BREAKING NEWS Thailand announces huge changes to tourist visas in bid to boost tourism

[amse]

To little to late?

[BigBadGeordie]

5 minutes ago, Thailand said:

Next thing you know there will be extensions of stay based on retirement for five years at 1900 baht and only having to show 100,000 baht in the bank seasoned for one week on initial application only.

 

I understand that proposal is already under-consideration.

Expect an announcement on 1 April 2019.

[lkv]

3 minutes ago, BigBadGeordie said:

I understand that proposal is already under-consideration.

Expect an announcement on 1 April 2019.

Yep, heard about it also. They are in talks with 7-Eleven to create further convenience for applicants.

[ArickChaiyaphum]

Just do 90 days exempt and be done with the KE

[BestB]

Fairly obvious such drastic measures would only be introduced if tourism was in serious trouble, so would love to hear from all members who were so certain place was booming and tourist numbers were off the moon.

 

Many of us said place was a ghost town for past 5 months with no indications of fast recovery, TAT was publishing number increases, turns out all was just a bluff and in fact place is a ghost town.

 

These are pretty big changes to tourist visa and visa exempt. I mean really huge, like full u-turn.

 

I wonder what will happen with regulations for expats and non o visa's

 

Big Joke was so set on making thing hard that now not only they backing off but reversing it back to good old times.

[jethro69]

Wow, I was just at my visa agent in Phnom Penh, asking about options for my next SETV. Well, in his own words he said there's only one person in Cambodia knowing and that's the ambassador. We actually came to the conclusion to change the country. I got two SETV from Phnom Penh so far, was inquiring about a third.

Well, we'll see what's happening.

[ukrules]

Why they don't issue 90 day stamps on arrival I don't know.

 

Every time I've been to the US without a visa I got a 90 day stamp. I think my maximum stay was about three weeks but I had the option to stay for up to 90 days.

 

In my days of travelling around the world I've found that the smaller and more insignificant countries have the most stringent and complex set of rules you could imagine.

[HiSoLowSoNoSo]

2 minutes ago, ukrules said:

Why they don't issue 90 day stamps on arrival I don't know.

 

Every time I've been to the US without a visa I got a 90 day stamp. I think my maximum stay was about three weeks but I had the option to stay for up to 90 days.

 

In my days of travelling around the world I've found that the smaller and more insignificant countries have the most stringent and complex set of rules you could imagine.

Agree to that, Thailand's visa rules are very strange, why not just copy Malaysia's system (where you get 90 days for free) if they want more tourists quickly?

[balo]

Well , maybe they will continue with this arrangement to keep the longstayers  , (more than 3 months), here who can't afford the 800k requirements.

That would be a smart move so I don't expect it to happen. 

[robsamui]

38 minutes ago, TaaSaparot said:

Kind of resembles what happened in 1997, when they changed visa rules to boost visitor numbers.

Really? In 97 the Thai economy crashed, the baht devalued giving 50 to the $ and 70 to the £, and tourists came flooding in. The govt had no need to change anything to get more tourists.

Edited November 14, 2018 by robsamui

[727Sky]

I guess sucking up to the Chinese and there self contained tours are not panning out like once thought..?

 

Last word I got was that many Chinese businesses and workers are hunkering down until the trade war with the USA is settled.. Can not really blame them IMO.

[lkv]

13 minutes ago, ukrules said:

Why they don't issue 90 day stamps on arrival I don't know.

 

Because one month is promo, free.

Two months costs 1,000 or equivalent (generally 1,300)

Three months costs the above +1,900

And should you wish to enter and re-enter, it's all the above +1,000 per entry.

 

Which is the boat I am in.

 

Why make zero when you can make 4k+.

 

Edited November 14, 2018 by lkv

[robsamui]

18 minutes ago, BestB said:

Fairly obvious such drastic measures would only be introduced if tourism was in serious trouble, so would love to hear from all members who were so certain place was booming and tourist numbers were off the moon.

 

Many of us said place was a ghost town for past 5 months with no indications of fast recovery, TAT was publishing number increases, turns out all was just a bluff and in fact place is a ghost town.

 

These are pretty big changes to tourist visa and visa exempt. I mean really huge, like full u-turn.

 

I wonder what will happen with regulations for expats and non o visa's

 

Big Joke was so set on making thing hard that now not only they backing off but reversing it back to good old times.

Damn! Big Joke will have to go into public relations instead. Oh, wait a mo, he IS in public relations already . . . 

[akampa]

what do they think that the numbers of tourists will increase ,and we here cannot even agree when it will start, the government  are just living in a dream world if they think this will work at such short notice for people  to come to Thailand.

[Ketyo]

"Unlimited visa exempt entries at land borders per calendar year"

 

After all the effort the authorities have gone to in the last four years to make sure that people are not using tourist visa and visa exempt status to live in Thailand.  This completely reverse that. Tourists who can get visa exempt will be able to stay in Thailand permanently subject to visa runs.

 

What a waste of time..... 

Edited November 14, 2018 by Ketyo
Correction

[robsamui]

20 minutes ago, ukrules said:

Why they don't issue 90 day stamps on arrival I don't know.

 

Every time I've been to the US without a visa I got a 90 day stamp. I think my maximum stay was about three weeks but I had the option to stay for up to 90 days.

 

In my days of travelling around the world I've found that the smaller and more insignificant countries have the most stringent and complex set of rules you could imagine.

yes - because they are so small and insignificant they have to prove to prove to outsiders just how how organised and  efficient they really are! The more complex the red tape, the more important it makes them feel!

