Why was I denied entry to Thailand and how can I ensure a stamp next time?

@Patrycja *******

ok, thank you for sharing. 🙏✨

@Maxim **********

thank you

@Richard *******

i agree....they do have rules.....as i have experienced myself. I feel if you want to come back n forth...its best to get a proper visa that allows that. A tourist visa wont cut it. You will run out of luck sooner or later!

@Richard *******

yep, a couple of those gets you up to the 180 days, and over than had someone been in the country previously before that. I went through Don Mueang last year after maxing out METV and was pulled aside for questioning. The Immigration officer and his supervisor specifically quoted "over 180 as a regular tourist" as the reason they were questioning me. I did have a very valid reason for re-entering so they waived me through.

@Aaron **************

because westerners want to work for thai money 💰 🤑 💸 🤣

@Patrycja *******

There are many people living here and running illegal businesses, especially some Russians who provide taxi services, haircuts, beauty services, real estate assistance, tour guiding, etc. You just don't know about it and can't see it because it’s unofficial and mainly advertised through Telegram groups or other channels.

@Eryk ***********

yeah it's big in phuket i do see and hear about it all when I see police arresting them all for it online . Alot with the Chinese to it seems . I've seen alot more arrests posted daily online with it recently and since there's been alot more arrests I've noticed an increase of visa declines also.

@Eryk ***********

kinda true

@Patrycja *******

well there's alot getting arrested for it phuket so I guess so

@Alyza ****

it baffles me the not being honest baffles you?! What is wrong with people. I’m simply stating the fact so people can sift through bs posted by people like you… what’s the point of ‘exaggerating’ when it has nothing to do with the reality.

@Jacob *****

I will you dm you. The admin gets upset if you list agent's even tho this site is owned by Thai visa

@Matthew ********

This group is own by a visa agency who provide such fast track services. So no, it's not illegal to mention an agent here :)

@Maxim **********

I have been messaged privately not to mention any agency names more than once. maybe that's the other group Thai visa group or forum

I was banned from the other group a few days after Brandon made this group. My planned exit :)

@Matthew ********

The other visa group has a very strict no agency policy. You're not even allowed to talk about using an agent there.

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

yep, that would Tod . It's hard to keep track which is which now. I thought someone posted they were all owned by the same agency. The other forum throws a fit when I suggest To use agency because I like the ease and no hassle.

@Matthew ********

they are owned by the same agency yes. But they have different rules that carried over from before that agency took ownership.

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

ok thanks for clearing that up. Hard to keep track. Tod pretty much anti agency for sure

@Matthew ********

actually Tod isn't anti-agency at all. In other groups and on the ASN forum he tells people that using border bounce agencies etc is their best bet and tells things like it is. But for that specific group all of the mods enforce the rules very rigidly.

@Matthew ********

giving an agency name is fine in this group. It's actually frowned upon to talk about DMing as it can be considered soliciting services. But references based on personal experiences are fine. There's always agencies and agency employees here though that try to advertise for their own business which is against the rules.

@Johnson ***

I just returned in January, nothing new. Didn't check anything. Immigration officer we as super cool and asked if I planned on renew my visa since my expired because I left for medical reason back to the states. I post with real experience. Maybe they just don't like your looks. In 5 years only time been asked was by Japan air in Japan during COVID. No ot even Thailand has ever asked. Just like millions on here usually dont have a problem. Wonder why they single you out so much

@Matthew ********

Have you read about expats being asked for a return or onward ticket below?

All immigration agents have the discretion to ask for evidence of departing Thailand.

If a traveler reads your experience and decides to enter Thailand without evidence of departing, and they are asked for evidence of departing by an immigration agent, their excuse that ‘Mathew said I don't need departing evidence’

.. will not be accepted.

BTW.. I have talked to several other normal looking tourists who have been asked to show evidence of departing Thailand.

as side bar to the above:

Once the ETA is implemented, everybody will be required to list evidence of a return or onward ticket.

Never said you didn't it, just said they rarely ask. Which makes me wonder why they ask you so many times. Can one can just purchase a refundable ticket, a CHEAP onward ticket and even purchase a dummies tickets as many have listed the site. It's not a big issue and for the ETA, don't hold your breath. You obviously aren't an expat loving here. Your showing all the details of a wanna be but your not.

@Ralph ******

there is plenty at Bangkok airport. Direct before making a left to immigration is an ATM and money exchange booth. And there are plenty next to phone booth for phone sim cards. After landing I always get money at ATM when deboarding and going immigration.

@Matthew ********

Ok, I stand corrected.

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

there might be at least two good reasons: the contract finished, need to find another work or like in my case wanna go home, but first need to get my belongings and finish some things up. The whole no grace period after your contract finishes is a really big issue that Thailand doesn't want to solve. Why do people who spent years living and working here are not entitled to one month grace period after their job is done? Yes, I know there's an option of buying 7 days, but first of all it's not enough time and second it's not fair to make people pay for 7 day extension after they've already paid for the year visa, WP and jumped through all the hoops.

