Can I do a same-day border bounce at the Cambodian border for my Non Imm O visa?

Apr 3, 2023
2 years ago
Mikey *******
ORIGINAL POSTER
I have a 1 year multiple entry visa based on marriage to a Thai from Savannakhet in Laos (Non Imm O).

I need to do a 90 day border bounce to get my next 90 days and was hoping to do it at the Cambodian border (Arranyapathet / Poipet).

Is it possible to bounce in the same day or would I need to spend the night in Cambodia as I’ve read on a few other posts ?

Many thanks in advance.
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TLDR : Answer Summary
The user seeks advice on performing a 90-day border bounce to Cambodia from Thailand using their Non Imm O visa based on marriage to a Thai citizen. They inquire about the possibility of completing the bounce on the same day at the Aranyaprathet/Poipet border, receiving mixed responses about the expected procedure, risks of fees, and potential requirements to spend the night in Cambodia. Some comments suggest considering a long-term extension instead of frequent border runs.
Bob **********
Why not just deposit 40k a month and use the monthly system I’m sure you spend some money every month
Paul *******
@Bob *********
Not everyone wants to deal with immigration. The 12 month multi entry is a good option for many, particularly those that travel a lot. Also you can't apply using the 40K option until you have 12 months worth of funds transfers.
Bob **********
@Paul ******
yes you are correct
Richard ******
Stay away from Aranyaprathet
DC *****
I have the same dilemma. I already extend my ED visa (1year) and 90days notif.. but didn’t attach a slip to my next 90 days.. should i go to the immigration every 90days or only when there is slip notifying that I need to report on the specific date (finished last January 9, and my supposed to be 90days ths April 9).
Paul *******
@DC ****
If you leave the country every 90 days no need to do reporting. Not sure a slip is necessary when doing your report to begin with, I've never supplied one although I've usually had someone do the reporting on my behalf. I think it depends on your immigration office.
Kool *******
Why don't you just get your one year extension?
Mikey *******
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Kool ******
👍🏻
Wylie *******
@Kool ******
like I said I plan on traveling anyways so the cost of leaving the country every 90 days is not a factor since it is a cost I plan on incurring anyways.

The fee to transfer 400k baht using wise is close to 80 USD (2,700 baht). The difference between the fee for the extension and the visa is 3,100 baht, so just the money I save in Wise fees almost pays for that. I don't pay ANY fees to withdraw my money from an ATM for living expenses because schwab reimburses all fees.

So based on my situation and plans to travel anyway the cost is a wash, which brings it back to having that 400k work for me or sit in an account that earns no money for a year every year. Even if I assume only a 6% return that's 24,000 baht. If one considers compounding interest over several years it adds up. Even if for some reason it is zero percent I still haven't lost anything financially.

As far as wasted time or days lost I'm retired and want to travel. I didn't retire at 42 because I'm financially illiterate. I put WAY more thought and calculations into my finances than the average person. I'll try this for a year or several and if I find the 90 days is more frequent than what I want to travel then I'll switch back.
Kool *******
@Wylie ******
I understand your reasoning fully, and there's not much wrong with it, except, are you aware that with a Schwab brokerage account you get four free SWIFT transfers a month. Then with the marriage visa extension you can do anything you want with the money after you get your extension stamp, like investing it in an interest bearing account, very similar to your brokerage account for the rest of the year, until two months before your next extension. You are only losing three months of interest at the most, with zero international transfer fees. You know about the ATM reimbursement, but are you aware of the other free benefits you get? With a Schwab brokerage account you don't even have to mess with Wise. And, there is another advantage I'm not sure you know about that can save you money in the long run. Open a foreign currency deposit account (FCD) with Bangkok Bank. By having this, and your Schwab account, with the free SWIFT transfers, you can send US dollars into your FCD account as US dollars and change them into baht at your convenience, and all online. Historically the baht is slightly higher to the dollar in the middle of the month as opposed to the beginning or end of the month. Enough so that it is worth doing over the course of the year. The maximum cost for any size direct deposit into the FCD account is bt500. Sending $100,000 would only cost bt500 max./total. Then you can exchange it into baht transferring it into your regular account at the TT exchange rate that day. You're retired so you've got plenty of time to research what I'm mentioning. If for nothing else, to quit having to pay the Wise transfer fees. Have fun. There is a lot to see in the surrounding countries. I myself have been to LuangPraBang 8 times, and across the mountains from there to the Phonsavan Valley and the ancient plain of jars. The two day slow boat from Chang Kong in Northern Thailand to LuangPraBang is also a very relaxing trip, and gets very rural getting there.
Wylie *******
@Kool ******
Thanks for the info on the schwab transfer process and FCD account. I'll look into that for future decisions. I had asked my financial advisor about swift transfers from my schwab account and was told by schwab they could not do it to a foreign account. But now that I think about it that may have only applied to one of my two accounts with them due to it being a 401k/IRA account and me using rule 72t rule to withdraw from it early and not incur the 10% early withdrawal penalty. I may be able to do that with my individual account. That and the FCD and brokerage accounts would definitely reduce the financial cons in my situation for the in country requirement.

For this year I'm too close to my extension date and don't want that money sitting on the sidelines for 3 months at the moment. I don't know when or if but I'm hoping there's a nice market rally coming if inflation, fed rate policy, banking scares, etc show improvement.
Kool *******
@Wylie ******
when it was set up, it was at least US$20,000 into a brokerage account to get the free SWIFT transfers a month. If you have a brokerage account you should have this
Wylie *******
@Kool ******
like Graham mentions it has different financial requirements. I currently have a 1 year extension but don't really feel like pulling 400k out of my brokerage account and lose money transferring it to Thailand just to sit in an account that earns nothing. I'm going to actually switch to the 1 year visa from Savannakhet for that reason. I plan on traveling anyways so I don't think the 90 day bounce will be an issue. We'll see, worth giving it a go for me.
Kool *******
@Wylie ******
so how much are you spending cash wise to leave the country, and return, every 90 days, including transportation cost, the Laos visa, and then the return cost home, and the minimum one full day lost? By how much are you saving financially by buying that visa, and not just getting the year extension?
Graham ******
@Kool ******
It's a one year visa with no financial requirements but requires re-entry every 90 days
Paul *******
In your situation, theoretically you should be able to do a same day bounce BUT firstly the Cambodian authorities want you to spend the night and Thai authorities, at least at Aranyaprathet, tend to like seeing you spend a night away too so I'd suggest you get yourself to Siem Reap for the night.
Brandon ************
They probably won't tell you to leave and fly back like they do with visa exempt people, but you still take the risk of either being asked for an extra fee to return same day, or told to stay 2-3 days in Cambodia. It's really a border to avoid.

Use it at your own risk.
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