Expats In Hua Hin

30/01/2026

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11/12/2025

Tourism industry leaders call for clearer visa-exempt entry rules.

With a growing number of travellers being refused entry into Thailand, tourism industry leaders are calling on the government to consistently communicate updated regulations and shift toward greater use of pre-screening systems, as authorities strengthen controls against repeated visa runs.

Last month, the Immigration Bureau rolled out four new measures designed to stop foreigners from using tourist entries to engage in cybercrime, illegal businesses, money laundering and criminal gangs. One key change limits consecutive 60-day visa-exempt stays—commonly exploited for “visa runs” without returning home to just two per year. Anyone exceeding this limit without a justifiable reason will be turned away at airports and land borders.

Thienprasit Chaiyapatranun, president of the Thai Hotels Association, noted that hotels have recently seen guests denied entry under the visa-free scheme, while social media is filled with similar accounts from affected foreigners. He warned that these incidents are creating unnecessary anxiety among potential visitors who have not yet visited or are still planning their trips. “Right now, the public can only guess whether these refusals happen because tourists unintentionally breaking rules or because individual officers are exploiting ambiguities to demand bribes,” he said.

Mr Thienprasit stressed that leaving decisions entirely to on-the-spot judgment by immigration officers or conducting random checks is not the right approach. He pointed out that many countries already use advance screening and automated clearance gates: if a traveller’s record is clean, they pass through quickly, and only those flagged for potential issues are pulled aside for interview.

Since Thailand now requires all visitors to submit the Thailand Digital Arrival Card (TDAC) online at least three days before arrival, immigration officers already have the necessary data in advance. With the government currently exploring a pre-approval system for visa-exempt visitors—similar to South Korea’s K-ETA—Mr Thienprasit said the private sector fully supports the move, as it would strengthen screening while giving legitimate tourists confidence in smooth entry.

06/12/2025

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04/12/2025

Update on visa exemption rules. This photo was taken today from the Surat Thani immigration office. Please note this is Surat Thani’s take on it, as we all know many immigration office are known for creating thier own rules.

This notice is NOT on the immigration website and going from recent crackdowns it’s not likely to be. If it is posted officially please feel free to share in the comments.

25/11/2025

Full-Day Sam Roi Yot Sailboat Adventure. Escape to Thailand’s stunning Khao Sam Roi Yot National Park on a relaxing full-day sailboat trip from Hua Hin.

Highlights:
• Sail on a traditional wooden long-tail boat (small group, max 12)
• Visit the magical Phraya Nakhon Cave with its golden pavilion glowing in sunlight
• Snorkel in crystal-clear waters & relax on secluded beaches
• Cruise through mangroves and spot wildlife
• Enjoy fresh Thai seafood lunch onboard + fruits & drinks

What’s included:
• Hotel pickup/drop-off (Hua Hin area)
• National park fees, snorkel gear, life jackets
• English-speaking guide
• Lunch & non-alcoholic drinks

A peaceful, eco-friendly day of sailing, caves, and secret beaches — perfect for nature lovers and photographers.

Discover the beautiful landscape and beaches of Sam Roi Yot. Swim in Dolphin Bay, go fishing, or enjoy some water sport activities. Take a break to eat a delicious Thai food lunch buffet onboard.

18/11/2025

Thailand’s Immigration Bureau has introduced four new measures to stop foreigners from entering the country on tourist privileges while actually participating in cybercrime, illegal grey-market operations, money laundering, criminal gangs, or forced labour schemes — activities that seriously undermine the economy, public safety, and national security.

The four measures are:

1. Stricter scrutiny of repeated 60-day visa-exempt entries used as “visa runs” without ever returning home. Foreigners are now limited to a maximum of two such entries; anyone exceeding this limit without a justifiable reason will be refused entry at airports and land borders. Since the beginning of 2025, approximately 2,900 individuals exhibiting this pattern have already been denied admission.

2. Automatic denial of entry to foreigners listed on border-area watchlists, especially in high-risk zones like Mae Sot in Tak province, a known hub for scam operations. Anyone previously refused or turned back at the Mae Sot–Myawaddy crossing will be barred from re-entering Thailand.

