Expelled at BKK today

[onera1961]

48 minutes ago, chrisinth said:

Difficult for them to get SETVs coming straight from site to 'home'. Not all these people are married, a lot are under 50 and a lot still refrain from extension based on retirement as jobs could become available in Thailand (it is still an option in certain fields) and as we all know, it is very difficult to get a WP on a retirement extension.

They can always buy a 20 year elite for one mil. If the option remains (like unlimited visa exemption), nobody in their right mind will buy elite. The only way to rectify the situation without harassing, detaining, and sending  visitors back for unnecessary expense is to limit visa exempt entry at airport to two and total time on tourist visa in the country for 180-day in a calendar year. Any software can figure it out how many days the person was in the country in the calendar year. 

Edited March 19, 2019 by onera1961

[Pilotman]

2 hours ago, HiSoLowSoNoSo said:

Getting sillier by the minute here! They don't deserve any more visitors.

why, because they insist on visitors following a proper set of laid down visa rules, probably like your country do?  A rather odd attitude don't you think? 

[onera1961]

5 minutes ago, Pilotman said:

why, because they insist on visitors following a proper set of laid down visa rules, probably like your country do?  A rather odd attitude don't you think? 

But there are no set rules. It is arbitrary. One can remain a perpetual tourists for life if using land borders only. The current situation only creates winners and losers based on the arbitrary decision of an IO. I don't like a situation that creates winners and losers based on somebody else's decision. 

Edited March 19, 2019 by onera1961

[Date Masamune]

why, because they insist on visitors following a proper set of laid down visa rules, probably like your country do?  A rather odd attitude don't you think? 

For as “ laid down visa rules” he is not doing anything wrong. VISA exempt = multiple entries will be allowed. They need to set a limit of 180 days per year or otherwise so such globetrotting jet setters will not be turned away for no good reason.
Thailand is losing a lot of money over the living illegally rubbish.

[Pilotman]

1 minute ago, onera1961 said:

But there are no set rules. It is arbitrary. One can remain a perpetual tourists for life if using land borders only. The current situation only creates winners and losers based on the arbitrary decision of an IO. I don't like a situation that creates winners and losers based on somebody else's decision. 

But there are rules and laws, clearly written, its just that they are not applied consistently, so people take risks that they will get through, even if there is a question mark over that. Then they get hacked off when they get caught out and stopped.  But knowing that there are rules, don't take the risk that you will be refused entry.  It's not that hard really. 

[Pilotman]

1 minute ago, Date Masamune said:

For as “ laid down visa rules” he is not doing anything wrong. VISA exempt = multiple entries will be allowed. They need to set a limit of 180 days per year or otherwise so such globetrotting jet setters will not be turned away for no good reason.
Thailand is losing a lot of money over the living illegally rubbish.

There isn't a 'right' or 'wrong'. it is in the hands of the IO and we all know that the laws are not necessarily applied consistently, so dont take the risk. On your last point, the Thais just don't care how we feel about how they go about applying their immigration policy,  when will people realise that and act accordingly.  

[onera1961]

4 minutes ago, Pilotman said:

But there are rules and laws, clearly written, its just that they are not applied consistently, so people take risks that they will get through, even if there is a question mark over that. Then they get hacked off when they get caught out and stopped.  But knowing that there are rules, don't take the risk that you will be refused entry.  It's not that hard really. 

I agreed. That's the reason I wish to see a rule that says, for example, two visa exempt entry and no more than 180-day in the country with a Tourist visa. Problem solved. No arbitrary decision based on the mood of an IO. 

Edited March 19, 2019 by onera1961

[baansgr]

1 hour ago, pr9spk said:

Anyone who is rich enough to be a perpetual tourist can:

 

1. Buy an elite visa for Thailand.

 

OR

 

2. Take their money somewhere where they will be appreciated and not have to jump through outrageous immigration requirements.

Id plump for No2

[Peterw42]

Anyone doing back to back visa exempt or tourist visa, raises the question, "how are they supporting themselves". I would ask the question and I am not immigration. You are either independently wealthy at age 35, or doing something illegal.
 

[Pilotman]

Just now, onera1961 said:

I agreed. That's the reason I wish to see a rules that says, for example, two visa exempt entry and no more than 180-day in the country with a Tourist visa. Problem solved. No arbitrary decision based on the mood of an IO. 

