Popular Post webfact Posted April 2, 2019 Popular Post Share Posted April 2, 2019 Free visa on arrival for twenty countries likely extended until July Picture: Bangkok Biz News The free visa on arrival system that benefits twenty countries will likely be extended from the end of April for three more months. Immigration chief Lt-Gen Surachate Hakparn told government ministers that the scheme - already extended once - has been so successful in promoting tourism that it should continue for the time being. It waives charges of 2,000 baht for Chinese nationals among others. Surachate was in talks with DPM Somkid Jatusripitak with the proposals expected to be ratified by PM Prayut Chan-ocha. Bangkok Biz News reported that tourists are continuing to flood into Thailand with the new scheme helping. Source: Bangkok Biz News -- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2019-04-02 1 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steven100 Posted April 2, 2019 Share Posted April 2, 2019 so they are only extending the waivering of the chinese 2,000 baht ..... correct ? The VOA is here to stay .... for now. ? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post ukrules Posted April 2, 2019 Popular Post Share Posted April 2, 2019 (edited) Tourist related business in Hua Hin appears to have dropped by around 50% since about 2 weeks ago according to a few people I know. This comes from hotels, restaurants and bars frequented by tourists. Of course it's the start of the low season now so kind of expected but a little earlier when compared to previous years. 10 month low season now. Edited April 2, 2019 by ukrules 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post mikebell Posted April 2, 2019 Popular Post Share Posted April 2, 2019 Waiving visa fees seems to work for Vietnam. Maybe BJ can draw inspiration from its neighbour? 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post ozmeldo Posted April 2, 2019 Popular Post Share Posted April 2, 2019 Nobody cares. Entering hot season and it's already proving to be just that. Who wants to come and deal with the scorching heat nearly same money in high season. This freebie is laughable but it's all they know how to do. Takes no effort. Other than Chinese the whole world is freaked out to come here now. Once that mindset really takes hold, that people can randomly turned out your tourism industry will be permanently damaged. I give you Indonesia. Same hard line. Outside Bali, it's done. Even Bali suffers. Thailand could end up exactly like Indonesia. All that want to come and see have done so. Long stay entirely discouraged. India has also shot itself in the foot (no surprise there). Lost all it's backpackers. Good luck Thailand 3 2 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Peterw42 Posted April 2, 2019 Popular Post Share Posted April 2, 2019 8 minutes ago, ozmeldo said: Nobody cares. Entering hot season and it's already proving to be just that. Who wants to come and deal with the scorching heat nearly same money in high season. This freebie is laughable but it's all they know how to do. Takes no effort. Other than Chinese the whole world is freaked out to come here now. Once that mindset really takes hold, that people can randomly turned out your tourism industry will be permanently damaged. I give you Indonesia. Same hard line. Outside Bali, it's done. Even Bali suffers. Thailand could end up exactly like Indonesia. All that want to come and see have done so. Long stay entirely discouraged. India has also shot itself in the foot (no surprise there). Lost all it's backpackers. Good luck Thailand Where are you getting these figures that tourism is in decline in Thailand, Indonesia and India. Any statistics show a year on year growth. What people are "freaked out to come here now"? 7 1 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post JimSaints Posted April 2, 2019 Popular Post Share Posted April 2, 2019 Maybe give tourists N95 mask and a free gift card to nearest hospital for any damage caused by smog and pollution 6 1 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post KhunBENQ Posted April 2, 2019 Popular Post Share Posted April 2, 2019 (edited) 4 hours ago, steven100 said: so they are only extending the waivering of the chinese 2,000 baht ..... correct ? No, "among others". 20 nations. 4 hours ago, steven100 said: The VOA is here to stay .... for now. ? Yes, it's only the fee that is waived. Still the nationals of the 20 countries have to apply for visa on arrival at the airport. None of them gets a visa exempt entry. Edited April 2, 2019 by KhunBENQ 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post ThomasThBKK Posted April 2, 2019 Popular Post Share Posted April 2, 2019 (edited) 16 minutes ago, Woolsgibb60 said: But why should i pay £130 for a tourist Visa now it £150 for them to come free U don't pay anything, stop talking rubbish. They aren't talking about setv visas, they are talking about on arrival visas. A visa that you don't even need as most of us are visa exempt. Edited April 2, 2019 by ThomasThBKK 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
visarunner Posted April 2, 2019 Share Posted April 2, 2019 they could announce further good news: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post visarunner Posted April 2, 2019 Popular Post Share Posted April 2, 2019 just get rid of all this nonsense limit 2 times per year, let people apply visa at Thai Embassy without lenglthy booking,etc . Every Immigration use a different basis, etc. You can make it straight and easy and produce good news at the same time. That is needed. 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woolsgibb60 Posted April 2, 2019 Share Posted April 2, 2019 I dont pay for a tourist Visa of £130 in UK so when I get next 1 why is it £150 so why am my talking rubbish mrs 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrMo Posted April 2, 2019 Share Posted April 2, 2019 Like the way you've twinned this with the tourist-free Pattaya beaches. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bristolgeoff Posted April 2, 2019 Share Posted April 2, 2019 chiangmai is quiet now sonkran is soon then the low season will be with everyone.free visa or not 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Essecola Posted April 2, 2019 Share Posted April 2, 2019 Is Indonesia now turning people away at random as well, after they have been there once or twice? 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
