Thai authorities set to clarify situation on visa overstay as a result of COVID-19

[idiot farang]

6 hours ago, sapson said:

They could simply allow everyone an additional 90 days on their current permission to stay date.

 

No need to panic visit immigration causing them an enormous workload or do anything just the 100% directive clear statement issued and understanding that we all have 90 days extra to our current stamp under this emergency situation...........simple hassle free.

 

Can be reviewed later as the situation unfolds.

This is such a good idea....

There is no chance they will take such a logical approach. And if they're worried about the revenue, then charge something along the lines of the 30 day extension- 1,900 baht/month...

[sanemax]

Spoke to a Thai visa agency today and he said that immigration will give 60 day extensions............for 25 000 Baht

  (I already have one extension , this would be an extra extension)

[Assurancetourix]

4 minutes ago, sanemax said:

Spoke to a Thai visa agency today and he said that immigration will give 60 day extensions............for 25 000 Baht

  (I already have one extension , this would be an extra extension)

In this case, as much as being in overstay, the maximum fine is only 20,000 baht

The downside is that if you are stopped before arriving at the airport it is no longer the fine the main problem but the ban on returning to Thailand because you are blacklisted

Edited March 19, 2020 by Assurancetourix

[ukrules]

16 minutes ago, johnarth said:

the panic is on, very soon all borders and countries will close their borders, now China does not have the virus will be interesting to see what they do

We will also see how easy or hard it is to suppress the virus on a longer term by watching the situation in Wuhan.

 

Lets see if they cover it all up again.

[NanLaew]

2 hours ago, RubbaJohnny said:

I just received a non official report from a worker at Beer Lao that border "may " close' 20th

This may exclude locals truckers etc but for foreigners needing to border runs I'd check carefully before booking flights etc

 

PLEASE DO NOT SHOOT THE MESSENGER

 

I have a couple of friends in Lao government (not immigration, forestry, who may send an update after work)

 

Obvious plan is to call embassy here

Address: 520.502/1-3 Soi Sahakarnpramoon, Phacha-Uthit Road, Wangthonglang Bangkok 10310 Thailand
Tel: (+662) 539 3642, 02 539 3827
Email: [email protected]

Having passed through Mukdahan to Savannakhet and back 18th and 19th, and talking with some locals who's business is all about border runners, it seems like a certainty that the border will "close" on Friday night.

 

The Thai Consulate were only issuing visas to those who could provide a current Health Certificate. They said they received this instruction on 18th and that was the date on the top of the copy of Thai language memorandum he was citing to deny visas.

[spiekerjozef]

6 minutes ago, sanemax said:

Spoke to a Thai visa agency today and he said that immigration will give 60 day extensions............for 25 000 Baht

  (I already have one extension , this would be an extra extension)

I think your thai visa agent wants to buy a new Merceds Benz.

[sanemax]

2 minutes ago, Assurancetourix said:

In this case, as much as being in overstay, the maximum fine is only 20,000 baht

Good point, although I would rather pay an extra 5000 Baht , rather than have the possibility of ending up in IDC and deported .

  Wait until immigration give official leniency for over stayers first , before I go on overstay

[christophe75]

6 hours ago, sapson said:

They could simply allow everyone an additional 90 days on their current permission to stay date.

 

No need to panic visit immigration causing them an enormous workload or do anything just the 100% directive clear statement issued and understanding that we all have 90 days extra to our current stamp under this emergency situation...........simple hassle free.

 

Too simple !

 

Ockam Razor...

 

Why would they come up with a simple and perfect solution as this one ? When the point of their job, their mindset is to create complicated, pointless regulations, exceptions... the Fog of War.

 

What would you call a civil servant who is doing everything possible to make his job... irrelevant ?

 

A fool.

 

So the thai immigration, confronted to a real problem, will come up with many solutions, exceptions... complicated, and open to interpretations.

 

Because that's the way they are wired.

 

Because that's the only way they can justify their army of "civil servants" with beautiful uniforms, their budgets, their benefits etc.

 

It's not even a bet anymore. Pascal and his wager can go to hell.

 

It's an absolute certainty.

[cnx355]

Just learned that   foreigners can not go to Myanmar at   land border crossing anymore.

 

[earlinclaifornia]

7 hours ago, RandolphGB said:

Laos has stopped issuing visas?

I got mine at Savannakhet on Monday Non O 90

[sanemax]

9 minutes ago, spiekerjozef said:

I think your thai visa agent wants to buy a new Merceds Benz.

No, he told me to get it done myself locally , no money goes to him 

[vermin on arrival]

19 minutes ago, sanemax said:

Spoke to a Thai visa agency today and he said that immigration will give 60 day extensions............for 25 000 Baht

  (I already have one extension , this would be an extra extension)

Wow. I guess it's better than some alternatives, but they are really taking advantage of the situation. Having said that, it may turn out that I have to do it

[jacob29]

21 minutes ago, sanemax said:

Spoke to a Thai visa agency today and he said that immigration will give 60 day extensions............for 25 000 Baht

  (I already have one extension , this would be an extra extension)

I guess that works, but seems a bit odd. Tourism is already gutted, there will be no new arrivals for months, you would think they would be scrambling to encourage everyone that is already here, to stay. They literally have everything to gain, and the tourist sector is basically on life support now. The people due for extensions present no increased risk of CV19.

