Denied entry to Thailand!

[SammyT]

7 hours ago, Vixiena said:

I was doing my own thing online. I was not working in an establishment or taking anyone elses job. There are many people traveling the world doing this. Yeah maybe your not officially allowed to do this but there are people that stay in Thailand for years working online.

 

As far as I'm aware "But there are other people doing it, so I should be allowed to as well" is not a defence in any court anywhere in the world. 

You played the game, you lost. While you might not be taking someone elses job, I presume you're also not paying tax. They've clearly picked up on what you're doing with multiple tourist visas and it has come at a time where immigration is in the spotlight (if you haven't already, read through some of the "big joke" threads). 

 

While I sympathise with your situation, Thai immigration have the absolute right to stop people from just continually refreshing tourist visas here. Sure, they don't do it to everyone, but you happen to be one of the people caught out playing the game. 

 

I'd look into an education visa or something if I were you. 

[brewsterbudgen]

2 hours ago, TSF said:

Is this 20,000THB cash a requirement for every foreigner entering Thailand, or just tourists? In my own case I'm on annual retirement extensions with multi-re-entry visas, and have been for the past decade. I probably make 3-5 entries each year - some by land and some by air -  and have never once been asked about money. But could I be pulled up over this 20K requirement, and denied entry?

 

Often I just have 5K or 10K Baht cash in my wallet but I always carry a Thai bank book with me that shows a balance in excess of a mill THB. I always figured if I was ever asked I'd show my Thai bank book which will prove that I have sufficient money to satisfy requirements. But reading this thread perhaps not.

If you have an Extension of Stay based on retirement/work/marriage to a Thai, you won't be asked to show cash.

[enkiki]

9 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

That is a requirement to enter the country. It can be the equivalent of 20k baht in any echangeable currency.

There is no rule that states you have to wait 2 weeks. It seems the immigration officer made a new rule.

 

What numbers are shown in parenthesis on your denial of entry stamp. I would guess they are 2 and 9. Which are for a lack of financial proof for your stay here.

 

for that 20k baht requirement... I was wondering if you can show your Thai Bank Account online on your phone showing your balance along with your account name?  Log In Bangkok Bank, show the screen to the IO.. possible?!

Edited October 21, 2018 by enkiki

[ubonjoe]

5 minutes ago, enkiki said:

for that 20k baht requirement... I was wondering if you can show your Thai Bank Account online on your phone showing your balance along with your account name?  Log In Bangkok Bank, show the screen to the IO.. possible?!

They want to see cash. People have tried to show money in the bank and it was not accepted.

[Vacuum]

5 minutes ago, enkiki said:

for that 20k baht requirement... I was wondering if you can show your Thai Bank Account online on your phone showing your balance along with your account name?  Log In Bangkok Bank, show the screen to the IO.. possible?!

If you call that cash money, yes. What's wrong with people who for some reson can't show CASH money?

[Sheryl]

In addition the very fact that you have a Thai bank account would support suspucions you are not a tourist.

Sent from my SM-J701F using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

[NoshowJones]

9 hours ago, jimmjam said:

what country are you from btw? this might be a reason they denied you and suspect you are working in Thailand. how many tourist visa have you had? (in reality there is no limit to the amount of tourist visa's you can have) its down to the IO at the end of the day. 

Give a Thai authority and they will play on it for sure.

By the way, if you read the OP, it says he came from the UK.

Edited October 21, 2018 by possum1931

[Bangkok Barry]

I'd be tempted to find a country to base myself in that doesn't resent me being there, somewhere a bit more welcoming, somewhere that doesn't mind you spending money in their country.

Edited October 21, 2018 by Bangkok Barry

[bbi1]

1 hour ago, Naam said:

i can vividly imagine what a person looks like and how he/she is dressed if asked by immigration to show 20k Baht. 

Dress in a clean newish looking tshirt and jeans, not in a homeless backpacker look that Khaosan is famous for lol

[Airalee]

1 hour ago, Naam said:

i can vividly imagine what a person looks like and how he/she is dressed if asked by immigration to show 20k Baht. 

 

[Vacuum]

19 minutes ago, Bangkok Barry said:

I'd be tempted to find a country to base myself in that doesn't resent me being there, somewhere a bit more welcoming, somewhere that doesn't mind you spending money in their country.

EU has several of those countries, you even don't have to be in posession of a passport to enter the country.

Edited October 21, 2018 by Vacuum

[JackThompson]

48 minutes ago, Bangkok Barry said:

I'd be tempted to find a country to base myself in that doesn't resent me being there, somewhere a bit more welcoming, somewhere that doesn't mind you spending money in their country.

