Historically what has caused Thailand to loosen up on their Visa policies

[moe666]

in 2010 it was a coup and loss of tourist that a year later caused the government to drop charge for a tourist visa

[Mac98]

4 hours ago, Tounge Thaied said:

There is a global tightening on freedom of movement on this planet. I have been watching Thailand's VISA process for the last five years tighten. I would ask Hal65 to provide some evidence for his/her assertion that Thailand has historically loosened up on their VISA policies.

I understand the TM30 was a rule enacted decades ago and is now being enforced again. That sounds that the TM30 was a tightening, then was loosened, and now being tightened again.

[canopy]

The TM30 system was originally only for hotels and that sort of thing to do and not a worry in the world for people staying in Thailand. It then silently got broadened to include every house, condo, everything. Now enforcement and punishment is ramping up and people are getting a dose of how nasty this law is. Anytime you leave your residence for even one day BANG! You've got problems to sort out when you get back. No loosening occurred that I know of. Just tightening.

 

[Lacessit]

17 minutes ago, Mac98 said:

I understand the TM30 was a rule enacted decades ago and is now being enforced again. That sounds that the TM30 was a tightening, then was loosened, and now being tightened again.

I really don't understand the TM30 fuss. My condo does it for me each time I get back from overseas. The receipt is stapled into my passport by them.

I suppose it has tightened. About 2 years ago, they wanted a TM30 when I went for my retirement extension. Five years previous to that, I had not done one. I assume the TM30 that was put in by the hotel I stayed in Bangkok was enough.

[Lacessit]

8 minutes ago, canopy said:

The TM30 system was originally only for hotels and that sort of thing to do and not a worry in the world for people staying in Thailand. It then silently got broadened to include every house, condo, everything. Now enforcement and punishment is ramping up and people are getting a dose of how nasty this law is. Anytime you leave your residence for even one day BANG! You've got problems to sort out when you get back. No loosening occurred that I know of. Just tightening.

 

Really. I stay with my GF in her village from time to time. I've never seen a police officer there, let alone an IO. When I go back to my condo in Chiang Mai, I have yet to see an IO waiting for me. The only BANG I get is with my GF. Apologies if that is TMI.

[Mavideol]

1 hour ago, Lacessit said:

Unless they create a new visa class for the Chinese alone, which would then p**s off the Americans. Stupid they are, but not that stupid.

and that's what they will do for Chinese and Indians as well, the "new rich high class tourists" they couldn't care less about Americans or other westerners reactions, they have the Chinese, until Prayut stays in power nothing else matters

[bkk6060]

32 minutes ago, canopy said:

The TM30 system was originally only for hotels and that sort of thing to do and not a worry in the world for people staying in Thailand. It then silently got broadened to include every house, condo, everything. Now enforcement and punishment is ramping up and people are getting a dose of how nasty this law is. Anytime you leave your residence for even one day BANG! You've got problems to sort out when you get back. No loosening occurred that I know of. Just tightening.

 

You have examples of how it has happened to you or just assuming something?

 

I have never done a TM anything.  I and out and travel throughout the country many times never been asked a question about any of it....

[Lacessit]

7 minutes ago, bkk6060 said:

You have examples of how it has happened to you or just assuming something?

 

I have never done a TM anything.  I and out and travel throughout the country many times never been asked a question about any of it....

You naughty law-breaker you. I just have my Thai GF use her ID card at any hotel. Is that how you do it?

[thecyclist]

A progressive, 'westernized' government :There was only one in Thai history :The one run by businessman Premier Anand in the nineties :They immediately scrapped that inane tax revenue certificate required for leaving the country for anyone residing longer than 180 days in any given calendar year.

Another Anand, and TM 30 would be scrapped immediately. 

[Bangkok Barry]

10 hours ago, worgeordie said:

My 84 year old cousin visits us every winter, stays for

3 months,in the past fill 1 form send it off to Thai Embassy

in London along with payment to get Visa,easy

 

Now this time has to fill in a 5 page application,online to get

a E-Visa,what a carry on, picture too light,picture too dark,

needs letter from me inviting her to stay at our house,has

to provide a copy of bank statements,so things are definitely

a lot more difficult now,for her at least.

regards Worgeordie

 

 

 

Without revealing the source or any other details, I've posted this on Facebook. For obvious reasons, to show how Thailand is doing more and more to discourage visitors.

