Are visa runs in Thailand being cracked down on? Should I consider long-term visas instead?

How many days at border now 60 or 30

If it was your third air entry within the past 12 months that may have been the reason. We are allowed two air entries per year and two land entries per year to my knowledge.

I've gotten this. Just get a tourist visa next time, and do not try visa exempt.

DMK airport IOs are too interrogative. I never use that airport except the Survanabhumi. No questions asked. Plus I believe there’s a limit in a year to how many times one is allowed to enter Thailand as a tourist or on visa exempt. Why not just stay in another country e.g Vietnam for some time? Maybe stay longer now that Vietnam just implemented the 90days tourist visa online since August 15.

Dont let it bother you. In fact if you hadnt made the run or previous runs, they wouldnt have notice.

Yes get a long term visa

I was just denied back in so was a whole of other guys and girls lock in the cells with me .

They get a back hand if you get a long term and they are happy .

Just got to keep telling yourself this is just the front line not Thai people and Thailand in general.

Get an agent while you are there now and get it sorted pay the money and you can keep enjoying Thailand

Nothing new. It's been like this for AT LEAST 15 years.

Visa runs or border runs? Don’t see any actual visas here.

i had last year I had 9 visa exempt stamps and stayed 210 days in 2022. I think you had bad luck. And DMK is known to be the worst. Are you living here? if yes get a visa, if not dont worry about it

In all my years of doing visa runs, I never got questioned except once recently, when she asked me how long I am planning to stay and other questions, we don’t normally have a problem because they like our money, we bring a lot of money and we are mostly well behaved , I remember reading tourism brings 18 billion American dollars to the economy, something like 20% of the GDP, this is why we get 29 days free entry,

Time for a long term visa. The end.

Yes. Be careful.

You should not make any more visa runs.

The next one could be your last one. As in “Get out.” “Don’t come back for awhile.” Maybe longer..

Cracked down on. Happened to me and everyone I know

I've just had the same experience I landed on the 5th August and was taken aside from the kiosk and interviewed and asked the same questions I ve extended twice this year already back in March and April. I was basically advised to seek a retirement visa.

Unfortunately, yes. Visa exemption runs - especially via DMK airport are not advised. I got extorted there once returning on visa exempt after two weeks in Bali. Ever since I do visa instead of visa exemption. Doesn’t guarantee entry either, but makes it less likely to run into such trouble. It is such a swampy mess how they make up rules on the go. Given that there is no written law about any maximum amounts or comulating amounts of stay on tourist visa or visa exempts until this day.

Can you share a picture of the handout?

I have never had any issues entering Thailand, but I have noticed that they have started asking me questions about how long I intend to stay and where etc, so I got a longterm visa. In my opinion they are only doing what they should be doing to police the people coming into their country. Personally I would get a proper visa before you have a problem, rather than wait to get refused entry.

Entering on exemption stamps has been abused for way too long. They're cracking down on it for the fact that visas actually generate money for the government. Pay for the privilege to be here. Because nobody is guaranteed entry, except Thai natives. Immigration officers don't HAVE to let you in, even with a visa, but you're highly unlikely to be turned away with a visa. If they typed up a memo attached to your passport number, you'll be lucky to get in again without a proper visa. There may not be an official LIMIT to entries by air, or days spent in the kingdom, BUT there's also no official ALLOWANCE either.

@Dennis ********

unlucky as you did th see wrong thing

You got a photo of handout

Yes they're cracking down. Tourism is one thing, staying for years and gaming the system is something else. Get a proper Visa.

short-term Visa exempts, visa runs have always been a gray area. You're lucky it's Thailand, in several asian countries, they are more strict about tourist visa runs. Schengen prohibits a short-term traveller to stay longer than 90days in a 180day period or whatever.

If entry refusal begins to an issue like this, you're at your own risk. Good thing in Thailand though, you can find a long-term visa that works for you if you can spend certain amount of money. Many countries don't have loopholes like this

Id like to share my story too. I did one exempt with extension, got 1 tourist visa in Laos and last month I went to Kuala Lumpur with my friend for 2 days. I wanted to get my second exempt stamp for last month that I plan to stay in Thailand. So meanwhile being in KL I read somewhere that DMK immigration is pretty strict, I didn't buy any return flight from BKK, I didn't think about it. I got indeed questioned if I have any flight, I said no and she was like ,how do I know you gonna leave Thailand then?' She got her colleague. Fortunetly he was really nice. He saw my history of entering Thailand and I did say that I plan to stay last month because I need to go back to Study in my country. I have my luggage left in Bangkok to make short trip with my friend and need to get it before i go further. And that I want to visit South Korea because my friend that was with me lives there. He told me to buy the flight to Korea right now. I didn't object, because I needed it anyways. When I asked for my passport back to write the information during the process of buying He asked me how much the ticket was. At that time one way ticket was almost €200. He looked at me and said "you don't really wanna buy this ticket right?" I said, well it's expensive but if I have to i will just do it. Then he smiled and me and told its okay, and stamped my passport. At this point just get that long term visa, I mean it would be easier for you and no need to hassle a lot. I should have done it too but back when I came exempt was 45 days + 30 days so I decided to make use of it before they change the rules.

Very much so. The days of living inside Thailand using visa runs are long gone

I had the exact same experience bro. I went and found a muay thai gym and got a ED visa with them.

He did tell you to get a long term visa, didn't he?!!!!

The solution is obvious. Get a proper visa.

If you spend over 4 months in the country using visa-exempt ( no visa) tourism as an excuse, you might be asked why you don't get a visa.

Yes. You need a long tern visa or extension of stay to represent the reason that you are spending a long time in Thailand, Basically, Immigration are telling you that you are no longer a tourist.

Tourism means exploring the country. If you only show up at one address, that is not tourism. I myself have been using Thailand as a base for exploring SE Asia, and am exploring Thailand as well. My passport is full of country stamps.

When I leave, sometimes I am gone weeks at a time, but even I am waiting for that warning now. But I am soon heading back home for a good while.

Basically, whatever you are doing, to them, it looks like you are residing in Thailand, not touring Thailand.

How do you get a long term visa?

That was your warning. You are now flagged. Do as they say and get a long term visa.

Perfectly normal. Got a similar experience at Suvarnabhumi even when entering with long term visa.

There is no official limit on the amount of Fly Ins one can do, however you will eventually be questioned by an overzealous Immigration officer

You are obviously entering each time so close together and they are questioning the fact that are you really a tourist .?

This is very common. I know many people where this happened. Same story for them too. I know it can be a bit scary when it happens.

You only need to spend a week in this group to know that you CANNOT live in Thailand long term without a long term visa. Also you did not do a visa run, because you didn't apply for and purchase a visa. You did a border bounce.

Regardless of that, you've spent 4 months in Thailand without a long term visa. Today was basically your warning that this is the last time you'll be allowed back into Thailand without a long term visa or without going home for a long period of time (5-6 months at least).

The days of living in Thailand on back to back visa exempt or tourist visas are long gone. If you attempt to enter through an airport without an appropriate visa again, you're very likely to be denied entry and sent packing.