Tourists to Thailand being asked to producs 20,000 baht in cash

[Rockheart]

It has been reported that immigration officials are asking many tourist to produce 20,000 baht in cash before they will be able to enter the country.
This is in response to many poor foreigners entering thailand with little money and end up begging on the street or trying to find work illegally.
Some refer to these people as "Beg-packers" as Thailand is known to be a draw for young backpackers with little money who tend to stay in the cheap hostels.
Of course Thailand is a dream for young people with no money since it is warm and you can just sleep anywhere really.
Better looking foreigners often can find a free place to stay with a Thai person of the opposite sex.
However many of these broke travellers end up stuck in Thailand with no way to get home and end up begging or working or worse.

So be warned to have 20,000 baht in cash on you when you enter Thailand as a tourist or you could face delays or rejection.
Apparently showing them bank statements and online banking is often not sufficient, they are looking for cash.
It also seems they put a note right in your passport that says you don't have enough money.
One would assume it is younger scraggly looking people they are targeting but anyone is at risk.

This is similar to them wanting tourists to carry proper medical insurance as many travellers stiff doctors and hospitals when they become injured or ill.

I will have to change my ways as I often don't carry much cash when i come.
Probably It can just be grabbed from an ATM before you hit immigration.

http://nypost.com/2017/07/20/thailand-is-sick-of-backpackers-begging-for-money-to-get-home/

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/national/30321036

http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/thailand-tourist-visa-begpackers-crack-down-show-20000-baht-before-entering-country-immigration-a7846906.html

http://www.express.co.uk/travel/articles/830895/Thailand-holidays-tourist-visa-cash

http://nypost.com/2017/07/20/thailand-is-sick-of-backpackers-begging-for-money-to-get-home/

[rxpharm]

I have read that this is an old requirement, but they are beginning to enforce it with the increasing problems you mentioned. There are ATMs and forex booths before the immigration checkpoint, so it is an easy matter to make sure you have 20k before getting to the check points. I would be curious to know if you had the equivalent of 20k Baht of your country's currency, would they let you in? (about 770 CAD or 603 USD).

[Rockheart]

I am sure they would accept the equivalent in foreign cash if it was a common currency they recognize.
Asian and US money would be acceptable I assume, more obscure currencies like Canadian may not be good.
However Thailand is one of the only places I have been where they don't drool over US cash.
The first time I went to Thailand i brought a stack of US currency but nobody really cared, they just want baht.
Other countries, especially Brazil, they are just nutty for US cash and you will get extra value.

[George Pill]

Will need to visit my local Thai consulate in Honolulu to see if US10K in traveler's checks will pass. Stupid rules. At's why I don't want to live there. Did you know you must show your passport to mail a letter or box. They must inspect your product, wrap it with brown paper, and insert it into their brown box for taping with their own tape. Then you take it to a counter and show your passport, pay for postage, then kiss your box goodbye now that they know what's in your box. Scares me to mail my SD cards home. Same thing when you buy a SIM card for your cell phone. I don't do this as no one calls me and I rarely ever call anyone. Just send emails. If I need to call for a date at my hotel room I will walk outside and ask someone to call for me and give them B10. Did you know you must bring your checking or savings monthly statement to the consulate for their records before you can get a travel VISA. Stupidest country yet. Now I have to worry they will make fake checks and drain my accounts. Corrupt!

[Rockheart]

Why don't you just cash some travellers checks before you get to immigration.

[George Pill]

Just called the Thai consulate today. They don't know what the fug I'm talking about. They never heard of such a thing as requirement to be carrying B20K into Bangkok.

[Rockheart]

Just called the Thai consulate today. They don't know what the fug I'm talking about. They never heard of such a thing as requirement to by carrying B20K into Bangkok.

Like RXpharm said, it is a requirement that has always been there but it is at the discretion of the immigration officer.
As those article seem to show the incidences of them using this excuse is rising, so just in case i have no problem carrying 20000.
It specifically says they seem to be targeting those with past visits in their passports.

It could just be that they are informally cracking down on those who seem to be broke or unsavoury.
Often Thailand foreign consulates don't really know what is going on at the front lines in Thailand.
Especially if it is just immigration tightening the clamps on existing tools to trap vagrants.
It doesn't good to have the same people begging on the street as you are trying to attract as tourists.
For the most part panhandling in Thailand is quite uncommon compared to North America.
At least in Thailand they try to sell something or provide some service, unlike western bums.

I think the actual amount is up to the officer depending on the visa and current conditions.
The officers could even crack down more on their own if the prevailing feeling is there is a problem.
Your appearance is often a deciding factor, as young hippy types are the most likely.
Older well groomed gentlemen are not likely to have this issue as a young knotty dreadlock hipster dufus.

[BAM]

600 bucks is just pocket money in Thailand LOL !

[Easyguy]

I'm curious about something. Wonder why the Thai Immigration allows foreign prostitutes into their country to ply their trade? There are many western prostitutes in Pattaya that are openly doing trade. Does the Thai government not care? Or, are they being paid off? Actually, there are thousands of foreign prostitutes doing their thing in the US. How in the world do they get in the country? Then when they advertise for services, in various on line websites, that is two laws being broken, working in the US on a tourist visa, and working as a prostitute. Personally, I don't care. Just curious how this is allowed as it affects all of the other laws and how they are being enforced or not being enforced.

[rxpharm]

So, how do you think immigration (from any country) can screen for prostitutes on entry? Currently prostitution is not considered a major crime so the police database does not supply immigration with information regarding which foreigners entering the country were arrested for prostitution and barred from future entry.

If you are so keen on prostitution laws being enforced, then there wouldn't be lbs available p4p in any country, let alone Thailand. The factors affecting enforcement of laws depends on manpower required to enforce it, and does it have a big impact on protecting/improving public safety, and the amount of money required to enforce the laws.

[t-girlLvr]

It has been reported that immigration officials are asking many tourist to produce 20,000 baht in cash before they will be able to enter the country.

I was just in Thailand, I actually arrived there on July 20th, and nobody asked or mentioned anything about money. On the other hand I flew in Business class and got one of those VIP tickets for immigration.
They might be selective in asking some individuals, if you arrived looking like a backpacker or something