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

[SunsetT]

2 hours ago, robsamui said:

What kind of half-wits are in charge of immigration policy here? How in God's name can ANYONE sane offer long-term visas (6 months etc), or repeating visas, and then announce it is only happening for a trial period of 2 months? This is not only the craziest thing yet but contradicts every other new regulation in the last 2 years.

The administration in this country is displaying every sign of active psychosis - if it was one person (and not a govt body)  coming out with all these erratic, inconsistent and hysterical regulations, he would be immediately tranquilised and led away by men in white coats.

You obviously havent been here long enough to realise that this is normal Thai logic. Everything is just 'trial and error', not surprising when most government posts are bought and not obtained on merit.

[wealthychef]

3 hours ago, Jonathan Fairfield said:

These measures aim to maintain Thailand’s tourism revenue at not less than the targeted growth of 12 per cent in 2019, or about Bt2.28 trillion. 

Uh yeah that's totally sustainable.  I guess someone needs a new watch.  

[bust]

30 days in LOS is more than enough for me ????????????????✌️

[SunsetT]

2 hours ago, Sigma6 said:

I hope someone sends the memo to the lovely immigration staff at DMK

Im told this has already improved since the Chinese guy was punched by an immigration officer. A friend entered about a week laterand nearly collapsed in shock when the IO smiled and said "Welcome to Thailand"......555.

[curlylekan]

2 hours ago, Deli said:

1st of all, too late. 2nd, if tourists are spending thousands of $ on plane ticket, accommodation, etc.,  who the hell cares about peanuts for visa fees.

Smoke and mirrors only. Cheap Charley long stayers don't safe the budget figures.

I care. That is how I'm able to spend the money on the plane ticket, hotel accommodation, etc. Every bit counts; especially, when the holidays is in the thousands.Now I think you have a better case if the person has never been to the country of choice before, but if he or she has traveled there before, visa fees will definitely figure into the budget and where the destination(s) will be.

[BestB]

19 minutes ago, LomSak27 said:

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

Chinese are not coming sorry to say. Chinese economy is in serious trouble and Chinese currency is on the downfall while Thai prices keep on rising.

 

This latest visa changes hardly aimed at genuine tourists as tourists do not come to stay for 2-3 months or do back to back visa runs.

 

At the moment it’s a bit like being in a circus.

 

I was in Laos just yesterday to get non B, 1000 people where there getting visa’s was insane.They did not check documents at all. Just factory giving out visa’s.

 

i know I forgot to sign every page of my supporting documents, no problem at all, visa issued.

 

interesting times ahead is all I can say

[pontious]

I suggest the OP headline be changed to PLANS changes to tourist visa's.

[NoshowJones]

2 hours ago, jackdd said:

Might be, TIT ????

 

I checked different Thai sources for this, some say 15.11. to 15.01., others say that the cabinet didn't decide yet when to start, and that when they start it will run for 2 months.

Whenever (or if?) it will start, we can be quite sure that it will be for just two months.

What!???? No 24 hour crackdown??

[Media1]

3 hours ago, AGareth2 said:

back to border runs folks

They have done much damage and it's come back to bite them

[PerkinsCuthbert]

Coming soon, free unbanning of overstayers, plus profuse apology and graab from immigration officer at point of entry, and courtesy bouquet of orchids on arrival.

[NoshowJones]

2 hours ago, keithet said:

Be nice if they could make a anouncment about incom affidavits for marriage and retirement exstensions. 

When did Thai immigration ever do anything positive for people with visas based on marriage or retirement extensions?

[SunsetT]

52 minutes ago, ukrules said:

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.

Paid for jobs for the boys!

[ChiangMaiLightning2143]

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! [emoji848]

Why not? Just hand a gift bag of
Black spray can paint to defile
another monument? Or
Perhaps some alcopops to jive them up for the inevitable bar fight on Khao San later ?

[robsamui]

37 minutes ago, TaaSaparot said:

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

ONE category of the tourist visas was free. And you re right about unlimited Visas on Arrival. But it had been like that for years. It was the sudden cheap baht that brought the record influx of tourists, not the visas!

[Ebumbu]

They're cracking down on visas. They're easing up on visas. Crack down, ease up. Rinse and repeat. I'm dizzy! 

[The traveler]

44 minutes ago, ChiangMaiLightning2143 said:

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!

Like any other country, that’s not true..many don’t have that limit, i assume you are on retirement visa or marriage visa or has the elite visa, so you don’t care.

 

there is a reason for me that I’m staying in Thailand on tourist visas because I’m under age of 50 and I don’t have any plans to marry a thai, for us there are limited options.

 

if Thailand could introduce 1 year visa or some other kinds of visa with not to much requirements for those under 50 I would not stay on those tourists visa..

 

i’m contributed to the thai economy 60-70k every month for 1,5 years, I’m here legally, I’m not doing anything illegally..

