Is Chiang mai airport a good entry point?

[DeadFlagBlues]

I've a few tourist visa and extensions in my passport over the last few years. I will be flying in to Chiang mai airport on a new tourist visa soon. 

Are there any reports of refusals at this airport for people with tourist visa?

[Caldera]

Not yet, as of now it seems to be a decent and law-abiding point of entry.

[yuiop]

5 hours ago, DeadFlagBlues said:

Are there any reports of refusals

only a few

[mockingbird]

27 minutes ago, yuiop said:

only a few

Really?  Are you sure about that?

Do you have any links to these 'few'?

 

[QPRFC]

I cannot comment on CNX, however do NOT attempt DMK !! I've had 3 friends denied entry in the past 3 weeks. One had a Tourist Visa, the other two were Visa Waiver/On Arrival.

BKK is hit or miss depending on the IO on duty. Another friend went to BKK and got processed but had to show 20k baht cash (he tried online banking but they took him to ATM to withdraw cash), lease agreement and onward flight.

 

But a tourist visa (60 day) obtained at an Embassy/Consulate carries a lot more advantage weight than Visa Waiver/On Arrival.

 

Being Chinese carries the most weight of all.

[BoBoTheClown]

I heard of one so far.  Really all airports are "at your own risk" from this time on. 

[Captain 776]

CNX is prob best

[andy72]

yes, from what has been said here both airports BKK, DMK are hard hitting
sounds like Phuket was also starting to get hard.

CNX  recently no bad reports

i personally had a bad experience there 2016 but that IO is no longer there

flew in from Penang came in on exempt got stamped no problem but just as i walked through the computer flashed red
got taken aside asked why so many in outs
i like thailand i go other country come back

you don't look like tourist
guy was 4ft tall was going to tell him what he didnt look like refrained

show 20,000
i showed 80k in travellers cheques
plus about 6k in assorted currencies

 

in reply to my 80k tc's this not money you go amt

i refused eventually i said ok
escorted to atm balance display

take money take money was the reply

back i go with my 20k they make me fan it all out and take my photo

 

then came the question return ticket

 

return ticket hmm i spread out all the contents of my money belt on the ground as i sat

no no get up

i ignored them then stated rifling through my day pack

big bag i exclaimed got out to the carousel got my backpack rifled through and found a crappy peice of scrunched up paper

it was a bus ticket to Vientienne or Nong Khai i had previously purchased then thought better of the 12 hr overnight discomfort and hopped a flight to Malaysia but before i went the ticket non refundable i changed the date so it was still valid

the obvious dissapointment by my 4ft inquisitor and the female IO clearly audible in their voice ticket she said as he nodded

victory

but their parting shot next time you get visa

next time i bit my tounge....

 

Edited October 7, 2019 by andy72

[1FinickyOne]

2 hours ago, QPRFC said:

I cannot comment on CNX, however do NOT attempt DMK !! I've had 3 friends denied entry in the past 3 weeks. One had a Tourist Visa, the other two were Visa Waiver/On Arrival.

BKK is hit or miss depending on the IO on duty. Another friend went to BKK and got processed but had to show 20k baht cash (he tried online banking but they took him to ATM to withdraw cash), lease agreement and onward flight.

 

But a tourist visa (60 day) obtained at an Embassy/Consulate carries a lot more advantage weight than Visa Waiver/On Arrival.

 

Being Chinese carries the most weight of all.

just curious, do you have any idea why they were denied? Have they been spending too much time here or first time arrivals? Are they young and scruffy? 

[Caldera]

4 minutes ago, kenk24 said:

just curious, do you have any idea why they were denied? Have they been spending too much time here or first time arrivals? Are they young and scruffy? 

I think it's fair to say that they don't hassle any first time arrivals at DMK. Never heard or read of that.

[EricTh]

2 hours ago, QPRFC said:

I cannot comment on CNX, however do NOT attempt DMK !! I've had 3 friends denied entry in the past 3 weeks. One had a Tourist Visa, the other two were Visa Waiver/On Arrival.