@Angelik ******

serious question...do people not know when their contracts are up? If I had a six month contract come month four I'd be looking for new work or wrapping up my legal affairs. Are these open-ended contracts and the businesses just end contracts without 30 days notice or what have you?

@Damon ******

first of all, I'm not talking about that. You can know that you have 12 months before your contract ends, but your visa ends on the same day and you have to leave the country on the same day, which is not always possible. Your employer, for example, your school, expects you to come in to work on the last day of your contract even if you don't have any work to do, and then you have to catch a flight to Bangkok and outside the country on the same day, do you think it's fair, possible and makes sense? Cause even though sometimes it's physically achievable, it's still too much to ask. Second, you might want to relax for a few days or travel to a nice place after you finished your work and before you leave Thailand for good. As for looking for a new work, the school will only notify you 30 days or less that they are unwilling to renew the contract, and guess what? The time when your contract ends is not a good time to find a new job, not to mention the time before that. Most schools only start hiring in April or May, when your visa ends in March. By the way, the easiest transition between jobs is to get a new contract before your visa ends so you don't have to leave the country to get a new non b, but again, it's pretty much impossible, cause government schools don't care about your inconveniences, they will start hiring in April even if they already know how many teachers are leaving school. And last one, I don't understand why Thailand won't grant a 30 days grace period for non b visa holders.

Damon from what i know to get a retirement visa here in the UK requires Police report, Medical insurance for the period along with the 800 k in a bank. (No idea how people do that without going to Thailand to get a bank account!) The only way i have got and renewed my retirement visa is by arriving on tourist visa, having 800 k I've already transfered via Wise to my SCB bank account which I opened when i first visited Thailand. Along with a letter from SCB to confirm my account and 800k , also an address. The trip to the Immigration, is done in 30 mins. The main reason im now looking at DTV is that i have to be back in UK for a few months, so 6 month stay in Thailand each year would be ideal for me.

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

yes great difficulty right now

@Dave *********

to open a bank account with some form of visa, so certainly the best option for you

@Pui ****

yes thanks I see that now

@Damon ******

no he was not travelling on a tourist visa he entered visa exempt which he wrote very clearly

@Kim ********

you can’t live in Thailand on exempt stamps

@Bob *********

I know that 😊

@Philippe ********

it's called the thai priveldge visa that cost 650k baht

@Philippe ********

there is...

@Barbara *******

airlines workdwide can and might ask to see evidence of leaving the country. It's been like that for years. Irrespective of you being asked, it's a possibility.

@Barbara *******

proof of leaving the country is a standard requirement airlines often impose. They can be made responsible for flying you back if you're denied entry. It's been like that for a very long time. And some countries also ask to see proof of leaving. If you want to know which ones you'll have to look them up.

@Us ****

ok pity they not give all information

@Brett ****

pity you didn't just STFU in the first place.

@Ash *********

what

@Brett ****

Your first comment was pig ignorant rude. "Can you read" oh, and no question mark either, Your second comment was as if it was written by a 3 year old with your grammar all over the place which, is quite funny coming from someone who barked "can you read" to someone else. 😏

@Ash *********

wait is that your lady boy calling you

@Ash *********

firstly fool not all information go get a life

@Ash *********

get over it

@Brett ****

You have a very low IQ don't you? Seems like you can't string together more than 3 words without fking up. Homo as well yes?

@Ash *********

you in patong

@Brett ****

Another 3 words....oooh you are trying so hard.

Sometimes I sit here and try to imagine what it must be like to be so thick that you go through your whole life, not even being able to use the language you were born into properly.

It's just astounding that people like you exist and manage to keep on existing.

Tell me what it is like to actually be that stupid?

Because I don't know anyone who is and I'm definitely not. When you think about things, do you also, think of these things in such a thick way with short bursts of 3 words in your head?

Enlighten me. Tell me what it's like to have the brain of an imbecile.

@Ash *********

ill enlighten you where in patong are you big mouth

@Ash *********

creep

@Brett ****

I heard Thailand gets the bottom-of-the-barrel, most vile scum of the expats in Asia, but Ashey Pooh is a whole new level of waste matter. If we distillled some of the more miserable, cliched utterances of failures whiling away their final hours in beer, urine and vomit, with only FB to keep him company, Ashy would be the embodiment of this foul excrement. He won't wake up some morning soon, buried in a pile of cheap beer cans, half-smoked ciggies and all the bags of trash in the street waiting to cleared away. The blunder from down under will be incinerated and rightfully be rendered into Ash. Nobody will notice, care or miss it.

@Joseph ***

At last, someone that can use English properly. Maybe you and Brett could hook up?

@Joseph ***

yep I live up mountain behind patong don't sit in bars don't associate with the drunks spend my time in gym and muay thai

@Brett ****

We know Ashey's type. He doesn't live "up" anywhere. It's all down for him.

@Us ****

exactly that, if you're doing border runs overstays are a definate no no

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

aahhhhh okay I wondered if that was what had happened