who was told by Ranong Immigration that if he left the country to travel to Burma he would not get another 30 day stamp so was forced to carry on down to Penang to sort out some kind of visa.

From the same source of the first sory I also heard that KL and Penang Thai consulates had closed down

[Jockey]

The story is that farang who had been multiple 30 day Ranong crosiing for sometime got stopped on his return to immigaration and was told to retun to Burma and not return for 90 days. This was supposed to have happened yesterday.

So...How many will "go missing" before someone notices? How to survive in Burma for 90 days dressed in shorts / sandals / T-shirt, 20 fags, a fake viagra and 400 baht? I can sense a new book coming on to the Asia Books stall!

Do you think they will be captured and made to work for the over burdoned military raping and pillaging poor villages... or might become a source of amusement and ridicule, captured in some remote village where he is invited to the festive party only he is on the menu? (for the PC correct people....I'm only joking!)

[DawnHRD]

More heasat but twice within 30 minutes of the same story but from two completely unconnected sources.

The story is that farang who had been multiple 30 day Ranong crosiing for sometime got stopped on his return to immigaration and was told to retun to Burma and not return for 90 days. This was supposed to have happened yesterday.

The second story is of a farang who was told by Ranong Immigration that if he left the country to travel to Burma he would not get another 30 day stamp so was forced to carry on down to Penang to sort out some kind of visa.

From the same source of the first sory I also heard that KL and Penang Thai consulates had closed down

Think that's just urban legend (if you can have a new legend! ) Firstly, the regulations haven't come into effect yet. Secondly, from every bit of literature I've seen, previous stamps aren't taken into consideration, the clock starts anew on 1st October. Sure we'll be hearing loads of these stories in the next few months...

[buksida]

I spoke to someone this morning who went to Ranong a couple of days for a 30 day stamp. She told me they were just as clueless down there about it all as we are!