Stricter requirements for Tourist visa applicants

[bapak]

I am aware of your familiarity but for the novice... ED Visas are not normally issued for Multiple Entry as that will require 90 day border runs. With the normal Single Entry, you then obtain a Re-Entry Permit (Multiple or Single) for any travel outside of Thailand.

[magnum]

I am coming out for 5 months in November on non-imm O visa 90 day multiple entry (age 59),
My partner (british) who is under 50 y.o.a will be using triple 60 day tourist visa,
is the 30 day visa extension from immigration guaranteed, will save us doing 2 visa runs.

[lomuamart]

Nothing's ever guaranteed over here, but I've never heard of someone being refused the 30 day extension to a tourist visa.

[Super Joe]

If legitimate long term holders and tourists aren't the people being put under the spotlight, then who is? And the only answer has to be those who want to stay as apparent residents, without a full residential / non-Imm visa.
Seriously, who else?
The targets don't necessarily have to be in the Farang expat community - they could be Indian IT people doing a disguised commute, for eg. But the rule changes affect all comers who wish to use that particular visa.

Yes I agree with you there, and to me the new requirements do not by themselves actually stop anyone getting the visa, only enforcement can do that imo, so they must have their defined 'targets'. The changes don't affect genuine tourists that need the visa for more than 30 days and less than 60 days, so as you say you are only really left with those who want it for 'perpetual stays' (visa runners basically), because of it's ease of monthly renewals and you remain legal documentation wise. This crowd either stay and support themselves or stay and work illegally. If the government wanted to stop them all even the one's who are self-sufficient they just need to ban or restrict issueing of new one's from neighbouring countries.

So all we're essentially left with imo is illegal workers... normal and criminal... local migrants, African's, Eastern Europeans, Middle-Eastern, Indians and us Western types. Personally don't think they're much bothered about 'law-abiding' illegal workers wherever they're from, all the stuff they seem to announce crackdowns on are the criminal or social problem stuff...

Interesting short article here about Russian brasses... http://www.weeklyblitz.net/333/east-eur ... n-thailand
"Thai authorities are actively trying to stop massive arrival of East European sex workers by putting tougher rules in issuing visa from its Tashkent and other consulates in the East European countries, organized mafia have succeeded in finding a loophole thus enabling them in visiting with 3 month's tourist visa."

African drug dealers and diamond traders in BKK... http://groups.google.com/group/soc.cult ... 443c65f46?
"For Bangkok's small but rapidly growing African community--which since the mid-1990s has risen from the hundreds to beyond the 10,000-mark--these streets are home. Many of the immigrants from Africa are involved in legitimate textile and leather goods trading. Many others are not. African criminal gangs--often fronted by legitimate businesses--are increasingly using the Thai capital as a centre for heroin trading, human smuggling and the peddling of blood diamonds. Easy immigration and customs procedures, aimed at promoting tourism, provide an open door for underworld business. Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra pointed to the problem of drug-dealing Africans, and vowed to close immigration loopholes."

Most of the African and Arab nations do not get VE or VOA, they have to obtain a tourist visa to get in.

SJ