Yes I see that would be easier, but there is a measure of profiling here. One of my friends, a 55 year old and the CEO of a large company in the UK, regularly flies through BKK on visa exempt.  He stays with me for a couple of days, then goes off to other parts of Asia on business.  He has a large number of Thai VE stamps in his passport, but he never gets questioned. This OP clearly does not fit that kind of profile and is not truly a tourist, so he gets picked off.   It may not be as arbitrary as it looks. 

[onera1961]

9 minutes ago, Peterw42 said:

Anyone doing back to back visa exempt or tourist visa, raises the question, "how are they supporting themselves". I would ask the question and I am not immigration. You are either independently wealthy at age 35, or doing something illegal.

Somebody may have won a lottery. I sold my company for 600K USD and did back to back on tourist visa in the "good old days" for three years. Somebody may have sold their patent, inventions. Somebody may have sold their book rights. There are lots of reason a person can accumulate enough money to live here for a few years because the place is cheap compared to many countries in the West. 

 

Unless there are rules for tourist visa, no body in their right mind will buy an elite. I could have bought an elite in those days if there were limits on tourist visa. Of course, now I can get O-A, so I won't buy.

Edited March 19, 2019 by onera1961

[Peterw42]

Just now, onera1961 said:

Somebody may have won a lottery. I sold my company for 600K USD and did back to back on tourist visa in the "good old days" for three years. 

Thats what I said, independantly wealthy, probably accounts for 1% of guys doing back to back visits, if you are that well off get an investment, elite, start a company etc etc

[visarunner]

31 minutes ago, onera1961 said:

They can always buy a 20 year elite for one mil. If the option remains (like unlimited visa exemption), nobody in their right mind will buy elite. The only way to rectify the situation without harassing, detaining, and sending  visitors back for unnecessary expense is to limit visa exempt entry at airport to two and total time on tourist visa in the country for 180-day in a calendar year. Any software can figure it out how many days the person was in the country in the calendar year. 

They tried that one years ago and it failed.

[chainarong]

The problem some expats have here is that if you use Thailand as your place of residence for taxation purposes from your home country,  when working overseas say in Indo and you do six weeks on three weeks off and use arrival card etc,  you now no longer can do this, best way is to make a call and start using Cambodia. just a thought

[brokenbone]

11 minutes ago, Peterw42 said:

Anyone doing back to back visa exempt or tourist visa, raises the question, "how are they supporting themselves". I would ask the question and I am not immigration. You are either independently wealthy at age 35, or doing something illegal.
 

in OP he stated he had to go back to work every month

[BritManToo]

1 minute ago, chainarong said:

The problem some expats have here is that if you use Thailand as your place of residence for taxation purposes from your home country,  when working overseas say in Indo and you do six weeks on three weeks off and use arrival card etc,  you now no longer can do this, best way is to make a call and start using Cambodia. just a thought

The problem is flights to Cambodia are expensive, and it's $30/month to enter.

MNL, SGN, KUL are very cheap flights with free entry for Brits.

[onera1961]

8 minutes ago, visarunner said:

They tried that one years ago and it failed.

I don't understand why it would fail. A software can tell how many days the person was in Thailand on Tourist visas and how many visa exempt entries were used in the current calendar year. IO will scan passport and the software will tell accepted or denied. And the software will be used in all entry points, including land borders. They include exception for countries that have bilateral agreements. 

Edited March 19, 2019 by onera1961

[Briggsy]

Just now, onera1961 said:

I don't understand why it would fail. A software can tell how many days the person was in Thailand on Tourist visas and how many visa exempt entries were used in the current calendar year. IO will scan it and the software will tell accepted or denied. 

He he, I see you have little experience dealing with IT within the Thai public sector. Trust me, you haven't missed anything.

[Peterw42]

10 minutes ago, onera1961 said:

Unless there are rules for tourist visa, no body in their right mind will buy an elite. I could have bought an elite in those days if there were limits on tourist visa. Of course, now I can get O-A, so I won't buy.

At some point wouldn't 5 years worth of in out trips, start to cost almost the same as an elite? Transport, airfares, hotels etc, say 20k a trip, thats 400k

[onera1961]

2 minutes ago, Briggsy said:

He he, I see you have little experience dealing with IT within the Thai public sector. Trust me, you haven't missed anything.

Big joke recently announced they are going to use AI in major airport entry points. 

