How many entries without visa with Aussie passport?

[TSF]

I have Aussie passport, with this passport I entered at Swampy last month without any visa and was stamped in for 30 days. A week later I went to Lao for a couple nights and was stamped back in at Nong Khai for 30 days. Nine days later I departed Swampy for Australia. Now I'm booked to fly to Thailand again, this time to Don Muang on May 5 and have a return ticket back to Australia on June 2 (29 days later) so once again I'll be entering without a visa, only requiring a 30 day stamp. So this will make only my 3rd entry in this passport, but my 3rd in under two months. I've heard there are limits on the number of entries tourist can make without a visa. So could any of these limits apply to me?

 

If asked I will show a ticket out and I'll be carrying well in excess of the 20,000 Bt that some people are asked to show. 

[jacko45k]

3 minutes ago, TSF said:

I've heard there are limits on the number of entries tourist can make without a visa.

The only limit is to the number of land border entries on a Visa waiver, at 2 per year. 

There are rumours that at 4+ entries you may be scrutinized.

[JackThompson]

You could do several "1-week and leave" visa-exempt entries w/o issue.  The 30-day stays may cause problems at some point, but your next trip should not be an issue on entry.  The trip after  your next trip will also likely be OK if you spend 2 mo or so out of Thailand before returning, based on reports I have read.

 

I say "likely," because the IOs at the Bangkok airports do not operate by any known set of rules, and are not operating under a functional chain-of-command.  They appear to be making up whatever rule as "too much time in Thailand" they feel like - even though it is illegal to deny-entry based on "too much time" / past-time in-country (they hide their actions behind an another, inapplicable, denial-of-entry stamp).  They have been known to hassle on/off oil workers and snowbirds - so it's not just people who spend almost all their time here who could have problems.

Edited April 22, 2019 by JackThompson

[TSF]

Thanks for the above replies. I guessed I'd be OK but thought no harm in asking.

3 hours ago, jacko45k said:

The only limit is to the number of land border entries on a Visa waiver, at 2 per year. 

There are rumours that at 4+ entries you may be scrutinized.

That's interesting. I'm planning on spending these upcoming 29 days in Thailand. But if I made a side trip, for example to Cambodia for a few days, re-entering Thailand at a land border....that makes 2 this year. So that would be it? I couldn't do it again for the next 12 months? (I'm not planning on doing this at all, just curious about the situation/regulations)

[jacko45k]

18 minutes ago, TSF said:

Thanks for the above replies. I guessed I'd be OK but thought no harm in asking.

That's interesting. I'm planning on spending these upcoming 29 days in Thailand. But if I made a side trip, for example to Cambodia for a few days, re-entering Thailand at a land border....that makes 2 this year. So that would be it? I couldn't do it again for the next 12 months? (I'm not planning on doing this at all, just curious about the situation/regulations)

Yes that would be it unless you got yourself a Tourist Visa. 

[TSF]

2 minutes ago, jacko45k said:

Yes that would be it unless you got yourself a Tourist Visa. 

OK thanks for the info.

[chrisinth]

1 hour ago, TSF said:

Thanks for the above replies. I guessed I'd be OK but thought no harm in asking.

That's interesting. I'm planning on spending these upcoming 29 days in Thailand. But if I made a side trip, for example to Cambodia for a few days, re-entering Thailand at a land border....that makes 2 this year. So that would be it? I couldn't do it again for the next 12 months? (I'm not planning on doing this at all, just curious about the situation/regulations)

It would be the last time you could use a land crossing until 1st January next year, not 12 months from your last entry.

 

It is a static date restriction; 1st Jan - 31st Dec.

Edited April 22, 2019 by chrisinth

[jaiyen]

I went to Thailand without a visa (less than 30 days) 36 times on my last passport without any questions from Immigration

[willr]

1 hour ago, jaiyen said:

I went to Thailand without a visa (less than 30 days) 36 times on my last passport without any questions from Immigration

Same same. I do fifo work.and have been doing so for 9 years filled 2 passports with visa exempt flying into Don muang and swampy never been pulled up.

