Unanswereda year ago
What are the cash requirements for entering Thailand on a tourist visa?
Need I say anything?
Summary so far
The discussion revolves around the cash requirement for entry into Thailand, particularly for those traveling on a visa-exempt basis. Several comments highlight frustrations with the lack of clear communication regarding the necessity to present sufficient funds upon arrival, with some users sharing their experiences of not being asked for cash during multiple visits. There is a consensus on the difficulty and unpredictability regarding immigration checks related to funds, with some expressing disbelief at the stringent cash-only policy enforced at entry points.
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Stéfan ********
I imagine she was able to USE HER DEBIT CARD to purchase a flight out, the irony
Larry *********
@Stéfan *******
she had a RT ticket. . RequiredStéfan ********
@Larry ********
what’s required is an onward ticket. Her video doesn’t say if she did have a ticket, but a ticket also comes with a date. More than likely had to buy a new one, nevertheless.Ron *******
@Stéfan *******
If that were the case she'd be able to prove funds. She must have already had a return flight.Stéfan ********
@Ron ******
No… they insist on having cash. Read the article… she had the money, just not in cash. Another irony is they’re pushing to become a cashless society.
Yo***
@Stéfan *******
having 20,000 THB in cash is really a matter for the tourist??? 20,000 THB is only 500 Euro or something like that. When a foreigner goes to other countries for tourism reason, this amount is never enough at all. this is just really minimum. I can not think this is too high requirement for tourist.Ron *******
@Stéfan *******
I'm talking about the story being BS. There's more to it than what's being told. I've been allowed to go to an ATM at BKK and in Laos. A person can log onto their bank account with their phone and show proof of funds. This traveler must have looked like a vagrant or had multiple recent entry stamps. She was probably gonna be denied entry regardless.Stéfan ********
@Ron ******
I agree.. but it is their ruleRon *******
Robert **********
Usually people say they’re denied for insufficient funds when they’ve had too many back to back tourist, visas, and extensions, etc. Often they are denied for insufficient funds without the agent actually checking your money. It’s true, though, they don’t accept your online banking, credit cards, etc., only cash, and never ATM before passport control.
John **********
I only 6000b in thai cash.the rest is in £s
Patrick ********
@John *********
that's ok
Henry *********
@John *********
it can be any currency
Lisa ***************************
I thought it has always said you need sufficient funds on arrival to prove if needed you support yourself ?
Henry **********
@Lisa **************************
how long you support yourself with 20.000 baht? 🤣Lisa ***************************
@Henry *********
we take minimum of that each and stay same house each visit .. that is just the bare minimum we always take plenty
Bee *****
@Henry *********
cheap hotel 1 month
Ben ***************
I assume that’s on a particular visa because I have been 20+ times on the 60 day free entry and never been asked.
Johan ***************
@Ben **************
Actually, you ARE required to be able to show sufficient funds, even on visa-exempt.Ben ***************
@Johan **************
not once have I been asked . And it’s rare I have more than a thousand or so from my last trip because i just use ATMs rather than bring my own currency.Rob **********
@Hugh **********
nothing to get out, your comments don’t affect my life one bit, I just don’t like misinformed people pretending they know things, next time scroll on by if you can’t contribute to the conversation. Nothing personal.
Rob **********
@Hugh **********
I actually don’t live in Hua Hin😂 you certainly don’t have a clue when it comes to immigration rules and regulations, getting your bank statements authorized and stamped for your visa or your 12 months extension of stay based on your original visa has nothing to do with arriving on a visa exemption or on a Tourist visa. Before you comment you should familiarize yourself with the procedure. I have been here for a long time married to my Thai wife for 38 years and she and both our adult children and their children hold multiple passports. The only thing true you said that it is now harder to get a visa for the UK, USA, Australia etc etc. So now you can pull your head as you have shown everyone with your comment that you certainly don’t need a long neck to be a goose.Hugh ***********
@Rob *********
HAHA nonesense. Of course they wont accept credit cards. That's NOT proof of funds. You need to get your Bank Statements officially authorized on Bank letterhead with official stamps. I just had to do it myself for my visa. It costs very little. You don't need to carry cash. Kinda the whole point. But maybe you'd like someone to call you a WHAMULANCE? They also would accept travelers cheques as proof. How can anyone expect to come here with only about US $600 anyway. My wife immigrated to the west. Do you know how hard that is in today's world just to get a tourist visa to the EU, North America, Australia, or NZ? Shit's a cakewalk here by comparison. Enjoy the sesspool of Hua Hin. That place is an overpriced shit hole now.Rob **********
