Thailand Amends Proposed Visa Rules Changes

"The government said the longer 60-day stay could be used to enter Thailand for illegal activities or purposes inconsistent with tourism."

The above statement could be used to summarise the entire article and government scaling back of the number of days granted on visa on arrival. In the view of the govenment the risks of no-gooders entering the countries and doing damage outweigh the potential loss of legitimate tourists. From their research 30 day, even 15 day visas, is enough for true tourists. Like most asean countries they want you to come and spend money, then return home and save, then return and spend more money. Your money stays in their country but you go home (smile). Your money is more than welcome to stay in their country (smile)

Edited July 15Jul 15 by riverhigh

Much Ado about nothing... 30 day VER plus an in-country 30 day extension still gets the legit well healed traveler 60 days. Wash-rinse-repeat 2x per annum (for 120 days total). Easy pezy. Only people mad about this are those gaming the system to live (and/or work) in Thailand on visa exempt for 180+ days per year.

23 minutes ago, Taboo2 said:

So, will the new visa policy address this issue:

After my trip to Sukhumvit Soi Nana, Soi7/8, Soi 11 and Soi Cowboy, I was confused if I was in Bangkok....because all I saw were African hookers and Nigerians trying to sell me drugs. On soi 4, it is like Nairobi at nighttime. Where did all the Thai women go? What is going on in that part of Bangkok? If anyone doubts me, then go look for yourself.

Exactly my thoughts from my holiday in May / June. The African girls were very hands on and persistent.

I think the length of stay is immaterial. Many countries allow visitors a longer stay than 60 days (US, UK and Canada give 6 months. Schengen and Aus 3-12 months).

The problems arise with the visa free entry for too many and a lack of systematic checking of visa stay abuse and criminal activity.

There is an over emphasis on recording and checking addresses of every genuine tourist and long stay expat. These resources would be better utilized elsewhere.

My worry is that the Thai embassies around the world will not be able to cope with the onslaught of hundreds more tourists wanting the 60 day tourist Visa ! The Thai have messed up big with their online technology in the recent past that has left tourists leaving home Without their visas !! Hopefully this will be sorted out before the high season starts in November or it will lead to chaos and many very unhappy tourists and retired people who legally own their own condos in thailand. Thailand will cut off their nose to spite their face.

The police should be doing their job to catch/ deport /unruly/ unwelcome tourists instead of letting them run wild on Thailands streets. Peace is what is needed, not silly rules.

1 hour ago, Taboo2 said:

So, will the new visa policy address this issue:

After my trip to Sukhumvit Soi Nana, Soi7/8, Soi 11 and Soi Cowboy, I was confused if I was in Bangkok....because all I saw were African hookers and Nigerians trying to sell me drugs. On soi 4, it is like Nairobi at nighttime.

My worst nightmare,

They aren't my style at the best of times anyway, as I prefer SE Asians.

Last thing I want to see is a Big Mamma!

One important point is to inform Tourists in advance about the change. Not, it will be 15 days after it's announced in the royal Gazette. For example the new limited entry will be from November or what ever date (I guess you could announce that in the Gazette that way).

So every tourist who does want to stay longer then 60 days will know that he will need a Visa. At the moment you never know from what date the new rules will be implemented.

Then, to limit illegal work etc. why not limit your total stay to 90 or 120 days per calender year. If you want to stay longer, you will have to get the appropriate Visa.

6 hours ago, khunjeff said:

There's no explanation of how exactly it would accomplish these goals, because - guess what - it won't.

And a 30 day stay can't be used that way? Really?

Tell us more. All of the TDAC information is self-reported, and none of it is checked in any way. If they wanted to check people's travel history before arrival, they've had that ability for years through APIS (the Advance Passenger Information System), which sends data on every passenger ahead of arrival. What will change now?

They like to make it sound like something very new, unless this is new, and precious announced systems were bull<deleted>.

Thailand keeps moving the goalposts.

At the moment people from northern countries that are used to spending an extended time in Thailand during the winter are wondering if they are still welcome or if they will be sent packing by a grumpy immigration officer

That insecurity is not good for Thailand and will probably result in tourists going elsewhere.

46 minutes ago, Hatari fan said:

Thailand keeps moving the goalposts.

SoutheastAsians & Pacific Islanders

At the moment people from northern countries that are used to spending an extended time in Thailand during the winter are wondering if they are still welcome or if they will be sent packing by a grumpy immigration officer

That insecurity is not good for Thailand and will probably result in tourists going elsewhere.

All that's happening is that the position may be reverting to how it was before. If it happens. People can still extend their 30-day stay, or get a 60-day tourist visa. Hardly moving goalposts!

5 hours ago, riverhigh said:

"The government said the longer 60-day stay could be used to enter Thailand for illegal activities or purposes inconsistent with tourism."

The above statement could be used to summarise the entire article and government scaling back of the number of days granted on visa on arrival. In the view of the govenment the risks of no-gooders entering the countries and doing damage outweigh the potential loss of legitimate tourists. From their research 30 day, even 15 day visas, is enough for true tourists. Like most asean countries they want you to come and spend money, then return home and save, then return and spend more money. Your money stays in their country but you go home (smile). Your money is more than welcome to stay in their country (smile)

If Thailand only offered me a 15 day visa after a long haul flight I can assure it that my money will be spent in a country that had more respect for me.

Thailands administration should realise that with all this pussy footing around and messing with the system is it is not the country it was and because of that it is daily becoming less attractive to the world around it and people who are considering visiting.

Every country in the world has a record of it’s criminals and every airline provides information on the people who book flights with them so all Thailand has to do is correlate that info with info that upon request could be supplied by police around the world and organisations such as Interpol to keep out the criminal elements long before they even get on a plane.

Yes this will require serious organisation and agreements but at least those of us who are simply honest non criminal travellers will be able to get on with enjoying the country we visit without being treated as criminals from the outset of the visit, and really would the info collection and implementation be any more burdensome than the bureaucratic bungling that is going on under the present system.

At the end of the day all we good honest non criminals want todo is come to Thailand for a holiday and to enjoy the food and culture without having to jump through hoops, run the risk of being interrogated by a grumpy IO who has not read the rules that he / she should be working from and therein interpreting them in ways that are incorrect, and on top of that having to give my fingerprints and a mug shot for what???

I have never been FORCED to give my prints or a mug shot in my own country nor at any other time in any other country in my long life, so a simple request to my home country will immediately flag up if I am a criminal or not, and as I am not, proceeding into the country should be easy and simple taking no more than a few minutes.

Sadly the respect for a person who works hard to save money to visit a country and spend that money is long gone.