Transcript of the above video

As the title of this video suggests, we are discussing the possibility of Border Run options here in the Kingdom of Thailand. For those who are unaware, a Border Run, not necessarily to be confused with a Visa Run; I define a Visa Run as leaving for example Thailand, traveling to a Thai Embassy abroad, getting a new visa and coming back. A Border Run is simply crossing the border and then crossing back in in order to maintain status. Prior to 2 years ago, prior to March 2020, it was possible to for example travel to Laos for example and if you were in Thailand on a 30-day stamp you could leave, go in to Laos; maybe spend an hour there max, travel back in to Thailand and get another 30 day stamp; that was a possibility. Again it was circumstantially dependent but it was a very frequent thing especially for backpackers, what I call long stay travelers, folks that wanted to travel around the region as well as expats and folks that essentially lived in Thailand but we are using this route in order to maintain lawful status, that was possible. Now with the inception of the Emergency Decree back in March 2020, that has essentially came to an end and that has basically been the case for the past two years. 

But it does appear as if things are starting to change albeit rather slowly. Quoting directly from a recent article from the Pattaya Mail, that is pattayamail.com, the article is titled: Tourists hoping to enter Thailand by land should maybe think again. Quoting directly: "The Thai Foreign Affairs Ministry is reminding International Travelers that most land border crossing points remain closed to foreign tourists and expats. The CCSA announcement clarified that in addition to airports, only four land border posts were open to tourists and expats. Nongkhai and Udon Thani (near the Laos border) and Songkhla and Satun (near Malaysia). But entrants there," (and this is key)" but entrants there still need to apply in advance via the digital platform Thailand Pass by uploading several documents including vaccination status, proof of booking into a Thai Hotel pending the result of the RT-PCR, test post arrival test, the US $20,000 Insurance requirement as well as personal documentation. This process can take up to seven days according to the Tourism Authority of Thailand website."

So yeah, again it does look like we are starting to see a thaw with respect to Border Running. It is becoming at least practically possible in a theoretical sense but bear in mind there is all this documentation required and these hoops you have got to jump through to come back in. So as a practical matter yes it is possible to do a Border Run but I don't think we are back to sort of the pre-2020 Border Run environment that most expats or prospective expats would like to see here in the Kingdom of Thailand.