@Hugh **********
again read the official wording, they won’t except credit cards as it could be maxed out, the won’t except bank statements as they can forged quite easily, it is 20,000 baht cash or the equivalent in foreign currency.Hugh ***********
@Rob *********
Wrong it's not only cash it's "PROOF OF FUNDS!"Rob **********
@Ron ******
and as I have said previously the immigration law states CASH, so I guess we will be leaving this conversation at that, you can keep believing the misinformation and I will keep believing in the word of the law.Ron *******
@Rob *********
As I said, I've read different.Rob **********
@Ron ******
yes it does the actual rule states 20,000 baht cash or the equivalent in foreign currency, not a credit card not a bank statement, not in Crypto, must be in cash. I know that it is an old rule and not many people carry cash nowadays, but unless they amend the wording the immigration officer can ask to see your funds in cash.Ron *******
@Rob *********
I'm aware of what they require. But the term proof of funds doesn't specifically mean cash.Rob **********
@Ron ******
well you are reading the wrong information, the 3 things they can ask you to provide before gaining entry to Thailand are, proof of funds, proof of accommodation and proof of a return or ongoing ticket.Ron *******
@Rob *********
I've read otherwise.Rob **********
@Ron ******
incorrect the rule states 20,000 baht in cash or the equivalent in foreign currency. No bank statements, no credit cards, only cash. It is a long standing rule and although hardly ever enforced, it is still a rule and you can be asked to show the money.Rob **********
@Ben **************
just because you have never been asked doesn’t matter, it still is the rule that a immigration officer and ask to see your funds, they rarely do of course as you pointed out, but it’s still the rule.Ron *******
@Henry *********
You could literally log into your bank account with your phone. This is a BS post. Click baitHenry **********
@Ron ******
this looks a chat about idiots. They asked for CASH. How doyou provide funds id hou don't have cash? They don't let her withdraw from ATM. So?Ron *******
@Ben **************
You don't need to have cash on hand to provide proofBen ***************
@Johan **************
yeah shouldn’t have commented this 😂 cheers though, didn’t know it was a thing to be fair.Johan ***************
@Ben **************
Right, and neither have we. Still it IS a requirement. This one just might bite you.Johan ***************
That is an understandable mistake. We have visited Thailand visa-exempt about 10 times since year 2000 and were not aware. The Thailand embassy in Stockholm unfortunately has a reputation to give poor service, so it is usually avoided completely. Only this year we discovered the requirement to carry at least
*****
THB as a family (we entered yesterday looking well-financed I guess, so were not requested to show the money). I agree that there should be a simpler way.
Jared **********
Play stupid games, win stupid prizes
Harry *********
Good !! The sheer stupidity of having NO cash is beyond belief
Ryan ********
Some cash , then card and mobile phone is a lot safer it’s 2025
Brandon ************
@Ryan *******
yet that does not meet immigration requirements
Robin *******
@Harry ********
why I never have more than a few thousand baht when I go through immigration, I don’t like carrying cash, it’s not stupidity it’s sensible, if it’s stolen it’s gone for good, I keep mine in the bank.Harry *********
@Robin ******
exactly you have a few thousand baht . That’s my point don’t have no cash at all . Crass stupidity beyond belief . There’s virtually zero chance of it being stolen unless you’re a drunk tourist in Pattaya . There has not been a day in my long life that I have ever gone out with zero cash let alone arrive in another country with none . !!
Hugh ***********
@Robin ******
You can show proof of that too. Duh. Kind of the hole point.
Hans *********
@Robin ******
Europeans especially have experienced the banks' authority, and lately foreigners in Thailand too.For the last 50 years I have considered cash as THE king, and it still is, more and more.
Losing or getting robbed happens more rarely than banks' arbitrary.
Tony *******
Nonsense
Hugh ***********
@Tony ******
You don't make the rules dip stickNongnuch ********
@Tony ******
the 20,000 THB in CASH is a requirement, no matter what you think, dream or smoke . . . . . and if it doesn't get asked it still is a requirement. I have never been asked for my driver's license in 40 years, so, according to your opinion, it is not required to have one? Immigration will only ask for the 20,000 THB in CASH if they want to deny entry. In this case the "reason" they will write into the denial form, will ALWAYS be "Section 12, §2, no proof of required funds"
Stefan ******
@Nongnuch *******
That's the rule at every airport around the world. And not only for entry, secondary screening also. The family is ok also if it wasn't for the shorts, shorts trigger peeps in some countries including TH.
