What changes have been made to same-day border runs between Thailand and Laos for expats?

@Ian *********

Many thanks Ian!

GrayPanda6549 he did say "same-day border run between Thailand and Laos". It could be the specific one he used, the specific IO or even the way that IO was feeling that day. Or it could be a general rule for Laos. But I do think it was clear he was referring to a land border run to Laos.

@NoFace *******

lol then it’s BS and never happened

@NoFace *******

Ok so there’s no point to this post. Each crossing is different.

@Luit ****************

I see. Yes, take precautions and use as a last resort as necessary depending on the circumstances.

So you cannot point to any imaginary rule I put here? Just your usual interruption of a post again?

RadiantCamel1017 Exactly that is why I call it risky, and as a foreigner I would never try to do myself.

With a Thai partner it might be slightly different because they are better in correct wording.

@Luit ****************

Not sure the tea money thing is a good idea. As a last resort, you offer it (but you could be threatened if you do) so it's best to talk about it in indirect terms and then only if it looks like you might be denied entry otherwise and have exhausted all your other options. Generally, it won't go that far and on a DTV it's highly unlikely.

@Luit ****************

I still see you're making up imaginary rules Luit. Nothing changes 😆

@NoFace *******

a few simple facts are:

No law against border bounce.

IO decides about entry and is free to see it as unintended use.

Visa run companies grease the wheels for flawless passing immigration in and out.

With these facts in mind everybody can make a decision and calculate risk of strategy.

A few possibilities are:

Just buy appropriate visa for your purpose.

Use experienced visa service for border run.

Plan a longer stay outside.

Don't wait till almost 180 days.

And last if the ones before don't work, have some tea money for IO when you do border bounce on your own, even if it might be risky.

@NoFace *******

I don't understand the story with your baby, but I think you are right things start to change.

You not onlee see the changes with visa and immigration, but also with driver licenses, bank accounts, constructions for ownership of land and traffic rules.

A number of thes changes are targeted at foreigners, but others also to Thai citizens.

@NoFace *******

Because you have not had a problem doesn’t mean other people haven’t.

GreenCrocodile5873 mine is from reading posts, learning about experiences of others and serving as a Moderator on 4 Thai Visa related Facebook forums for several years, including prior to COVID-19. .

@NoFace *******

Thanks, but it will be diffucult to find a GF and make a baby in the next 5 months, but I will use this post next time at Immigration.

Did you show the birth certificate, pictures of the baby or did you have a CCTV installed to show in real life?

@NoFace *******

Always the same question if they have no clue about Immigration rules. BUT YES to satisfy your needs, NO IDEA what that has to do with baby at home to enter Thailand.

@Omer ******

My question was why did partner need to go on the ‘border bounce’? I didn’t ask why didn’t they bring their baby with them.

@Christopher **********

Why not? It does make sense not to take the baby to the border run trip

GreenCrocodile5873 Nothing wrong, just calling out BS or child abuse.

Both have nothing to do with your DTV.

@Christopher **********

@Robert ******

what is wrong with you guys? Who made you the judges of everything DTV? Claiming my post was trolling then just about every other post as well. Absolutely ridiculous. Get a life the pair of you. Sad old men

@Robert ******

babysitters aren't there for the whole day, op clearly said the planned to be back in couple of hours

RadiantCamel1017 When I just do some shopping across the border that should be allowed, and on a extension of a non-o it just cannot be considered a border

run.

Also when the current stamp by far is not expired, it should be easy to see it is not a border run.

But because border runners exist, the rest of the people get restrictions.

@Luit ****************

Probably not, but you can still be questioned and there is an assumption when you show up at the border (on any visa) that you might be there to do a border run. It's at that point that you need to make it clear to immigration what visa you're on. They will assume you're a border runner until you prove them wrong.

Someone who arrives with their luggage / a car and their documents will not be questioned because immigration can see they're going for several days at least.

Border runners come without luggage.

RadiantCamel1017 With a 1 year extension, you have to pay for the re-entry permit and have nothing to gain with the same day return, so IO would not see it as unintended use of a visa.

@Luit ****************

He's right. If you go to the border and are nowhere near the 180 day limit and have a record of never (or only rarely) having been close to the limit you should be OK.

That said, the proper way of using a multiple entry visa of any sort is to spend some time outside the country.

Even someone on a 1 year retirement or marriage visa would be looked at funny if they cross the border and come back the same day.

It's not a problem to do so but it's best to spend at least a night or two away.

@Lachlan *********

Each entry is subject to judgement of IO, just like with visa exempt an IO can see a borderrun as something not intended by the system.

Expiry date of the visa has nothing to do with it.

Most times it is not an issue, but things just might change, borderruns on visa exempt also were not an issue, but now they are.

@Luit ****************

correct - its a multiple entry visa. this never seems to be an issue if you’re no where near the expiry date.

@Luit ****************

Only SOME border crossings play this game though. Stricter ones won't accept bribes from visa run companies and thus aren't used by them.

When the border was open (and I assume once it reopens it will be similar), Aranyaprathet was absolutely no go for same day border runs. Visa run companies wouldn't go there. I noticed they started using the nearby Ban Khao Din border shortly before the Thai-Cambodian conflict closed the borders. However, the Ban Laem and Ban Pakkard borders, long under the control of the Thai military (hence why there are additional document requirements to take out a Thai registered vehicle there) were the two crossings favored by visa run companies.

Phu Nam Ron in Kanchanaburi (currently closed to everyone since 2020) is another border favored by visa run companies. Many a visa run company hauling illegal workers from Laos, Vietnam and sometimes Cambodia would use this border every 30 (or 60 days after receiving an extension of stay) or 14 days in the case of Cambodian nationals to get stamped out and back in again.

All these people are working in Thailand illegally without work permits but the visa run service would simply pay off immigration to look the other way.

At the Lao and Malaysian borders, there are specific border checkpoints which visa run vans use for the same reason.

@Blake ******

glad you were successful with your border bounce with same day return.

@James *******

well I have more than once, and I don’t see why you would think otherwise based on what I said.

RadiantCamel1017 you answered your own question by saying "spending a couple of nights in Laos".

That is a big difference from doing a BORDER BOUNCE with same day return.