"Entry denied because you come too often" - what's the deal?

[BritTim]

14 minutes ago, Christophers200 said:

A Tourist can legally remain in Thailand for up to 9 months if a ME tourist visa is purchased from a Thai Embassy/Consulate in their own country.

I think @farangx is suggesting that this would be too long, and a genuine tourist is someone who stays a shorter period (not sure what length of time he has in mind though).

[JingjoDave]

Any more than a month ,,,, with another month extension ,, max 2 months in a calender year. Otherwise get the CORRECT VISA .

 

[Christophers200]

28 minutes ago, BritTim said:

I think @farangx is suggesting that this would be too long, and a genuine tourist is someone who stays a shorter period (not sure what length of time he has in mind though).

As a young man, I was a genuine back-packing tourist for a whole gap year. Unlike today's so-called 'long stay tourists" I visited 15 different countries in that year and have the passport which proves what I say.

[elgenon]

On 2/13/2019 at 9:07 AM, swissie said:

Same here.
It's always at the discretion of the individual Immi-Officer. Extremely sexy men like me always choose a Immi-Booth where a female Immi-Officer is on duty. Surely, the OP is also an extremely sexy man and applies the same strategy but is too shy to mention it.
Again, it's at the discretion of the Immi-Officer. Appearing unshaven, unwashed with flip-flops and wearing a T-shirt that says "Long live Thaksin" will not go unnoticed by any Immi-Officer.????

And what's wrong with being sexy and liked by a male IMO? 5555

[lkv]

2 hours ago, Christophers200 said:

A Tourist can legally remain in Thailand for up to 9 months if a ME tourist visa is purchased from a Thai Embassy/Consulate in their own country.

Nope, a person holding a Multiple Entry Tourist Visa is allowed to travel to Thailand multiple times during the validity of the visa, which is 6 months, and upon entry, subject to Immigration clearance, will receive a permission of stay of up to 60 days per entry. One can choose to apply for an extension of any permission of stay at a local Immigration office (in case 60 days of tourism is not enough at one time), for an extra 30 days, by paying a fee of 1,900 baht.

 

That's what METV has actually been designed for.

 

People stretching their stays for 9 months with visa runs while on METV is a different story.

Edited February 17, 2019 by lkv

[Christophers200]

1 minute ago, lkv said:

Nope, a person holding a Multiple Entry Tourist Visa is allowed to travel to Thailand multiple times during the validity of the visa, which is 6 months, and upon entry, subject to Immigration clearance, will receive a permission of stay of up to 60 days per entry. One can choose to apply for an extension of any permission of entry at the local Immigration office, for 30 days, by paying a fee of 1,900 baht.

 

That's what METV has actually been designed for.

 

People stretching their stays for 9 months with visa runs is a different story.

You clearly have no idea how to legally maximise the use of a visa. 

[lkv]

5 minutes ago, Christophers200 said:

You clearly have no idea how to legally maximise the use of a visa. 

And you clearly have no idea how many years I have been staying in Thailand on multi non B's, DETVs and SETVs, stretching them.

 

It does not mean I don't understand what they have been designed for by Immigration. You don't seem to understand the real purpose of these visas (or pretend you don't understand), which is multiple short term travelling designed primarily with the Asian market in mind.

 

You legally maximise a 10 year US visa for 10 years and see what happens.

Edited February 17, 2019 by lkv

[Christophers200]

1 minute ago, lkv said:

And you clearly have no idea how many years I have been staying in Thailand on multi non B's, DETVs and SETVs.

 

It does not mean I don't understand what they have been designed for by Immigration. You don't seem to understand the real purpose of these visas, which is multiple short term travelling designed primarily with the Asian market in mind.

Slow down you are not the only one who has remained, legally, in Thailand for a long time. And I have as much or more knowledge about visas as you so quit trying to exercise bragging rights.

[lkv]

1 minute ago, Christophers200 said:

Slow down you are not the only one who has remained, legally, in Thailand for a long time. And I have as much or more knowledge about visas as you so quit trying to exercise bragging rights.

