Waiving of visa on arrival fees under consideration

[webfact]

Waiving of visa on arrival fees under consideration

 

FILE photo

 

Thailand's New Year gift to foreign tourists

 

The Cabinet is today considering a proposal from the Immigration Department to waive visa on arrival fees for tourists from 21 countries, including China, Deputy Prime Minister Somkid Jatusripitak said.

 

If approved, the tourists will enjoy free visa on arrival from this month until December. Somkid did not name any of the countries other than China.

 

Somkid said the measure is aimed at boosting visits of foreign tourists during the remaining two months of this year.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/national/30357987

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2018-11-06

[SkyNets]

Dont think the problem is the visa fees guys, its the total lack of care for safety once through the door.

[HooHaa]

Printing this without providing a list of the countries proposed is little more than click bait. The article is utterly pointless. 

[Enoon]

 

And not at all trying to undo what is regarded as a catastrophic loss of tourist income from Chinese, who have woken up to the endemic potential lethality of a holiday in the sun.

 

 

Edited November 6, 2018 by Enoon

[zig]

52 minutes ago, HooHaa said:

Printing this without providing a list of the countries proposed is little more than click bait. The article is utterly pointless. 

There are only 21 countries that can get visa on arrival in Thailand so it sounds like all of them are considered for the waiver.

[HooHaa]

13 minutes ago, zig said:

There are only 21 countries that can get visa on arrival in Thailand so it sounds like all of them are considered for the waiver.

Fair enough, but don't you think that would bear mentioning? 

[Bob12345]

8 minutes ago, HooHaa said:

Fair enough, but don't you think that would bear mentioning? 

Newspapers in Thailand blindly repeat what was said and do zero fact checking or explaining. 

 

So yes it should be mentioned, but as it wasnt told in the press release the job of the reporter ended and he went back to his sticky rice.

[JamJar]

http://www.thaiembassy.com/thailand/visa-on-arrival.php

Visa on Arrival

(Updated last June 1, 2018)

Securing Visas upon entry in Thailand

The VISA ON ARRIVAL allows passport holders of 21* countries to enter Thailand under this rule provided that they meet these requirements:

1. The visit is strictly for tourism purposes.
2. The passport must be genuine and should be valid for at least 30 days.
3. You must have a valid address in Thailand whether a hotel or apartment that can be verified.

4. You must have a confirmed return ticket to show that they are flying out of Thailand within 15 days of entry, as appropriate. Open tickets do not qualify. Travelling overland out of Thailand by train, bus, etc to Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia (including en route to Singapore), Myanmar, etc is not accepted as proof of exiting Thailand.

   You may be asked to show your flight ticket on entering Thailand. If you do not possess a flight ticket to show that you will be exiting Thailand within 15 days of entry you will be most likely refused entry.

5. It will also be necessary to prove that you have funds of at least 10,000 THB per person and 20,000 THB per family during your stay in Thailand.
6. A fee of 2,000 THB is payable upon entry and is subject to change without notice. It must be paid in cash and Thai currency only.

However, persons who are not eligible to enter Thailand under the VISA ON ARRIVAL and VISA EXEMPTION RULE are advised to obtain visas with the Royal Thai Embassy prior to their visit.

* List of countries eligible for the Visa on Arrival:

Andorra Bulgaria Bhutan China Cyprus Ethiopia Fiji India Kazakhstan Latvia Lithuania

Maldives Malta Mauritius Papua New Guinea Romania San Marino Saudi Arabia Taiwan Ukraine Uzbekistan

[Redline]

Yeah, that will fix everything.  Next year they may have to give away little bags of old rice, or something to lure people in

[CALSinCM]

3 hours ago, webfact said:

The Cabinet is today considering a proposal from the Immigration Department to waive visa on arrival fees for tourists from 21 countries, including China, Deputy Prime Minister Somkid Jatusripitak said.

More appropriately, "The Cabinet is today considering a proposal from the Immigration Department to waive visa on arrival fees for tourists from China, including 21 other countries, Deputy Prime Minister Somkid Jatusripitak said." --slide whistle, cymbal crash--

[snoop1130]

Thailand waives visa-on-arrival fees to boost tourism

 

FILE photo

 

BANGKOK, Nov 6 (Reuters) - Thailand’s cabinet on Tuesday approved a measure to waive for two months fees paid by visitors for visas on arrival, in a bid to boost a lucrative industry hit by a drop in visitors from China, its biggest market.

 

The fee of 2,000 baht ($60) will be waived between Dec. 1 and Jan. 31 for travellers from 21 countries, including China, Taiwan, India and Saudi Arabia, government spokesman Puttiphong Punnakan told reporters.

 

The scheme is expected to increase tourist numbers by at least 30 percent during the period, he said.