[holy cow cm]

2 hours ago, GalaxyMan said:

Can you provide a link about this? News to me. Thanks.

It’s in the tax code somewhere. No link as I read it and also my thai Factory owner friend keeps me up on things as he and all owners are doing some major shifts including offshore.  

[canopy]

1 hour ago, bkk6060 said:

You have examples of how it has happened to you or just assuming something?

Are you kidding? This has been all over the news this year. Do some reading. In my province as an example people that have lived there peacefully and quietly forever are now receiving warnings, fines, and refusal of visa services from the immigration office simply because they returned to their homes not knowing they now need the house owner to file a tm30 within a 24-hours time limit. There are more and more Thai property owners that refuse to rent to foreigners because they don't want to have this hassle and don't want to be vulnerable to the potential fines involved. This is one of the most draconian laws ever. Every time you step away from your house you need to coordinate with the owner to fill out paperwork. Yes, this is really happening.

 

Edited November 9, 2019 by canopy

[Bournville]

11 minutes ago, canopy said:

Are you kidding? This has been all over the news this year. Do some reading. In my province as an example people that have lived there peacefully and quietly forever are now receiving warnings, fines, and refusal of visa services from the immigration office simply because they returned to their homes not knowing they now need the house owner to file a tm30 within a 24-hours time limit. There are more and more Thai property owners that refuse to rent to foreigners because they don't want to have this hassle and don't want to be vulnerable to the potential fines involved. This is one of the most draconian laws ever. Every time you step away from your house you need to coordinate with the owner to fill out paperwork. Yes, this is really happening.

 

So many expats here are either in denial or LA LA land 555. Yes... The noose is getting tighter. Two weeks ago I got my first IO visit... I live alone.. Rented house.. 4 IO officers! No tm30 in file. Owner never registered me! 4 years in Thailand I've never felt so unwelcome... By locals... By IO.. just a generally feeling if.. Go away farang. Ouch. Ok.

[Puchaiyank]

26 minutes ago, Bournville said:

So many expats here are either in denial or LA LA land 555. Yes... The noose is getting tighter. Two weeks ago I got my first IO visit... I live alone.. Rented house.. 4 IO officers! No tm30 in file. Owner never registered me! 4 years in Thailand I've never felt so unwelcome... By locals... By IO.. just a generally feeling if.. Go away farang. Ouch. Ok.

More and more I notice a shift in attitude toward expats...on two occassions was told that Thais are tired of expats not speaking fluent Thai...(not a visa requirement)...I could give details of encounters with Thais with an attitude recently...but the Thai apologists would blow a gasket and let me know right quick that I did not smile and speak politely in Thai...????

[holy cow cm]

32 minutes ago, Bournville said:

So many expats here are either in denial or LA LA land 555. Yes... The noose is getting tighter. Two weeks ago I got my first IO visit... I live alone.. Rented house.. 4 IO officers! No tm30 in file. Owner never registered me! 4 years in Thailand I've never felt so unwelcome... By locals... By IO.. just a generally feeling if.. Go away farang. Ouch. Ok.

What province? 

[thecyclist]

18 minutes ago, Puchaiyank said:

More and more I notice a shift in attitude toward expats...on two occassions was told that Thais are tired of expats not speaking fluent Thai...(not a visa requirement)...I could give details of encounters with Thais with an attitude recently...but the Thai apologists would blow a gasket and let me know right quick that I did not smile and speak politely in Thai...????

Don't think that fluent Thai changes their attitude significantly:sometimes it helps but most of the time it doesn't make a difference. You also often get the weird situation where you start to speak fluent Thai with a Thai, and they completely ignore your local language skills and keep responding - with vocabulary of 20 English words--in incomprehensible English. 

And the professionals hate :farang speak Thai know too much. They prefer ignorant suckers. 

[wwest5829]

7 hours ago, Number 6 said:

I believe the exact opposite. My wife then GF obtained her visa with only a letter of job guarantee. Further, she very well could have appeared to be traveling back to US with me to marry. She was given a ten year visas and has made half dozen trips

We traveled on a Round the World ticket in 2013. A first US and Schengen Visa for my significant other. My accompanying letter stating all the travel itinerary and no issues. We traveled again in 2015, this time only the US. 10 Year Visa granted, no issue with my accompanying letter. 

[villagefarang]

I have seen a lot of change over the years but none of it has affected my life in any significant way. Never had anyone complain about my speaking Thai either. ????