[Briggsy]

Just now, onera1961 said:

Big joke recently announced they are going to use AI in major airport entry points. 

Okey dokey, let's see how that goes.

[thaibeachlovers]

2 hours ago, 1RDN said:

2 years flying in using the Visa on Arrival. 

I usually stay up to 1 month, go back to the US for a week or more. 

They didn't say anything to me. Explain nothing, did a bunch of paper work and the airline escorted me back to await the flight back to the US.

I did get some part about border runs. I made 1 in 2018 and 1 in 2019.

I think that volunteering information that I come here an stay/travel with my Thai girlfriend was a mistake.

They printed a list of my entries. 

I really don't know why they denied access. Nobody said anything. 

What does it take to get back in the country. 

?? 

It's been widely publicised for at least 3 years that over a number ( I don't know how many ) of visa exempt entries will result in a refusal of entry.

I think it's a shame that travel agencies don't tell people that, but some book on line so that wouldn't work for everyone.

I don't think it's anything to do with your GF- thousands of farangs do that.

 

Unless you got a banned stamp in your passport, get a proper visa to return.

 

Visa exempt used to be the way to stay in LOS, but times have changed. Now it's really for the average tourist that only comes once to LOS for a holiday, not people that want to visit frequently.

[onera1961]

6 minutes ago, Peterw42 said:

At some point wouldn't 5 years worth of in out trips, start to cost almost the same as an elite? Transport, airfares, hotels etc, say 20k a trip, thats 400k

When I had 600K USD in my bank, I did not care about money. I could have bought an elite if I was forced to due tourist visa rules. I bought an ED for one year.

Edited March 19, 2019 by onera1961

[Pilotman]

3 minutes ago, Peterw42 said:

At some point wouldn't 5 years worth of in out trips, start to cost almost the same as an elite? Transport, airfares, hotels etc, say 20k a trip, thats 400k

But you still have the flights, hotels, transport etc, even  with an Elite Visa, the rest don't come free? ? 

[ShortTimed]

Not sure if this is helpful or not to support the OPs claims but I was here on a Visa Exempt (?) which I received for 30-days on arriving at BKK in 11/2018. I renewed it at the very large government building for another 30 days when it expired. I stayed a total of 60 days and left on day of expiration. No overstay.

 

I went back to Canada for exactly 2 months and came back to BKK and the Immigration Officer asked me questions and almost did not give me a 30-day stamp in my passport. 

 

His questions made me wonder if he thought I was working here but I told him the truth that I returned home to earn more money so I could come back to Thailand.

 

An expat waiting for his bags told me I need to get a real VISA or I risk being refused entry and sent back to Canada.

[Peterw42]

2 minutes ago, Pilotman said:

But you still have the flights, hotels, transport etc, even  with an Elite Visa, the rest don't come free? ? 

You renew in country with an elite. yes it resets if you go out/in but otherwise you extend each year in Thailand.

[Pilotman]

3 minutes ago, Peterw42 said:

You renew in country with an elite. yes it resets if you go out/in but otherwise you extend each year in Thailand.

Yes, but this chap needs to travel back and forth for work, so that logic would not work for him. 

Edited March 19, 2019 by Pilotman

[holy cow cm]

3 hours ago, 1RDN said:

You are referring to the tourist visa?

 

I have never decided to do a tourist visa because I have to return to the US or Europe for work every month. The Visa on arrival is (was) convenient. 

Yeah, but it is well known the crack down now. You just got caught. Even us long stayers are starting to wonder if the IO has her period or they just don't like our look and deny us on reentry. 

 

BTW.

-Was the IO a man or woman?

-Do you travel business or economy?

-Your age?

-How do you dress?

[ravip]

2 hours ago, HiSoLowSoNoSo said:

Getting sillier by the minute here! They don't deserve any more visitors.

Many countries are realising visitors are a problem to the citizens therein. But the 'deserving' part needs more research and analysis...

[ChristianBlessing]

45 minutes ago, onera1961 said:

I agreed. That's the reason I wish to see a rule that says, for example, two visa exempt entry and no more than 180-day in the country with a Tourist visa. Problem solved. No arbitrary decision based on the mood of an IO. 

I work in Malaysia and visit Thailand 5-6 times annually, rarely for more than 8-10 days. A visa-exempt is perfect for me. A rule stipulating 2 visa-exempt entries a year would impact me and nearly anybody else living in the region.