 

In September, overall tourist arrivals rose just 2.1 percent from a year earlier, but arrivals from China fell almost 15 percent following a boat accident in July, which killed 47 Chinese tourists, making it Thailand’s worst tourist-related disaster in years.

 

Last year, Chinese visitors made up nearly a third of the record 35.38 million arrivals in Thailand.

 

Tourism receipts account for about 12 percent of Southeast Asia’s second-largest economy, making it one of the most important drivers of its growth.

 

The tourism ministry has forecast 37.5 million foreign tourists this year, up about 6 percent.

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2018-11-6

[StayinThailand2much]

They must be desperate to attract more tourists from China and India...

 

But I don't think that the visa fee keeps visitors from coming. There are other reasons.

Edited November 6, 2018 by StayinThailand2much

[ozmeldo]

Already too many Chinese living here somehow. I heard a big c announcement in Chinese today - in central Bangkok!

[Mavideol]

4 hours ago, Enoon said:

 

And not at all trying to undo what is regarded as a catastrophic loss of tourist income from Chinese, who have woken up to the endemic potential lethality of a holiday in the sun.

 

 

AhAhAhhhh... they do get dressed up to go to the beach, one wonders why they come in the first place, there is sunshine here, all over the world people know that....., sorry, Chinese maybe not know

[timendres]

But the tourist numbers are higher than last year.

So must be they just have too much money and don't know what to do with all of it.

[holy cow cm]

Could it also be that this is not the same Thailand as advertised for fun? They are literally boredom-frying this country. Khao San is an example to no street vendors.   

[webfact]

Bid to lift tourism slump

By KAS CHANWANPEN 
THE NATION

 

File photo: Tourists

 

Visitors from 21 countries to get visa-on-arrival fee waiver for 60 days.

 

 

AMID DECLINING numbers of visitors, notably from China, during the traditional tourist high season, a desperate Cabinet yesterday agreed to waive the Bt2,000 visa-on-arrival fee for tourists from 21 countries for 60 days to rev up one of the main engines of economic growth.

 

Meanwhile, the government’s economic tsar, Deputy Prime Minister Somkid Jatusripitak, yesterday made a deal in Shanghai with Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba to help promote Thailand as a tourist destination to Chinese people. 

 

 

From December 1 until the end of January, tourists from 20 countries plus Taiwan, whose nationals are already entitled to a visa on arrival, will be able to enjoy the fee waiver as “a New Year’s gift”. The duration of stay, however, will remain unchanged at 15 days.

 

Passport holders of Andorra, Bulgaria, Bhutan, China,  Cyprus, Ethiopia, Fiji, India, Kazakhstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Maldives, Malta, Mauritius, Papua New Guinea, Romania, San Marino, Saudi Arabia, Ukraine, Uzbekistan and Taiwan can take advantage of the waiver.

 

The proposal was made to the Cabinet by the Immigration Bureau to boost falling tourist numbers over the peak New Year holiday season.

 

Thailand has seen a continuous decrease in the number of tourists, more than 10 per cent over the past three months, said Government spokesman Puttipong Punnakanta.

 

 

The number of tourists coming through Suvarnabhumi Airport in 2016 and 2017 were 3.1 million and 2.2 million respectively, he said, but from January to September this year, the number had declined to 1.7 million.

 

It is hoped the visa-fee exemption will attract 30 per cent more tourists and help generate more income for the tourism industry and the entire economy, he said, while declining to estimate the loss in revenue from the visa-fee |waiver. 

 

Puttipong said what was of greater importance was an influx of more tourists to the country. Involved parties should be prepared to ensure smooth administration, he added.

 

In the past few years, Thailand has been a popular destination among Chinese tourists but due to a recent boat tragedy in the resort island of Phuket which killed more than 40 people, the number of tourists from China has dropped significantly.

 

Observers in the industry said social media in China had spread negative reports about Thailand over the past few months, resulting in a decline in Chinese visitors. Comments on the boat tragedy made by Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwan months ago, the crackdown on zero-dollar package tours as well as news of an outbreak of dengue in the Kingdom had made Chinese tourists wary, according to an expert on Chinese affairs. 

 

 

The number of Chinese visitors dropped dramatically from 939,771 in July, when the boat tragedy took place, to 867, 461 in August, down 11.7 per cent, according to the Tourism and Sports Ministry. 

 

Tour operators, hotels and restaurants in Phuket have confirmed that there were still no signs of Chinese tourists returning to the province.

 

In the popular eastern seaside resort of Pattaya, deputy mayor Poramet Ngampichet called a meeting with concerned agencies and stakeholders in the tourism sector to map out measures to boost visitor numbers following a sharp decline in tourists.

 

Chinese are among the top visitors to Pattaya, totalling 2.5 million last year. 

