Immigration authorities will not let visa runners re-enter the country after August 12

Many foreigners who do regular visa runs in order to extend their stay in Thailand have less than a month before a crackdown by the authorities.

From August 13, tourists travelling on an entry stamp or a tourist visa will not be able to re-enter the country, regardless of their choice of transport. The Immigration Bureau has already instructed officials to deny entry to foreigners doing visa runs.

Visa runners are those who leave Thailand and return immediately for the purpose of extending their stay. By using  60-day tourist visas and 30-day visa exemptions, many foreigners can work illegally in language schools, or restaurants and other businesses. It is easier for some to get jobs this way, as some employers do not want to go through the complicated process of seeking work permits and like to avoid the expense if they can.

Now, those on a visa run who are allowed back in will find an O-I (Out-In) mark next to their latest stamp marking entry. From August 13, nobody with an O-I sign on their passport will be allowed to re-enter Thailand if they cannot produce a proper visa. This appears to mean that in fact one visa run will be allowed before the entry refusal kicks in.

Thailand's Ministry of Foreign Affairs has informed embassies and consulates in Thailand and the Royal Thai embassies and consulates that it will crackdown on travellers who cross the border and return immediately to extend visa-free stays in the Thailand.

Thaivisa.com reported that the ministry had issued a letter to all embassies and that the letter coonforms that the ministry will crackdown on border runs as stated earlier by Thailand's Immigration Bureau.

Travellers who enter Thailand on visa-free conditions can currently cross the border with neighbouring countries to repeatedly extend their visa-free stays. such misleadingly named visa runs allow foreigners to remain in Thailand without the need to apply for a long-stay visa. The government claims that many of them work in Thailand to avoid the onerous and restrictive system for work permits.

In the letter The Foreign Ministry confirmed, earlier information that border runners will be prohibited from re-entering Thailand at overland checkpoints as of 12 August, once their original visa-free stay expires. It apparently does not impact on airline travellers who visit a neighbourng country and then return to Thailand.

It is also likely that travellers applying for tourist visas at Thai embassies in Asia, could face scrutiny or even be told to return to their home countries to apply for a new visa. However government intentions here are not clear.

Long stay visa applicants are advised to acquire appropriate (Non-Immigrant) visas at Thai embassies or consulates prior to their arrival, but even here Thailand has recently introduced more restrictive conditions such as minimum income requirements.