audaciousnomad

Yes but not every office is approving them. It's hit or miss.

Still the same. Only Visa Exempt and Tourist Visa can be extended under covid extension program. I recommend exiting to Cambodia. It's the "easiest" exit point in the region.

https://www.nst.com.my/world/world/2022/03/783623/thailand-malaysia-land-border-entry-will-comply-sops

More like an attention-seeker. He's well aware his commentary will draw the ire of all on this thread. He's relishing it. Time to activate the "ignore troll" protocol. ????

Ha ha ha...the clowns couldn't handle the last minute deluge of tourists applying, so they said "screw this, I want my Fri night Leos+Changs with my boys", and sent everyone home instead of processing them that day. The staff should complain upwards to their bosses to at least announce a few days ahead to prevent this from happening. I doubt that will change, but it's what should be done. Or....tourists should just come early, else pay the price...for TIT. ????

Same with the USA. "Come back home and join the maskless masses". "Live free or die hard!"

Naturally. Necessity would be evaluated by both OUR embassies and Thailand's immigration. I suspect our own embassies would evaluate our requests for this letter under much more scrutiny now that we are more than 2 years into the pandemic. ????

@DrJack54 I haven't seen an example letter composed in the form of requesting this, but I believe the order that allows them to accommodate such request is this one. The term "necessity" seems to be so ambiguous as to allow this order to cover any special situations that could be interpreted as "necessitating" at least one more 30-day extension. It's from a document translated back when AseanNow was still ThaiVisa.com. PDF of it linked here (order 2.28 is on page 13): http://www.thaiembassy.cz/uploads/download/EwgNBPpX8T2vY5jxRdR.pdf

No, they said that on the 23rd because even THEY were not aware until today that the program would be extended. So on the 23rd, it was still true that it would be the last (unless it was later announced that the program was extended, which we all now know...it is !!!) ????

That language was always there from the beginning. I think we'll be fine!

Nice. I anticipate a post of the order with a translation once the great @ubonjoe gets a hold of it. ????

It's extended. Wait for the official police order announcement eventually. ????

Wow...this reinforces @DrJack54 that many offices (unless they are a head office, and even then not guaranteed) are kept completely in the dark about upcoming police orders to extend such programs like the CEs. So the IOs get just as anxious as we do, likely because they know that this modus operandi causes their office to always get slammed with the last-minute onslaught of applications. I'd be a grouchy employee if I was in their position. LOL

OK thanks. Well, it sounds like good news, but as always...it ain't official until it's official. ????

I'd tend to agree with you. But I also don't believe they would tell him, "eh...don't worry, we can do it today or you can come back next week, covid extension will be exteneded", intending to screw him over out of getting extended. While there are some rogue IOs out there, most of them are straight shooters. So my gut tells me there a modicum of truth to what he was told.

@TheFriend Wow...so this is the first indication of good news that the program will continue. Are you certain that you clearly heard from an immigration officer (not a volunteer) that the program will be extended again to May? Did you go along with that and leave, or did you insist that you still wanted to apply TODAY?

Tomorrow is the last day...but I will give it until Monday before assuming it is truly over. One one occasion they extended it a few days after the previous order ended. If that happens again, we might hear about it Monday. If it's still quiet on Monday...then it's probably done.

Actually, the poster said "2nd passport". That is different from emergency passport, which would normally only get you back to home country. Second passports are often used by busy expats/executives who might need to send one into a consulate for an extended period but still have to travel elsewhere to other countries for business while the visa in the first passport is being processed(sometimes you have to leave it with them for a few days to a week). And there is also the issue sometimes of diplomatic reasons (e.g. Israel). So there exists a 2nd passport program for some countries like the U.S.A. " It is routine for the Department of State to authorize a holder of a regular passport to hold, in addition, a diplomatic passport or an official passport or a no-fee passport. One circumstance which may call for issuance of a second passport of a particular type is a prolonged visa-processing delay. Another is safety or security, such as travel between Israel and a country which refuses to grant entry to a person with a passport which indicates travel to Israel. The period of validity of a second passport issued under either circumstance is generally four years from the date of issue.[79]"

@Dart12 You may have seen this post also...a forum member reports having successfully(and easily) crossed into Nong Khai from Vientiane. ????

Another option is to indirectly enter by going to Laos first, then to Thailand. The friendship bridge at Nong Khai is open right now. Thai Embassy Vientiane even published full details for foreigners as to which hotels are approved, etc. Details for foreign arrivals(requires Chrome browser for the auto-translate feature) are midway down this page: https://vientiane.thaiembassy.org/2022/03/4999/

Pre-pandemic, I was actually avoiding arriving into BKK/DMK for precisely this reason. I did land entries instead (Myanmar and Cambodia). He can chance flying into Phuket, or if he has time to relax a bit in Cambodia....they are working on opening land borders soon. They already announced it on paper, but I think they are working out with Thailand on reciprocity so it's not just a one-way deal at the land entry points.

