Important Visa Changes for some...

[Guest travelerjim]

IMPORTANT VISA CHANGE FOR SOME...

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/725053-final-crackdown-for-border-runners-new-strict-immigratioin-regulation-in-force-from-today/?utm_source=newsletter-20140510-1420&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=breaking

 

"From today visitors can only enter into Thailand via a land border once, after that they will be refused entry to the Kingdom and are advised to fly out and return with a visa obtained from a Royal Thai Embassy or Consulate in a neighbouring country or overseas"

 

"The Immigration Bureau has also confirmed to Thaivisa.com that further restrictions are to be enforced from August 12, 2014.

 

It is understood that the new regulation is to prohibit back-to-back border runners who stay for an extended time in the country without a proper visa from a Consulate or Embassy abroad or an extension of stay granted by the Immigration Bureau in Thailand."

 

tj

[firecat69]

This appears to be much ado about nothing. Some back packers will be effected and certain entry points will be closed to border jumpers but for the overwhelming majority of readers of this Forum it will not be a problem.

 

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/725037-mae-sai-not-allowing-visa-runs-as-of-today/?utm_source=newsletter-20140510-1420&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=featured

[NIrishGuy]

So, I'm in Thailand on holiday on a 30 day visa on arrival and I then decide on a whim to go visit Siem Reap for a few days and short of going an finding an open Thai Consulate or Embassy to issue me a new visa Ican't return ?  Am I reading that correctly - surely not ? Or does this only apply to same day re-entry perhaps ( although it doesn't say that). 

 

And yes I know I could / should have perhaps just apply and get a double / triple entry visa or something when still in my own home Country "just in case" and long before travelling ( at an extra cost) but that's why I said "on a whim" - which certainly in my case is anytime I decide to take a trip what usually happens.

 

This also then buggers up any other further side trips I might want to add in as well - or again have I missed something as already there appears to be quite a bit of confusion as to the new rule application re does it also apply to fly in travellers or not, who I understand is also set to take effect with from August 2014 ??

[Guest travelerjim]

This went into effect TODAY:

 

 

Mae Sai not allowing Visa Runs as of today - Thai visas, residency and work permits

 

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/725037-mae-sai-not-allowing-visa-runs-as-of-today/?utm_source=newsletter-20140510-1420&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=featured

 

wigantojapan, on 10 May 2014 - 13:07, said:

 So every westerner that had approached the Thai exit border to Myanmar they have refused to let leave no matter how many stamps you have and what country. All they said is that you now have to fly out only. No more exit by land via a new regulation passed. When we asked for more information they got aggressive and angry even though we are being nice and just confused. I have evidence of money and address if need be but no matter who you are they aren't allowing it. They keep saying "talk to my boss in Bangkok" and shoo us off and when we ask for the phone number they say "no, no number!" And when we asked where the immigration office is they refused to tell us where.

 

This is happening at the Mae Sai border now    outragous

The Visa Run company I went with yesterday has verified this with the Thai Immigration office.

[Guest]

So, I'm in Thailand on holiday on a 30 day visa on arrival and I then decide on a whim to go visit Siem Reap for a few days and short of going an finding an open Thai Consulate or Embassy to issue me a new visa Ican't return ?  Am I reading that correctly - surely not ? Or does this only apply to same day re-entry perhaps ( although it doesn't say that).

 

My thoughts exactly.   Is Thailand intentionally preventing tourists from making over land trips into Cambodia or Laos?  Not only that, but apparently this is done at short notice, so anyone in the middle of a holiday would be screwed even further.

 

If Thailand wants to take action against visa runners, they just need software to scan every passport, count the number of border crossings and set limits that only take action against people who are repeatedly crossing borders just for visa run purposes.   Anyone who arrives in Thailand on holiday should be able to cross in and out of neighbouring countries on that holiday without dumb restrictions.

[NIrishGuy]

Since when did a country have the right to stop you LEAVING their country by whatever means YOU chose !  This sounds more like someone on the border post has misinterpreted the new instructions handed down to them and are perhaps applying them ( incorrectly) as THEY believe they should so surely this can't be as the Thai Government intend  - surely ? and even allowing for TIT etc ?

[ceejay]

Mae Sai, where these reports are mostly coming from, is a special case. It's not a full international crossing point. You need a further permit for onward travel into Myanmar which may or may not be granted so, potentially, anyone who leaves Thailand by that route may be sent back from Myanmar. In practice nearly everyone who crosses at that point does in fact come back the same day. Myanmar has made something of a business out of Thai visa runners, issuing day passes at the border to people who have no full Myanmar visa,unlike Laos or Cambodia where you have to get a full visa to enter. You can see why Thai immigration have started with the Myanmar border for a crackdown on back to back visa exemption runners (other reports are coming from Ranong) as that is the basis on which most foreigners cross that particular land border.

Google translate makes a hash of the announcement about further changes in August, but it seems to be saying that, from then, persons entering by air who are also suspected of being "back to back" visa runners will be refused entry. I can't see how that is going to affect the typical holidaymaker with a return or onward air ticket, which you are supposed to have anyway. I guess all it will add up to is actually checking that at immigration (which has never happened to me in many visits.

What seems to have happened at Mae Sai is that the immigration officers there have been ordered to implement a new rule as from today, with no guidance as to policy and no hope of getting it until Monday, because they're all off for the weekend in Bangkok.

It's not good for visa runners - and not meant to be. For the rest of us I'm guessing that all will be made clearer in the next week or so. Until then, my advice is to sit back and have a cup of tea.