A visa run in Bangkok that went sideways last Thursday

I had to do a border run from Bangkok to extend my stay, something I've done a few times before. Last Thursday, I took a van to the Aranyaprathet crossing like usual. The line was way longer than normal, maybe 300 people. After waiting for four hours, the officer looked at my passport stamps and said, 'Too many tourist entries this year.' He gave me a 7-day stamp to leave instead of the 30 I expected. I had to book a last-minute flight to Hanoi that night, which cost $180 more than if I'd planned it. My advice is to check your entry history before assuming a run will work. Has anyone else had a border agent suddenly get strict on repeat entries in Thailand?

2 comments

2 Comments

janaw114d agoProlific Poster

Honestly, the bigger issue is that the rules can change based on which officer you get that day. I've seen two people with identical passport stamps get totally different treatment at the same counter. It's not just about your history, it's a total gamble on their mood. That's why treating a visa run like a simple errand is so risky now. You basically have to plan for the worst case every single time, which means having extra cash and a backup flight ready to go.

charlie3844d ago

Ever had that moment where you're just waiting for them to flip a coin? I keep a separate envelope of cash just for border days, like a "mood tax" for the officer. One time I saw a guy get turned away for a stamp that another officer waved through an hour before. My rule now is to pack like I'm not coming back, even for a one day run. It's the only way to sleep the night before.