I've been researching visas into Thailand and have found nothing very clear on whether or not they are required. Can a veteran give us a breakdown as to when a visa is and is not required generally for mongerers strictly visiting as tourists?

Under 30 days no visa required. If you plan on staying longer you can get a 3 month tourist visa at the airport on arrival. Look for the " Visa On Arrival" sign as you approach the immigration desk.

well the ebb and flow is changing directions-- I very well may have a 6-8 week jaint to SEA Oct-Nov. I have to get back mid Nov tho for my Rio trio.

Going to be using bkk at my base of ops, but I have some work in HKG, Makau, and Shenzhen.

Sometimes a little patience and restraint does work out.... PHEW!

DM,

What happened to your Rio trip last week?

I delayed till mid november, SEA planning beckoned along with work... rescheduled nov 13th--19th.

i'm planning to spend alot of time in thailand over the next year or so. i'm under 50 so i don't qualify for the retirement visa. from what i've read on the net, the tourist visa lasts 60 days but can be extended in country for some period of time (30 days i think). there appears to be a multiple entry tourist visa that is good for a year but you have to leave every 90 days.

the two options don't seem all that different as you've got to leave approx. every 90 days in each instance. only difference seems to be convenience, apply once for the multiple entry or several times for the 60 plus extension.

i'm planning to run my visa app through the thai consulate in los angeles. i'd go in person if that would help me get the multiple entry version. maybe i should also bring bank statements and prepare some lies about my intended travels that might help me get the multiple entry.

any advice on the topic is appreciated. thanks.

I understand that the visa situation is going to change on October l, 2006. I have read about it but do not understand it. Anyone have any more info on this situation. I am going to be in deep do do it I cannot get a renewal each month by doing the one day run to the cambodian border. It seems to me that things just keep getting harder and harder to stay long time in thailand.

'apparrantly' they are only going to issue tourist visas on arrival 3 times ie a total of 90 days. After that u will have to leave the country for 90 days before u can get another visa. If this comes into place it will affect many people big time, however I have been researching it since the news came out and it seems a) stories have been exaggerated and b) it is aimed at Indian / Chinese passport holders. So for now, I really wouldnt worry at all.

a) stories have been exaggerated and b) it is aimed at Indian / Chinese passport holders. So for now, I really wouldnt worry at all.

According to the Thai press and the Thai Visa web site - the change in policy is directed at all 41 nations that currrently have tourist visa rights in LOS - including US England, Australia etc. This IS NOT aimed at the Indian and Chinese tourists.

This post from Sunbelt Asia is about the clearest deccription I have found --


Taken from Thai Visa web site --

" Now the news for frequent visitors: We have checked this upwards and backwards all day and it has been confirmed by a copy of the new regulation we have. If you have a visa on arrival more than three times in six months, you cannot come into Thailand without a visa from an Embassy/Consulate. When you enter Thailand, even if you are here just 1 hour, this counts as 30 days. If you come back 6 weeks later for 2 days, this again is 30 days. If you arrive a month later for 4 days, still counts as 30 days. When you leave, you cannot enter Thailand for 3.5 months without coming back with a visa. The reason is to force people who are supposed to have work permits to do so and pay tax.

Another example; you arrive for a week, this counts as 30 days, One month later 3 days and its 30 days, two months later and its for a two week period, still another 30 days. You can reenter Thailand in 6 weeks without having a visa. "



It looks like visa runs are a thing of the past. Better get a job and apply for a work permit.

Khun Mor, is absolutely correct in that Thai Immigration are targeting many foreigners with this strict regulation. However, it is probably overdue as STICKMAN recently wrote. For thousands of foreigners this will be one big headache. The Thai authorities will be up to their eyes with visa applications. Fortunately for me, my lawyer got my one year visa already.

Check out "Stickman Weekly" because he has written his opening piece all about it. Stickman also has suggestions and some solutions...

http://www.StickmanBangkok.com

From what I gather, the clamp down seems to be aimed at chinese / indian immigrant workers, however many of us are going to be caught in the trap. The following taken from Stickmans site seems to sum it up:

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 on 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, new rules take effect Oct 1 2006, they start counting stamps after Oct 1st 2006. All stamps and visas before Oct 1st 2006 are of no concern.

3.) The crackdown is aimed at Indian and Chinese nationals. I'm sorry to those people, no disrespect intended from this post. Passport holders from Europe, Canada, US, Australia, New Zealand have no worries.

Would be nice to have confirmation that my information is correct. What are other people saying? And what is happening at borders? We will just have to wait see what really goes down after Oct 1st.

Not sure I undersatnd how you get the idea that this has anything to do specifically with Indians and Chinese ? Wishful thinking perhaps ?Where in the regulations proposed do you see any mention of nationality ?
The BKK Post article clearly stated this would apply to all tourists from any country.

That being said TIT and anything is possible.
I doubt anyone will know until after October 1st and even then given past performances I doubt it will be all that clear.

___________________
"Not sure I undersatnd how you get the idea that this has anything to do specifically with Indians and Chinese ?"

Khun mor
___________________

"The reason is to force people who are supposed to have work permits to do so and pay tax."

Quoted from Thia web site by Khun mor.
__________________

Hmmm....Having not been there yet, I can't specifically say....but could it be, just maybe kinda sorta....that the assumption is based on sheer numbers of who's in the country working illegally?????

A non-sequitor argument.

They are not checking people for work permits. The Immigration Dept says they will deny visas on entry to ALL tourists who have been through 3 times - no mention of nationality. How does that single out Indians and Chinese ??

BTW

There are sizeable numbers of Euros and American ex pats working in Thailand without permits as well.

As I said let's wait to see how it's implemented . There is NO way to predict how the Thai government will handle this. So far they seem to be making hard line noises about strict enforcement. Some things change quickly in Thailand.

From todays BKK Post. Notice no mention that this will apply to Indians and Chinese only but specifically states tourists from all 41 countries will be targeted.




"Thailand tightens visa regulation

(dpa) - Thailand has announced 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 enforcement was 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 system, 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 the new system to go into effect on Oct 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, the United States and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations 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. "


Again in Thailand the law and it's enforcement are two entirely different matters but it seems like they are serious about this one.

Yeah, was thinking this will be really nice for me. I have 10 entry stamps in Thailand in the last 6 months alone. They are all as a result of international flights, none of them to adjoining countries and none "visa runs", but now I'm trying to decide if I want to see how rigorously they are enforcing the new rule, or if I should just break down and get a business visa. Of course, I do have a few business cards of very high people in the Thai government (up to cabinet level) that I could flash and maybe convince them one call would get me in, but if I happen to be coming in at midnight, I wouldn't want to have to rely on that.

Above: Thailand has ask Laos to crack down on visa runners.