Some posters who live in Bangkok have recommended alternative border spots for ease of getting tourist visas.

One was Savannskhet In Laos with very small line and ease of processing visa. This is reachable by a VIP bus from Mo Chit bus station in BKK.

The other was Georgetown in Malaysia which is also quick and easy to get visa and there is a airport in the town.

I just came back from a visa run, no problem, just another 2-month stamp. It was done in Cambodia.

Some people were indeed asked to show 20,000 baht in their hands (~$650) so that's not a big issue.

Don't tell the border staff that you rent a house or condo, as tourists normally don't do that (but they all do). Also white people are more likely to pass immigration without any hassle.

Literally 20 people getting visas in Savannakhet and they do same day processing. Drop it off in the AM and pick it up at 3:30. Spent 15 minutes at the embassy in total. No question of residence or income or anything, and I already have three double entry tourist visas and a stamp asking for proof of income from Vientiane.

Savannakhet is boring as fuck. I prefer Vientiane for sure, so I'd recommend getting a hotel with a swimming pool if possible and taking a girl with you. It was hot as balls but the crazy strong sunshine and blue skies reminded me of home so I liked it.

Or go with a buddy and get trashed on 30/40 baht tall Beer Laos next to the river all day like we did.

Hey guys,

Apologies for digging up an older thread for my first post. Had no idea Thailand had recently changed their visa regulations up, glad I found this post!

I'm planning on returning to Thailand in February for TEFL training (maybe teaching?) and just wanted to hear thoughts on my plans given the new tourist visa guidelines.

At the moment, I have a double-entry tourist visa issued by the Thai Embassy in the United States along with 2 single-entry visas issued in Cambodia in my current passport. I'm 25, American, and have an Bachelor's in Anthropology ( . . .).

I'm leaving the U.S.A. on Feb. 24. Here are my tentative plans:

-Get a 30 day visa upon arriving in Thailand.
-Spend a couple weeks in BKK or whatever, then head to Cambodia for 2-3 weeks to hang out with friends, etc.
-Get Thai tourist visa in Phnom Penh.
-Head back to BKK, find TEFL training course.
-Ideally would then love to take 2 month tour of Indonesia.
-Begin looking for hagwons to teach at in S. Korea, or decide to teach in Thailand.
-Come back to BKK on 30 day arrival, purchase a couple months' worth of prescription meds, then head to S. Korea or stay in Thailand and get a job.

Do you guys foresee any issues with being refused entry back into Thailand given that I'm not just "stepping out, and then stepping back in?"

This forum has the best TEFL info on the Internet as far as I'm concerned. Thanks for all that you guys do.

Your plan looks fine. When you enter into Thailand just have 20,000 baht on you. the only reason people ever get refused at immigration according to reports is if:

1) They are entering on an Ed visa and cannot speak or read Thai
2) They do not have the minimum amount of money needed to enter. 20,000 baht


Your plan sounds good and I really doubt you will have any problems entering or leaving Thailand. I have way more Thailand visa stamps than you and I never had a problem entering again via land or plane.

Afarang: I assume you are not talking about 20k in cash, but being able to show it on your bank statement? My plan is to enter Thailand via air, getting a 30-day visa at the airport, and staying there for less than a month before heading to other countries in SEA and perhaps China. Do I need a ticket out of Thailand to be able to get the visa-free stamp at the airport? I plan to return to Thailand after a couple of months, since I have my return ticket from there. Is it problematic to get a new visa at the airport when I'm going back to Thailand after a couple of months outside, if I can show a valid return ticket within the visa window?

I have a European passport btw.

Reports state they want it in your hand, not in a bank or a printed statement.

Technically you do need an onward ticket but nobody really checks if you are from the 'golden' countries (USA/UK//Canada/AUS) it should be fine. If you are extra worried I recently reviewed a visa run company on my blog. Email them asking to reserve you a space on date XX for a visa run. Write down your full name and passport number and get them to reply confirming your reservation quoting your full name and passport number. Print that off and show them your outward route to Thailand. When I was getting a tourist visa in Jakarta, they accepted this as onward travel.

This way you don't need to spend money on buying a cheap onward ticket, and can cancel your booking with them when you land, or use them, whatever is easier.

I plan on staying in Thailand for 2 months and will be leaving at the end of this month.

I plan on obtaining a one way ticket as I am not sure when I will be coming back to the US. Various websites indicated that one cannot enter the country with a one way ticket or, at the very least, the airline will not allow you to board your flight with a one way ticket.

I also read that this issue of entering Thailand on a one way ticket can be circumvented by obtaining a Visa before arrival with multiple entries. I live in LA so there is a Thai Consulate about 20 minutes away. I obtained a visa with 2 entries with each entry good for 60 days.

Hopefully I won't have any problems. I don't plan on working in Thailand as a currently work online for a US company.

Has anyone had any issues entering the country or boarding a flight with a one way ticket?

Guys catch me up - are they really enforcing the fucking 20,000 baht rule?

Do they really want old ladies and wimpy middle aged dudes rolling into Bangkok with $600 (or whatever it is now) in their fucking pockets?

This concerns me greatly because I've got family members coming to meet me in Thailand in a few months. I completely sold them on Thailand as a best first destination for SEA, but they're all working class and probably pinching pennies just to make the trip. Not they can't just withdraw the funds, but more importantly, they're all unseasoned travelers who I'd rather not have rolling around Southeast Asia with that kind of money in their pocket.

If Thailand is getting nazi with this shit, I may have them meet me in another country instead.

Keep shooting yourself in the foot, "Land of Smiles." You're going to run out of toes, eventually.

(01-19-2015 02:01 AM)Beyond Borders Wrote:  Guys catch me up - are they really enforcing the fucking 20,000 baht rule?

