Can you be deported from Thailand if you don't show 20,000 THB at the border?

@Julandi ********

how did Savannakhet and Vientiane deny them? You mean they couldn't get a flight back to Lao right? Not that they went there and were denied entry to Lao too.

And there is confirmation that you cannot simply just go where you want too when your denied entry.

Sorry to hear that. Any more information on how it went down?

The pattern here seems to be that you can only fly out with the airline that brought you in and then it's a matter of where that airline goes and whether the country at the other end will accept you. This might also explain the "bring 30k to Lao Airlines" bit, it could have been proof of means to let them back into Laos.

So sad experience for them.

Are they being sent back to Laos?

@Mayen ***********

and one last time they were threatening you with denial of entry NOT deportation BUT because they probably suck at english at least as much as you suck at thai they used the easiest word you would understand, deportation.

@Tod ********

So the I/O was wrong when he clearly spoke the words: I will deport you because you already did 2 visa runs this year. And before he called me to come to his table, I was observing how he told other tourists about deportation. He was either threatening us or spoke the wrong word "deportation".

@Mayen ***********

and you would be incorrect.. You were going to be denied entry... :/

One last time , you can ONLY be deported IF you were stamped into the country.

I guess one can be deported even without stamp into the country based on my experience at Poi Pet border. The immigration officer held me after seeing my passport, asked me to choose 2 options: to be deported or provide plane ticket and 10k show money. I chose not to be deported and provided the requirements.

@Martin ******

having a thai bank account or not doesn't even factor in to whether you're gonna get into the country when asked for proof of funds because you show cash at the entry point to the country if you're asked.

Also having a thai bank account to show proof of funds when buying a visa at a thai consulate doesn't count against you in the least, because you can open a thai bank account on a 30 day visa exempt entry if you want to.

Sorry, those values are equivalent to 30,000 baht, but you get the idea

People, it's only 900 US Dollars or 850 Euros, it's not like you have to carry a wad of cash with you

Thanks, I'll keep that in mind

@D*

I get that sentiment, but if you do not have a significant history of back-to-back visa exempt entries or "living" in Thailand on tourist visas you are very unlikely to have any issues coming in with immigration. If you do have, it would be prudent to bring the money. It can be the equivalent in any major convertible currency, it does not have to be THB.

@Ivan ***********

I'm glad to be aware of that now as I was planning on a visit to Thailand again for a month early next year but this will make me seriously rethink doing so, possibly opting to spend more time in neighbouring countries where this kind of hassle is not an issue

@D*

it may be acceptable proof to a consulate to get a tourist visa, depending on the consulate. It will not be acceptable to immigration on entry as they want cash and will not take statements wherever they come from.

Martin Swain I opened my bank there many years ago when I was running a business there (legally) for 3 years.. now I am just interested in being a genuine tourist there.. I also maintain a bank account in Vietnam where I spend a lot of time as a tourist.. it's just so much easier for getting money when I need it and not having to carry large sums of cash with me..

OK so this is baseless speculation. It's helpful to clarify whether this is from actual experience or just how you think things should work. Things do not always work how you might expect them to. Immigration do not accept statements or bank books from Thailand or any other country, it has to be cash.

@Iv**

, Consulates maybe, they aren't Immigration ! How many genuine tourists to any country open a bank account there, get real !

Do you have any examples to back that up? You would think that all right but many Thai consulates that require proof of funds for a tourist visa do accept Thai bank books.

While immigration don't accept statements or bank books wherever they are from.

Having a Thai bank account, one of the biggest red flags if a person is trying to enter on a Visa Exempt or Tourist Visa.

No, needs to be cash.

Elni Pretorius your profile states your working as a teacher in Bangkok.

Your not a Tourist

And if thats the case, they dont need 20k each to enter thailand , do they??

Laos airlines has nothing to do with this now unless theyve been ordered to fly out and thats for the tickets.

Common sense should tell you that.

I wouldnt be handing over that money to anyone except to your friends in person.

Not convinced they would even try the extorsion trick as it stands now. Agree though, never heard yet of someone fetching the funds.

@Ivan ***********

. I'm starting to wonder the same thing.

I have never heard of someone else being able to provide the cash for immigration. That isn't to say it is impossible, if the requirement is actually there to show they have means of support that would show that.