Eriq *******
@Nongnuch *******
Uneven enforcementHenry **********
@Nongnuch *******
the tay embassy when you apply for a visa ask to have 20k baht in a bank account. Who is travelling with cash today anymore? If they want cash anyone can easly withdraw at the atm.Nongnuch ********
@Henry *********
and a Charles Bukowski would probably get denied entry if he dared to show up at the border in shabby postman clothes wearing that worn leather caseNongnuch ********
@Henry *********
sorry to say: a credit card is no proof of sufficient funds. That credit card can actually have ZERO Dollar on it
Al ********
@Nongnuch *******
F off jackassNongnuch ********
@Dan ******
Last thing I would recommend starting to argue with the Immigration officer you are standing in front of. . . . . That's on my list of "stupid things"
Nongnuch ********
@Henry *********
. . . pay attention: Immigration will ask for the 20,000 THB in CASH if they want to deny entry. . . . . . . In this case the "reason" they will write into the denial form, will ALWAYS be "Section 12, §2, no proof of required funds" . . . . . the cash requirement is a welcome "tool" when it comes to a denial of entryDan *******
Argue with the internet. You’re hilarious. 😂. Better yet , argue with the immigration officer next time you go through. That would be very funny. 😛
Wayne *********
@Henry *********
Not completely wrong for your information. If your arriving visa exemption not applied for visa then you would not know what they embassy ask for when applying for a visa because you not applied for a visa.Nongnuch ********
@Al *******
the 20,000 THB in CASH is a requirement, no matter what you think, dream or smoke . . . . . and if it doesn't get asked it still is a requirement. I have never been asked for my driver's license in 40 years, so, according to your bolsterous opinion, it is not required to have one? What a stvpid comment of yours. . . . . . . . . . . . .Immigration will only ask for the 20,000 THB in CASH if they want to deny entry. In this case the "reason" they will write into the denial form, will ALWAYS be "Section 12, §2, no proof of required funds"Al ********
@Nongnuch *******
worked in Thailand in 1999 and have been back visiting and multi entry visas ever since never have I carried that amount of cash not you do it’s plain stupidity. I just use the local bank when needed. What a joke
Darren *******
@Al *******
what he says is right though whether you think it's stupid or not.Al ********
@Nongnuch *******
so stupid comment
Shane *****
@Nongnuch *******
by that standard I can take a screenshot that shows information that’s days old or can be manipulated and printed.Nongnuch ********
@Henry *********
baby: cash proof means cash. . . nobody will care about your multi coloured fancy cards. You can stove your cards into the place where the sun never shines onto 😎😂😂Henry **********
@Nongnuch *******
who talked about credit card? I'm talking about bank statment, or just open your bank account. Or just put an ATM before immigration. Anyway how long you can stay in Thailand with 20.000 baht? As I said embassy ask for a bank statment to apply for a visa, so you are totally wrong.
Karmaa *******
@Nongnuch *******
thanks for this!Nongnuch ********
@Karmaa ******
Proof of funds when entering ThailandBasically, immigration only asks people who got an extensive travel history to Thailand stamped in their passport and who have taken advantage of the visa exemption in quick succession, for a proof of cash.
A border official will start asking if he suspects visa misuse – a misuse of the visa-exempt entry for a long-term stay. It means they will only start asking for the “famous 3 proofs” if they are looking for a reason to deny entry.
The criteria according to which immigration at the border decides on an entry permit are listed in the so-called "Section 12" of the Thai immigration police. This can be found by googling "Section 12 Thailand".
In addition, an immigration officer has individual freedom of decision. The presence of a visa does NOT entitle you to entry if the officer is of the opinion that you are violating an article of "Section 12", or have been “misusing” touristic entries for a long term stay in Thailand.
The fact that many people claim that the have never been asked for proof of funds, does NOT mean that you got a guarantee that you won’t or can’t be asked.
Proof of cash is one of three instruments that immigration uses as a reason to refuse entry.
They ask people for the THREE famous proofs, which you ARE REQUIRED TO HAVE ON YOU, as per see this is a law!
***20,000 THB in cash (accepted as well in another currency, but NOT accepted in form of a credit card or bank statements),
*** proof of booked accommodation for the next few nights
*** proof of onward travel out of Thailand within the 60 days that you get stamped with when entering without a visa.
"Real" tourists are generally not asked for the three proofs!
If you are actually asked for cash, it is better to have the approximately 650 Euros/$700 USD with you. Because inside the area before Immigration counters of the BKK Suvarnabhumi Airport, there are no ATMs where you could withdraw cash.
Unconfirmed reports are that there is an ATM in the space where citizens of some countries buy the “visa-on-arrival”.
Pablo **********
Thats bullshit
John ********
@Pablo *********
Wrong its thai law
Andrew ********
@Pablo *********
nope their rules the law is showing 20,000 baht or other documentation to prove you can afford thailand - this is a tourist visa or exempt thing. I wage to say that having a non-o visa you wont get asked this. Im also willing to bet they asked her to show 20,000 baht due to questionable actions in her passport already - there is nore to this im sure anyway cause the 20,000 baht requirement is a very rare as in this is my 2nd time ive heard of it asked in 4 yearsRob **********
@Pablo *********
but they are the rules even though very rarely enforced, but still the rules.
David ********
@Pablo *********
why is it?
Kitty ************
@Pablo *********
it aint when it smells.Activity
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