No

(01-19-2015 02:01 AM)Beyond Borders Wrote:  Guys catch me up - are they really enforcing the fucking 20,000 baht rule?

After several visa runs, never happened to me.

I guess it depends which country you are from. If you have a passport from a "golden" country like Canada, USA, Australia, UK, etc. they basically just wave you in. Life is made like that, but white people always have less trouble.

Other than that, it depends if there is a line-up, etc. as most of the time they will burn steps to accelerate things. I don't know anyone who had to show money, even if there are signs that say "show money".

It would be ridiculous too; many travelers have cards with daily withdrawal limits, often $500, and it can be hard to get $666 to just "show" an immigration officer.

So unless you're very unlucky, don't worry.

Yea, I'm thinking it's probably more likely at the borders than flying in.

Thailand has been like this as long as I remember with the soon-to-be enforced rule that never gets enforced.

Afarang's posts got me worried though.

They are not enforcing the rule, but a few people have reported to getting rejected over at the Thai Visa forum. The reason was because they did not happen to have 20,000 baht on their person.

^ Afarang - Do you recall if it's happening at airports, or does it mostly seem to be the border crossings?

I was reading Afarang's blog and talking to a few friends in Bkk. Seems the back to back to back tourist visa's are okay again. Good news for us but fuck did they cause a lot of stress for lot of people last year.

BB I think they should be ok since they have no Thai stamps in their passport. Also I agree they should be safe since they are flying in. Though even in a van I was never once asked to show any money.
After my tourist visa ran out I was flying in and out with no ticket out of Thailand and on 30 day stamps during the visa crackdown and never heard anything.

I heard rumor that they're proposing a 12 month tourist visa, wouldn't that be nice.

Has anyone had any issues entering the country or boarding a flight with a one way ticket?

I have a double entry visa that I got at the Thai Consulate in my city. I plan on staying for at least 2 months and only want to purchase a one way ticket as I'm not sure when I will be leaving.

@Kdog, yes one of them was on a flight from HK to BKK. It was on Thai Visa a while back. Not sure if the guy was a troll but it seemed legit.

@MRBriggs, I have entered Thailand at least 10 times and never been asked. If you have a visa already there is no need for an onward ticket.The point of an onward ticket is that it is require to get a visa when you land but in your case you already have one. Also read post #85 in this thread.

I extended my 30 day permission to stay by another 30 days last Friday.

Went to Thai immigration with passport, photocopy of photo and Thai stamp pages and proof of outbound flight. Also took rent receipt and 20,000 in cash but they didn't ask to see these.

Started lining at 1240pm for 1pm re opening after lunch so was one of the first on. Whole process tool less than an hour.

I did see some young backpacker types being asked to go atm and get out money to prove they had it, I went in shirt and tie and they just stamped everything and sent me on my way. Very easy.

flying in for 4 months, aussie, how do i work it? 30 on arrive and then 30 day extension?

(06-03-2015 03:03 AM)soundz Wrote:  flying in for 4 months, aussie, how do i work it? 30 on arrive and then 30 day extension?

If you can get the visa before you arrive, do that. I got mine in the US before I left for Thailand and it was easy.

If you don't have the visa before boarding the flight, the airline will require you have a return ticket is what I've heard.

Plus, the lines for the Visa on Arrival at the Thai airports are filled with Chinese tourists and you will be waiting a long ass time.

Get it before.

(06-03-2015 03:09 AM)mrbiggs Wrote:  

(06-03-2015 03:03 AM)soundz Wrote:  flying in for 4 months, aussie, how do i work it? 30 on arrive and then 30 day extension?

If you can get the visa before you arrive, do that. I got mine in the US before I left for Thailand and it was easy.

If you don't have the visa before boarding the flight, the airline will require you have a return ticket is what I've heard.

Plus, the lines for the Visa on Arrival at the Thai airports are filled with Chinese tourists and you will be waiting a long ass time.

Get it before.

I never heard anyone who was stopped for not having a returned ticket and I've never heard about anyone having that problem. For Australians and most other countries one does not need to apply for a visa on arrival. Just step in the immigration line and get the stamp. Getting a visa before arrival is better though, if one should stay longer than two months.

(01-19-2015 11:38 AM)Kdog Wrote:  I heard rumor that they're proposing a 12 month tourist visa, wouldn't that be nice.

Sorry to intrude on a Thai thread, but when politicians float long-term tourist visas in Indonesia it's always just a potshot to encourage investment. Here's hoping it actually happens there.

(06-03-2015 03:03 AM)soundz Wrote:  flying in for 4 months, aussie, how do i work it? 30 on arrive and then 30 day extension?

Pick up a double or triple entry tourist visa in Australia before you leave. A double entry gives you two 60 day stays, and a triple gives you three 60 day stays. After each entry you must leave Thailand, by land or air, but can immediately re-enter and then you will activate your next entry. Each entry can also be extended by 30 days at a cost of 1900฿ if you would like to stay longer before you need to execute your border run (exit and re-enter Thailand to activate the subsequent entry on your visa). I always advise everyone I know to pick up the longest visa they can receive from their home country before they arrive. It is very common for someone to plan on coming here for a set time and then decide on staying longer than planned. It will save you the hassle of running off to Vientiane, Savannakhet or Penang to obtain a visa if you decide to extend your stay.

Anyone know what is the current amount of cash you're theoretically "supposed" to have on you to enter Thailand? Yes, I know they rarely if ever ask, but I want to know anyways.

Still 20,000? I saw someone on another forum mention 10,000.

Hey BB,

It's 20,000 baht. Be sure to have it in cash and not on your card. I've heard 2nd hand stories that they don't care if it's in your bank on your credit card (Thai logic).