Thailand Entry Problems

[arsenal]

Some tourists are experiencing entry problems and having to show 20'000 baht in cash before being allowed in. Fortunately our Mickyboy is a multi bizillionaire so probably carries that around in a diamond encrusted purse. Is'nt that right sweetheart?

http://pattayaone.news/en/tourist-visa-20000-baht-cash/

https://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/992844-some-tourist-visa-holders-being-asked-to-show-20000-baht-in-cash-when-entering-thailand/

[gerefan2]

They are on the lookout for people attempting to make money working illegally in Thailand.
Most here appear incapable of any form of work.

[justaguy]

According to Thai Immigration these people are not tourists, but people who abuse the tourist visa scheme to remain in Thailand year round and are suspected of working illegally in Thailand.

[Mickp]

According to Thai Immigration these people are not tourists, but people who abuse the tourist visa scheme to remain in Thailand year round and are suspected of working illegally in Thailand.

I have been reading the "Fisters" board so we all know who to blame for this...if their not riding their motorbikes fast up the Soi ...:rolleyes:

[justaguy]

Hmm, no idea what the fisters board is, who is to blame ?

[FarangRuMak]

This has to do with the adjacent neighbours I think. If a prospective worker from Lao or Burma or Cambodia is asked to show B20,000 baht in order to enter Thailand the show is over.
That's the figure they're hoping to go home with 1 year hence.

[sglad]

This has to do with the adjacent neighbours I think. If a prospective worker from Lao or Burma or Cambodia is asked to show B20,000 baht in order to enter Thailand the show is over.
That's the figure they're hoping to go home with 1 year hence.

I don't think Laotians, Burmese and Cambodians who intend to go work in Thailand without proper papers enter the country on a tourist visa. At best they'd be on the visa exempt pass. The Thai embassies in their countries would have asked for financial proof at the point of application for a tourist visa as not many Burmese, Cambodians and Laotians would be going to Thailand for sixty days for tourism purposes.

I think this show money thing is to weed out the perpetual 'tourists' who live in Thailand indefinitely without the proper visas and who may be working there illegally. What I don't understand is how does having 20,000B on you prove that you're not working in Thailand.

[cdnmatt]

No idea about all this, but I can verify that Leo has been coming from Laos every month since last July (July 28th to be exact) without any issues, or requirements to show 20,000 baht. He'll be leaving in a couple days again, so I can confirm he gets through without issue again in about 10 days if anyone wants.

[newalaan2]

What I don't understand is how does having 20,000B on you prove that you're not working in Thailand.

Most application of laws are deliberately vague. It's nothing to do with who you are, where you are from, and on what visa, this (like many Thai laws/legislation) is simply already in place but never/seldom used, like prostitution in bars laws etc etc. It just sits there to be used as and when required. As in this case it allows immigration who simply don't like the 'look' of a person or his/her passport stamps, or have a suspicion (working illegally) or abusing the visa system,to apply 'this requirement' on a whim and refuse entry. Few of these 'laws' are applied generally/across the board, they are used to 'cherry pick' as and when required.

That's all there is to it. Obviously the way Thailand works with things is something becomes 'in vogue'...there is usually a background reason......be it just a knee-jerk response to some higher-authority regarding illegal working or to satisfy statistical numbers in some government department or to show some action has been taken to satisfy the Junta in some way. In Thailand there are hundreds of laws sitting around, including those local to each city/town/province doing nothing, not normally upheld, just waiting to be used in what ever situation they are required at a specific time for the new 'reason of the day/moment'.

When you have lived in, or visited Thailand over a number of years you will have seen/experienced numerous examples of this and so becomes just another issue to be dealt with. Why it has become an issue seems to be because it has started to affect members of Thaivisa website/forum and has apparently, in certain situations, been applied at airports as well as land border crossing points.

[justaguy]

This has to do with the adjacent neighbours I think. If a prospective worker from Lao or Burma or Cambodia is asked to show B20,000 baht in order to enter Thailand the show is over.
That's the figure they're hoping to go home with 1 year hence.

No, they will not be asked and they are not targeted. If they wanted to kill the Thai economy overnight, they would start targeting them...

[justaguy]

No idea about all this, but I can verify that Leo has been coming from Laos every month since last July (July 28th to be exact) without any issues, or requirements to show 20,000 baht. He'll be leaving in a couple days again, so I can confirm he gets through without issue again in about 10 days if anyone wants.

