1 Year Visa for under 50s

I received a one year investor’s visa in 2004 and renewed it once without any problem. This is the visa that allows a foreigner to remain one year by putting at least 3 million baht in a Thai bank or bonds by personal investment. However, when I went to Pattaya immigration last week to renew, they told me I could not have another one as it had been cancelled nationally. What is all this about?

A.G. Harrison

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Ed: The so-called investor’s visa was one of the ways a man under 50 could live in Thailand for a year at a time. As from October 1 this year, no new applications were allowed. However, you should have been OK as you were renewing an existing visa and not making a new application. But from your passport you went to UK last month and returned to Thailand in early December. Sadly, you forgot to obtain a re-entry permit prior to leaving Thailand. Thus, on returning,you simply received 30 days on arrival. By forgetting the re-entry permit, you have terminated your particular visa and have fallen into a trap as no new applications are allowed. You should make inquiries into the new 3 years’ business visa, available only in UK as you are British, but will need to show correspondence with business partners in Thailand and a letter of support from the Thai commerce ministry or board of investment. Other than that, try to obtain a multi-entry non immigrant visa at a Thai consulate in UK.

pattaya today letters page

^ True the investor visa - 3 million baht option was cancelled with the October changes.
Fancy leaving the country without obtaining a re-entry stamp

Yeah that sucks - he had an investor visa probably renewable for "life" but forgetting to buy a re-entry permit messed that up.

I.e. he could stay 1 year at a time, with NO visa runs and only paying 1900 Baht once a year for the priviledge.

Buying a multiple entry permit at renewal EVERY year is a worthwhile investment if one holds this, now rare, visa.

CHeers!