[vermin on arrival]

2 minutes ago, jacob29 said:

I guess that works, but seems a bit odd. Tourism is already gutted, there will be no new arrivals for months, you would think they would be scrambling to encourage everyone that is already here, to stay. They literally have everything to gain, and the tourist sector is basically on life support now. The people due for extensions present no increased risk of CV19.

 Just going for the throat. In typical Thai style, we have no customers what do we do? raise prices!

[CharlieK]

28 minutes ago, sanemax said:

Spoke to a Thai visa agency today and he said that immigration will give 60 day extensions............for 25 000 Baht

  (I already have one extension , this would be an extra extension)

Is that the agency fee or what immigration will charge? Seems way too much for a 60 day extension! 

[sanemax]

5 minutes ago, CharlieK said:

Is that the agency fee or what immigration will charge? Seems way too much for a 60 day extension! 

That was the immigration fee

(Just to confirm that that info is from a agency and not immigration itself)

Edited March 19, 2020 by sanemax

[jacob29]

3 minutes ago, vermin on arrival said:

 Just going for the throat. In typical Thai style, we have no customers what do we do? raise prices!

Well there are some cracker deals on hotels right now, so I guess even at 25k would be a wash for many

[idiot farang]

8 minutes ago, jacob29 said:

I guess that works, but seems a bit odd. Tourism is already gutted, there will be no new arrivals for months, you would think they would be scrambling to encourage everyone that is already here, to stay. They literally have everything to gain, and the tourist sector is basically on life support now. The people due for extensions present no increased risk of CV19.

based upon their usual SOP and personally being screamed at and threatened by the IO in charge last friday... immigration doesn't care about tourism, us, the businesses we support- nothing. They only care about their piece of the pie/their sandbox.

 

"Come here, spend your $ and gtfo"

   - the unofficial Thai immigration slogan

[ThailandRyan]

36 minutes ago, spiekerjozef said:

I think your thai visa agent wants to buy a new Merceds Benz.

No, the agent is more than likely panic shopping his prices to see what he can get from panicked travelers, tourists and un-informed expats.  Price gouging will start soon, if it has not already.....

[calbts2]

Hopefully Thai Immigration will learn a lesson or 2 from the Philippines Immigration Dept. ...but I doubt it????

[alyx]

2 hours ago, Jlop said:

What do you mean by "90 day out/in?" 60 day tourist visa followed by 30-day extension? If so, I am curious how long a person can do that before immigration will give you trouble for not having a long-term visa.

Hey 

How about non Imm ED who are supposed to renew their stay for 90 days at a Thai embassy> A couple of kids holding this visa ( not overstay ) are kind of worry to be refused at the Savannakhet border and then maybe at the Embassy

Thanks for any advice

[drguid]

I have a job at a Bkk school starting in May but I won't take it up. They're relying me to come on a tourist visa, do a risky border run and cover my own health expenses should I get the thing.

 

The school will probably be closed anyway.

[ColtSand]

Standing by... Standard 30 day visa looking to extend same.  Or any purchasable options for alternative. Watching Mae Sai for any new protocol as that’s closest. Any intel in the days to come appreciated!

 

 I’m fairly certain the ‘Rona won’t pass thru these Maesalong air quality levels anyway. ???????? 

 

All change is proceeded by chaos. 

[Lacessit]

There's only so many farangs the IDC can hold, so the authorities will be forced to think outside the square.

[Mung]

10 hours ago, keith101 said:

I was concerned about the border being closed and not being able to do my 90 day out/in next month so contacted Siam Legal who told me i can get a 60 day extension from my local Imm office if needed .

kind of pointless seeing as this is going to be going on for most if not all of this year 

[RubbaJohnny]

1 hour ago, Lacessit said:

There's only so many farangs the IDC can hold, so the authorities will be forced to think outside the square.

With the message parlours dormant I'm sure happy quarantine is available for VIPs if not allcomers

[Derek B]

12 hours ago, keith101 said:

I was concerned about the border being closed and not being able to do my 90 day out/in next month so contacted Siam Legal who told me i can get a 60 day extension from my local Imm office if needed .

So you are not eligible for a 90 day report and have to physically leave the country & re-enter every 90 days?

 

[Derek B]

5 hours ago, johnarth said:

the panic is on, very soon all borders and countries will close their borders, now China does not have the virus will be interesting to see what they do

Well they wont want it back......that is for sure.

[cheapcanuck]

11 hours ago, ColtenSloan said:

Interested to see what will happen exactly. I've always had tourist visas for the last 3 years. 

Now I'm just on a visa exempt, which I am due to EXTEND next week for 30 days. 

Been curious what I will do once that time is up, as my flight has been cancelled to Singapore, my travel plans to Vietnam are currently not possible due to Vietnam suspending visas, and now Laos has just stopped issuing visas, so I couldn't even potentially go to Laos for a Thai visa, or border hop. Even the thought of going to Laos for a month or two is now not possible. 

(Canadian citizen btw) 

And no not travelling back to Canada. 

Hmm ????????????

Cambodia.

[DrTuner]

Suspend the 90d notification until further notice. Their online system is not working, been trying for over a week (mentioned in the 90d online thread already). Not a good idea to get people into fully crammed offices for spreading the virus for that stupid thing.

 

Or at the very, very least organize a single file line outside the immigration office with mandatory 2m distance between people and only one at a desk being served inside.

Edited March 19, 2020 by DrTuner