I have been following the conversations around the FREE VISA on arrival for Chinese visitors. What I am not following is that when you get a visa exemption for 30 days why would the average Chinese Tourist require to apply for Visa on Arrival or are they not permitted an exemption normally? What is the difference in Visa exemption & Visa on arrival? Its just a matter of understanding nothing more.....????

Those from China only qualify for a 15 day visa on arrival after apply for and normally paying a 2000 fee for it along with about 20 other countries and it cannot be extended.

See this for ingo about who gets a visa on arrival and a visa exempt entry. http://www.consular.go.th/main/contents/filemanager/VISA/Visa on Arrival/VOA.pdf

2 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

Those from China only qualify for a 15 day visa on arrival after apply for and normally paying a 2000 fee for it along with about 20 other countries and it cannot be extended.

See this for ingo about who gets a visa on arrival and a visa exempt entry. http://www.consular.go.th/main/contents/filemanager/VISA/Visa on Arrival/VOA.pdf

Thank you I thought there might be something in that. I wonder why being within ASEAN Chinese are not granted exeptions.

1 minute ago, les1 said:

Thank you I thought there might be something in that. I wonder why being within ASEAN Chinese are not granted exeptions.

Its a huge Money spinner !...  However, I suspect there to be more to it...  some South American countries get 90 days on arrival, other countries a 30 day 'waver' and others such as the UK on a Visa Exemption Stamp...  

 

The 'Why' of it all?... I stopped looking for Logic in Thai Officialdom years ago... Well, to be fair, I stopped looking for logic in any officialdom a long time ago... 

10 minutes ago, les1 said:

I wonder why being within ASEAN Chinese are not granted exeptions.

China is not a member of ASEAN.

Some ASEAN countries are not under the standard visa exempt scheme. For example Cambodians and Myanmarese (only at a international airport) get 14 days under a bilateral agreement.

On 1/9/2019 at 4:43 PM, ubonjoe said:

Those from China only qualify for a 15 day visa on arrival after apply for and normally paying a 2000 fee for it along with about 20 other countries and it cannot be extended.

See this for ingo about who gets a visa on arrival and a visa exempt entry. http://www.consular.go.th/main/contents/filemanager/VISA/Visa on Arrival/VOA.pdf

Thank you I thought there might be something in that. I wonder why being within ASEAN Chinese are not granted exeptions.

 

I am amazed I would have thought however never looked it up that China would be a King Pin in ASEAN.

41 minutes ago, les1 said:

Thank you I thought there might be something in that. I wonder why being within ASEAN Chinese are not granted exeptions.

Go back and read my earlier post.

23 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

China is not a member of ASEAN.

 

On 1/9/2019 at 4:43 PM, ubonjoe said:

Those from China only qualify for a 15 day visa on arrival after apply for and normally paying a 2000 fee for it along with about 20 other countries and it cannot be extended.

See this for ingo about who gets a visa on arrival and a visa exempt entry. http://www.consular.go.th/main/contents/filemanager/VISA/Visa on Arrival/VOA.pdf

Sorry, Ubonjoe - when I arrived at CNX, 6 days ago, the sign on the wall said that the V.O.A.'s were free - no fee - for the period extending sometime into January - and there was a mob of Chinese in front of me at that window. The Thai agents were patiently taking the passports and papers by the handful and stamping and signing them and sending them back to be passed over-head to the tourists.

When I got to the front the Thai lady just looked at me and said I didn't need a Visa because my Arrival/Departure card was a 30-day permit - free.

Still not clear if I can extend this permission at the end of 30 days - if I elect to not make a scheduled flight to Laos and back.

You waiting in the long line was because many people incorrectly call a visa exempt entry a visa on arrival which is incorrect.

You can apply for and be issued a 30 day extension if your country is on the list of of the many countries that get a visa exempt entry. Only the few countries on the list for those on bilateral agreement cannot get a 30 day extension.

1 hour ago, MuuKondiao said:

said I didn't need a Visa because my Arrival/Departure card was a 30-day permit - free.

I seriously doubt she said that. Your Arrival/Departure card is not your permission to stay.

 

A visa on arrival means you get a visa when you arrive, thus the name.

 

A visa exempt entry means you are given permission to stay without having a visa. Again the clue is in the name.  The people who are eligible for the former come from a limited number of countries.  

 

Yes, the permission to stay from a visa exempt entry can be extended for an additional 30 days.

 

1 hour ago, MuuKondiao said:

Still not clear if I can extend this permission at the end of 30 days - if I elect to not make a scheduled flight to Laos and back.

You were given a 30 day permission to stay (including the day you arrived). If you leave the country during the 30 days or during the 30 day extension, your permission to stay ends. You could get a re-entry permit, but it probably would not be worth the bother or expense. When/if you return to Thailand you could start afresh with a new visa exempt entry.