Yeah, but hate to punish the whole country, just because a few IO section-heads are being encouraged to do this (and this started long before the new dept-head).  I have never found ordinary Thai people unwelcoming - it's part of the charm of the place. 

Edited October 21, 2018 by JackThompson

[TSF]

1 hour ago, brewsterbudgen said:

If you have an Extension of Stay based on retirement/work/marriage to a Thai, you won't be asked to show cash.

Yes, thanks, that was my understanding. 

[TSF]

52 minutes ago, Bangkok Barry said:

I'd be tempted to find a country to base myself in that doesn't resent me being there, somewhere a bit more welcoming, somewhere that doesn't mind you spending money in their country.

I think Cambodia and the PIs are the only real alternatives to Thailand. If I was a younger man I'd be checking them out right now.

[The Theory]

You can not stay in the kingdom more than total of 180 days annually. This will be enforced depends on the age, nationality, Departed from what country, IO , temperature of the day and some more factors. 

No matter what reason they mention. 

[Odin Norway]

i can vividly imagine what a person looks like and how he/she is dressed if asked by immigration to show 20k Baht.

 

Yes, It does matter how you are dressed at the immigration counter. A singlet and flip-flops are not the dress code to get of easy if a discussion is started. Seen that many times

[Misty]

3 hours ago, JackThompson said:

Rule has always been 20K for Visa-entries - all types - TR, ED, Non-O, etc.

 

For all types including Non-B with one year visa extension/work permit?  This would be good to know - I feel stupid asking, but after 25 years in Thailand on a Non-B/work permit I've never been asked to show THB20k or equivalent when flying in.  Probably would have that amount anyway, but it's a requirement I'll be sure to have it in the future.

[overherebc]

24 minutes ago, The Theory said:

You can not stay in the kingdom more than total of 180 days annually. This will be enforced depends on the age, nationality, Departed from what country, IO , temperature of the day and some more factors. 

No matter what reason they mention. 

Wrong. The 180 in a year was taken off the books a few years ago. 

Perhaps the 180 days rears it's ugly head if you have entered 6 times on VE.

The computer flags up the 6 VE's in a year ( 180 days ) and I think that's what starts the questions.

[cat handler]

9 hours ago, Vixiena said:

I was doing my own thing online. I was not working in an establishment or taking anyone elses job. There are many people traveling the world doing this. Yeah maybe your not officially allowed to do this but there are people that stay in Thailand for years working online. I had around 7000 baht with me in cash and the rest was in my bank account. I can't see why anyone would want to carry 20000 baht with them in their pocket. It's not exactly small money. The Embassy clearly saw I had enough in my account when they gave me my visa which I'm also guessing immigration have access to. I have also read that people that did not have the money in cash were aloud to draw it out of an ATM. For the guy that asked I am from the UK, which they seemed rather surprised about.. doesn't take long to save up money from the UK to be able to travel Asia for a year. Below is the only paperwork they gave me. I will check the passport stamp in a bit. I have also had like 3 tourist visas and maybe 2 exemptions.

Doing your own thing online, you mean you were working while living in Thailand on tourist visas? Seems they had a ligitimate reason to deny entry, next time just take the 20,000 cash

[stevenl]

3 hours ago, jamie2009 said:

I will coming to Thailand in December with a 90 Day Single Entry Non Immigrant O Visa based on being in receipt of my U.K. State Pension.

is there the any possibility Immigration at Bangkok Airport will ask me to show 20k Baht in cash ?

Yes, possible but highly, highly unlikely.

[bbi1]

49 minutes ago, The Theory said:

You can not stay in the kingdom more than total of 180 days annually. This will be enforced depends on the age, nationality, Departed from what country, IO , temperature of the day and some more factors. 

No matter what reason they mention. 

Then why are there a lot of retired old folks, others on marriage visas and people on Elite visas staying here more than 180 days annually? I'm sure there are over 10,000 of them that do. Oh, forgot to mention all those who are here working on work permits. There's a number of foreigners in my condo that stay here nearly 360 days a year who are on work permits.

Edited October 21, 2018 by bbi1

[overherebc]

13 minutes ago, bbi1 said:

Then why are there a lot of retired old folks, others on marriage visas and people on Elite visas staying here more than 180 days annually? I'm sure there are over 10,000 of them that do. Oh, forgot to mention all those who are here working on work permits. There's a number of foreigners in my condo that stay here nearly 360 days a year who are on work permits.

The 180 days was applied to visa exempt and holiday visas only but was taken off the books a few years ago.