 

The authorities in Pattaya would take more measures to ensure safety and hygiene for tourists, he said. 

 

Meanwhile, Deputy Prime Minister Somkid said yesterday that China’s e-commerce giant Alibaba had agreed to help promote Thai tourism.

 

On November 11, or “11/11” – when Chinese people celebrate “Singles Day” – Alibaba will launch a 20-second video on its website to encourage Chinese tourists to travel to Thailand, he said.

 

The video is expected to reach as many as 800 million Chinese, Somkid said after his meeting in Shanghai yesterday with Alibaba’s executives, including its founder and president, Jack Ma.

 

The Tourism Authority of Thailand had already been instructed to create the video, Somkid said, adding he himself might be featured in the presentation to convey the message of convenience and safety in travelling to Thailand.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/national/30358037

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2018-11-07

[Samui Bodoh]

"...AMID DECLINING numbers of visitors, notably from China, during the traditional tourist high season, a desperate Cabinet yesterday agreed to waive the Bt2,000 visa-on-arrival fee for tourists from 21 countries for 60 days to rev up one of the main engines of economic growth.

 

Meanwhile, the government’s economic tsar, Deputy Prime Minister Somkid Jatusripitak, yesterday made a deal in Shanghai with Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba to help promote Thailand as a tourist destination to Chinese people..." 

 

Or, put another way...

 

Please please China; we said we would have an election, but if your people stay away there will be an economic slump and we won't be able to stay in power!

 

We'll give you Thailand's on-line travel agency business if you help!

 

And, we'll order one extra submarine!

 

Pretty please!

 

How the "mighty" have fallen...

 

 

[bluesofa]

1 hour ago, webfact said:

From December 1 until the end of January, tourists from 20 countries plus Taiwan, whose nationals are already entitled to a visa on arrival,

What's the point of listing 20 countries plus Taiwan, rather than 21 countries? Is it part of the ongoing giant kowtow to China, by not acknowledging Taiwan is a country, I wonder?

[findlay13]

But I thought Tourist arrival numbers were at an all time according to TAT?

 

[shawndoc]

1 hour ago, bluesofa said:

What's the point of listing 20 countries plus Taiwan, rather than 21 countries? Is it part of the ongoing giant kowtow to China, by not acknowledging Taiwan is a country, I wonder?

That's exactly what it is.  A lot of countries don't recognize Taiwan as its own country, and many that did have switched back under pressure from China.  

[Wiggy]

The reason people are not coming here is probably not because of the visa fee. Take a look around you, Thailand, and see what you're offering; a lack of safety, scams, cheap, tacky goods, filthy beaches and impolite service personnel, to name but a few.

[heybuz]

26 minutes ago, findlay13 said:

But I thought Tourist arrival numbers were at an all time according to TAT?

 

Puts paid to that myth,and maybe the booming economy.

[Deli]

Do THB 2 k make a difference, if one is planning his trip to Thailand ? No, I don't think so.

They ( TAT ) and many, many others just screwed up, last nail in the coffin have been new National Park regulations.

Oversupply at every corner and tourism business sucks almost allover the place, thanks to a flood of Chinese during the last 4 years.

[kevin612]

The policy is for china

[Emster23]

Thick as a brick. They just don't get it, do they?

IF there were safety standards enforced IF the streets, beaches, etc were cleaned up, IF Thai law enforcement and justice actually did what is considered law and justice, IF the scams, hustles, shoddy products were cleaned up...

That might bring tourists back but would definitely be of benefit to the average Thai, expat and other living things

It isn't the stupid visa fee.... sheesh

[bluesofa]

21 minutes ago, Wiggy said:

The reason people are not coming here is probably not because of the visa fee. Take a look around you, Thailand, and see what you're offering; a lack of safety, scams, cheap, tacky goods, filthy beaches and impolite service personnel, to name but a few.

All this is ignored, as talking about them would be a loss of face, by admitting there are problems that no one is doing anything about solving.

It's so inward looking, without wanting to admit that other countries can see these problems too, boycotting Thailand because of them.

[AhFarangJa]

What are those Chinese doing feeding pigeons !!!!! Arrest, Fine, and Deport them Immediately !!!!!.....

[bluesofa]

8 minutes ago, AhFarangJa said:

What are those Chinese doing feeding pigeons !!!!! Arrest, Fine, and Deport them Immediately !!!!!.....

Good idea. That's a way to get back the visa on arrival fee.

[Homburg]

Dear Chinese Tourist,

 

Please come to Thailand for a fun and exciting holiday.

 

You can take a boat trip in Phuket, hire a jet-ski in Pattaya, or just enjoy our quiet streets in Khao San.

 

Be sure of a safe holiday, protected at all times by the Army.

 

Come to Thailand!