Transcript of the above video:

As the title of this video suggests, we are discussing the possibility of Border Running. That is the act of basically hopping over a border in order to leave Thailand without going into overstay and then hopping back into Thailand in order to take up further lawful status here in the country. This was a practice that prior to quarter one of 2020 was quite frequent. Most folks especially on things like multi entry Non-Immigrant Visas or even on Visa Exemption stamps they would simply run to a border; Laos, Cambodia, Myanmar, some cases Malaysia, leave and come back in. Also folks could do this flying; they would fly out, come back in, same day oftentimes, and maintain their status that way. 

Obviously with COVID-19 or I should say the Government response to COVID-19, the situation fundamentally changed with respect to Border Running insofar as there is no Border Running; it basically ended. They closed the borders and that has basically been the case up until now; this is June 2021. That began back in about March and in fact I think if you go back further, I think even in late February they had already started at least clamping down the borders in a sense. 

A recent article from Bangkok Post print edition from June 6, 2021, the article is titled: Ease Border Curbs, Jurin Tells Apec Meeting. There was some information in here that got me to thinking, well maybe we might see some changes with respect to Border Run policy. Quoting directly: "Deputy Prime Minister and Commerce Minister, Jurin Laksanawisit has affirmed Thais must have equal access to COVID-19 vaccines and called for border restrictions to ease during the Apec Trade Minister's Meeting." Quoting further: "Minister Jurin said, the Government is working to ensure Thais have equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines and supports moves to ease restrictions on cross-border goods transport and exempt taxes on medical supplies." So apparently for now it looks like it is going to be on goods going over the border which apparently has been not really happening much if at all especially in recent months. It would certainly be good for the regional economy if that opened back up. But at least for now, it looks like Border Running probably isn't going to be feasible. If I am going to speculate, I am always a bit hesitant to do that these days, but I think it is pretty safe to presume it is not going to be possible to do a Border Run like we once saw, again back in quarter one of 2020 going back to 2019 where you just hop out and hop back in. Most notably, for lack of a better term it “takes two to tango” and you also have to be able to get into the country you are looking to go to and most of the countries here that surround Thailand are not really letting anybody in. So it is not just a matter of Thailand easing their border control, it is also the other country allowing that foreign national to enter their country and then hop back into Thailand. 

So I would say for at least the remainder of 2021, we have probably not going to see that as a viable option. It is possible I think in 2022, you could see things ease to the point where one or more borders maybe a feasible possibility for a border run. We will certainly keep people updated on this channel as the situation evolves.