This is NOT an official government website. We are an independent resource providing information and assistance to travelers.
Maxim **********
This is a summary of
Maxim **********
's contributions to the platform. They have posed 9 questions and added 1388 comments.

QUESTIONS

COMMENTS

Maxim ***********
@Ticha ****************
It's 25-30% taxes, these are facts based on literally everyone who order electronics from overseas 🙂 Ask around how much people pay, they will all say either 25-30% shipping deliveries (pre-tax cover, on Amazon or Ebay for example) or 25-30% upon delivery. The 25-30% is to protect local Thai businesses which sell the same electronic 25-30% more expensive.
Maxim ***********
@Ticha ****************
That's absolutely not true. You will pay 25-30% overall taxes combine when you buy electronics overseas to cover the fact that the same electronic will be 25-30% higher in Thailand. Either you pay such taxes when buying the electronics or went receiving it.
Maxim ***********
@Rob *******
You can't fight it, delivery man will come to your house to tell you to go to the office to get your package.
Maxim ***********
@Charlie *******
The 180 days thing is indeed not a law, but you incorrectly pointed out that it was "debunked", which is not true. What is debunked is that it's a law (it's not), but at BKK airport, officers will sometime give the 180 days reason to try to deny you, but then will write something else in Thai as tho why they denied you entry. It's a ploy on their part and foreigners who can't read Thai get suck up into it. Again, being precise matter because anyone in that airport could get caught thinking that the officer was right in telling them that crap.
Maxim ***********
@Alistair *********
I do not think that Brandon give such advice in every instance, but since most people ask about BKK or Phuket, it sure seems like it.
Maxim ***********
@Charlie *******
You are bringing hypothetical. Yes, of course, you can be very unlucky and the exact day that a policy change at a particular airport or border you are the unlucky first to be ask what was previously never ask. Just like an airplane could crash into my house and kill me in my sleep. It's possible, but that doesn't mean that I need to shield my bedroom from that "hypothetical". Went the risk is that low, you go with the flow unless proven otherwise.

The best example is the Non O Multi Entry based on Marriage which was possible for over 10 years at Savannakhet without showing 400k baht in bank account. A few months ago they suddenly stopped allowing the Multi Entry without the 400k baht. The unlucky who were there that day got denied and had to do a Single Entry. They were extremely unlucky to be there that exact day. Of course there is a risk that a policy change, but as of now some border and airports ask 0% of the time for any of the 3 proof of. It's the only factual info we have, not what may or may not happen in the future.
Maxim ***********
@Charlie *******
I am quite calm, does not use any curse word nor express angriness, projection much? You are quite agitated and argumentative while knowing very little.

1) Being right is objective, having an opinion is subjective.

2) Nowhere in your OP did you specify that it was about BKK, Phuket, or both.

3) I am not here to please you, but to provide factual information, which often get lost in the sea of bad info.

4) Yes, your post would be factually correct, but as of today, not correct since some borders and airports have not ask for any of the 3 proof of to anyone ever.

5) Your original post was a generalization and a bad attempt at debunking a myth which you failed to do.

6) It's not about whose right or wrong, it's about which info is correct.

7) Your post is not intended to help, since nobody asked, it was unwanted. You made a post trying to debunk a myth, but failed to do so.

8.) Tod Daniels is the cleverest in this group.
Maxim ***********
@Charlie *******
"Are you saying that the three proofs as you call them are not needed anywhere?". No, I am saying that some airports and borders will ask most of the time, some will sometimes ask, and some will never ask. The reason why being precise matter is that it confuse people if you generalize too much and can make them scared for no reason.

For example, last week on this FB group someone was scared out of his mind because he was about to enter Thailand via Nong Khai and didn't have 20k baht since he had too much Laos Kip and didn't exchange it, blabla, etc. Little did he know, Nong Khai does not ask to see 20k baht or any of the other 2 proof of. I live near Nong Khai border, I cross that border frequently, they just don't care about these requirements. I've seen thousands of people cross there over the years, never once did I encounter any foreigner being asked for anything. It's a chill border.

Poipet would be the complete opposite, going there without all 3 proof of is suicidal. So if someone say that the 3 proof of is necessary and at IO discretion without specifying which airport and border, he is spreading misinformation. The same if someone says "Ive never been asked anywhere!!", that would in fact be even more damaging because then someone could try to border run Poipet and be in trouble since it's a hard border to bounce from.

The example above about the scared dude entering from Nong Khai is why precising the airport and the border matter.
Maxim ***********
@Charlie *******
Since we are on the "mythbuster" train, let me correct you on two common myths:

1) "It does not matter where you cross the border, it is at IO discretion". This is a common myth which come from a "partially true" fact. The fact is that at certain airports and borders it's a gamble whether you will get asked or not (this is where the common "IO discretion" misconception come from). BUT, at some airports and borders, you will never get asked. This is why you cannot generalize the "IO discretion" statement. People who do generalize are well intended but are misinformed.

2) "If you must be right and have the last word then I admit it you are right and 99% of everyone else, including me, are totally wrong". The fact is that this group is called "Thailand Visa Advice..." and is filled with people with very little knowledge and experience (that's why they are here asking questions and learning). The people who already knows enough about Visas and "everything else" are either sometimes helping others here (I do that sometimes) or are not part of this group because they don't need help nor want to help others on FB. So no, 99% don't agree with you. Most of the people who joined this group to help others would disagree with most of what you said.
Maxim ***********
@Charlie *******
I do not have a set amount of money in the bank, nor am I on Non O most of the time, nor do I need money in the bank to get said Non O, nor am I exempt of the 3 requirements (proof of) if I am on Non O. The sheer confidence in which you said all that while being wrong is astonishing.

Also, I do not take steps to avoid BKK because I could be asked... I avoid BKK because I would get denied entry and would need to pay 8k baht for an agent VIP line, but there no way you know what I'm talking about.

You are relatively new to Thailand, probably do a lot of in and out, but are unfamiliar with how each immigration, airport and border entry works. It's not a one shoe fit all. Each immigration, airport and border enforce the laws differently. PÄ¥uket use to be relatively easy, but it's been stricter the last few years.

But some airports and borders will simply never ask (no reports of anyone being asked). For example, Mukdahan and Nong Khai border will never ever ask you for any of the 3 proof of. And you won't find report online (on FB, Forum, etc) of anyone being ask.