What options does a person have after being turned back at BKK for frequent entries?

@Michael *******

thanks for the advice, much appreciated

@Jimmy ***

Bangkok

@Viola *******

By the way, there is nothing such as a "back list". I guess it was just a typo from your side. There however is a "blacklist"

That would be a yearlong prohibition of entry.

Only people that have been arrested on an overstay, or those who have broken the law, like having worked in Thailand without a work permit, have been court tried and prosecuted, can be "blacklisted" from Thailand.

People who receive a "flagging" in the system haven't committed any crimes - they just have "overused" the visa-exempt entry, and it can also happen to those who misuse consecutive back-to-back tourist visa for a longstay

@Viola *******

That's wrong, Miss

@Viola *******

. A denial of entry will get recorded in the Immigration Central Computer, but it does not automatically result in a "blacklisting". It however results in what we call "flagging".

A blacklisting would mean that you are banned from entering Thailand for a specific period of time.

However, we were talking about a denial of entry at the border, and the reason given was “overuse” of visa-exempt entries. It means, that after a certain period having spent outside of Thailand, you can enter again, if you hold the correct visa for your specific purpose.

And in other words, if you get pulled aside and questioned, and they can decide to allow entry, however if they do so, it gets accompanied with a warning that for the next time you need a proper visa for the purpose of your stay. In this case, you will get "flagged" in the Immigration Central Computer.

Each time an Immigration official scans your passport, your personal page will come up, and your record will show that you have been warned.

We call this "getting flagged". This is what your "personal page" will look alike, and in the lower left corner there is a box into which your "flagging" will be noted!

@Bob *******

don't think it matters if it's just for brief trips weeks each time ....I've been doing it for 30 years never an issue ..several time a year

@Bob *******

that's what nobody can tell you with certainty. It depends on your previous stamp history and if the border official has a good day or if he got out of the bed in the morning on the wrong foot

@Richard **********

you can do as many as you can until you can't

@Richard **********

Free 60 day visa exempt entry stamp extendable another 30 days, available to more than 90 passports. These days more than 2 such entries back to back will raise eyebrows

@Soran *****

pretty sure

@Richard *******

not true at all

@Graham *****

the law doesn’t say that. Idiotic advice.

Whilst operating under Thai Immigration Law!

@Graham *****

I’d want it all in writing with reasons

@Jordan ****

you can't stay forever in Vietnam either

@Jordan ****

those you hear complaining are likely those that can’t afford to stay in Thailand since both those countries are cheaper to live in.

@Jordan ****

there is a clearly written law you're either a tourist or you're trying to stay here a long time The law says if you're a tourist you can apply for a tourist visa or visa exempt, if you're not don't try and fool us

@Jordan ****

most countries send you back to the same country you departed from. Nothing unusual about that and not Thailand specific. So your implication of an insult is actually insulting.

@Jordan ****

yes its on the immigration officer if he wishes to be here then pay for a tourist visa with unlimited entry per year. I dont undsrstand why people feel entitled to skate and abuse the system visa exempt is for tourism and visit not to be manipulated to stay here as long as you wish

@Tim ******

a rule sounds like this “Visitors on visa exempt status are allowed to spend X days per year in the Kingdom”. There is nothing of this sort other than some vague guidelines

@Tim ******

a rule, norm, law, whatever you want to call it has to be clearly stated. When it comes to visa exemptions we don’t know how many days a year we can spend in Thailand on that status and there is no uniform procedure at the border since it is at discretion, therefore there is no rule, law to help you determine whether you are doing something bad or not. The fact that you can also pay to have a assisted border run also proves my point.

@Brandon ***********

I made the reasonable assumption that someone who got a warning would wait for a year at least before returning

no one was asking you. Got nothing interesting to say, f off

@Allan *****

when I lived in Panama the same problem came up with expats doing border hops and returning from Costa Rica because nothing said you couldn’t. Like Thailand Panama had no clear rules on amount of time.

People were following the rules as laid out. Panamanian government finally changed the laws requiring to having to be out of the country for 6 months once you had been in country for the legal limit of six months unless you were allowed to stay by a long term visa.

@Allan *****

maybe they would get the “correct” visa when they know how much time they can spend on the visa exempt status.

Their only fault seems to be not having spent the money to be assisted across the border and back.

Go to any of the smaller malls in Bangkok, there are at least 2 companies in each mall advertising assisted border runs

@Allan *****

perhaps they should make clear rules. If someone comes in visa exempt for 60 days and does a 30 day exemption and then leaves for a week then returns for another 60 days visa exempt and again extends for 30 days. Then travels out of Thailand for 1 to 2 months and again returns for 60days visa exempt—where does it say he has been here too long other than the immigration officer? The next immigration officer two stations down would let him in!

@Wannikea ********

not exactly the way it works.. if you don’t have a visa they don’t let you on the plane, if you did somehow get on they’d send you home on the next flight.. detention centers are for those that get caught illegally trying to cross the border or are caught in America illegally.. play stupid games win stupid prizes!!

@Wannikea ********

that system is just as bad, or worse

I’ve been travelling for decades, first visit to Thailand in 1999, never had any problems with them.

But I believe that immigration law has to be clearly stated and rejections should be bases only on clear reasons (no funds to maintain yourself, reasonable suspicion you are working ilegally, past criminal record and so on), not rules like “I did not like the guys face”, or maybe today I feel like using my discretionary powers as an immigration officer

@Alistair *********

yes, definitely you can live in Thailand on tourist visa or border bounce. No need for a visa at all.

@Alistair *********

yes. unless they make a clear law that allows me to know whether I am staying to long, or not.

I knew their policies concerning visa exemptions were shit since a decade ago, that s why I never spend more than 4 months a year when I don t have a visa, but I am not suprised people try border runs.

I actually don’t care much when they turn away people on border runs, as they can explore the adjacent countries, but being turned away at the airport and losing thousands of dollars is a disproportionate punishment, especially when paid border runs are still taking place with impunity

@Bob *********

no we aren’t

@William *****

A re-entry permit is useless if your entry stamp has expired

@William *****

should get a service of an interpreter on the spot to clear the misunderstanding out.

@Richard **********

unless you get the wrong agent, then you will definitely be banned.

@Richard **********

this humor or reality- or both? Actually curious about things on the ground