[travelerjim]

15 hours ago, TSF said:

Thanks for the above replies. I guessed I'd be OK but thought no harm in asking.

That's interesting. I'm planning on spending these upcoming 29 days in Thailand. But if I made a side trip, for example to Cambodia for a few days, re-entering Thailand at a land border....that makes 2 this year. So that would be it? I couldn't do it again for the next 12 months? (I'm not planning on doing this at all, just curious about the situation/regulations)

Two border crossings per calendar year is OK...NO MORE.

[BritTim]

18 hours ago, TSF said:

Thanks for the above replies. I guessed I'd be OK but thought no harm in asking.

That's interesting. I'm planning on spending these upcoming 29 days in Thailand. But if I made a side trip, for example to Cambodia for a few days, re-entering Thailand at a land border....that makes 2 this year. So that would be it? I couldn't do it again for the next 12 months? (I'm not planning on doing this at all, just curious about the situation/regulations)

In such a situation, if you wanted to retain your last visa exempt entry by land, this can be done by getting a re-entry permit (1000 baht) rather than planning a fresh visa exempt entry.

 

By the way, we are all assuming your visits to Thailand in the past using previous passports have been non existent or very limited. If, in fact, you have been coming for years, immigration has a record of your entries using previous passports. Our advice that you seem OK for the moment could need revising.

[TigerandDog]

On ‎4‎/‎22‎/‎2019 at 7:02 AM, jacko45k said:

The only limit is to the number of land border entries on a Visa waiver, at 2 per year. 

There are rumours that at 4+ entries you may be scrutinized.

Not rumours. I have previously posted links to 2 legal sites stating that you are only allowed a maximum of 4 entries per calendar year (1 Jan - 31 Dec) into Thailand using the 30 day visa on entry method. All subsequent entries for that year MUST be by Tourist visa.

[ubonjoe]

5 minutes ago, TigerandDog said:

Not rumours. I have previously posted links to 2 legal sites stating that you are only allowed a maximum of 4 entries per calendar year (1 Jan - 31 Dec) into Thailand using the 30 day visa on entry method. All subsequent entries for that year MUST be by Tourist visa.

I have seen no posts for any official Thai government website. There is no official limit on visa exempt entries by air over any amount of time.

By legal website I assume it could be a site set up by a law firm.

[chainarong]

17 hours ago, willr said:

Same same. I do fifo work.and have been doing so for 9 years filled 2 passports with visa exempt flying into Don muang and swampy never been pulled up.

I got asked way back in July 2016 from IO  and how long do you intend to stay in Thailand this time,  after knocking up 24 entries in one years with Fly in/out from mining, I've only been back once since then. 

[TSF]

My next entry on May 5 will be my 3rd in this (Aussie) passport, and my last, as I have another passport (UK) with a current retirement ext + multi-re-entry visa. My next entry into Thailand (after this upcoming trip) will be sometime in June and I'll be switching back to the UK passport for that as I'll be returning to live FT in Thailand.

The only reason I've used the Aussie passport for these past couple of entries is my UK passport is filling up fast, while the Aussie passport hardly has any stamps at all, and I've been flying back and forth between BKK & Perth every few weeks as I'm having medical treatment for skin cancer. So I wanted to save some space in my UK passport and get these short trips stamps into my nearly empty Oz passport.

[KhaoYai]

I have been concerned at reading some of the cases of refusal recently - even with a visa because I enter every 8 weeks and stay for 2 weeks.  As my tourist visa expired this week, on leaving Thailand last week I went to the immigration counter and asked about the position.  I was directed to an officer who spoke reasonable English and although his answers were a little confusing - the gist of what he told me was that the people they refuse are those who are in effect, living in Thailand and just leaving for a day or two each time their 30 days or visa term was up.

 

I don't see anything wrong with that and it seems to me that if you follow the rules and have the correct visa you shouldn't have a problem. Its those bending the rules they're looking to stop.