[BestB]

30 minutes ago, Puchaiyank said:

More and more I notice a shift in attitude toward expats...on two occassions was told that Thais are tired of expats not speaking fluent Thai...(not a visa requirement)...I could give details of encounters with Thais with an attitude recently...but the Thai apologists would blow a gasket and let me know right quick that I did not smile and speak politely in Thai...????

Love to hear more, because in all my 20 years of living and working in Thailand, i only encounter Thai who expect for foreigners NOT to speak any Thai and are either very angry or pleasantly surprised when one does

 

Yes attitude of some Thai can be annoying, when i speak Thai they assume i am married, because to speak Thai one must be married as i was told.

[villagefarang]

I spoke Thai long before I got married and never got that response but that was a long time ago. 

Edited November 9, 2019 by villagefarang

[thequietman]

8 hours ago, 86Tiger said:

All they are asking you to do is prove you can support yourself and follow the rules. 

OR...... go to one of their approved agents and you are able to bypass the whole thing.

 

SO .... tell me, is that them encouraging us to follow the rules OR is it the usual corruption that comes out of their offices daily?

 

THink on! (& open your eyes to the reality) ????

[spidermike007]

11 hours ago, 86Tiger said:

Guys,

 

I think the entire "crack down" is due to those that abuse the system. 

 

Yes, it has been very easy in past to game the system and stay long term on entry methods intended to be short term.  But reality is it is still very easy to stay in the Kingdom long term with the proper visa.  All they are asking you to do is prove you can support yourself and follow the rules.  

 

 

It is a helluva lot easier for me to stay in Thailand long term than my wife to get a simple tourist visa to the US.  We don't even want to get into what it would take for her to get long term visa........

 

 

YMMV

Apples and oranges. Many Thais come to the US to work, and never leave. So, they want you to be able to prove you have a reason to return. How many foreigners come to Thailand to seek the golden opportunities of employment? And it is far easier to get a multiple entry visa into the US, for your wife, as a woman married to an American, than to get her a tourist visa. The US stopped issuing tourist visas to anyone from a third world nation, who is not rich, over 15 years ago. Except for the tours. 

[hansnl]

On 11/9/2019 at 4:55 AM, Puchaiyank said:

Historically, not sure...but in the last few years they may be asking: "What would the Chinese do?"  "How can we change the visa requirements to please the Chinese?"  

 

Just a guess...????

Quite do.

In fact the copying of what the Chinese do is rife.

[bbbbooboo]

Hmmm..... It depends on the current levels of xenophobia I suggest. After all we are described as "aliens" in Thai legislation which should give some insight into the matter

[Alex2554]

Good guys in, bad guys out.

Buy a TE visa and enjoy 20 year of comfortable living in LOS.

No money? No honey

[timendres]

14 hours ago, Alex2554 said:

Good guys in, bad guys out.

Buy a TE visa and enjoy 20 year of comfortable living in LOS.

No money? No honey

Until they abruptly cancel the program and renege on the deal.

[smutcakes]

This forum is such a strange place some times. You have threads and hundreds of posts about people complaining about immigration in their own countries, letting anyone in, diluting their nationality- on the other hand they are bemoaning Thailand trying to control immigration....

 

 

[meechai]

2 hours ago, smutcakes said:

This forum is such a strange place some times. You have threads and hundreds of posts about people complaining about immigration in their own countries, letting anyone in, diluting their nationality- on the other hand they are bemoaning Thailand trying to control immigration....

 

 

You have missed one important fact here

 

These are "Non Immigrant" visa extensions

[smutcakes]

4 minutes ago, meechai said:

You have missed one important fact here

 

These are "Non Immigrant" visa extensions

Dont understand, please explain your point.

[ballpoint]

22 hours ago, bbbbooboo said:

Hmmm..... It depends on the current levels of xenophobia I suggest. After all we are described as "aliens" in Thai legislation which should give some insight into the matter

Yes, those awful xenophobes, calling non citizens "Aliens".  You'd never catch a good old white country doing that...

 

"The Alien Registration Number or A-number is, in brief, an identifying number assigned to a noncitizen by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), the government agency within the Department of Homeland Security that oversees lawful immigration to the United States. An "alien" is any person who is not a citizen or national of the United States. The A-number is yours for life, much like a social security number."

 

https://www.thoughtco.com/alien-registration-number-1951573