Bedrockguesthouse Posted February 19, 2010 Share Posted February 19, 2010 (edited) New requirements to enter Thailand Minimum Funds Required To Enter Thailand: We have been informed by Immigration Department, Bangkok that to be in line with the regulation imposed by the Ministry of Interior, Kingdom of Thailand, with immediate effect, all passengers arriving in Thailand must have sufficient funds as follows to show at the immigration before entry is permitted. 1. Transit Visa holder: Must hold minimum THB 10,000 per passenger or THB 20,000 per family. 2. Tourist Visa holder: Must hold minimum THB 20,000 per passenger or THB 40,000 per family. 3. Visa on Arrival: Must hold minimum THB 10,000 per passenger or THB 20,000 per family. 4. Non Immigrant Visa holder: Must hold minimum THB 20,000 per passenger or THB 40,000 per family. The above funds may be held in any permitted currency.Kindly adhere to the above as insufficient funds on arrival could result in refusal to enter Thailand. -- thaivisa.com 2010-02-19 Admin note: The Immigration Buerau HQ in Bangkok has confirmed to Thaivisa this morning that this regulation is now in effect. The news is that Tourist visa holders and Non-Immigrant visa holders now are required to show proof of funds as above, at the "Immigration officers discretion". Edited February 19, 2010 by george Added confirmation from Immigartion Bureau Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gotlost Posted February 19, 2010 Share Posted February 19, 2010 Not a new requirement but seldom enforced. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bedrockguesthouse Posted February 19, 2010 Author Share Posted February 19, 2010 Not a new requirement but seldom enforced. Thanks i have been in and out 7 years but never heard of this one. Amazing Thailand Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lite Beer Posted February 19, 2010 Share Posted February 19, 2010 Yep. Been a requirement for a long time but very rarely enforced. Gives them a good excuse if they do not like the look of you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thecatman Posted February 19, 2010 Share Posted February 19, 2010 (edited) Thanks i have been in and out 7 years but never heard of this one. Amazing Thailand I was aware of these rules/requirements, but they are seldom inforced. However, a friend of mine in Chiang Mai did run into problems with regards to this at the border in Mae Sai one time. For my next 2 or 3 runs there I made sure I was carrying the necessary funds. (I don't bother anymore). Edited February 19, 2010 by thecatman Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PattayaParent Posted February 19, 2010 Share Posted February 19, 2010 An antiquated regulation put on the books before anyone had ever heard of ATM, credit cards or Internet Banking. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thai at Heart Posted February 19, 2010 Share Posted February 19, 2010 Stupid requirement! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jfchandler Posted February 19, 2010 Share Posted February 19, 2010 Is this supposed to mean carrying 20,000 baht of cash, at minimum, to show on demand when processing thru Immigration at Suvarnabhumi??? Or are copies of bank statements and such going to be accepted as proof??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jlaaway Posted February 19, 2010 Share Posted February 19, 2010 So does this mean if I come for vacation I should have in my possession Thai currency already? I mean, I usually wait until my arrival to use an ATM machine to get my dosh. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
givenall Posted February 19, 2010 Share Posted February 19, 2010 An antiquated regulation put on the books before anyone had ever heard of ATM, credit cards or Internet Banking. They want to make sure you have enough money for the scams at the airport Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Who, me ? Posted February 19, 2010 Share Posted February 19, 2010 Stupid requirement! Not more stupid or less stupid than some other requirements. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jdinasia Posted February 19, 2010 Share Posted February 19, 2010 I have always just made sure I had a recent ATM recpt showing adequate funds with me every time I hav crossed a border. I have never been asked to show anything though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
babuhavas Posted February 19, 2010 Share Posted February 19, 2010 Nothing new,even i posted this topic few months before.check my profile. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leozaza Posted February 19, 2010 Share Posted February 19, 2010 (edited) Can the funds be accessible only or does one have to have the cash on them on arrival? Sorry just realised others have asked a similar question but no answers as yet. Do I have to maintain 20,000 at all times during my stay in Thailand. Edited February 19, 2010 by leozaza Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MichaelBKK Posted February 19, 2010 Share Posted February 19, 2010 Aren't a lot of the tourists arriving from visa waiver countries? How much do they have to have on them? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bdenner Posted February 19, 2010 Share Posted February 19, 2010 Don't remember seeing an ATM machine on the air side of immigration and I for one will not be carrying hard currency of any sort on me to a 20K value so I guess it'll have to be a notorized bank statement from KasikornBank no older that 24 hours. Just to figure out how I'm going to get it? Then again they may install internet access to the visitors so as we can show em our assets through internet banking. Shlt silly me, Thailand is still in the 19th century. HTF are they going to enforce this stupid law? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yabaaaa Posted February 19, 2010 Share Posted February 19, 2010 So if I show them my credit card its enough?? just curious Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonclark Posted February 19, 2010 Share Posted February 19, 2010 Brilliant, absolutely brilliant - You have got to love Thai immigration. The authorities are becoming more paranoid and insecure as more tourists visit Thailand. Maybe this vindicates TAT long running campaign to encourage more tourists to visit amazing Thailand. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