No need, he will be allowed to exit Thailand, and come straight back for another 30 days stamp. He might need to pay a small fee, but they know full well he is most likely illegally working in Thailand, but they don't care, as said if they would, the Thai economy would collapse, that much is absolutely certain. It's the "illegal workers" from the countries that get a free visa exempt stamp (non mutual) that they are after, or as sglad said, the perputual tourists.

The 20K does not prove you are not working in Thailand but is being used as a reason to deny someone entry.

Someone that does not have multiple back to back tourist visas or entries on visa exempt, will not have to show the money, they will be allowed into the country no questions asked. The perpetual tourists are targetted, as they have been for quite a few years. The limit of two overland exempt stamps in a calendar year is targeting the exact same people. This is just step two.

[cdnmatt]

Yep, you are correct. It's a 100 baht "fee" to get a 30 day VISA exempt stamp, which is fine with me. About 1100 baht/year to not have to worry about the "you can only stay in Thailand 6 out of 12 months" law? Sounds like a good deal to me! :)

[frequent]

Yep, you are correct. It's a 100 baht "fee" to get a 30 day VISA exempt stamp, which is fine with me. About 1100 baht/year to not have to worry about the "you can only stay in Thailand 6 out of 12 months" law? Sounds like a good deal to me! :)But wasn't it only a few weeks ago that you were talking about buying him a Thailand Elite visa? How's that whole process going, by the way?

[cdnmatt]

Yeah, that was a thought of mine, I told him about it, and he said he doesn't want one as it's too expensive. From what he says, not really needed anyway, as he'll probably never get denied anyway.

[justaguy]

You might want to get Leo a work permit. For Laotians (and Cambodians and Burmese) there is a separate work permit scheme. Depending on what company you use, price is ranging from 12,000 to 18,000 baht, which yields a work permit valid for two years. Seriously less expensive than an elite visa, and no border runs.

Not all Laotians are working illegally. :)

[cdnmatt]

Nah, the border runs work good for us. This way he gets to hang out in his home village with his friends and family for a week every month, which is good. Then I like it as well, because a little alone time is always good for a relationship, plus it helps ensure he'll never take what he has here for granted, even though I highly doubt he'd ever do that anyway.

Then after about a week in the village, he's bored and weary, and ready to come home, so it works nicely.

[bobsaigon2]

This does lend some clarity. Don't know if it has been posted already:

http://nypost.com/2017/07/20/thailand-i ... -get-home/ (http://nypost.com/2017/07/20/thailand-is-sick-of-backpackers-begging-for-money-to-get-home/)

[mahjongguy]

[...the "you can only stay in Thailand 6 out of 12 months" law]

There is no such rule. Hasn't been for years.

[cdnmatt]

Really? Did the law get taken off the books, or is it simply no longer enforced?

[mahjongguy]

Border entry rules have been changed a number of times in the past decade. That one goes way back.

It was dropped when they limited entries to 15 days for everyone except those from G7 countries. Then they went back to 30 days for all, plus 30 day extensions. Most recently they limited border entries to two per calendar year. Now, at borders and airports, they are pushing the long-existing 10,000 baht pocket cash rule for exempt entries and 20,000 baht for tourist visa entries (on a case-by-case basis).

[christianpfc]

This is targeted at Whites, not tourists / migrant workers (legal or illegal) from countries in the region.

(Or is it for those who don't have a work contract in Thailand? A friend in Cambodia went to Thailand once as a tourist funded by his Farang boyfriend and had to show 300 USD as proof of funding.)

20,000 Baht in cash shows nothing more than that you have 20,000 Baht in cash, and if someone does not have that amount (or equal value in another currency, or in his home bank available for withdrawal at an ATM in Thailand - if Thai immigration accepts these, and I was unable to withdraw cash in Indonesia and was glad I brought enough cash) he should really stay home.

For the tourist it is difficult to proof he is not working, and for immigration it is difficult to proof he is working, the 20,000 Baht rule is an easy way around.

They should rather legalize those jobs the Whites are working in. There must be quite a number, and there must be a demand!

[sglad]

No need, he will be allowed to exit Thailand, and come straight back for another 30 days stamp. He might need to pay a small fee, but they know full well he is most likely illegally working in Thailand, but they don't care, as said if they would, the Thai economy would collapse, that much is absolutely certain.

Interesting insight there. Thanks!