Another crackdown on border runners

[lomuamart]

Effective from yesterday 1st June 2009, new regulations have been introduced for regular border runners.
You will now only be allowed 4 consecutive border runs, getting a 15 day visa exempt stamp each time. After this, you will not be allowed to leave and re-enter Thailand through a land or sea crossing to get another 15 day visa exempt stamp.
The alternatives are to fly out through an international airport and return on a 30 day visa exempt stamp or exit by air or land to obtain a Tourist or Non Imm visa from a Thai Embassy or consulate.
NOTE: Tourist and Non Imm visas are not affected. Neither are the 30 day visa exempt stamps that you get if you arrive at Swampy.
I assume that it's permissible to do the 4 consecutive border runs then fly out and back getting a 30 day stamp and go back to the 4x15 day cycle again, but I can't confirm that yet.
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"I spent a lot of my money on booze, birds and fast cars - the rest I just squandered". George Best.

[spitfire]

Glad to see they are keeping things simple and constistantly understandable as usual. Sometimes I think they constantly change this stuff on purpose to vex everyone that stays longer than a couple of weeks and try to harass them into leaving.

However it might also be because they are a bunch of moronic idiots that have no idea what to do.

Reminds me of that saying "The lights are on but there's nobody home".



Sharp as ever on the visa front Lomuamart.

[sandman67]

Personally I think the Vogons are in control........how much more complex can they make this?


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What, me....the 13th Duke of Wymbourne, alone in a town full of nubile young ladies....with my reputation? .....Tally ho!

"To sin by silence makes cowards of men"

[Takiap]

Taking it you do your border runs fro HH using the minibus service at 2000 per shot, ten runs, if they were allowed would cost you 20,000 baht. Maximum overstay fine is also 20,000 as far as I know so really, you're just as well forgetting all about runs and just pay the fine once a year.....lol

Ah.......here we all were thinking that the new PM would inject some sense into the system.

On a different note, I'm sure you could get a return flight from Thailand to one of the neighbouring countries for about the same cost as two runs to Ranong.

I would still like to see however, just how the authorities would deal with a situation where a farang is married to a Thai and has kids, and is unable to meet any of the visa requirements. While one side of me thinks they would throw you out without giving it a second thought, another side of me doesn't think they would. In fact, I've never heard of it happening yet. Although I'd love to know the outcome, I'm not about to try and go that route.....lol

Hey this is great timing, considering I'm doing a visa run tomorrow. According to the fine lady at HH immigration, I will be able to get a sixty day extension on the fifteen days, based on supporting my kids. Yeah right, I'll believe that when I see it. In fact, the only reason I'm wasting my time with a Ranong run, is to see if there's any truth in what she said. Of course, I'll be sure to keep you all posted.


On last thing........does anyone know if the embassy in Laos require proof of income when applying for a 1 year Non O visa based on marriage?


Cheers guys
S
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Don't try to impress me with your manner of dress cos a monkey himself is a monkey no less - cold fact

[Name Taken]

[Wanderlust]

[Jim]

[Super Joe]

Agree Jim.
All this nonsense about Thailand not wanting tourists, last time I checked they issue, like confetti, something called a 'tourist visa', if the standard 30 days without any visa is not long enough.
Tourist visa gives you 60 days, plus the extension after the initial 60 days up.
30 days VOA with 4 no. 15 days runs adequately covers those who need to stay longer than originally intended, through whatever reason. It screws up the retards abusing the 'tourist' catagory because they are incapable/ cant be ar$ed to obtain the correct visa.
Thai authorities can be criticised for constantly changing rules without good notice, we'd do the same if someone was taking the pi$$ in our house too though.

It's been 6 months since the 15 day rule came in, for 6 months the same old passport numbers have continued to abuse the 'tourist' catagory, resulting in further restrictions.
Som num f na.


SJ
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[spitfire]

SJ and Jim, point taken, but not everyone is 50+ and I agree completely that the blagging idiots should be weeded out and sent on their way. There is a small minority of us that are under 50 and can meet the "financial" requirements of the long stay visas but are rejected simply because we are under 50, that's why I work and get a work permit, it's the easiest way to stay here for the younger section. I was laughed out of the immigration office because of my age, I wasn't trying to do something nefarius.

The thing that worries me is that they project a situation of total inconsistancy and that it's moving ground all the time, that's not cool. Why not just sort it out once and for all where the goal posts are. What get's me is that it changes every month or so.

With what I see all the time here suggests that they have no real idea about how to fix it (the under 50's problem).

Yes, Thailand does want tourists but only the "right type". Everyone else can "f*** off" regardless, even those that wish to work honestly and contribute get treated like dogs. Don't blame them for that but just being observational and sometimes wonder why?

Are we that much of a threat or is a psycological problem on their side?

Answers welcome.

[uncle tom]

Is it too much to hope that someone who really understands the visa rules might be kind enough to draft and post a Thai visa guide?

Sort of thing that asks a chain of questions, along the lines of:

1) If you are over 50, go to 17, otherwise go to 2)

2) If you are visiting for business purposes go to 23, otherwise go to 3

- and so on..

And then at the end point the person to the type of visa that will best suit their circumstances, how to apply for it, and the conditions and restrictions they need to be aware of.

Maybe this has been done already (in which event I'd be grateful for a link)

I personally find the whole subject horribly confusing - a simpletons guide would be really helpful.

Tom
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I may be drunk, Miss, but in the morning I shall be sober and you will still be ugly...

[buksida]

[Big Boy]

[lomuamart]

[Khundon1975]

[Arcadian]

Khundon, your description of a Vogon is Gordon Brown to a tee!!!