I'd be careful that this is legitimate and not just an attempt to separate you from your money.

Perhaps the price of accomodation in the IDC cell has risen due to being over capacity? It's not free to stay there 😉

@Robert ******

. What part of 30k baht EACH isnt fishy to you?? Its either a miscommunication or someone is playing games.

They must show proof of cash, they do not have, go into detention and than some one else show up with 20K a person to help them out. What is the fishy part? They stil can not meet the requirement.

It should only be 10,000, but some have been asked for 20,000. I guess they can ask what they want!

Something fishy here. ..

I have never heard of them going over 20,000. It would be 20,000 each, for each person though. So 40,000 if there are two of them. Why do you ask?

Haha, easy to say that than done. When I was among those held at the immigration in Poi Pet, 2 foreigners where trying to reason with the officer, but they were not allowed to reason out more. They were immediately sent back to Cambodia.

David Broadfoot True and good point... the official requirement on a 30 day exempt entry is 10k, but I have heard of them asking to see 20k. There's no point in trying to argue with them so always best to have 20k. My original post was in response to Mayen stating you only need 10k.

10k for 30 day visa exempt entry. 20k for 60 day tourist visa entry.

@Biff ******

Indeed. The next day I able to provide the requirements and was given 1 month stay in bkk.

I just advice, feel free to what ever you like to do with it.

@Robert ******

I don't think they saw my fb acct. The moment the officer saw my passport stamp in Feb. that I went to Siem Reap, I was immediately held and was given 2 options: to be deported of buy plane ticket with show money.

It is allowed, otherwise you would’ve been refused entry. At every border they can ask you to show cash and, in the case of tourists, onward travel tickets out of Thailand.

@Mayen ***********

Yep, working since 2013, you better update your Facebook. Immigration also have acces to Facebook pages.

@Robert ******

I was just a tourist there, not a worker.

@Mayen ***********

Why you use Visa Exempt Entry, can not believe that if you work for Thai Government they won't help you with a Visa?

@Biff ******

I was held at the border after my visa run from Poi Pet, Cambodia. It was my second time visa run this year, which I was not aware that it was not allowed. So the officer asked me for 10k show money and plane ticket to show that I would fly outside thailand after a month.

In the book yes, but the Immigration Officers at the airports and on the southern border with Malaysia want to see 20.000 Thb.

You can’t get deported until AFTER you’re actually in a country. What happens at borders where they don’t let you in is they refuse you entry.

Terary Apellido You don't get a visa at Immigration Checkpoints, other than the Visa on Arrival for 21 countries. This is not the first time you comment on the way we run this page. If you do not agree feel free to go somewhere else, next time you tell us what to do, I simply use the exit button for you.

Race and nationality are two different things.. I am sure passport nationality does influence the Immigration Officer's assessments. Finally. We've established these poor people aren't getting a visa at this time.. Shouldn't you have closed topic.?

You can be, but on this page we don't do racial profiling.

Nationalitiy does not matter

If you can take the money to them absolutely do that. That would be great if it fixes the problem. Do update us and let us know if that works out OK. Good luck!

@Hans *****

Well, not every country requires you to show money to stay

Tom Hanks and Catherine Zeta Jones in "The Friendship Bridge"

What they do in that situation at land borders, is you go back to immigration in the country you left and they cancel your departure stamp. It's as if you never left Malaysia/Cambodia/etc

@Robert ******

Or like this, courtesy of Thaivisa forum today.

I answered my own question. They can. SA is not on the list. May want to check though that they don't have a visa issued in Pretoria with the writing on it stating they need to return to SA in order to get another visa.

I see the OP is South African. If her friends are South African, can they get visas in Laos? I have no idea without looking.

@Ivan ***********

i never said they did. I simply stated the fact that if they did. Many people are unaware of that situation regarding Laos airways.

I missed the bit where they said they had an overstay and were flying on Laos Airlines.

And i have said, until they are released and immigration have made a decision regarding there visa history, it's hypothetical where they are going.

You do realise that with an Overstay stamp in your passport, Laos airways at least, will refuse to carry you? To keep preaching this being able to go back to where you came from, is misleading. I guess people don't like the fact, this playing games with immigration, is coming to an end.

