Thailand set to introduce visa-free travel for Chinese and Indians

[webfact]

Thailand to open up visa-free stays

By TTR WEEKLY

 

 Photo credit: TTR Weekly

 

BANGKOK, 7 August 2019: As China and India emerge as priority targets for Thailand’s latest tourism promotions, visa-free-travel is back on the table for urgent consideration.

 

Last week, Minister of Tourism and Sports, Pipat Ratchakitprakarn, told Prachachat Business he intends to introduce visa-free travel for Chinese and Indians later this year.

 

Currently, citizens of both countries need to apply for a visa-on-arrival although the THB2,000 service fee has been waived until October this year. Pipat says the Chinese market could still deliver as many as 11 million tourists this year up from 10.5 million.

 

The new minister says all that might change with both countries joining a long list of countries that enjoy visa-free entry for a stay of 14 days, possibly as early as 1 November.

 

This year’s target for tourism revenue, including domestic travel, has been set at THB3.4 trillion. Earnings from international tourists will reach around THB2.2 trillion while tourist arrivals should exceed 40.5 million.

 

Full story: https://www.ttrweekly.com/site/2019/08/thailand-to-open-up-visa-free-stays/

 

-- © Copyright TTR Weekly 2019-08-07

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[madmitch]

Let's get those number up however we can!

[mike787]

1 minute ago, madmitch said:

Let's get those number up however we can!

Gett'm up up now!!!!!????

[Isaanbiker]

Let's get this long nosed idiot Farang out and well behaved Indians and Chinese people in. What a joke. But I can't laugh about it. 

[BobbyL]

Daily jokes at the moment from the TAT. 

[JAG]

And they think that they have a problem with Westerners overstaying...

[Thaiwrath]

3 minutes ago, Isaanbiker said:

Let's get this long nosed idiot Farang out and well behaved Indians and Chinese people in. What a joke. But I can't laugh about it. 

Seeing as 'farang' tourists get 30 day visa free entry on arrival, I fail to see how they are trying to 'get them out', in favour of other nationalities ? Unless you are babbling on about TM28/30's, which is an entirely different thing. 

[SammyT]

Increase of crapping and pissing in the streets (and trains) expected to be around 1000% year on year. 

[nev]

Racist government!!,  You cannot just issue to who you think should be encouraged to come, You should offer to all no matter where they are from shame on you

[Isaanbiker]

8 minutes ago, Thaiwrath said:

Seeing as 'farang' tourists get 30 day visa free entry on arrival, I fail to see how they are trying to 'get them out', in favour of other nationalities ? Unless you are babbling on about TM28/30's, which is an entirely different thing. 

I'm "babbling" on the whole situation for foreigners who are allowed to spend all their cash, but aren't welcome when they can't show a certain amount of dosh. 

 

     I do not have the feeling anymore that I'm welcome home. That was totally different 17 years ago and all was relaxed. 

 

Now you might reply and tell me that I'm free to leave? Sooner, or later, I will. 

 

 

[RichardColeman]

30 minutes ago, webfact said:

citizens of both countries need to apply for a visa-on-arrival although the THB2,000 service fee

The Introduction of the 2,500 departure tax coming right up

[GanDoonToonPet]

Good luck with attracting the Chinese. Bad news coverage aside, the Chinese Central Bank just artificially devalued the yuan to offset new US tariffs. It's at a historic 10 year low!

[smedly]

I was out and about last night around pattaya and in all the years I have been here I have never seen the place so empty

 

Indians come here for a 200baht massage and a HJ,  that is it, numbers do not equal income

[Sonhia]

Racism!!!! Typical Thai mentallity.

 

I'm leaving at the end of this month, and so happy to be leaving.

Thailand has been nothing but a waste of many years of my life efforts plus alot of money and for what?

 

Just look at the place!

 

Fools gold! Fools paradise...

 

Life is better elsewhere. I opened my eyes, put my pecker away and stopped listening to the same old B.S.

 

I'm gettimg a life back!

 

 

Edited August 7, 2019 by Sonhia
Edit

[burgdawg]

...my all-around fave TOT goof hadda be marketing Pattaya as a "HoneyMoon Destination" to Eastern Europeans some years back, about 2008-2010, what a fiasco. There were plenty of lawsuits coming from various countries thinking the whole campaign a brutal joke, which is was to many brides who lost their man to a ladyboy or to Soi 6. TOT is staffed by kon Thai, most can barely speak English and they are acting like seers.

