Problemas de inmigración en el aeropuerto de Don Muang
I don’t normally do boring visa blog posts but with all the issues around Thai visas y immigration I thought I would give everyone a heads up.
I recently came back from a holiday (will talk about that more next week), I was there for a total of 6 days. When I flew back to Thailand I had a few issues at the airport, nothing major but thought I would let everyone know so they can prepare.
The current condition of my passport
On my last trip to England I got myself a new passport.
At this moment in time it only has one triple-entry Thai visa and nothing else. My first exit was to Hanoi for 4 days and my second exit was for 6 days.
When I arrived at Don Muang just the other day I was planning on using my final entry.
I have no other visas or Thai visa exemptions on my passport.
Questioning at Don Muang immigration
I’ve flew into Thailand at least 10 times and have never come across any questioning before. My flight landed in the evening and the queue at immigration was short. Perhaps the lack of people waiting made the immigration offers more focused to spot visa runners, I don’t know.
I also took 3mg of Xanax just before the flight so I was a bit groggy, I may have stood out and was why they questioned me, but I’ve taken Xanax for several other flights before and never been questioned. Although the queue has always been very long and standing around for an hour gives me plenty of time to sober up.
Anyway when I got to the counter, I handed over my passport and the immigration officer went over it throughly.
He must have pressed a button or signaled someone to come over because after 20 seconds another officer came and asked me to follow him to a separate area. Not a private room, just a table with chairs.
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Dude you were lucky, its illegal to work your own business online in Thailand without a work permit. Maybe the officer didnt understand fully what you were saying
What do you mean? If anyone has an online business they cannot enter Thailand on a tourist visa?
Anyone can enter on tourist visa but cannot pretend to let them think that 9 month is a tourist holiday stay in the kingdom, maybe done for many years.
It is absurd…..!!
And against those that make other kinds of visas
Why can’t people have holiday 9 months of the year? Lots of people manage an online business where they don’t have to work or be stuck in an office 40 hours per week.
You’re missing the point here Harvie.
Yes some people can have 9 months holiday per year. However the scenario you give ‘managing an online business’ IS work. It may be construed that this activity, even if based abroad, is breaking the rules of your tourist visa – the rules are not well defined.
When it comes to immigration it is wise to simply say ‘i come for tourism/holiday’. Saying you ‘work online’ or ‘manage a business’ complicates matters. You could say you own a business in the UK which provides income without my involvment. But as soon as you use the word ‘work’, to an immigration officer who is using English as his second language, this could easily me misinterpreted as you are coming to Thailand and working illegally.
Good point Jim, I understand your point. I like to be honest from the get go. I’ve watched enough episodes of border control to know what happens if you lie.
But your comment is very valid and smart. I reckon I would have followed exactly what you said if I didn’t take Xanax lol.
Glad you understand, Harvie.
The reason I posted is because I met a drunk Aussie bloke a couple of nights ago in a Bangkok bar. He was a ex-roofer and had obviously had a hard life, but managed to retire at the age of 45. At the start of the night he was perfectly normal, but this changed rapidly when i told him that i worked as a web developer part-time to fund my life in Thailand.
The bloke was a member of the thaivisa forum and, as far as I could tell, pretty brainwashed by it. Apparently ‘digital nomads’ are the main problem in Thailand. He failed to comprehend that I earn my income in a foreign country (and therefore do not take the job of a Thai person) and that I spend my income in Thailand (therefore benefiting the Thai economy).
He didn’t understand the irony that he had been living in Thailand for five years using a combination of education visas (he couldn’t speak Thai) and tourist visas. When i questioned this, his response was that he would report me to immigration and told me that he reported ‘digital nomads’ before. I wasn’t overly worried but I had given him some personal details which i regret.
There are some people here who feel entitled because they have a retirement or marriage visa as a means of long-term residence.
Some of these people are jealous that Thailand is a young mans paradise and are bitter that they couldn’t and/or didn’t make the move sooner.
Be careful what information you reveal to people.
Hola Jim,
Great comment and I agree. It’s kind of a shame really because you don’t really know who you can trust and this becomes a problem for when you want to make good friends in the Kingdom. I like to be honest as possible in most situations but when I meet new people who have not been introduced by my friends, I apporach with caution. Not because I am doing anything wrong but because I just don’t need the hassle that you may have received from the person in question in your comment.
Your comment is a good warning to others.
Specially if the goods are taken in Thailand and send abroad. In this way it becomes a business and an income generated from Thailand and they have the right to put interdiction and pretend P .I.T. personal income tax
I said to them I had an online businesses, nothing about shipping goods from Thailand.
Harvie, I have a question. I quit my job a week ago. I mean I don’t report to work at all. I assume that my company cancelled my work permit and visa. I’m not sure. My visa is suppose to expire on Oct 25, 2016 and my next show-up is on Jan 18, 2016. So lets say they already cancelled my visa.
