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What are the current experiences with re-entering Thailand under visa exemption?
Nov 21, 2025
5 months ago
Bill *********
ORIGINAL POSTERI entered Thailand yesterday for the fourth time since May under visa exempt. No questions asked. Stamped in.
TLDR : Answer Summary
The original poster shared their experience of entering Thailand for the fourth time under visa exemption, noting they faced no questions during the entry process. Comments from others indicate varying experiences, including warnings for frequent entries without proper visas, discussions about the limitations of border bouncing, and the importance of providing context regarding the length and frequency of visits. The overall sentiment suggests that while it can seem acceptable to enter multiple times as a tourist, there are evolving rules and varying enforcement, especially concerning extensions.
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Peter *********
Wait till next time ! The rules were effective from 12th November.
Martyn ***********
Have you been going back to your home country? If yes.. Not surprised. The new rules don't effect you.. Whatever read elsewhere, many people are commenting who have half the info at best...
James ********
The majority of law abiding citizens can come and go as mentioned in this post. Be humble , be courteous be polite. The majority of the people going down the scare tactic road are the jealous ones ( read as do gooders ) who have 800 , 000 tied up while the average Joe just comes and goes about their business.
THAI ******************************
@James *******
Actual denial of entry is happening but it has mostly to do with attempting to live long term in Thailand with exempt entries, and border bounces / visa runs.James ********
@THAI *****************************
Crackdown for a while , then back to normal business soon.Reply to
James ********
Reply
Martyn ***********
@James *******
wtf are you talking about? 'scare tactics', 'jealous'.. What's someone on retirement visa got to be jealous of? Your air miles?James ********
@Martyn **********
Touch a nerve did I?Martyn ***********
@James *******
No..? Why.. Obviously it you who has problem with people on retirement visas. You need help..James ********
@Martyn **********
can't anyone debate without getting personal. Please.Martyn ***********
@James *******
what? You started it calling folk jealous and I made no personal statement about other than mentioning your obvious issues with retirement visa holders.Reply to
Martyn ***********
Reply
Luc ************
Of course not, why should they? Only extensions are being watched.
Jim *******
@Luc ***********
When I applied for my Yellow Book (I own my condo in Bangkok), Samut Prakan City Council (Bangkok) had a preliminary questionaire.One of the questions was: "How many extensions of stay you have had?".
Zero. The officers nodded.
Never stayed more than 2-4 weeks, within the visa exemption (that was until June 2024 30 days). Evidently, never tried to live in Thai with border runs. Been to Thai 110 times since year 2000.
Renting a car, went everywhere in Thai, 30,000 kms, whole family, hotels.
Even toured Isan (2,500 kms), up to Udon Thani, temples and attractions. Hua Hin, 20 times hotel stay.
That is tourism and I loved the travels.
Now, I am not a tourist any more (on Non-O 1 year extension). I want to live in Thai and I got the proper visa.
Jan ******************
@Luc ***********
Extensions are also covered, but border bounces are being targeted just as before. This has now been formalised as a maximum of two in a row without returning to your home country.Reply to
Jan ******************
Reply
Michael ********
How long were your visits and did you ever get extension. My mates just arrived for about the 8th time this year but just weekend visits. You need add context to your post
Jim *******
@Michael *******
I know of people who work in Penang (Malaysia) who come to Thai almost every second weekend, maybe 20 times a year, short stays, no any problems.Michael *******
They are tourists exactly what the exemption is designed for they are not attempting to live here long term, their pattern of travel will tell tj
Marco *******
@Jim ******
the problems will come at a certain point even if u stay short time like weekendsJim *******
@Marco ******
What problems? Would Immigration offcer tell them "Get a proper visa next time"? What kind of visa could that be for frequent weekend visitors, as genuine as tourists can be?Marco *******
@Jim ******
tourist visa in case they are tourist METV in case they are frequent travelers as tourist. Or any other visa that qualify their status. Even if only for 1-2 days at a certain point the IO will recommend to get a visa.Jim *******
@Marco ******
That I know of several people from Penang going to Thai every second weekend is only a tip of the iceberg. The facility has 5,000 employees, they go to Thai on weekends in their hundreds.There are coach companies, conwoys of 5-10 buses take them to Thai every weekend. Immigration officers would get into the bus and stamp their passports without them even standing up in their seats.
Those people flow through the company, new ones join, the last one I knew of personally retired this June 2025.
Since year 2000, nobody ever mentioned any visa to any of them.
