Fiji, Nauru a Vanuatu are probably one of the most isolated places in the world. If there is a place I would actually feel safe from any virus would probably be at some isolated tiny islands in the south pacific. I wonder what is the reasoning behind banning visa on arrival from these tiny islands located at the end of the world. I am surprised Antarctica was not included in the list honestly. Can my fellow thaivisa members offer some imaginative motives behind the ban?

 

Grouped in with other countries that get VOA... or used to.

For all intents a purposes the 15 day visa on arrival has been canceled. Every country that could get one is listed.

And Both Fiji and Vanuatu have a lot of cruise ships docking at their ports. Vanuatu especially has ports on several of their islands in the archipelago. But as Ubon Joe has said, it might just be a blanket cancellation.

2 minutes ago, Farangwithaplan said:

But as Ubon Joe has said, it might just be a blanket cancellation.

No might about it.

Look at the list of countries for visas on arrival here. http://www.consular.go.th/main/contents/filemanager/VISA/Visa on Arrival/VOA.pdf

10 hours ago, 3421abc said:

Fiji, Nauru a Vanuatu are probably one of the most isolated places in the world. If there is a place I would actually feel safe from any virus would probably be at some isolated tiny islands in the south pacific. I wonder what is the reasoning behind banning visa on arrival from these tiny islands located at the end of the world. I am surprised Antarctica was not included in the list honestly. Can my fellow thaivisa members offer some imaginative motives behind the ban?

 

The official reason is stated in the Order of the Minister of Interior dated 12 March 2020 signed by the Prime Minister and the Minister of Interior.

 

This news article dated 12 March 2020 says that the above order has been suspended and quotes the Department of Consular Affairs director-general, Chatree Atchananant, saying that "the matter will be discussed further at a Cabinet meeting on March 17"

As above, all 18 countries with VOA are included in the suspension including those small islands. Apart from the obvious concerns regarding travellers from China and India, the rationale may be to end the Visa on Arrival scrums at the airports, which was an obvious choke point to pass on the disease.

The author of the article just wrote it in a strange way. All VOA were canceled, so this affects the name countries.