1. Can I go out of Thailand and tell the immigration that I’m not coming back? Will they let me go out peacefully?
2. I wanna go to Dubai before the date of my show up which is 01/18/16. What do I need to show to the immigration?
Thanks..for everyone who knows, help is very much appreciated.
If your work permit is over you have 7 days I think to leave the country. But you are best to check online. They will not ask you questions when you leave, unless you’re overstaying in which case you’ll pay a fine.
Good post Harvie, it is a bit of a concern all this. What is the actual state of play for digital nomads? is it illegal to be in Thailand doing online work, even though it’s not for a Thai based company and/or depriving a Thai national of a job. I would be interested in finding more information on all this. C
Hey Charlie,
I added a link to the article where it states the officers are not bothered about digital nomads. Even in all the news about visa overstays they have never mentioned anything about catching digtial nomads online. While I am not expert, all the information and my recent experience suggest that they don’t care about digital nomads working online. Rather they want to get people who are working actual jobs without a work permit.
Boring visa articles about Thailand are the way forward 555
What are you going to do when your triple entry runs out, new METV from the UK?
Hehe, not sure Graham, perhaps get a single entry and then I’ll go back home for a few months as I usually do in summer.
A mate of mine just sent me a message and teacher in his school was held for 5 hours at the airport coz he was on a tourist visa. Bloody spoil sports these military juntas, they will be closing down go go bars next, I’ll boycott the place if they do! 555
Very interesting post, thank you. Working on your own business on a tourist visa is OK.
I don’t know your age but for over 50 is easy to make a one year retirement visa with own bank book or with 15.000 baht at an agent or a student visa or even a work permit with 50.000 baht and live without fear or worries.
A tourist visa is just for a short holiday not to stay for 9 month maybe repeatedly in years and years of time, manage from here an own business even if on line and just go holuday from here to Vietnam, Japan or any other country. It is a nonsense and they are right to make trouble to protect those like me that act correctly….
I am happy that they control and reject those in doubt that make money illegaly.
One more think:
Any country in the world has the rule and can pretend the income tax payment if the person stay a total of 183 days all together in the territory even if the income is payed abroad because it is generated here
I have been living in Thailand for about 3 1/2 years now. Until very recently I did it all on 30 day visa exemption stamps with occasional 30 day extensions, I was able to do this due to my job offshore taking me abroad usually within the 30 days. Anyway with all the recent changes etc. And the oil industry my job being in dire straights I decided to do something about it. Both the retirement and the marriage extensions are not without there own hassles (another story)
OK so I did some research as best I could bearing in mind that the rules are not rules they are recommendations and are interpreted differently from officer to officer.
I crossed over to Savannakhet Laos, booked a hotel for a couple of nights, went to the Thai Consulate (Go to the little print shop outside they will fill your form print it, take your photo and make sure you have everything you need, all for a out 100tbh) before 11am, there was no que. I handed over my application, my UK Passport, my marriage certificate (In English as we were married in the UK) My wives Thai house book (Blue Book) my wifes ID (Copies only) and the various copies of passport etc. 5000tbh fee for a multi entry Non Imm ‘O’ on my way back to the hotel in 5 minutes. Next day went back to the Consulate just before 2pm I was first in a que of about 6 people when they opened I was handed my passport within 2 minutes complete with a 1 year multi entry Non Imm ‘O’ mission accomplished.
Back to friendship bridge 90 day stamp issued without question. Towards the end of the 90 days all I have to do is a visa run and receive a further 90 days on my return. I am not sure if this is required or not but I will stay out of Thailand for a couple of days holiday just so it does not look like an obvious visa run. Long and short no complicated procedures and no requirement for money to be seasoned in the bank, it was easy.
I hope this helps anybody who might be a bit unsure.
I’ve had similar questioning but I didn’t have the 20,000 baht or proof of it. They asked was I working here and I said no I have an income from my UK business and investments. I didn’t mention it was an online business. They told me how just to write down how much money I had in my UK bank.
I never felt worried about being denied entry, when they asked why I’ve spent most of the last 2 years in Thailand I said because I have friends here and I like it. That was fine with them, they were friendly about the whole thing.
I think knowing a little Thai helps.
Nice one Gary, that will put a lot of people at ease.
Not really mate I don’t wags get questioned by a bunch of immigration assholes on my next trip and its really none of their business how much money I got in my bank account. Things are getting a bit ridiculous in the kingdom and in considering a move to the Philippines next year
“Netflix and chill” means to hook-up.
Yup, I know.
Paul: In fact it is their business. It’s not weird that a country ask for proof of income and a statement of how much you have. Try getting a visa to Schengen from Asia without showing proof of funds or someone from overseas to guarantee your stay.
i think you got confused… this is not the thaivisa forums
if i wanna go to the schengen area ill just throw away my passport and claim im a syrian refugee…
How did you get an account at Bangkok bank if u don’t have work permit?? and why do u have it as a tourist??