Well legally or not legally is irellevant. If you stayed in Thailand for a while you'd know that slipping some banknotes in a passport can make an IO respect the law better, in a heavily corrupt environment.

 

If the IO claims lack of money and denies entry, there's not too much one can do other than bribe.

 

So it's all relative, law and all that over here.

[Christophers200]

Just now, lkv said:

Well legally or not legally is irellevant. If you stayed in Thailand for a while you'd know that slipping some banknotes in a passport can make an IO respect the law better, in a heavily corrupt environment.

 

If the IO claims lack of money and denies entry, there's not too much one can do other than bribe.

 

So it's all relative, law and all that over here.

I know nothing of the sort but if you do it brings more than a degree of doubt to your claims of legitimacy.

[lkv]

3 minutes ago, Christophers200 said:

I know nothing of the sort but if you do it brings more than a degree of doubt to your claims of legitimacy.

I can live with that, thanks. 

 

Bored and lazy of digging Facebook forums for you, to find reports of people getting hassled in Phuket or DMK on their third METV in a row and slipping 1k baht to make the IO's respect the law and grant entry.

Edited February 17, 2019 by lkv

[Christophers200]

6 minutes ago, lkv said:

I can live with that, thanks. 

 

Bored and lazy of digging Facebook forums for you, to find reports of people getting hassled in Phuket or DMK on their third METV in a row and slipping 1k baht to make the IO's respect the law and grant entry.

Mmm - You have earned a place on my ignore list.

[Cadbury]

I am reliably informed that for senior citizens it is worthwhile registering at a Thai hospital as a foreigner patient. You are then issued with a hospital ID card which you can flash to immigration if need be. Whether you ever get to use the hospital is immaterial. It is the card that is important and impressive. I works for someone I know when they say to the IO they are here for their montly/bi-monthly visit/check-up.

If there is any debate remind them that TAT says Thailand is the Asian hub of medical services. 

[elviajero]

4 hours ago, BritTim said:

I guess my main questions are

1. How much time are you allowed to spend enjoying Thailand before you are no longer tourist? Apart from length of time in the country, are there other factors that determine whether someone is a tourist? [Thai law is silent on the subject, except saying you cannot work.]
2. What is the appropriate visa type when you want to continue enjoying what Thailand has to offer, but apparently have crossed the time threshold and cannot any longer be regarded as a tourist? 

A Tourist Visa - within the visa system - is meant for short term visits for tourism. The law limits the term of tourism to 90 days.

 

That tells you everything you need to know. The only way to stay longer than 90 days is to change to non-immigrant status or leave the country and get another TR.

 

Thailand clearly do not have a problem with frequent visits as a tourist; but with every change since 2006 the clearly have a problem with people living in the country as a tourist.

 

IMO Thailands discretionary policy sends the wrong message, but it's better than the alternative which would be to deny all long term tourism.

 

I believe limits will be imposed in the future as the IT system develops, but for now - as it's been for decades - people should make the most of the current discretionary policy and not complain if they get stopped.

 

IO's could be a lot tougher at the border than they currently are and the problem of denied entries is overblown by scaremongers. Most 'western' visitors of tourism use visa exemption and a tiny percentage get denied entry; for TR holders it's even less.

Edited February 17, 2019 by elviajero

[ubonjoe]

32 minutes ago, elviajero said:

The law limits the term of tourism to 90 days.

That is per stay or entry not overall per section 35 of the immigration act.

 

[elviajero]

59 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

1 hour ago, elviajero said:

The law limits the term of tourism to 90 days.

That is per stay or entry not overall per section 35 of the immigration act.

I appreciate that, but the fact that you cannot extend a stay for tourism beyond 90 days points to the fact that they do not offer long term tourism as an option.

 

The only way to achieve that is with multiple exit/entries. Multiple entries are clearly ok, but the practise of back to back entries to extend a stay for tourism clearly isn’t.

[utalkin2me]

I would be willing to bet quite a bit of money that folks who have problems coming in on visa exempt entries are dressed like idiots, acting like idiots, look like idiots, smell like homeless, or a combination of all of the above.

