BANGKOK: -- If you are entering Thailand on a tourist visa, you may be required to show immigration officials 20,000 baht in CASH.

 

From

thaivisa.com/forum

 

 

Thaivisa has learnt that immigration officials at a number border checkpoints across Thailand are asking some people entering the country on a tourist visa to show 20,000 baht in cash.

 

https://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/992844-some-tourist-visa-holders-being-asked-to-show-20000-baht-in-cash-when-entering-thailand/

20 000,  that's roughly 20 USD  a day  for holders of 30 day visa, not unreasonable but better to be prepared.

Or equivalent of , give or take 10 offs, again , not unreasonable 

Demanding in cash nowadays!

If they enforced the rule widely it would be chaos as many people use one type of card or another now. Just imagine the scenes at the airport as thousands of Chinese tourists are refused entry :-)

 

Looks like it's just another way they're trying to make things uncomfortable for those living/working here without the proper visa though. Asking those with multiple Tourist visas and visa exempt entries to show cash.

 

The rule has been in place for a number of years but rarely enforced.

This has been highlighted before and seems to only enforced at land borders checkpoints

This has been highlighted before and seems to only enforced at land borders checkpoints

Until the past week or so when several people have been asked at airports.

Well, if you fly in, taking that amount of cash is still one of the better ways of getting Thai baht. Cash can be changed at approx 1% loss, which is a hell of a lot better than paying your bank almost 3% plus a 150 baht ATM fee.

 

However, what happens if you have the money in your Kasikorn bank account or really do want to take the losses from your overseas bank account ?

 

As for the idea of using this to distinguish between tourists & people intending to work in Thailand, well most of the people intending to work in Thailand will be from poorer countries. It makes sense to earn money in a high salary country & holiday in a low salary one. They know what nationality most of the illegal workers are.

As far as I know, there are plenty of westerners teaching English without work permit.

 

The Thai government takes the easy way: checking people who enter Thailand, instead of searching for those who work illegally (which is much more difficult). Anyway, no harm is done if a westerner teaches English without work contract.

 

Only to be on the safe side I took 20 kTHB when I did a visa run to Penang, and upon return to Thailand learnt that this is compulsory at Sadao border. Another passenger on the van did not have 20 kTHB and was sent back to Malaysia.

Does it have to be in thai baht or any equivalent amount in other currencies is fine?

Does it have to be in thai baht or any equivalent amount in other currencies is fine?

Any 'freely exchangeable' currency.

Any 'freely exchangeable' currency.

 

Then I'm safe with my at least ten U$S100 bills I bring in my trips.  They also go in my hotel room safety box together with the passport.

Any 'freely exchangeable' currency.

 

Where does it say so? I haven't read the original text in Thai, but everything in English only says 20,000 THB. I would not count on other currencies: there are many (list of exchange rates at superrich has about 20 currencies) it's not an immigration officer's job to know all possible currencies and their exchange rates, and if you come with a million dollar, they still might want to see 20,000 THB.

Do they really ask for that 20k baht or just a random check?

Ill be in bangkok next monday, of course with 20k bath in hand and ill update if i were asked by them or not.

Do they really ask for that 20k baht or just a random check?

I wouldn't call it random (more a result of profiling), but it's quite rare that people get asked.

 

Only to be on the safe side I took 20 kTHB when I did a visa run to Penang, and upon return to Thailand learnt that this is compulsory at Sadao border. Another passenger on the van did not have 20 kTHB and was sent back to Malaysia.

This would be very inconvenient.

 

I have not problems bringing significant sums of cash from the UK when flying to Bangkok.  This can easily be changed to Thai baht at a good exchange rate.  Then any excess can be paid into a Thai bank account.

 

If I then went to Malaysia for a short while, all of the options for keeping 20k THB cash are inconvenient. 

1   If I keep that sum in THB or GBP, in addition to MYR spending money, I'm keeping more cash that I want to during this leg of the trip.

2  If I withdraw that sum in MYR, I suffer double exchange rate losses when converting from GBP==>MYR==>THB & have to pay whatever ATM fees apply in Malaysia.

 

The only way it is convenient is if the Thais have ATMs dispensing baht just before the immigration counters.

This would be very inconvenient.

 

 

apart from Schengen area crossing borders is usually inconvenient, long lines , pesky questions , luggage search, mandatory exchange at poor rates, visa regimes , you name it

I am sure the Thai government is trying to kill off tourism.

 

I still can't believe that a government would close beaches for two days a week in tourist resorts.

apart from Schengen area crossing borders is usually inconvenient, long lines , pesky questions , luggage search, mandatory exchange at poor rates, visa regimes , you name it

 

Taking ALL of the world, you're probably right.   

 

However, I have plenty of examples of non-Shengen area crossings which are quick.

 

1  UK to Shengen zone & back.  If I'm off the plane quickly, often no queue.  

2  Into Tokyo.    Sometimes 15~20 min queue.  Sometimes nothing.

3 For Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Cambodia, Vietnam, Laos and Myanmar, I think the longest I have waited is 40 minutes into Singapore, years ago.   Normally under 15 minutes.

4 Into Turkey was quick.

 

I think the slowest passport control I had was at Newark airport.  Thankfully I have no need to repeat that trip.

(As Jasper Carrot pointed out, it's an anagram of W*nker, although I think he was referring to Newark UK).

 

I am sure the Thai government is trying to kill off tourism. I still can't believe that a government would close beaches for two days a week in tourist resorts.

Looks very much like it. Closing beaches, demanding cash at the border, random long immigration queues. Makes no sense at all.