Answered4 years ago
When did it become more difficult to live in Thailand on tourist visas?
When did the days of living here on tourist visas end? The first time I lived here over a decade ago, I spend like two years here on TR visas. Now I am back and one a non O, but was thinking recent,y about how easy it really used to be living here and doing visa runs and border bounces indefinitely. Looking back, I cannot believe it really…I suppose I can feel some sympathy for those who have it a bit tough in terms of staying here long term. Those really weren’t such big issues one had to consider back in the day.
Answer summary
The discussion reflects on how much easier it used to be to live in Thailand on tourist visas, particularly through visa runs and border bounces over a decade ago, compared to today's stricter regulations. Many users recall practices from around 2014 onwards when crackdowns on such arrangements began, limiting options for long-term stays. They highlight the increase in visa application denials, especially for education visas (ED), alongside the restrictions imposed on border runs and the growing challenges faced by expats seeking to extend their stay without marrying or obtaining employment.
31 repliesnewest first
Click comment and we will ask for your email, then OTP, then name.
Nick **********
Apart from limiting to 2 land border runs per year, what is different in the actual rules, or is it just application?
Steve *******
Immigration and Embassys started clamping down about 10 years ago.
Jonny *****
Whats the solution for people under to live in Thailand long term? If you don't want to get married or have kids seems like your only option is ED visas but immigration cracking down hard on it now, many people being denied entry etc. Is the elite visa the only legit option?
Steve **********
@Jonny ****
Immigration has become the obstacle, it used to be a service, now its a business.
Sam *********
OP@Jonny ****
get married, get a job or shell out money for elite. So many people get Ed visas and don’t go to class..that’s a scam, it would be like holding a B visa and not working…I can totally see why it’s being cracked down on…
Jaye ********
Its a world wide thing. Brexit, QRs for digital monitoring all that jazz. India started doing the same too. The whole world just flipped during and after lockdowns.
Mike ********
Surprised nobody mentioned the ED visa !,.. seems to be used/abused by many ?
Sam *********
OP@Mike *******
totally is. All you need to do is read this forum and all the people who complain about having to attend class for a certain amount of hours per week…and how they are being forced to go to school…if you have a retirement visa, you must be be over 50, marriage visa, you must be married, not sure why anyone thinks it’s unfair that if you have an Ed visa, you must actually study…
Nick *********
It's been a nightmare ever since 2006 .
Jesse *******
a loaf of bread was 5 cents a long time ago...things change
Steve **********
Stuey ******
I remember the days we just gave our passports to a travel agent and 4 days later pick it up with new stamps many happy moons ago
Dianne *****
Around 2017 it started to get difficult to stay for those flying in on back to back tourist visas and visa exempt stamps.
Andrew ********
17 years here and it's starting to be a concern. Just did a visa renewal in Laos and I'd say 50% of the applications were refused for incorrect or missing paperwork. First time I've seen it like that. It's definitely not getting any easier. I got mine (12months) but for how much longer?
David *******
2000 to 2004 Bus to Bangkok, train and mini bus to Penang every 3 months. Those were the days.
J ******************
Perhaps should consider how aliens are treated getting into our own countries .
Karim ****
@J *****************
if they pay their way through everything and spend the equivalent of a year of minimum salary every month my gov has 0 issues with these "illegal aliens"Robert ************
Ah yes, the Good Ole' Days. 😊
Tony *********
There was a time about 15 years ago when I used to get on a plane from Phuket to Singapore in the morning, have some lunch, do a bit of shopping in Changi airport and get the flight back to Phuket in the late afternoon for another 30-day entry. Rinse and repeat one month later. Those were the days.
Michael ********
@Tony ********
yep and we would end up at nikkis by sunset
Ross ********
Big joke
Michael ********
But there is a lot more people working illegally now.
Michael ********
Yes i did 15 or so years of it
Duncan *******
2014
************************************************************************************
Roy ******
@Duncan ******
I happened in several waves with different kinds of crackdown. For retirees who submitted income affidavits, 2018 was the year Thai Immigration stopped accepting them
Steve ********
@Roy *****
There are only three embassies who no longer issue affidavits. US, UK and Australia. Every other embassy still can. Absolutely nothing to do with Thai immigration
Jeffrey *********
@Roy *****
Immigration still accepts income affidavits - the issue is that certain embassies stopped providing them.
John **********
@Roy *****
not strictly true. Thai immigration wanted them to actually verify the income and they chose not to do that. Plenty of embassies had already been doing that and continue to do so.
Graham ******
@Roy *****
Tell the Canadian Embassy that thenRobert ************
@Roy *****
Which came first: Chicken or the Egg? 😂Roy ******
Yes but those embassies which did stop providing them did so because Thai Immigration was no longer accepting them
*************************************************************************************
Activity
25 joined25
people
Related
25Can I enter Thailand as a tourist without a visa if I'm coming from England?
4.4k41375mo
What are the steps and considerations for obtaining an ED visa in Thailand after a 60-day Tourist Visa?
781575mo
What are the implications of the visa exemption change from 60 days back to 30 days for tourists in Thailand?
8.3k82495mo
Can I stay in Thailand for 6 months without a visa by applying for extensions and doing an exit?
1.5k10111y
How long do I need to be out of Thailand after my 6-month stay before I can re-enter?
2.2k13161y
What are the implications of 'comments' in the Thai immigration system and how can they affect future entries?
2.3k18152y
Why does Thailand restrict tourist stays compared to Europe?
7.1k50922y
How long must I wait after leaving Thailand before returning with a tourist visa?
1.6k12102y
Can I return to Thailand for a week to retrieve my belongings after staying in Vietnam for 90 days?
14.3k972122y
Can I frequently visit Thailand for short stays and what visa should I apply for?
1.3k993y
What should we do if we don't receive our visas before arriving in Thailand for our sabbatical?
1.8k13163y
How long should I stay out of Thailand to get a new 30-day entry upon return?
2.9k23253y
What are the differences in obtaining a retirement visa in Singapore compared to Thailand, and how do extensions work for tourist visas?
3.4k30203y
What are the requirements for applying for a tourist visa or ED visa for Thailand after receiving a void stamp?
7k60654y
What are the best visa options for traveling in and out of Thailand after an ED visa?
1.4k984y
What are the best long-term visa options for studying Muay Thai in Thailand for 3 years?
1.3k6144y
What should I do if I get a 7-day get out of Thailand extension?
6.7k58635y
Can I apply for a retirement visa in Thailand on a tourist visa before July 31?
4.6k46226y
Is the 30-day visa exemption for Thailand unlimited when traveling by air?
1.3k5177y
What are my options for extending my stay in Thailand on a short-term visa?
1.4k1138y
Can I stay in Thailand for seven months using a combination of exemptions and visas?
3.7k37168y
How can my boyfriend convince Thai immigration he won't be working while studying online instead?
3.1k29178y
What are the best visa options for my family to stay in Thailand for one year while I am on an ED visa?
3.4k33159y
What are the best visa options for a 154-day stay in Thailand for an American expat?
2.7k25139y
What are the best visa options for a year-long stay in Thailand for a couple, one over 50 and the other under?
2.1k1999y
Resources
Need help with your retirement visa?
#1 visa agent · 4,000+ reviews · 100,000+ expats served