[dennis123]

Wow, been here 7 years, never have 20k baht on my way back in, only when I go out for a visa trip as I'm never too sure if my ATM will work or not. Mostly cross land borders and never been asked to show any money.

 

Do you look like a hippie OP?

[alex8912]

2 hours ago, The Theory said:

You can not stay in the kingdom more than total of 180 days annually. This will be enforced depends on the age, nationality, Departed from what country, IO , temperature of the day and some more factors. 

No matter what reason they mention. 

Your “theory” is complete BS!!” 

Its scare mongering as well! 

Just for starters have you ever even heard of a METV?? It’s stands for multiple entry tourist visa. It’s good for a 6 month time period and if timed right lasts up to 9 months. It’s easy to get in your home country. You should retract that post.  It’s for tourists who like to spend a long time in Thailand and is completely legit.

[SammyT]

1 hour ago, cat handler said:

Doing your own thing online, you mean you were working while living in Thailand on tourist visas? Seems they had a ligitimate reason to deny entry, next time just take the 20,000 cash

I'm surprised by the number of posters on here who either missed this point or who don't seem to think the government should be able to bounce people clearly living and working here on tourist visas. I wonder how they'd feel about other people doing it in their country? I know in NZ the work permit rules are very strict, and rightly so. 

[dennis123]

7 minutes ago, SammyT said:

I'm surprised by the number of posters on here who either missed this point or who don't seem to think the government should be able to bounce people clearly living and working here on tourist visas. I wonder how they'd feel about other people doing it in their country? I know in NZ the work permit rules are very strict, and rightly so. 

 

The average working tourist spends more money on immigration fees and VAT (both can be seen as tax) then the average Thai employee pays in tax, plus the fact that those freelancers aren't stealing jobs from the locals. Thailand should welcome them with open arms. At least the ones from western countries.

[JackThompson]

1 hour ago, SammyT said:

I'm surprised by the number of posters on here who either missed this point or who don't seem to think the government should be able to bounce people clearly living and working here on tourist visas. I wonder how they'd feel about other people doing it in their country? I know in NZ the work permit rules are very strict, and rightly so. 

I hate it when people, who are poorer than the average citizen, enter my country (often illegally - literally sneaking-in), taking jobs and replacing citizens who formerly worked the same job for 2x or more the wage, sending their paycheck-money out of the country rather than spending it locally, draining welfare and safety-net programs intended for citizens, filling up "free" govt schools with kids who don't speak the language - forcing an increase in property-taxes to cover the cost - all to subsidize corporations and rich people who want cheap-labor workers.

 

If any of that starts happening in Thailand, they might want to reconsider their immigration policies as applied to those from Western countries, where wages are higher than Thailand.   Until that happens, we should be welcomed with a smile - as I would welcome a wealthy guy from Switzerland coming to the USA to spend his money into our local economy - helping my friends / fellow-citizens.

 

Currently, only foreigners who Actually Do drive down wages in Thailand get special "L1" visas for the purpose.  So,  they are coddling the people underming the country's poorest citizens, while attacking those whose foreign-capital spending helps employ those same citizens.  If someone can make logical/economic sense out of that, I'd like to hear it.

Edited October 21, 2018 by JackThompson

[JackThompson]

3 hours ago, The Theory said:

You can not stay in the kingdom more than total of 180 days annually. This will be enforced depends on the age, nationality, Departed from what country, IO , temperature of the day and some more factors. 

No matter what reason they mention. 

Another unknown-factor is the "annually" part.  In a couple recent reports, the IO began counting more and more months back, beyond 12 months, in order to get an suitably large "number of days" number to claim was "too much."

[JackThompson]

3 hours ago, Misty said:

For all types including Non-B with one year visa extension/work permit?  This would be good to know - I feel stupid asking, but after 25 years in Thailand on a Non-B/work permit I've never been asked to show THB20k or equivalent when flying in.  Probably would have that amount anyway, but it's a requirement I'll be sure to have it in the future.

It is very unlikely to be asked for other visa-types.  If you have a Non-B + work-permit, that should satisfy them. 

 

In reality, everyone - including the Imm guys - know that no one needs to carry around a wad of cash any more.  Some like to do it, which is fine - but it's not necessary.  This is simply just an old rule from a bygone age, that makes it easy to deny-entry to someone they want to deny in any case. 

 

That said, I currently have a Non-O ME, and just in case, I haven't cashed in the travelers checks I bought to cover my backside, when entering on a TR-Visa.

[Huayrat]

What airport in Bangkok was this .. DM or sua??