Edited November 14, 2018 by robsamui

[ukrules]

11 minutes ago, HiSoLowSoNoSo said:

Agree to that, Thailand's visa rules are very strange, why not just copy Malaysia's system (where you get 90 days for free) if they want more tourists quickly?

It's because they're stupid, inefficient and need to keep themselves busy in their meddling jobs.

 

Without all the bureaucracy they could fire at least half of the entire immigration department.

[SunsetT]

Better late than never!

 

I knew the METV was doomed to failure! This is partially reverting to the previous system which offered double and triple entry tourist visas.

 

Hope the fruit cake who introduced the last change with the METV is losing face big time and has been transferred to the Royal Thai Consulate in the Falkland Islands or similar!

[ChiangMaiLightning2143]

Nationals qualified for visa exempts should be able to get “multiple entries”, like they used to.

Just set a six month per year limit for tourism like any other country the problem of tourists living illegally finished!

[CeeGee]

Maybe for the first time in history the Thai Government will issue an actual factual statement.

ie This scheme will start on this date

    It will run between these dates

    If successful it will be extended for the following dates

    It covers the following visas

 

it would make a change because it seems that every time they announce anything it prompts pages and pages of debate on what they actually mean.It also left to individual officials to interpret the rules as they see fit.

There is no black or white in Thailand everything is grey

[Kerryd]

The "unlimited 30 Day exemptions" are not aimed at the "long stay" people who can't meet the requirements of a different visa - no matter how hopeful some of those people may be.

The purpose of the change is to let people come to Thailand for a week or so, then make a short trip to (Cambodia/Laos/Malaysia) before returning to Thailand for awhile and then making another short trip to (Cambodia/Laos/Malaysia) and so on. 

I seriously doubt any of these changes have anything whatsoever to do with the "Income Letter" business. I would say "think about it" but of course too many people are grasping at whatever straws they can.
Do you really think they are going to make it harder for some people to stay here long term by requiring their Income Letters to be verified, and then tell them they can just stay here using "unlimited 30 Day extensions" ? 

They got rid of the ability to do that years ago for just that reason. Too many people staying here "full time" by making border runs once a month. It's not likely they are suddenly going to go back to that because they hope it will encourage a couple hundred old farts to stay even though they can't meet the requirements.

This "change" is also a case of "too little, too late". By the time word gets out - "high season" will be over so it's not like these changes will have much effect on the overall numbers - unless this was something they've already had in the works for awhile and certain groups (i.e. Chinese tour companies) are already aware of the upcoming changes.

 

[LomSak27]

26 minutes ago, BestB said:

Fairly obvious such drastic measures would only be introduced if tourism was in serious trouble, so would love to hear from all members who were so certain place was booming and tourist numbers were off the moon.

 

Many of us said place was a ghost town for past 5 months with no indications of fast recovery, TAT was publishing number increases, turns out all was just a bluff and in fact place is a ghost town.

Is there a line forming ...  

 

I imagine those people blowing sunshine, were just doing there job     It's not like they actually live here right. I for one hope, the Chinese return because if they do not, some serious excrement is going to hit the fan up here in CM

[SunsetT]

3 hours ago, Samui Bodoh said:

Wow!

 

Tourism numbers and revenues must be taking one hell of a hit to do this; it is a refutation of everything the Junta has been doing or saying for years.

 

There is a great deal more to this story; I am looking forward to finding it out.

 

 

 

It may also be pressure from the Asean community quite sensibly, unlike  narrow minded, irrational and short sighted Thailand, wishing to promote tourism by allowing more freedom of movement for tourists between their countries. Not long ago there was a thread on here claiming there was going to be a joint tourist visa available for Thailand and Cambodia.

[TaaSaparot]

30 minutes ago, robsamui said:

Really? In 97 the Thai economy crashed, the baht devalued giving 50 to the $ and 70 to the £, and tourists came flooding in. The govt had no need to change anything to get more tourists.

No, Tourist Visas were free, along with unlimited free 30 day extensions.

[Cake Monster]

3 hours ago, KhunBENQ said:

Don't overlook this before getting too excited.

That 2 months trual period should just about cover the " high season period " 

After that its peobably the Status Quo

[Nanaplaza666]

Nev is excactly right ,the nr's don't match anymore .and much more "longstay tourists" are going to neighbouring country's ,like vietnam and cambodia, so their loosing out and starting to feel it ,so this is a try to get them back before it's to late . The two months period is to see how much their missing out on, and a good suck up for the ellections to come .

[Sydebolle]

I do not get it. Those visa runners spending THB 30K/monthly were numbered earlier on with 900'000. This would amount to THB 324 billion yearly proving that almost one billion Baht daily would come from this tourism segment. 

The Chinese arguably are the worst tourists Thailand ever had so maybe, maybe, some clowns at the TAT-circus now realized that they've been shooting themselves into their own foot! 

[VBF]

The OP indicates that "foreigners from Singapore, Japan, France and the United States" will qualify for these Visas.

 

Anyone care to guess if that will also include UK?

Logic says it should but....TIT! ????

Edited November 14, 2018 by VBF

[malct]

shame that they don't extend the time a visitor can enter the country without the need of a tourist visa. 30 days is to short  

[pontious]

3 minutes ago, Cake Monster said:

That 2 months trual period should just about cover the " high season period " 

After that its peobably the Status Quo

The government has agreed in principle!! They await the TAT study for the suggested period and details. At the present time  there is no change and no announcement of when / if it will change and any details. It is just like yesterday.