SUNGAI KOLOK (Southern Thailand): -- At least 20 foreign nationals were yesterday (Sunday) denied entry into Thailand using their 60-days Tourist visas, after attempting to enter via the Sungai Kolok border checkpoint in Narathiwat province.
All of the foreigners who were denied entry had a previous history of multiple visa exempt entries or back to back tourist visas.
Eight of the foreigners in question held visas issued abroad, as well as from Malaysia, namely from the Royal Thai Consulates in Penang and Kota Bahru. The countries of origin of the 8 refused foreigners include the UK, Italy, USA, Russia, Ukraine, Romania and New Zealand.
Immigration officials at Sungai Kolok, as well as at several other border checkpoints in the south, have been ordered by the Immigration Bureau in Bangkok to deny entry to foreigners holding 60-days Tourist visas.
A reporter from Thaivisa.com was present when the foreigners attempted to cross the border and can confirm that Sungai Kolok Immigration officials were refusing entry on Sunday to all holders of Tourist visas.
Immigration officials then told the individuals that they would need to take a bus to Kuala Lumpur, the capital of Malaysia, and fly in to Thailand instead.
According to Immigration border officials, the official rule is max one 30-days exemption stamp or Tourist visa and no previous tourist visa extensions.
The Sungai Kolok border checkpoint additionally tells thaivisa.com that passport holders from Russia, Laos, Vietnam and South Korea are no longer welcome to enter Thailand via their checkpoint.
The official we spoke to who did not wish to be named said these new measures are following new orders from Immigration Bureau in Bangkok.
Чиновник сказал, что с паспортами России, Лаоса, Вьетнама и Южной Корее больше не будут пускать в Тай на этом погранпереходе.
По словам неназванного собеседника, такой приказ пришел из Бангкока.
The officer went onto say “"You are a tourist for 30 days, not more."
Офицер сказал - вы турист в течении 30 дней, не больше.
During the 2 hours Thaivisa was present at Sungai Kolok border checkpoint, all foreigners with tourist visas were denied entry while holders of NON-Immigrant visas could enter Thailand without any problem.
За те два часа, пока представители Тайвизы были на погранпереходе Sungai Kolok, всем иностранцам с туристическими визами было отказано во въезде в Тай. В то же время обладатели Non-immigrant виз въезжали беспрепятственно.
Previously, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs circulated information to the foreign Embassies and Consulates in Thailand and to the Royal Thai Embassies and Consulates worldwide that individuals with back-to-back tourist visa entries will be refused entry into Thailand from August 13.