CHIANG RAI – Thailand’s Immigration Bureau has rolled out a strict overhaul of visa checks, focusing on the long-standing “visa runs” habit that has allowed many foreign visitors to bend immigration rules while posing as short-term tourists.
The tougher approach, unveiled at a press briefing in Bangkok, is designed to stop the misuse of visa exemptions by people using them for long-term stays and activities outside the law.
Immigration officers will now apply tighter screening to foreigners who leave and re-enter the country often, especially those who rely on visa-exempt entries or tourist visas time after time.
“We are seeing people treat Thailand like a revolving door,” said Police Major General Itthiphon Itthisan, deputy commissioner of the Immigration Bureau. “They come in as tourists, leave briefly, then come back again and again just to reset their stay. That is not genuine tourism, that is avoiding the rules.”
At present, visitors from more than 90 countries can enter without a visa and stay up to 60 days, then extend their stay by 30 days at a local immigration office, for a total of 90 days per visit. Tourist visas work similarly.
Chiang Rai: A Key Target in the Visa Run Crackdown
Officials say some foreigners, including digital nomads, semi-retired residents, and people doing informal work, have stacked many of these entries together for years and built full-time lives in Thailand without the correct long-term visa.
Immigration data shows some passports with more than 50 Thai entry stamps in a single decade. “This weakens our immigration controls and encourages illegal work, tax evasion, and in some cases links to crime,” Itthiphon said.
In the far north, Chiang Rai has long been known as a visa run hub. The Mae Sai border crossing into Myanmar offers an easy route. Minivans full of foreigners, many from Chiang Mai or Pai, head to the Friendship Bridge, cross into Tachileik for a short stay, then come back to Thailand with a new entry stamp.
Immigration staff at Mae Sai say they have handled as many as 300 visa runners a day during busy months. “It has turned into a business,” said Captain Nattapong Srisuk, head of the Mae Sai Immigration Checkpoint. “Vans sell ‘visa run packages’ for around 1,500 baht, including transport and a meal. Now we are watching closely for strange patterns, such as several border runs in a short time or travel plans that do not make sense.”
One long-term foreign resident, a British man who has stayed in Chiang Rai for eight years using repeated visa runs, said he feels worried about the new rules. He said, “I teach English part-time and really enjoy life here. But crossing the border every 90 days is tiring. This new pressure from immigration might mean I have to leave.”
Nationwide Drive Against Overstayers
The tougher stance on visa runs is part of a wider national campaign against overstayers. The Immigration Bureau has promised more frequent checks at apartments, workplaces, bars, and clubs. Last year, more than 100,000 foreigners were detained for visa offences. Penalties range from daily fines of 500 baht to detention and long-term bans from re-entering the country.
In Chiang Rai, joint units from local police, tourism police, and immigration have already begun door-to-door inspections in popular expat neighbourhoods, such as the Rimkok area and riverside zones along the Kok River.
“We are using database cross-checks to spot warning signs,” said Col Phichai Chindaphu, commander of Chiang Rai Provincial Police. “People who take frequent short trips, have no valid proof of onward travel, or show low funds can face refusal at the border.”
The bureau has also upgraded biometric systems at key checkpoints. New tools, including facial recognition linked to passport records, are now in use to follow movements in real time and detect repeat entries more easily.
Economic and Social Impact on Local Communities
While officials say the new rules protect security and fair work standards, they have sparked strong opinions among both Thais and foreigners. Tourism operators in Chiang Rai fear that long-stay visitors may drop in number. Many of these visitors rent houses, eat out often, and book trekking or tour packages, which keeps local businesses busy.
“These people doing visa runs still spend money here,” said a guesthouse owner in Mae Sai. “If the rules get too strict, small hotels, cafes, and tour operators could suffer.”
On the other hand, many Thai workers and foreigners with proper visas support the policy shift. “Foreigners who work under the table make it harder for legal workers. It happens in English teaching, diving, and hotel jobs,” said a labour rights advocate based in Bangkok.
Immigration officials are keen to point to legal options for those who want to stay longer. These include Thailand Elite Visas, retirement visas for those over 50 who meet income or savings rules, and work permits for professionals with approved jobs.
“Thailand is open to real tourists, investors, and residents who follow the law,” Itthiphon said. “What will not continue is people taking advantage of our kindness.”
Immigration authorities warn that travellers flagged as possible visa runners face a higher risk of being turned away at the border. In serious cases, people can receive bans from one to ten years. Officers advise visitors to carry proof of funds, at least 20,000 baht per person, as well as return or onward tickets and confirmed accommodation.
In Chiang Rai and at other border crossings, the message is clear. The casual visa run era is coming to an end. As one officer at Mae Sai put it, “People are welcome to enjoy a holiday, stay up to 90 days if the rules allow, but Thailand should not be used as a loophole.”
With the new measures already in force, the country has entered a stricter phase of immigration control. For the Chiang Rai Times, Somsak Boonmee reports from the northern border, where Thailand’s shifting visa policy is being tested in real time.
