Visa runs for me are a blessing and a curse. On one hand they push me to see other amazing parts of Asia I might otherwise find excuses not to see, and on the other hand they often pop up at a time when I am too busy to travel or have just come back off of another trip. But hey, having a holiday every three months, even if it is just over the border to Laos for a few days, is a treat, and one of the necessities of having a yearly non-immigrant ‘O' visa.
Lately, though, I have run into a couple of guys who thought I was a little silly for complying with the rules at all, I quote, “Why don't you just pay for a stamp”. “Because I don't want the hassle of being an illegal alien and risking the chance of losing my Thailand life”, was my roundabout reply. For those that don't know, for a small fee, a dodgy agent will take your passport off somewhere, stamp it with the 3-month re-entry, and deliver it back to your point of contact.
I will be honest, this isn't the first time I'd heard of this activity. The first time was a year ago when a guy I knew got caught. Luckily for him, though, he was on an island, not on the mainland, so the local feds got to him first before any big player immigration bosses did. They took him out for a drink, scared him a bit and then asked for 300,000 Baht to destroy the passport and evidence of the dodgy visa. He managed to negotiate down to 200,000. Two other guys he knew weren't so lucky; they got banged up and readied for a court hearing.
So I ask myself, are people just stupid? I told these guys I met of the guy I knew who got caught, but still, the answer was, “Nah, it's cool”. For the sake of taking a one-day trip out of the country for a couple of thousand Baht, they would rather risk the wrath of the authorities. Furthermore, as far as I know, both of these guys have girlfriends, yet they don't seem to realise that one day that might just get pulled up leaving or coming back into Thailand, and never see their partners again. And that could be the least of their worries. a Thai visa is issued by The Royal Thai Consulate, which means if you defraud your visa you are effectively committing a crime against a Royal institution. I dread to think what the ramifications of this could be.
My advice is, don't be an idiot, just play by the rules. You might think you are in with “the mafia”, so to speak, but when that guy gets caught and is asked to give names to get himself off the hook, do you think he will think twice about giving up your name and any other farang he knows? Scams like this only run for as long as the necessary dodgy people are in their posts. Once they are caught and ousted, an investigation ensues and someone's head has to roll. And let me tell you, it won't be the guy taking your money, it will be the “stupid farang”.
Neda says
Hi is it possible to contact me in my email i have some important questions 2 ask
Thanks
Jul 26, 2014 at 9:58 pm
TheThailandLife says
Hi Neda, please email me your questions via the contact form. Thank you.
Aug 13, 2014 at 11:52 am
Rod Rix says
Hi, I have a yearly multiple entry visa for Thailand and I am planning on moving to Thailand later this year with my Thai Wife. The reason for the multiple entry visa is that I work offshore in Brazil so I will be spending 8 weeks in Thailand then 8 weeks in Brazil for work, therefore the visa runs will not be required. However I wondered if anyone knew if this type of visa can be extended in Thailand at an Immigration office when it is due to expire or will I need to return to the UK once a year to get a new visa issued from the consulate in Hull?
Mar 02, 2012 at 12:39 am
TheThailandLife says
Hi Rod Rix, I had a multiple entry non imm O previously and i had to come back to the UK to renew it. People have said to me it can be renewed in neighboring countries but I don’t think that is true.
Thanks
Mar 02, 2012 at 10:36 am
Rod Rix says
Hi ! I kinda thought that this would be the case, but just wanted to check it out first, thanks for the information. Great site by the way! full of lots of useful and interesting information.
Mar 02, 2012 at 2:33 pm
Sheela says
Hi! I’m so glad I found your blog – it’s a great one and you’ve chronicled your adventures so well =) I just have a few questions…I’m planning to teach in Thailand starting in May 2012, but I’ll be in India from January – April visiting my aunt who’s kinda sick. BUT my parents will still be here, in the US – do you know if they can apply for my Thailand work visa on my behalf, without my actual passport as it will be with me? Or must I go to a Thai embassy in India?
Thank you!
Dec 13, 2011 at 11:43 pm
TheThailandLife says
Hi Sheela,
As far as I know, you have to be in your home country to get a visa that allows a stay of longer than 30 days. The work permit is applied for by the school you get a job with, so you won’t be able to sort that out until a job is confirmed. The best place to get advice on this stuff is http://www.ajarn.com, which is a site dedicated to teaching in Thailand. Thanks for visiting!
Dec 14, 2011 at 12:14 am
James Soh says
Why put yourself into these unnecessary trouble with the law ? Remember you are there to enjoy Thailand not to spend time in jail or flaunt other country laws.
If real trouble really happened to you just imagine they found out that the visa you had is a fake.
Even your country embassy will not dare lift a finger to help you….as you are considered an illegal immigrant…
Oct 06, 2011 at 8:13 am
TheThailandLife says
I can’t think for the life of me why people want to do this. I wouldn’t be able to sleep at night knowing I had a fake visa; would also be s***ing myself going through immigration at the airport each time.
Oct 06, 2011 at 9:36 am