babuhavas Posted February 19, 2010 Share Posted February 19, 2010 So if I show them my credit card its enough?? just curious Law says must be hard cash. It happened with me in pinang (Malaysia),i showed my CC but they wanted to see cash. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heng Posted February 19, 2010 Share Posted February 19, 2010 There should be a 'basic training' type obstacle course setup for tourists at the airport as well. If you're not in shape, back on the plane you go (at your expense of course). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnnyFeelIt Posted February 19, 2010 Share Posted February 19, 2010 An antiquated regulation put on the books before anyone had ever heard of ATM, credit cards or Internet Banking. They want to make sure you have enough money for the scams at the airport Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gosompoi Posted February 19, 2010 Share Posted February 19, 2010 It can be ATM or credit card form does not need to be cash. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moskito Posted February 19, 2010 Share Posted February 19, 2010 So if I show them my credit card its enough?? just curious Law says must be hard cash. It happened with me in pinang (Malaysia),i showed my CC but they wanted to see cash. THATS great news, so we can wait for some gangs at the airport to "help" foreigners. I am sure the news that everyone on arrival got 10-40k cash in its pockets will help good chance to make a month or half year income in just a couple of minutes Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
startrading Posted February 19, 2010 Share Posted February 19, 2010 What you do with 10.000 ? I spend 10.000 on Sukhumvit in one day ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seadoo Posted February 19, 2010 Share Posted February 19, 2010 This is so you have some money on you to pay your way out if you get set up, hmm me thinks things like King Power Duty Free and various check point stories Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
h90 Posted February 19, 2010 Share Posted February 19, 2010 What you do with 10.000 ?I spend 10.000 on Sukhumvit in one day ! some Thai families with kids can live in Bangkok 1 month with it. Upcountry even longer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rkidlad Posted February 19, 2010 Share Posted February 19, 2010 I always find that when something politically big is going to happen in Thailand, there seems to be a new rule at immigration or some big crackdown on foreigners. I know this wouldn't distract any Thai's attention away from what might happen very soon. But it does seem to happen a lot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geriatrickid Posted February 19, 2010 Share Posted February 19, 2010 Why are people panicing? 10,000 baht is nothing. It's approx $300. usd/$320 CAD/$330AUD and 220 Euro. It's hardly a fortune. If you are not carrying some cash on you when you travel, then you are not being prudent. What happens if there is a power failure and the atms or cc systems go dowm? what happens if you are stranded somewhere and there is a gigantic line at the atm or it runs out of cash? What do you do if the atm eats your card? What happens if you are stranded and the cc doesn't work. I have had all of these scenarios happen to me in the past 5 years of traveling. That's why I carry cash. I have yet to be robbed, scammed or pickpocketed (knock wood.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Langsuan Man Posted February 19, 2010 Share Posted February 19, 2010 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jfchandler Posted February 19, 2010 Share Posted February 19, 2010 Perhaps the admins of TV, who seem able to contact BKK Immigration and confirm various things such as this post, can get and post an answer as to what will be accepted as "proof" of sufficient funds... A couple of things certainly are clear: It won't have to be Thai baht...it can be any legitimate currency... I seriously doubt, even with this policy, that airport Immigration will be asking EVERY arriving traveler to whip out 20,000 baht (or the different amount depending on visa status). Remember, Thailand only has 1,000 baht notes maximum. So just counting the bills would take forever. So in all likelihood, it will be a newly enforced policy that will be applied, perhaps more often, against whomever Immigration decides to target at the checkpoint. But even so, as a prudent traveler, even if that is only possible, you'd want to be prepared with sufficient proof... That said, I don't travel with wads of cash in my pocket.. And I certainly don't travel between the U.S. and Thailand with $600 U.S. in cash, or 20,000 thb, in my pockets... That's just asking for trouble, and at least until now, entirely unnecessary in the modern era of credit and debit cards... So the question remains, what will be accepted as "proof"???? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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