 

I would also advise (from previous experience), that if you are entering Thailand for the purpose of visiting your Thai wife, you should have an O visa, no matter how long you are staying - a week or 3 months.  A couple of years back I was questioned as to the purpose of my visit as I had a lot of entry stamps in my passport.  When I told the officer I was visiting my wife, he said he would let me in this time but I was not classed as a tourist and I would need a visa next time.  Picky I know but I don't make the rules - they do.

[BritTim]

4 hours ago, KhaoYai said:

I don't see anything wrong with that and it seems to me that if you follow the rules and have the correct visa you shouldn't have a problem. Its those bending the rules they're looking to stop.

I understand the idea that Thailand, as in many other countries, might impose restrictions on use of tourist entries for staying extended periods in Thailand. Those of us who are frustrated by the crackdown are influenced by two factors:

1. For decades, Thailand encouraged long term tourists, providing such conveniences as triple entry tourist visas to make it easier. They still allow 30-day extensions of 60-day entries on tourist visas, which does not suggest they want to restrict tourism just to those visiting for a short sightseeing trip.
2. There is nothing either in Thai law or in public announcements by the Thai authorities to suggest limits on how long or how often you can be a tourist in Thailand. Indeed, there is no definition of a "tourist", and historically it was just someone spending time in Thailand without working. Effectively, immigration officials at some (not all) entry points have introduced their own unannounced changes to immigration rules.

I am glad that the unannounced rules seem not to apply to you. However, there are plenty of people who find Thailand a good place to relax for a year or three who are not enamoured by a situation where they do not know what personal rules might be imposed by the next immigration official they encounter that could lead to significant complications in their lives.

[impulse]

16 hours ago, TigerandDog said:

Not rumours. I have previously posted links to 2 legal sites stating that you are only allowed a maximum of 4 entries per calendar year (1 Jan - 31 Dec) into Thailand using the 30 day visa on entry method. All subsequent entries for that year MUST be by Tourist visa.

 

Do those legal sites happen to offer visa services? 

 

That's kind of like taxis in front of the Grand Palace telling you that the palace is closed today.  But they know a great gem shop.

 

Between 2017 and 2018, I did about 8 visa exempt entries with no problems.  One by land, the rest through Swampy.  Never overstayed, and my destinations were Malaysia, HK and China.

 

Oh, and I made a point of sticking one foot into Myanmar on a trip to Pilok Village and again at 3 Pagodas.  But I don't think that counts.

 

Edited April 23, 2019 by impulse

[KhaoYai]

1 hour ago, BritTim said:

However, there are plenty of people who find Thailand a good place to relax for a year or three who are not enamoured by a situation where they do not know what personal rules might be imposed by the next immigration official they encounter that could lead to significant complications in their lives.

I've been travelling to Thailand for many years and my understanding has always been that the only way to stay for an extended period is either by Non O, Retirement or a B visa with work permit. Anything else was dodgy.

 

However, I would agree to a point - by that I mean they should not turn people around but give them a one time warning.  However, quite a few of those that have complained of being refused entry recently have been really trying it on - like the guy up in Chiang Mai, 7 years on ED visas I seem to remember.

Edited April 23, 2019 by KhaoYai

[BritTim]

13 minutes ago, KhaoYai said:

I've been travelling to Thailand for many years and my understanding has always been that the only way to stay for an extended period is either by Non O, Retirement or a B visa with work permit. Anything else was dodgy.

A Non B visa with work permit has always struck me as carrying significant uncertainty, with your continued permission to live in Thailand reliant on your employer. Those with the option have always seemed to me better with an extension of stay based on marriage plus work permit.

 

In the past, although technically only year-to-year, I have also regarded an extension of stay based on retirement to be fairly safe. However, in the same way that attitudes to long term tourists began to gradually change about 15 years ago, I now see scepticism in some quarters about the value of elderly retirees. I can imagine life becoming harder for retirees also over the next few years.