Border preferred with "consecutive" SE Tourist Visas?

[aldriglikvid]

Hi, 

 

If I enter Thailand by border with a SETV does that count towards "only 2 border entries per year"? 

 

I've done 3 consecutive entries to Thailand - via BKK Airport - with SETV. (Leaving only for 3 days). Last two times I was hassled quite a bit. I was told it was "a problem" coming this often, but I wasn't told that "next time you can't enter" (or things of that nature) and no special stamps/text was placed in my passport. 

As we now have several reports of people being sent back home with SETV from BKK Airport I wonder if its "smarter" to entry the country with a SETV from the border, instead? 

[ubonjoe]

There is no limit for entries at a land border crossing if you have a visa for entry. 

Only visa exempt entries are limited to 2 per calendar year at land border crossing.

[Briggsy]

1 hour ago, aldriglikvid said:

As we now have several reports of people being sent back home with SETV from BKK Airport I wonder if its "smarter" to entry the country with a SETV from the border, instead? 

Yes, it would seem to be the wise option. However, those of us who use Tourist Visas to stay in Thailand have to weigh the inconvenience of entering by a land border versus the risk of being denied entry at an airport.

 

Of course if you live in Nong Khai or Hat Yai, then it is less inconvenient. Also depends where you are coming from. Not many straightforward ways to go from Europe to Vientiane.

[aldriglikvid]

Thanks for the feedback fellas. 

I'm 30-ish and Tourist Visas's is my only legit option. I'm looking to do another 9 month trip from the autumn and onwards (after being in my home country for ~3 months). 

 

I guess the first entry with a SETV on the airport (lets say august) should be fine, and the next 2 after that done by border (with a limited risk of being rejected). 

 

[BuckBee]

^

yes, you should be fine with that strategy, just research nearer time as things constantly changing & it those without due diligence that tend get caught out from a poor choice .

Realy don't see the harm of 2 or 3 back to back setv, if they had any sense they make it max of 3 then you got go to your home country/have time out/proof of funds etc and any refusal be in the computer system and you be unable enter at any boarder.

Current scenario of getting balls busted at swampy or DM and put in cell and refused entry yet able fly out and come back through a land border even same day if can make it that quick with a smile and a wai is plain stupid mess .

 

Only thing more messy is the TM30 scenario lol, only thai's can implement such poorly thought out policy and make good money from it lol .

[JackThompson]

8 hours ago, aldriglikvid said:

Thanks for the feedback fellas. 

I'm 30-ish and Tourist Visas's is my only legit option. I'm looking to do another 9 month trip from the autumn and onwards (after being in my home country for ~3 months). 

 

I guess the first entry with a SETV on the airport (lets say august) should be fine, and the next 2 after that done by border (with a limited risk of being rejected).

I would not count on "no problem" entering after 3 mo out, if you were here significant time prior to that - sounds like most of 9 months prior?   With 3-mo here and 9-mo out, then likely no problem - not the reverse.

 

See if you can fly to KL Malaysia or Singapore.  A train-trip can be a cool experience - can go from Singapore all the way to Bangkok (or further).  A faster route would be to fly all the way to Penang, then train to Pedang Besar (border), enter there (be prepared to show 20K Baht worth of cash), then fly onward Domestic (no immigration) to Bangkok.

 

Once in at that point, your next challenge is getting additional SETVs.   Since you have 3 TR Visas in your passport now (assuming you didn't get a new one), expect to get a "remark stamp" on an SETV soon, and need a new passport to get the next one.

Edited April 27, 2019 by JackThompson

[aldriglikvid]

Not sure what I would do without great feedback as this. 

 

As you correctly said @JackThompson I would have had "9 months/ 3x SETV in Thailand" prior my "3 month pause" this coming summer.  (Wow, it's hard to write past/future and still make sense). 

 

I'll keep myself updated on this board before entering BKK Airport with my new SETV and my new blank passport (already made an order for a new PP). If there are few reports of rejections I will assume my 3 month break in Scandinavia would be sufficient. In my humble observation (not fact) there seems to be a pattern of rejecting people coming from adjacent countries - and not those + 17 hour flight trips...

 

Great idea with train from Singapore. Your answer is bookmarked. 

 

[JackThompson]

22 hours ago, aldriglikvid said:

Not sure what I would do without great feedback as this. 

 

As you correctly said @JackThompson I would have had "9 months/ 3x SETV in Thailand" prior my "3 month pause" this coming summer.  (Wow, it's hard to write past/future and still make sense). 

 

I'll keep myself updated on this board before entering BKK Airport with my new SETV and my new blank passport (already made an order for a new PP). If there are few reports of rejections I will assume my 3 month break in Scandinavia would be sufficient. In my humble observation (not fact) there seems to be a pattern of rejecting people coming from adjacent countries - and not those + 17 hour flight trips...

 

Great idea with train from Singapore. Your answer is bookmarked. 

 

The new passport might help.  Your history is in the computer, but they might not drill-down to see it, for a person arriving from far away, and w/o a bunch of Thai stamps/visas staring them in the face from your old passport.  In any case, it will help getting new SETVs in the region.