Waiver of visa-on-arrival fee to run until end of April

[webfact]

Waiver of visa-on-arrival fee to run until end of April 

By The Nation

 

 

The government will extend the waiving of visa-on-arrival fee for another six months to boost the number of foreign tourists to the Kingdom.

 

Deputy government spokesperson Traisulee Traisoranakul , said the Cabinet today (October 22), approved an six-month extension to the exemption until the end of April next year. 

 

The visa fee waiver has been implemented since November last year and is due to expire by the end of this month. 

 

Waiving of the Bt2,000 fee has since led to a 120 per cent increase in tourist arrivals despite costing the government Bt 10.76 billion in lost revenue. 

 

However, the loss was insignificant when compared to Bt144.73 billion in tourist spending, she said. The move is part of government measures to boost the local economy, including incentives for domestic tourists, soft loans and reduction in mortgage and transaction fees for the property sector.

 

The government also agreed to increase the quota for Australians entering Thailand on Work and Holiday Visas (WHV) from 500 to 2,000 per year.

 

The Cabinet also allocated Bt19 billion to spur local tourism, of which Bt 10 billion is a contingency spending for the Tourism Authority of Thailand.

 

Source: https://www.nationthailand.com/news/30377658

 

-- © Copyright The Nation Thailand 2019-10-23

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[Samui Bodoh]

1 minute ago, webfact said:

Waiving of the Bt2,000 fee has since led to a 120 per cent increase in tourist arrivals despite costing the government Bt 10.76 billion in lost revenue. 

 

And an increase of 300% more nonsense coming from TAT!

 

 

 

 

[Creasy]

If 2000 baht is going to be the difference between visiting Thailand or not. You should probably just stay home.

[Oziex1]

The centre for fake news has it's work cut out. 

Is it fake news from the govt or just alternative facts. 

[mikebell]

Drowning not waiving.

[macgver]

Your Baht is strong and killing the foreigners ... waive 2,000 baht will not help!!!

Immigration shouldn't enforce crazy policy ... waive 2,000 baht will not help!!!

Things in cities are getting more expensive ... waive 2,000 baht will not help!!!

[legend49]

However, the loss was insignificant when compared to Bt144.73 billion in tourist spending, she said.

 

And how do they measure that spending?????

[PatOngo]

3 hours ago, webfact said:

Waiving of the Bt2,000 fee has since led to a 120 per cent increase in tourist arrivals despite costing the government Bt 10.76 billion in lost revenue.

 

3 hours ago, webfact said:

The Cabinet also allocated Bt19 billion to spur local tourism, of which Bt 10 billion is a contingency spending for the Tourism Authority of Thailand.

Paraquat is obviously working on that money tree plantation!

 

 

 

[Moti24]

3 hours ago, legend49 said:

And how do they measure that spending?????

The same way they measure everything else, whilst drinking their daily Lao Khao allowance.

[KhunBENQ]

7 hours ago, webfact said:

The government also agreed to increase the quota for Australians entering Thailand on Work and Holiday Visas (WHV) from 500 to 2,000 per year.

Can someone enlighten me on this?

I have no idea what this is about.

[englishoak]

5 hours ago, Creasy said:

If 2000 baht is going to be the difference between visiting Thailand or not. You should probably just stay home.

 

I doubt the 2k is a deal maker or breaker for most, im sure however not having to deal with a Thai embassy or hoop jump just to get a 30 day tourist visa is most welcome. 

[Almer]

5 hours ago, Oziex1 said:

The centre for fake news has it's work cut out. 

Is it fake news from the govt or just alternative facts. 

Or bad reporting

[HOAX]

Like the 2000 baht fee is what made tourists change their minds lol

 

Its like the gov't think they are the center of the universe, that everyone is informed what the Thai gov't is saying. No, next to nobody knows the gov't has removed the Visa-On-Arrival fee, nor do anyone care. If 2000 baht is what made the difference, then perhaps they shouldn't travel anywhere.

[overherebc]

43 minutes ago, KhunBENQ said:

Can someone enlighten me on this?

I have no idea what this is about.

Like you I have no idea what it means.

Especially the work visa bit.

Holiday camp to learn how to make boomerangs?

[DLock]

35 minutes ago, englishoak said:

 

I doubt the 2k is a deal maker or breaker for most, im sure however not having to deal with a Thai embassy or hoop jump just to get a 30 day tourist visa is most welcome. 

 

What?

 

They still have to get a visa on arrival, they just don't have to pay the fee of 2,000 baht.

 

Indian and Chinese, the 2 flavors of the year, still only get a 15-day VOA.

 

So, this initiative does nothing to attract more tourists, nothing to change the actually visa process (except not hand over 2,000 baht) and does not help the Tourists de jour stay any longer....and loses Thailand money. Brilliant strategy.

 

...although it did increase tourism by 120%.

[DavisH]

5 hours ago, macgver said:

Your Baht is strong and killing the foreigners ... waive 2,000 baht will not help!!!

Immigration shouldn't enforce crazy policy ... waive 2,000 baht will not help!!!

Things in cities are getting more expensive ... waive 2,000 baht will not help!!!

Which crazy policies do you refer to? Which ones directly impact genuine tourists?

[Suradit69]

4 hours ago, englishoak said:

 

I doubt the 2k is a deal maker or breaker for most, im sure however not having to deal with a Thai embassy or hoop jump just to get a 30 day tourist visa is most welcome. 

A  tourist visa gets you 60 days, plus the possibility of a 30 day extension.

 

A visa exempt entry gets you 30 days plus the possibility of a 30 day extension. You don't go to a Thai embassy for it and has always been free to those nationalities that are eligible. As the name suggests, it exempts you from the need for a visa and is not a tourist visa or any kind of visa.

 

A visa on arrival is only available to a few nationalities and is collected on arrival ( the clue is in the name ) at at the airport. It allows, I believe 15 days and cannot be extended. 

 

Not sure what the thirty day tourist visa you refer to is.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[brewsterbudgen]

Makes sense, as the key tourist demographic for Thailand is Chinese and Indian.

[justin case]

they will find a way or 3 to get their money back

 

TM30 is one of them

[brewsterbudgen]

they will find a way or 3 to get their money back
 
TM30 is one of them

TM30 reporting is free.

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