3. Tighter controls on stay extensions handled by provincial immigration offices. If a clear visa-run pattern is identified, the extension will be rejected, the current visa cancelled, and the individual deported.

4. Intensified enforcement against visa overstayers in full compliance with existing overstay penalties.

These enhanced checks may cause minor delays for foreign arrivals at international airports during busy periods, but individual screening will remain under 45 seconds and total queue time will not exceed 40 minutes. To minimise inconvenience, all counters at every international airport will be fully staffed, while Thai passport holders can continue using the fast-track automatic gates.

14/11/2025

So it’s not only about foreigners in Thailand, Thais also having a hard time overseas

Japan has started rolling out its new policy aimed at “removing all illegal migrants,” with the initial large-scale crackdown leading to the detention of 19 Thai nationals residing illegally in Nagano Prefecture. The key suspect is a 73-year-old Thai woman.

On November 14, 2025, authorities in Suzaka City, Nagano Prefecture, stormed a location they called a “shelter for visa overstayers,” detaining and interrogating 19 Thai nationals on allegations of unlawful residency and facilitating illegal stays.

Detectives discovered that the primary suspect, a 73-year-old Thai woman, had housed a 37-year-old Thai woman even though she knew the latter had overstayed her visa from May 2022 until October 2025.

The group detained included eight Thai women, aged 26–52, who had been living in Japan without valid status, plus ten additional Thai men and women, aged 21–46, under scrutiny for ties to the incident. All are facing charges under Japan’s Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act.

14/11/2025

Is it finally game over for the visa dodgers? 🤔

Important announcement from Immigration. Since the introduction of the 60-day visa exemption, a significant number of people have been abusing the scheme to work illegally in Thailand, with others simply avoiding obtaining the correct visa. Many were repeatedly doing border runs to obtain another 60 days, as well as extending their stay inside the country.

This crackdown should not affect genuine tourists, as most visitors stay for only about two weeks. If someone leaves the country and returns, Immigration will still allow entry if it is clear they are a real tourist with a confirmed flight home.

This announcement only targets people with numerous visa-exempt stamps in their passport, combined with multiple in-country extensions. Immigration is asking those who wish to stay in Thailand long term to apply for the correct visa. Sadly, some genuine tourists will be collateral damage because of this crackdown on people abusing the hospitality if the Thai government.

The official announcement is below:

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In accordance with the policy of Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul and Commissioner General of the Royal Thai Police, Pol.Gen. Kittharath Punpetch, to declare war on cybercrime, today (November 12, 2025), Commissioner of Immigration Bureau, Pol.Lt.Gen. Panumas Boonyalug, convened a meeting with the Deputy Commissioners and Commanders under his jurisdiction to discuss and establish relevant measures, which are divided into 4 key actions:

1. Elevate and intensify the screening of individuals frequently using the visa-exempt scheme (free visa) for entry and exit (in-out) in the manner of a visa run without returning to their country of domicile. If any individual uses the visa run privilege more than 2 times without a justifiable reason, Immigration Bureau will consider denying entry to prevent the use of this opportunity to pose as a tourist to conduct various transactions, instead of applying for the correct visa category as intended.

2. Emphasize the interception of foreign nationals who have a history recorded in the watch-list system in border areas of neighboring countries that are sources of scammers, such as Mae Sot, Tak Province, as they are a high-risk group for participating in illegal activities or becoming victims. This also applies to the group of foreign nationals who have been pushed back/deported from Thailand in the Mae Sot-Myawaddy border area and whose data has been logged in the system; they will also be denied entry without exception.

3. Instruct all Provincial Immigration Offices responsible for inner areas to increase the strictness in granting temporary stay extensions for foreigners who have a history of in-out Visa Run behavior and subsequently apply for an extension. If any foreigner is found with such data or behavior, the visa will not be extended, or the visa will be revoked after authorization and the individual will be deported outside the Kingdom.

4. Instruct all Immigration Bureau Divisions to launch a mass sweep to crack down on foreigners who have overstayed their visas, aiming for tangible operational results.

These measures may affect the speed of passport checks for foreign nationals, Immigration Bureau asserts that they will not affect the tourism sector in any way. On the contrary, they serve to select quality international tourists that will generate revenue for the country with greater confidence.