| Below is an article about the methods some individuals | | | | ten years. Most notable is the end of the infinite "visa |
| use to maintain lawful presence in the Kingdom of | | | | run," as now one is only allowed to obtain a 15 day |
| Thailand. | | | | stamp at land borders and multiple "border runs," are |
| Thai Immigration regulations are fast becoming more | | | | viewed with increasing suspicion. Although this method |
| constrictive, multifaceted, and stringent. Compared to | | | | of visa running is being phased out, there are other |
| the European Union, the United States of America, | | | | methods of maintaining lawful status which may still be |
| Canada, Australia, or the United Kingdom Thailand's | | | | beneficial to those wishing to remain in the Kingdom. |
| immigration rules are relatively liberal. However, | | | | The "airport visa run," has become somewhat popular |
| compared to countries in Southeastern Asia such as | | | | as flights to cities like Kuala Lumpur, Pnom Phen, and |
| Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, and Indonesia the Thai | | | | Ho Chi Minh City are fairly cheap. Couple this with the |
| Immigration rules are considerably more stringent. | | | | fact that Thai Immigration currently grants thirty day |
| The distribution of Thai visa exemptions is one aspect | | | | exemption stamps at the airport to many nationalities |
| of Thai Immigration policy that has been dramatically | | | | and this creates a situation in which some opt to use |
| modified over the years. There was a time when | | | | the airport in a manner similar to previous land border |
| non-Thai nationals could remain in the Kingdom for a | | | | usage. |
| virtually indefinite period of time so long as they made | | | | Another method of "visa running," now being employed |
| monthly trips to the border in order to be stamped out | | | | is that of running to a nearby Consulate and obtaining |
| and stamped back into the country on a visa | | | | a tourist or non-immigrant visa. These travel |
| exemption. These trips to the border were called | | | | documents provide at least 60 days lawful status with |
| "border runs," or "visa runs," which explains the | | | | a possible option to extend the visa domestically at |
| etymology of those terms. Around the beginning of this | | | | Royal Thai Immigration. However, Consulates and |
| decade, Thailand's Immigration authorities began giving | | | | Embassies in Southeast Asia are becoming less |
| serious thought to the visa exemption program and | | | | cooperative in granting multiple tourist visas. |
| many modifications have been made over the past | | | | |