What are the risks of living in Thailand on visa exempt or tourist visa entries?

Nov 26, 2018
6 years ago
June ********
ORIGINAL POSTER
Wow, getting serious!
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TLDR : Answer Summary
The conversation discusses the challenges and risks associated with living in Thailand on a visa exempt or tourist visa. Participants express concern about the potential for denial of entry at major airports, the implications of trying to live long-term under these conditions, and the importance of being aware of the legal boundaries to avoid serious consequences.
Tod *********
And while it is an interesting (if pathetic) story I think we've taken it as far as we can :/

Moral of the story, IF you're gonna live here on visa exempt or tourist visa entries you need to be prepared for getting denied entry at some point.
Steve *******
Rented a condo for a year on a 30 day visa exemption. Now wonders why suspected of working in Thailand!
Robert ********
Someone got what they deserve.
Zachery **********
Hard to have sympathy.
Christopher *********
I you must try to live this way then I imagine there's less at stake (detention cells, forced to buy plane tickets etc) if you try a land crossing? Or..?
Tod *********
Dean In the article it specifically stated;

The starting period will be determined by the Tourism and Sports Ministry after its study of the proper period and details.
Tod *********
Dean Guilfoyle that was a b/s announcement of what the thai cabinet had passed NOT what had made it into law yet.
Christopher *********
I think that is still tentative and not in effect.
Tod *********
@Christopher ********
right being denied entry by land means you go back to what ever country you were just in. By air it's a little more tricky :(
Christopher *********
Well what I was getting at is that if you're refused entry at a land border, the worst that can happen is you walk back to Laos, Myanmar, Malaysia etc?
Biff *******
That's quite likely to be the reason why they limited visa exempt land border entries to two per year. To make people like this fella fly in and arrive somewhere where they've got a cell to put him in while they arrange for an airline to fly him out of the country again.
Tod *********
There lies the catch 22 :O You can only get TWO 30 day visa exempt entries by a land border in a calendar year (Jan 1 - Dec 31).

This means people can't just bounce out and back in to get another 30 day visa exempt entry by land after the second one. If they are going to enter on a visa exempt entry they HAVE to fly in.

Now they could get tourist visas and enter by a land border no problem though
Tod *********
AND this highlights the perils of "living here" on back-2-back visa exempt or tourist visa entries and FOOLISHLY flying in to either Don Mueang or Suvarnabhumi <- easily the most hard core airports in the country.
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