biggles45 Posted April 2, 2019 Share Posted April 2, 2019 The london embassy website says single entry 60 days is £30. The £150 Is for a METV, valid for six months. You dont pay anything for a 30 day stay 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scorecard Posted April 2, 2019 Share Posted April 2, 2019 6 hours ago, steven100 said: so they are only extending the waivering of the chinese 2,000 baht ..... correct ? The VOA is here to stay .... for now. ? It says Chinese and others. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steven100 Posted April 2, 2019 Share Posted April 2, 2019 15 minutes ago, Essecola said: Is Indonesia now turning people away at random as well, after they have been there once or twice? yes .... seems travelers cannot continue return visits as before. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scorecard Posted April 2, 2019 Share Posted April 2, 2019 1 hour ago, Woolsgibb60 said: But why should i pay £130 for a tourist Visa now it £150 for them to come free ...them... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peterw42 Posted April 2, 2019 Share Posted April 2, 2019 1 hour ago, Woolsgibb60 said: But why should i pay £130 for a tourist Visa now it £150 for them to come free The same METV in china costs 1200 RMB, around 140 pound. At the moment westerners and Chinese who arrive without a visa both pay nothing, usually Chinese pay 2,000 baht on arrival. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Suradit69 Posted April 2, 2019 Share Posted April 2, 2019 (edited) 1 hour ago, Woolsgibb60 said: But why should i pay £130 for a tourist Visa now it £150 for them to come free I believe a visa on arrival is good for a stay of 15 days and not extendable. you, on the other hand, can get a free visa exempt entry for 30 days and easily extend it for 30 additional days. A vOA arrival is not equivalent to a SETV for a 60 day stay extendable for a total 90 day stay. Edited April 2, 2019 by Suradit69 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Essecola Posted April 2, 2019 Share Posted April 2, 2019 6 minutes ago, steven100 said: yes .... seems travelers cannot continue return visits as before. for godsake then where are people allowed to go if thailand is doing the same. and no, I dont want to go to "vietnam" or cambodia or the philippines(sir) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KhunBENQ Posted April 2, 2019 Share Posted April 2, 2019 1 hour ago, Woolsgibb60 said: But why should i pay £130 for a tourist Visa now it £150 for them to come free You get 30 days for free. VoA is 15 days and needs joining another queue for the visa before checkpoint. Quote pay £130 for a tourist Visa A single entry tourist visa (60 days) cost £30. Or what do you compare? http://www.thaiembassy.org/london/contents/filemanager/document/Visa announcement.pdf Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steven100 Posted April 2, 2019 Share Posted April 2, 2019 5 minutes ago, Essecola said: for godsake then where are people allowed to go if thailand is doing the same. and no, I dont want to go to "vietnam" or cambodia or the philippines(sir) Malaysia, Laos, Malta, Vanautu, Norfolk island, China, Japan, Korea. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
malibukid Posted April 2, 2019 Share Posted April 2, 2019 4 hours ago, JimSaints said: Maybe give tourists N95 mask and a free gift card to nearest hospital for any damage caused by smog and pollution right, for a lung transplant???? 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Essecola Posted April 2, 2019 Share Posted April 2, 2019 14 minutes ago, steven100 said: Malaysia, Laos, Malta, Vanautu, Norfolk island, China, Japan, Korea. Malaysia turns u away if u repeat visit. Japan and Korea are expensive, freezing more than half the year, and also turn away repeat arrivals. I have no place to go in my country. Everything was fine here until these new rules. Looks like the choice is going to be overstay. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ttrd Posted April 2, 2019 Share Posted April 2, 2019 7 hours ago, steven100 said: so they are only extending the waivering of the chinese 2,000 baht ..... correct ? The VOA is here to stay .... for now. ? Nope, Chinese "among others" ... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moti24 Posted April 2, 2019 Share Posted April 2, 2019 7 hours ago, webfact said: It waives charges of 2,000 baht for Chinese nationals among others. Thailand welcomes these zero-dollar tourists, and now, gives them free entry. While at the other end of the rainbow, expats, who spend a minimum of 800,000 Baht per year, are being used to prop-up the banking system. Doesn't seem fair to me. But, I'm just an expat, mug enough to put-up with it. 1 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike787 Posted April 2, 2019 Share Posted April 2, 2019 6 hours ago, ozmeldo said: Nobody cares. Entering hot season and it's already proving to be just that. Who wants to come and deal with the scorching heat nearly same money in high season. This freebie is laughable but it's all they know how to do. Takes no effort. Other than Chinese the whole world is freaked out to come here now. Once that mindset really takes hold, that people can randomly turned out your tourism industry will be permanently damaged. I give you Indonesia. Same hard line. Outside Bali, it's done. Even Bali suffers. Thailand could end up exactly like Indonesia. All that want to come and see have done so. Long stay entirely discouraged. India has also shot itself in the foot (no surprise there). Lost all it's backpackers. Good luck Thailand adding to that, Thailand foreigners are being chased and driven out more aggressively than ever before with no end in sight is NOT helping. LOS no more. Keep it up Thailand, great job morons! 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alex8912 Posted April 2, 2019 Share Posted April 2, 2019 7 hours ago, ukrules said: Tourist related business in Hua Hin appears to have dropped by around 50% since about 2 weeks ago according to a few people I know. This comes from hotels, restaurants and bars frequented by tourists. Of course it's the start of the low season now so kind of expected but a little earlier when compared to previous years. 10 month low season now. You don’t know me but I’m here right now. Funny that side street off the main rd ( where the Hilton is) with bars was very crowded last night. My friend and I both commented on it. The restaurants on the main road were very full about 9/10 pm as well. The Marriott had no Jr Suites or regular suites last night either. The pool area is packed now and yesterday. So there are people here in Hua Hin now and they spend a lot more than I see in Pattaya for sure. I also notice more young people but maybe they are visiting their grand parents. There were probably 100+ people kiting on the beach as well yesterday. The hotel also mentioned they are quite filled for Songkran too. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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