Read this article: https://afarangabroad.com/2014/12/thai-bank-account-setup/
It’s easy to open a bank account at Bangkok Bank on any visa. All you need is two forms of ID, I used my passport and UK driver’s license. I also have accounts with Kasikorn and SCB and all opened on a visa exempt stamp.
Thank you all for your helpful insights!
I came through DMK yesterday and already have 3 multiple entry tourist visa’s in my passport, customs did not even flinch, stamped and sailed through in 2 minutes. I think what they are really looking for is continual 30 day extensions on these and any overstays even if for a couple of days. However I do go back to the UK every 6 months and apply for another triple entry tourist visa, I even spoke to the embassy in London and explained why I go across frequently and they just told me it’s fine, you never outstay your visa and you always come back to the UK. I guess if you keep your nose clean and don’t take the piss, all is good.
Thanks for the reply, good to know!
Hey Harvie. I get stopped questioned and held up frequently at Don Muang. Although I have a non immigrant O visa for most of my stamps, I still often get at least referred to another officer. If I can afford it, sometimes I’ll opt to fly into Swampy just to avoid the hassle. I’m glad you posted the warning. They seriously have a hard on for anyone who may be enjoying themselves by hopping countries. I have friends who have had similar issues there (asian and white), but seriously think there’s special welcome button if you’re brown. Seriously wtf.
Hmm that’s very interesting. I’ve never been questioned at SUB airport, thanks for the comment, hopefully others will gain value from it.
Unfortunately there are a lot of scum bag farangs in Thailand who fantasize about having the place all to themselves and they will try to make your life difficult. You can find these guys on the Thai Visa Forum masturbating every time there’s a visa crack down.
Jim’s story above sounds very similar to mine. Met a “friend” in BKK who later reported me to the cops for various nonsense. Abusing tourist visas, working without a permit, etc…. He gave them all my personal info and text messages we exchanged.
Guess what… The cops let me walk without a fine. No arrest. No nothing… Stick that in your pipe and smoke it fucker! 🙂
Still though my advice to everyone is to keep your mouth shut and just play the dumb tourist when you meet people out here.
Are there any new reports on this? I was going to start a thread on TV forum but when I noticed how many of them are shooting down threads mentioning VISAs for DMs I felt it was pointless, I didn’t want to get in to an argument about who is or isn’t a tourist.
I have an old triple entry tourist visa, I’m due to do my second entry next week. Going to fly to Cambodia via Suvarnabhumi and stay there for 4 days.
I had no issues coming in on my first entry (it is the second tourist visa in my passport that’s as old as the first visa, the gap between first and second visa was only 1 week, got them both in the UK).
I seem to be in the same position as most commenting on here, have a offshore income from an internet business.
I don’t know if this helps, but I always put “investor” as occupation on the arrival card, and check a box of a high income bracket (I guess if you do this you should have proof to back it up; share certificates, cert of incorporation, bank statements, etc).
I am worrying slightly but some comments on this post like @Gary’s are making me feel a bit better.
I don’t know what’ll happen after this visa expires, I don’t qualify for the current requirements of the new 6 month METV from the UK; I don’t have a bank account in the UK with a permanent residence attached, not with a constant balance of £5k+ in anyway. My business is registered in Hong Kong, so I don’t have any proof of employment from the UK either.
The METV requirements in HK seem slightly different, they only seem to require a single deposit of 200k THB or more some time in the past 6 months.
“4. A copy of bank statement showing a deposit of the amount equal to and not less than 200,000 Baht within the last 6 months.” [from thai consulate HK visa requirements page]
That could be just a bad translation though.
Other option seems to be back 2 back on single entry tourist visas, and face the interrogation every three months.
I’ve been offered a non-B and a WP on various friend’s companies where they would employ me as a marketing consultant, which isn’t’ far from the truth., But that would tie me in to one province, I don’t really wanna get in to that.
Really interested in hearing experiences of people who’ve activated an old tourist visa entry recently, anyone?
Cheers!
Patchie.
You can only get a METV from your home country. You will need to get single entry visas for now untill you can put £5k in a UK account. Having business papers will be fine you don’t need a letter from your employer.
I went through the visa on arrival process as an tourist, it took me more than two hours at the end. The attitude of the girl at the immigration is totally not acceptable, she laughs at you once she found you made a small mistake and shout at you if you could not understand her poor English. She would ask you to rebook the connecting ticket if your receipt is not in English! Deliberately make troubles with your address. The place I booked is a house, she asked me what’s the condeminium number rudely until my host message me it’s a house. You need to queue 3-4 times to get out. I would say this is my worst experience in the airport. And there’s not way to make a complain! I wanted to cancel this trip at the moment! Made a very bad first impression of Thailand!