BKK is hit or miss depending on the IO on duty. Another friend went to BKK and got processed but had to show 20k baht cash (he tried online banking but they took him to ATM to withdraw cash), lease agreement and onward flight.

 

But a tourist visa (60 day) obtained at an Embassy/Consulate carries a lot more advantage weight than Visa Waiver/On Arrival.

 

Being Chinese carries the most weight of all.

 

Once word gets out that 'tourists' are going to different airports to circumvent the difficult airports, soon all major airports (Chiang Mai, Phuket) in Thailand will be equally tough.

 

It used to be easy for most land border crossing but once word gets out, it became harder.

 

 

Edited October 7, 2019 by EricTh

[mockingbird]

22 minutes ago, EricTh said:

 

Once word gets out that 'tourists' are going to different airports to circumvent the difficult airports, soon all major airports (Chiang Mai, Phuket) in Thailand will be equally tough.

 

It used to be easy for most land border crossing but once word gets out, it became harder.

 

 

Do you really think Thai immigration have just forgot about certain airports and land borders? They're not that stupid.

They're implementing a deliberate policy at certain entry points, and may well expand that out.

 

If they do, it'll be nothing to do with word of mouth.

Edited October 7, 2019 by mockingbird

[The Theory]

“Really?  Are you sure about that?

Do you have any links to these 'few'?”

 

CNX “red carpet” section welcomes all kind, everyday. Free VIP limousine service is provided by immigration to/from immigration hotel. All rooms are secured by bars for safety of guests to enjoy their unforgettable stay.  

 ????????

[DrJack54]

Zero problem op.

[donnacha]

Chiang Mai is undoubtedly the best. All airports will deny some arrivals, but the hugely different proportion suggests that those who get rejected either have problematic histories or look like trouble i.e. tattoos, piercing etc.

I often think it would be a lot easier to assess the various denial reports here if they were accompanied by a photo of the OP ????

The best way I can convey the difference is to say that, while very few IOs anywhere are a rare of sunshine, the difference in attitude is always striking when I fly between CNX and any of the Bangkok airports. You sense it immediately when you disembark in Bangkok.

 

The practical difference is that a relaxed, friendly smile always smoothes your path in CNX, but earns you only contempt in DMK or BKK.

 

6 hours ago, QPRFC said:

I cannot comment on CNX, however do NOT attempt DMK !!

Yup, something very strange is happening in DMK, even when you factor in the far higher passenger numbers. At this stage, no one other than first time visitors should risk arriving into the country there. Having a visa no longer seems to make any difference. Just spend a few extra dollars and avoid all that hassle.
 

 

3 hours ago, mockingbird said:

Do you really think Thai immigration have just forgot about certain airports and land borders? They're not that stupid.

The IOs in regional airports see their role differently.

In the big airports - DMK and BKK - the IOs are more ambitious, arrogant, and ruthless. They see themselves as high-flyers, protecting the wealth of their country from foreigners. You also have far more female IOs, who essentially view us as rapists who don't shower frequently enough.

In the smaller regional airports, the IOs have a little more humility, what they are doing is just a job. As locals, they consider that job as being to help inject wealthy foreigners into the poverty of their country. Unlike the high-flyers in BKK, they see the dependence on tourism first-hand every day in their own neighborhoods and families. A higher proportion of them are middle-aged men, which is exactly what you want.
 

 

3 hours ago, EricTh said:

Once word gets out that 'tourists' are going to different airports to circumvent the difficult airports, soon all major airports (Chiang Mai, Phuket) in Thailand will be equally tough.

I do worry that their might be some sort of crackdown on CNX if a lot of people start using it as a backdoor into Thailand. For that reason, I have avoided specifically recommending on this forum. What I do say is "avoid DMK" and, beyond that, it is up to individual travelers to read the forum and put it together for themselves.