These people weren't simply stopped over the lack of 20,000 baht. They obviously have a history that even having 20,000 baht was not going to sway off.

That guy was let in. Most reports after denial of entry they go back to the country they came from. There are plenty of reports of people going back to Laos. If it happens that they are not allowed go back to Laos, then they will have to deal with that then, but she is asking for advice as to what to do now and I would maintain that is the most likely outcome, and if so, that is the best thing to do.

@Ivan ***********

it isn't standard practice at all. In the last 2 weeks we've had the guy on ME visa held until he bought a ticket back to the US and then only stamped in for 30 days, passport marked and given a letter to that effect.

The lady held for 2 days, with a visa and only released on the next available flight to the UK. It's not a foregone conclusion your going back to where you came from to attempt a porous land border entry.

They are well aware of what's going on thanks to social media.

The standard practice is to send them back to the country they came from, which in this case would be Laos.

Until they are released, where they go is hypothetical. Immigration and the airline will make the decision where they go depending on there visa history.

She's asking what to do right now. What would you suggest? They probably aren't going to have a choice other than to fly back to Vientiane, so if they are there, entering by land at Nong Khai would seem like the best course of action, after getting a visa if they don't have one, and gathering the required proofs.

There are many reports from people who went through this that did fly back and subsequently entered through a land border without issues. And Nong Khai in particular has few reports of problems, or asking for anything, while the Bangkok airports have many reports of problems.

This is done on a border post by border post basis, they do not all apply the same rules, some are more "difficult" than others. DMK is the worst, followed by BKK. The Cambodian land border at Poipet/Aranyprathet also has a reputation of being "difficult". Nong Khai has a reputation of not causing problems.

You don't say if they have a tourist visa or not, but if they do not, getting one in Vientiane while they are there would also be a good idea. And obviously, have the money next time, although it is unlikely they will be asked at Nong Khai.

If they DON'T have a visa, and you say they have done some border runs already, note that land border runs are limited to two per calendar year.

@Julandi ********

. Tell them to get a tourist visa.

Yes we know that. That has nothing to do with suggestions of attempting to enter again through a land border visa exempt.

There problem is solved now. They are being sent back to SA.

David Broadfoot you can only do 2 visa exempt land entry's per calender year.

How would you assume you would enter without flying in?

@Ali *****

if they had had already done 2 visa exempt land crossings and never had a visa.

Clarifying as above it says they will have to fly...

@Ali *****

we know that.

But they can still apply for a visa and then cross the border. The 2 land crossings restrictions is only for visa exempt entries.

@Julandi ********

if they have done 2 land border crossings this year, using the visa exempt entry, another isn't possible. They have to fly into Thailand.

how many is a "few"

@Julandi ********

. Theres the probable reason...

I have not seen reports of this happening in practice. A refusal of entry seems to be an unrecorded event, or at least not something that is specifically flagged.

A refused entry stamp does not mean they cannot enter again at another time or another border. Maybe it will impact in the future, but right now it does not.

There are many reports of people refused at airports who fly back and then re-enter successfully via a land border.

@Ivan ***********

Won't they have their passports stamped refused entry?

Thus cannot try re-entry?....

Potentially pick up a tourist visa, 20,000 THB, hotel booking and return travel tickets whilst they're on the journey north.

@Biff ******

Thanks Biff for the suggestion. I tried to clean this up and removed lots of comments.

Just delete the unnecessary comments. Closing commenting won’t help the OP

@Barry *****

500 Euros is NOT ENOUGh as of todays exchange rate only 18,600 THB

Jay Nase just you wait until they get a grip of that game. It's not far away 😉

They actually state MAY , so they have discretion on who they ask. If they asked everyone, it would be chaos.

Chances are normally slim that they'll ask for it but they CAN ask. Best to be prepared.

@Julandi ********

. Thats the rules. Its plastered all over the internet and there are signs in the airport before passport control too.

Danielle Jones yes that’s what we did. 40,000 baht for a family, which is what we did. But we weren’t asked.

@Tyson *******

so would USD be fine as long as it's in cash?

Back to Laos then.

as long as they havent passed immigration they are not technically in the country. And yes they need to show cash...