[NoshowJones]

1 hour 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?

Simple, they just don't have the brains.

[Jiggo]

If they where serious maybe the Thai government should follow Vietnam, 2 weeks free visa, no form filling in and out.  

[overherebc]

Make sue Poipet is first on the mailing list.

[VBF]

7 minutes ago, ChiangMaiLightning2143 said:

Why not? Just hand a gift bag of
Black spray can paint to defile
another monument? Or
Perhaps some alcopops to jive them up for the inevitable bar fight on Khao San later ?

Thank you so much for tarring all we Brits with the same brush as that low-life vandal who spray-painted the wall in CM!

As a Brit, I'm rather ashamed of him as it happens.

And from where do you hail, I wonder? I presume that none of your fellow-countrymen would ever commit any anti-social acts?

[VBF]

Just now, Kim J said:

Typical knee jerk reaction. Clearly if this is for the next two months only as a trial, they have not considered that the vast majority intending to travel during this period will have already made their arrangements.

True but I'm going to Thailand in January and have not yet applied for my visa (takes less than a week from the London Embassy) so am "watching this space" with interest

[The traveler]

unlimited tourist visa for those under 50, will be a good idea, or simply get new kinds of visa that allow people under 50 to stay here like those that are on retirement visa, so to those telling that you are staying here illegally on tourist visa can shut up, it’s the only damn option for us to right now... remember Thailand isn’t only for elder, there are a lot youngsters here that have income from aboard which allows me to live here...

 

Reading most of the comments on this topics, show the level misreableness and and hate...

[vinegarbase]

It's a trap!!! They lure in many more Farang with the "good news" that they old days are here again. So the Farang foolishly gets lured in to thinking they can live in Thailand long term as a tourist. They buy a car, maybe a condo, and spend lots of money to start their new life in Thailand and then right around the corner the hammer comes down in no time and then the Farang is trapped with little time left before he is forced to leave and loses out big with all the things he is forced to sell or leave behind for pennies on the dollar. 

 

What I want to know is when are they going to end the insane 24 hour address registration policy and will they ever give up this 90 day check in policy. It is the stupidest thing in the world that every time I want to take the wife away on a vacation for the weekend I have to re register my address with immigration upon my return. The same as the 90 day check in. How stupid it is to give someone a 1 year visa but force them to waste their time to do pointless check ins every 90 days.

 

[mvmvmv]

4 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.

 

 

 

 

At least even people in charge understand how stupid they were ?

 

But if they want more people, it's very easy, just totally legalize weed, and within few years this country will get as many tourists at the top destinations of the world, as France and some other countries !

 

 

 

 

[robsamui]

48 minutes ago, CeeGee said:

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

BRAVO! Spot on. 

As a linguist I realise that very few people are able to express themselves adequately in (even) their own language - it's the reason that politicians and bureaucrats in the West have PR agencies. But not in Thailand - it would be losing face to do that.

In addition to actually saying clearly what you intend, there's also the need to organise it all so that it  is succinct and clearly defined. In the West there are PR agencies . . . etc etc - but not in Thailand because doing that would be losing face.

 

So Khun Top Big Spokesman rambles and blathers his statement as best he can - then lots of dim-brain reporters try to work out what he means and publish it . . . and then they all try to convert it to another language - English.

 

I can verify that at least one Head of the English Department at one top BKK university has terrible written English - filled with errors in wording and grammar.

 

So it's not at all surprising that what we read in The Nation seems muddled and confusing, is it?

We just have to count ourselves lucky that the entire speech from the Immigration Head wasn't just thrown at us via Google Translate!

 

 

 

 

 

[vinegarbase]

3 minutes ago, The traveler said:

unlimited tourist visa for those under 50,

They should just open up a new category for under 50 sort of like Malaysia does. Visa requirements are the same except for the money amounts involved which would be more. 

[Formaleins]

4 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.

 

 

 

I am sure TAT will disagree and will assure us that numbers are up again as usual. There are now more Chinese people in Thailand than left in China, and they all have suitcases bursting with cash. 

It is a wonder that they didn't announce another tightening of the screws on visas, as the billions of cash flush tourists must be almost overwhelming them. 

[wvavin]

It is all too late!

[hottrader77]

4 hours ago, KhunBENQ said:

Don't overlook this before getting too excited.

its about time , also its about time not just to look at visas BUT also to get back to 70 baht to uk pound then people will be flooding in , thats what it should be anyway with a view to going upto 80 baht to pound , they might also get alot of condos sold at same time if exchange rate is at this level which it should be !!

[hottrader77]

4 hours ago, KhunBENQ said:

Don't overlook this before getting too excited.

its about time , also its about time not just to look at visas BUT also to get back to 70 baht to uk pound then people will be flooding in , thats what it should be anyway with a view to going upto 80 baht to pound , they might also get alot of condos sold at same time if exchange rate is at this level which it should be !!