Having said that, it has been an open secret for decades, and I have never had anything other than a prompt, courteous, no-questions-asked stamp any of the dozens of times I have arrived into Thailand at CNX. In BKK, I have almost been rejected by a nasty young male IO despite having a visa and a travel history, with regular long periods away, that makes it obvious I could not have a job in Thailand.
 

 

5 hours ago, andy72 said:

i showed 80k in travellers cheques
plus about 6k in assorted currencies

 

in reply to my 80k tc's this not money you go amt

i refused eventually i said ok
escorted to atm balance display

take money take money was the reply

back i go with my 20k they make me fan it all out and take my photo

Well, right there, you have the key difference between Chiang Mai and Bangkok. In the big city airports, there is no chance you would be accompanied to an ATM to get the 20K. Often, you would not even be given the chance to show your 20K, they would simply reject you on the basis of insufficient funds and send you to the holding room until your deportation flight.

In this case, the IO did not like the look of you but still gave you the chance to withdraw the money and search for your luggage in search of a crumpled bus ticket. In DMK, they would probably not accept that as valid proof of your intention to leave.

Ultimately, you managed to get in, despite being rather cranky with the IOs. Being pulled up in DMK or BKK would have led to a very different result.

Incidentally, there now seems to be a trend of IOs refusing to accept traveller's checks, along with a reported new demand in DMK that any foreign currency making up your 20K be converted to baht at the airside currency booth of the IOs choice, clearly a new kickback scam.

 

 

6 hours ago, QPRFC said:

But a tourist visa (60 day) obtained at an Embassy/Consulate carries a lot more advantage weight than Visa Waiver/On Arrival.

Up until about a year ago I would have agreed, but something seems to have changed. They now seem to subject visa-holders to just as much scrutiny and have even started demanding to see an outward flight. One of the main things that previously justified the hassle of getting a visa was that you did not need to bother with an outward flight.

 

 

6 hours ago, QPRFC said:

Being Chinese carries the most weight of all.

Absolutely. What is happening in Thailand as a whole is crystal clear by now.

 

Anyway, OP, you will have no problem. Enjoy Chiang Mai but be sure to get out before the air starts turning bad in early January.

 

 

Edited October 7, 2019 by donnacha

[RoyLee]

Is age a factor?  If you're retirement age, but a regular who gets by on travel visas (return to home country every year), I wonder if they'd assume you're not working. I haven't had a problem yet, despite up to 9 month stays per year.

[Tayaout]

43 minutes ago, RoyLee said:

Is age a factor?  If you're retirement age, but a regular who gets by on travel visas (return to home country every year), I wonder if they'd assume you're not working. I haven't had a problem yet, despite up to 9 month stays per year.

They seems to target frequent visitor under 50.

[donnacha]

9 hours ago, RoyLee said:

Is age a factor?  If you're retirement age, but a regular who gets by on travel visas (return to home country every year), I wonder if they'd assume you're not working. I haven't had a problem yet, despite up to 9 month stays per year.

I don't have the exact details, but my understanding is that, if you are aged 50 or over, you can apply for a 90-day single-entry Non-Immigrant Type O (Pension) from outside Thailand without having to put any money in a Thai bank or actually having a pension.

All you need is to show that your home bank account has had more than €12,000 for the 3 months prior to applying. My understanding is that you can apply for the Non-Immigrant Type O (Pension) from any Thai Embassy or consulate, not just your home country.

I have been keeping it in the back of my mind for when I hit 50, as it seems to work out a bit cheaper and more convenient than tourist visas if you just want to come in for 90 days at a time and do not want to progress to a proper retirement visa, which would entail keeping 800K in a Thai bank. Most people on the Non-Immigrant Type O (Pension) probably intend to progress to that, but you do not have to, you can simply ride out the 90 days and, then, fly out to get another.

As you are getting a new one every three months, rather than extending a proper retirement visa or doing a 90-day report, it seems that you would also not have to worry about TM 30 stuff.