Laughable, TIT.

[burgdawg]

4 minutes ago, Sonhia said:

Racism!!!!

 

Typical Thai mentallity.

 

I'm  leaving at the end of this month and so happy to be leaving.

Thailanf has been a nothing but s waste of many years of my life efforts plus alot of money and for wjat?

 

Just look at the place!

 

Fools gold! Fools paradise...

 

Life is better elsewhere.

 

 

Thailand is good for a vacation. As full-time residency, rubbish.

[crickets]

So many white people cant understand how someone can now be treated better than then. Go to Pattaya pier and watch the hordes of Chinese come on and off the boats and you can understand why they want more. Good idea TAT.

[moonseeker]

Ridiculous this obsession with tourism news and daily changing numbers and statements. MS>

[Yinn]

1 hour ago, nev said:

Racist government!!,  You cannot just issue to who you think should be encouraged to come, You should offer to all no matter where they are from shame on you

You English right? 

Your government let Thai people in with no visa? Or not?

 

only Aussies, USA etc.

 

Must be racist government right?

[buanmeerugsaa]

55 minutes ago, RichardColeman said:

The Introduction of the 2,500 departure tax coming right up

Don’t give up hem ideas!

 

The immigration policies are driven by greed! 

[Yinn]

38 minutes ago, Sonhia said:

Racism!!!! Typical Thai mentallity.

Sound like that you racism thailand? Or not?

 

38 minutes ago, Sonhia said:

 

I'm leaving at the end of this month, and so happy to be leaving.

Thailand has been nothing but a waste of many years of my life efforts plus alot of money and for what?

 

Just look at the place!

 

Fools gold! Fools paradise...

 

Life is better elsewhere. I opened my eyes, put my pecker away and stopped listening to the same old B.S.

 

I'm gettimg a life back!

 

 

You lived in Surin right? 

 

Why a farang want go to live in Surin? Mmmm. 

 

Maybe a “girlfriend”? mmmm

 

You meet this woman in Surin or in Pattaya? Did she love you?

 

Now you have broken heart right? And she have a house in Surin? 

You say “a lot of money” and “effort”

 

Is she a fool? Or who? 

 

anyway. Good luck with the new life Sonhia. 

I hope you get happy one day.

[Not Another Not Same]

Yeah, good old farangs are gone for good. These 2 types of travellers will teaches Thais something new. 

Edited August 7, 2019 by Not Another Not Same

[drbeach]

I fail to see how encouraging visitors from these countries with a visa free scheme will sway their decision making. A visa on arrival already allows entry without needing to make pre-arrangements in advance. The only annoyance are the long queues (sometimes up to 2 hours or more) when applying for a visa on arrival and the application fee.

 

Now with the visa waiver the government is encouraging them to stay because they won't be vetted for outbound plane tickets. The two countries have a combined total of almost 2.7 billion people. Thailand isn't big enough to cope with untold numbers of people from these countries trying to live here. And yes, before anyone says otherwise, both Indians and Chinese consider Thailand a better place to live than their home countries.

[MaxLee]

1 hour ago, BobbyL said:

Daily jokes at the moment from the TAT. 

except they ain't joking 

[WinnieTheKhwai]

Great news!!! 

[Dizer]

Lol , all the immigrants in this forum get upset with other immigrants.. all are just immigrants you got no rights to complain..

[annabel]

1 hour ago, Thaiwrath said:

Seeing as 'farang' tourists get 30 day visa free entry on arrival, I fail to see how they are trying to 'get them out', in favour of other nationalities ? Unless you are babbling on about TM28/30's, which is an entirely different thing. 

Does anybody know for how long their free visa will be for??

[White Christmas13]

 

[Yinn]

1 hour ago, Isaanbiker said:

Let's get this long nosed idiot Farang out and well behaved Indians and Chinese people in. What a joke. But I can't laugh about it. 

This not about get the very handsome nose farang out. You already get the free visa.

is only to make it more easy for the Indian and Chinese guest.

 

everyone is welcome to holiday Thailand if polite.

Hope you have a good time!

 

 

[Somtamnication]

End of the world as we know it. Here come the quality tourists! Brace yourself!