 

I do not think it is too difficult to get by immigration if you are semi human. Hell, cops in my own country judge and make decisions based on appearances and behavior, so I am not sure why it is out of line when Thai immigration officers do it as well. You are, after all, dealing with an entirely different culture, so when things go awry it is to be expected... but when it is not even out of the ordinary, that is govt officials in your own countries act the same way, then I have no sympathy whatsoever. 

[Caldera]

2 hours ago, elviajero said:

The only way to achieve that is with multiple exit/entries. Multiple entries are clearly ok, but the practise of back to back entries to extend a stay for tourism clearly isn’t.

Since you "clearly" know all the facts, please define "back to back" in that context. How many days/weeks/months do you need to stay away in between entries so that they aren't considered "back to back"?

[elviajero]

10 minutes ago, Caldera said:

Since you "clearly" know all the facts, please define "back to back" in that context. How many days/weeks/months do you need to stay away in between entries so that they aren't considered "back to back"?

I’m sure you’re informed enough to know that decision is down to IO’s at the border.

[Cabradelmar]

For whatever reason they are looking at the number of stamps with a more critical eye... my last time through (2019 Dec) the officer commented that I had a lot and asked why (note: I only arrive as often as the VER rules allow -- via Air I'm allowed a max of 3 stamps within any 6 month period). He grunted and stamped me, but it was a bit unnerving.

 

[elviajero]

2 minutes ago, Cabradelmar said:

For whatever reason they are looking at the number of stamps with a more critical eye... my last time through (2019 Dec) the officer commented that I had a lot and asked why (note: I only arrive as often as the VER rules allow -- via Air I'm allowed a max of 3 stamps within any 6 month period). He grunted and stamped me, but it was a bit unnerving.

There is no set limit of VE entries by air. You're quoting an old regulation of 90 days within any 180 days that ended years ago. It is now at the discretion of the IO to decide when enough is enough.

[lemonwaterjoe]

On 2/17/2019 at 9:18 PM, elviajero said:

There is no set limit of VE entries by air. You're quoting an old regulation of 90 days within any 180 days that ended years ago. It is now at the discretion of the IO to decide when enough is enough.

 

Sorry for replying late on this but I didn't get a notification about your post.

 

What you wrote shall mean theat people like me are with every entry at risk to get denied. Not sure about that. I just returned from another 19 day trip arriving 27 days after I left Thailand. No isses at all as always. As I wrote before: I come to Thailand by plane 7-9 times every year and stay between 12-20 days per trip.

[elviajero]

1 hour ago, lemonwaterjoe said:

 

Sorry for replying late on this but I didn't get a notification about your post.

 

What you wrote shall mean theat people like me are with every entry at risk to get denied. Not sure about that. I just returned from another 19 day trip arriving 27 days after I left Thailand. No isses at all as always. As I wrote before: I come to Thailand by plane 7-9 times every year and stay between 12-20 days per trip.

It doesn’t mean that. As I wrote in my original reply to your question it is the time spent in the country that counts, not the number of entries.

 

Immigration are mostly targeting visitors that are living in the country months/years as a tourist.

 

 

[lemonwaterjoe]

Just to add a little update here with regards to my initial post https://forum.thaivisa.com/topic/1084220-entry-denied-because-you-come-too-often-whats-the-deal/

 

In the meantime I came 3 more times to BKK always staying between 15-20 days and then being back in Europe for 4-6 weeks. Never had any issue same as since years.

 

The "magic" really seems to be not to stay as long as the visa allows you.

Edited August 6, 2019 by lemonwaterjoe

[cornishcarlos]

12 minutes ago, lemonwaterjoe said:

Never had any issue same as since years.

 

The "magic" really seems to be not to stay as long as the visa allows you.

 

You're magic wouldn't work if you arrived at Krabi airport ????

[lemonwaterjoe]

42 minutes ago, cornishcarlos said:

 

You're magic wouldn't work if you arrived at Krabi airport ????

Why not? Last year I was flying to Krabi with Qatar Airways (scored a great promotional fare that was way cheaper than flying into Bkk) and had no issues.

But 95% of all my entries are at BKK, had one in Utapao once Qatar did service that airport and 3 or 4 in Phuket/Koh Samui.