Malaysia? Well, that depends on what you define as "easier". Yes, free visa on arrival....BUT.... You will pay for a Pre-test (Cambodia doesn't need this) You will pay for an Arrival-test (Cambodia does this for free) You MUST buy insurance prior(Cambodia only recommends, not required) MALAYSIA REOPENS TO INTERNATIONAL TRAVELLERS ON 1 APRIL 2022 & ABOLISHES QUARANTINE FOR THE VACCINATED Effective 1 April 2022, in transitioning to the endemic phase of Covid-19, Malaysia's national borders will be "reopened". Find out more below. ENTRY ELIGIBILITY Malaysians may enter Malaysia without prior approval from the Malaysian authorities. Effective 1 April 2022, non-Malaysians may enter Malaysia without prior approval from the Malaysian authorities (i.e. MyTravelPass / MyEntry not required). Hong Kong and Macao passport holders may enter Malaysia visa-free for up to 30 days. For visa requirements for other foreign nationals, see: https://bit.ly/3J3JMQN. COVID-19 TESTING AND QUARANTINE Fully vaccinated with / without booster dose (18 years & above): Pre-departure test (within 48 hours of departure to Malaysia): Negative PCR test result On-arrival test (within 24 hours of arrival in Malaysia): Professional RTK-AG test Quarantine / further tests: None Fully vaccinated and recently infected with Covid-19 (within 60 days of departure to Malaysia) (18 years & above): Pre-departure test (within 48 hours of departure to Malaysia): Negative RTK-AG test result. Please present proof of prior infection with Covid-19 (within 60 days of departure) upon arrival in Malaysia On-arrival test (within 24 hours of arrival in Malaysia): Professional RTK-AG test Quarantine / further tests: None Not vaccinated due to medical reasons: Pre-departure test (within 48 hours of departure to Malaysia): Negative PCR test result On-arrival test (within 24 hours of arrival in Malaysia): Professional RTK-AG test Quarantine / further tests: None (case by case basis). Please present proof of medical exemption from vaccination Partially or not fully vaccinated (18 years & above): Pre-departure test (within 48 hours of departure to Malaysia): Negative PCR test result On-arrival test (within 24 hours of arrival in Malaysia): Professional RTK-AG test Quarantine / further tests: Quarantine for 5 days. PCR test on day 4 and RTK-AG test on day 5 Apply for Home Quarantine here: https://ecovid19.moh.gov.my/outbreak-portal-hqa/traveller/hqareg or in the “Traveller” icon of the MySejahtera App. Check on your application status here: https://ecovid19.moh.gov.my/outbreak-portal-hqa/hqa/downloadLetter Those who are not approved for home quarantine or choose to quarantine at a designated quarantine hotel may make their Quarantine Hotel Booking at https://safetravel.myeg.com.my/. Please present your quarantine hotel booking upon arrival in Malaysia 17 years of age and under (vaccinated / unvaccinated): Pre-departure test (within 48 hours of departure to Malaysia): Negative PCR test result On-arrival test (within 24 hours of arrival in Malaysia): Professional RTK-AG test Quarantine / further tests: None You may book your professional RTK-AG test to be done on-arrival in Malaysia here: https://airport.doctor2u.my/ Fully vaccinated persons are those who have received the final dose at least 14 days (double dose) / 28 days (single dose) prior to their arrival in Malaysia. Recognised vaccines include those approved for use in Malaysia (see: https://covid19.trackvaccines.org/country/malaysia/) and those approved for use by the WHO (see: https://covid19.trackvaccines.org/agency/who/) COVID-19 TRAVEL INSURANCE Non-Malaysians are required to purchase Covid-19 travel insurance. Please present proof of said insurance upon arrival in Malaysia MYSEJAHTERA APP Travellers are required to download and activate the MySejahtera App (https://mysejahtera.malaysia.gov.my/intro_en/) before departure to Malaysia. Complete the Health Declaration Form and the Pre-Departure Form in the “Traveller” icon in the MySejahtera App before departure to Malaysia. For Foreign Vaccination Records, travellers are required to apply for MySejahtera Vaccination Digital Certificate in the “Traveller” icon of the MySejahtera App five days before departure to Malaysia.

You may not need it if you return to Thailand after 1-Apr. There are plans to eliminate the pre-departure covid test.

Nice. Package deal through a Laos agency?

This is the truth. The Reagan era and onward systematically eliminated retirement pensions from the private sector in America.