Obviously, the proper retirement visa is better if you want to stay put in one place, but I stay in Chiang Mai and the air is no longer safe for humans for around half the year anyway. Staying in various European countries for the first half of the year suits me fine.

A couple of 90-day Non-Immigrant Type O (Pension) @ €75 each would be better than a couple of 60-day tourist visas @ €40 each because extending the tourist visas by 30 days costs almost €60 each time, wastes a chunk of your time, and you are better off minimizing you interactions with Immigration anyway.

I also have a hunch that the airport IOs will be more relaxed about the back-to-back use of non-OAs, because you fall into the general category of pensioner, whereas they are cracking down heavily on both SETVs and METVs, especially in Don Mueang.

Among other worries, they now seem to be asking tourist visa holders to show proof of their onward flights, something that was not necessary before. Again, I have not heard of that happening to Non-Immigrant Type O (Pension) holders because, of course, it is intended as a precursor to your application, within Thailand, for a proper retirement visa, so, it would not make sense for you to have an onward flight.

So, if you are 50 or above, and don't want or need to be he for the entire year anyway, that seems like a good way to do it.

 

 

Edited October 8, 2019 by donnacha

[bbi1]

17 hours ago, QPRFC said:

I cannot comment on CNX, however do NOT attempt DMK !! I've had 3 friends denied entry in the past 3 weeks. One had a Tourist Visa, the other two were Visa Waiver/On Arrival.

BKK is hit or miss depending on the IO on duty. Another friend went to BKK and got processed but had to show 20k baht cash (he tried online banking but they took him to ATM to withdraw cash), lease agreement and onward flight.

 

But a tourist visa (60 day) obtained at an Embassy/Consulate carries a lot more advantage weight than Visa Waiver/On Arrival.

 

Being Chinese carries the most weight of all.

Has there been any reports of Chinese (either holding Chinese passport or a Western passport) on multiple past SETV and/or METV getting denied entry at BKK or DMK?

[BritTim]

11 minutes ago, bbi1 said:

Has there been any reports of Chinese (either holding Chinese passport or a Western passport) on multiple past SETV and/or METV getting denied entry at BKK or DMK?

There have been reports by those denied entry that there were many Chinese in the detention room with them.

I doubt the narrative that the Chinese are given preferential treatment. If they visit too often, or for too long, they run the same risks as everyone else.

[La Migra]

Chiang Mai is a nice easy airport and never had a problem. Never had a problem at BKK either.

Some of the perception of easy or hard airports is an issue of volume of travelers.  If 1 out of 100 people are stopped or questioned, only one person complains.  At higher capacity airport if 10,000 people arrive, (if same % stopped), means 100 people get questioned - and complain.

So 100's of people have problem at DMK and BKK, because more, many more, people arrive through there.

[BuckBee]

On 10/7/2019 at 10:27 AM, mockingbird said:

Really?  Are you sure about that?

Do you have any links to these 'few'?

 

I've read a couple refusal reports from CM
reality is with more long history users likely turn up at CM they likely adopt a policy like DM or swampy if unlucky .

Any airport ideally you want a plan B .

 

What really amazes me is the hard faced you come too many times line at some entry points yet if go to CW for example with lot of back to back history they give you extension on all your back to back entries with minimal questions and no real bad attitude .

current scenario is bit of a mess, ideally needs proper rules in place across the board. up to 2yrs ago you could pretty much come and go as pleased and if interviewed and you had funds you in, can't really blame the people using the setv or visa exempts as immigration happy for the visitors for last 2 decades and pretty much aided and abetted the usage .
If they want change rules that fine but they need do it clearly and equally across the board .

Vietnam currently what thailand was in term of easy casual visa entry for westerners with some money in pocket . Would assume attitude/immigration change in thailand purely down to junta stance on western farang and that stance has more influence in certain areas of internal contact hence no real structured changes across the board .

 

Edited October 8, 2019 by BuckBee