Tania **********
@Jim ******
My thoughts , how people keep saying get a visa get a visa… there are lots of cases that it does not exist a visa for !Reply to
Tania **********
Reply
Robert ******
What was the longest previous stay?
Paul ******
Good question. I'm here already on a 30 day extension and was planning leaving 28th of November and returning in 2 weeks.
Robert ******
@Paul *****
if you return to your home country between visits it seems to be ok, its the boarder runners they are cracking down onReply to
Robert ******
Reply
Colin **********
If you came from your home country each time it seems ok, its a border bounce or quick return there wanting to limit.
Matthew *********
@Colin *********
correct. There is no limit on entries. New update ONLY focuses on extension and border runs. I am sure many people probably hate his post because he proves to many people who think they know everything wrong.Colin **********
@Matthew ********
I saw Siam legal said its 6 trips on holiday, I doubt it will affect to many people.Matthew *********
@Colin *********
I would love to see the documents that scam has. First time in years I have ever heard this claim of times.Colin **********
It looks like opinion
Matthew *********
@Colin *********
this might of been old because its not 30day entry anymore. Most country visa exempt are 60 days.Donald **********
@Matthew ********
Think it’s still 30 days by the rules but they’re currently giving 60 and could pull that whenever they like.Matthew *********
@Donald *********
true but they had said not long ago they wouldn't revisit it for atleast a year which we know thai words mean absolutely nothingDonald **********
@Matthew ********
New prime minister, his decision.Reply to
Donald **********
Reply
Umer **************
How long was each of your visits prior to yesterday?
Stephen *********
Did you extend?
Peter *******
I was doing that all year, in May I got a warning, get a proper visa over the next 2 visits.
Never had extensions, just FIFO 28 days in country each time.
Its luck of the draw at the moment.
Never had extensions, just FIFO 28 days in country each time.
Its luck of the draw at the moment.
John **********
@Peter ******
I would say if all you are doing is FIFO for work you are to all intentents and purposes living in Thailand and are not a tourist. In my view immigration are correct to tell you to get a visa appropriate for thatPeter *******
@John *********
im not in disagreement with that, however 8 yrs, no warnings.No extensions, less than 145 days in any year.
This change isn't aimed at FIFO, it's catching a lot of folk that aren't doing any harm.
And yes, we all should get the correct visa.
John **********
@Peter ******
sure the recent change is not aimed at FIFO but they have been cracking down on abuse of the visa exempt anyway before that changeReply to
John **********
Reply
Peter *******
@Fabiola *********
I got the warning in May, that was my second entry this year, I was told specifically get a visa, an entry was put on my file (IO's words not mine), I cannot specifically say that it was a heads up for these changes. When I spoke to Pathum Thani immigration in early June, the feeling I got was that they were targeting the criminal elements that abused the system. Genuine Travellers would be OK.I basically got 4-6 months warning, again I've been doing 28 day entries for at least 3 yrs, 4 times per year, no extensions.
Nongnuch ********
@Peter ******
not saying that you cannot enter visa-exempt only 2 times per calendar year. It is the total amount days of stays they count. Right now after the change, the limit seems to be 157 days, but I assume they still follow the 180-days rule of the thumb. I guess if you never maximize any visa-exempt stay by an extension, you are good to arrive for short holidays not totalling more than (157?) 180 days - now counted by "calendar year" (no more 365-days period)Peter *******
@Nongnuch *******
I've been doing this since 2017, initially 5 yrs visa exempts. 1 year NON-O retirement for 1 year, then back to FIFO for 3 yrs ( almost), the warning was after almost 8 yrs.I got a sense of change in May, and specifically the Chinese problems of scam gangs and trafficking to Mayanmar, was mentioned in conversation at immigration.
This change has been a long time coming, with all the bad publicity.
Reply to
Peter *******
Reply
Nongnuch ********
@Peter ******
so they counted back the rolling 365 days, NOT the calendar year, which was the usual practise before the November 16 changes on the "visa runs". So actually you received the warning when attempting a 4th or a 5th (only you know that) visa-exempt entry within a 365-days period . . if each stay out of 4 stays was 28 days, it sums up to, let's say, 112 days, so the new entry would have brought your complete stay amount to 112+60 = 172 days, plus a 30-days extension would have brought you to 202 days. 180 days within a one year period used to be the absolute limit for visa exempt stays. No wonder you got warned as the officer has to assume that you theoretically can get 90 days out of your visa-exempt stayReply to
Nongnuch ********
Reply
Fabiola **********
@Peter ******
after how many visa exemption entries in the same year did you get the warning?Reply to
Fabiola **********
Reply
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