Extension of Amnesty Unlikely?

[drbeach]

56 minutes ago, genericptr said:

Non-Thais are essentially a burden to the higher ups and they can't really milk us for that much money at the end of the day. I really believe they do want to clear us out so they can return to neutral, i.e. Thais only. Just how it is here. We've been warned.

A conspiracy theory lacking in facts. Without foreigners to serve, immigration officers would be fired left right and center. No need to keep employing them.

[Benitostacos]

If you look at the daily flights actually leaving BKK, the cancellation rate is over 95 percent. You can book a ticket, but boarding a plane may not necessarily happen. Not to mention a lot of airline companies aren't even refunding your ticket but issuing vouchers/credit, which can get awfully expensive when trying to rebook. I've actually had 4 flights cancelled the past few months and as of right now I'm all set for a flight on the 30th, but I have no idea if that will actually happen. There is clearly not enough flight capacity to handle all the tourists that are currently stuck before the end of the month. Plus I wonder what the government plans on doing with the tens of thousands of people (non tourists) who need to do a border bounce for their respective visas. I predict thousands (or more) of potential overstays coming up if this amnesty ends.

Edited July 10, 2020 by Benitostacos

[drbeach]

5 minutes ago, tribalfusion001 said:

Well, one says to clear out exisiting tourists and the new department is to track new tourists. You really don't think that they won't implement a tracking app on your phone? A friend of mine mentioned this to me back in February that this was next for tourists and he has been in BKK for 14 years. This was before Thai chana was brought out and immigration wanted to track tourists via QR code.

They've been mulling such silly ideas for years. Same as the GPS tracking for foreigners bringing in their own cars from neighboring countries as temporary imports. Never happened. That isn't to say it couldn't happen one day, but that day is some time off.

 

Of course, with corona, there is definitely a tracking agenda at play so you never know.

[jacob29]

5 minutes ago, tribalfusion001 said:

Well, one says to clear out exisiting tourists and the new department is to track new tourists. You really don't think that they won't implement a tracking app on your phone? A friend of mine mentioned this to me back in February that this was next for tourists and he has been in BKK for 14 years. This was before Thai chana was brought out and immigration wanted to track tourists via QR code.

I already have a tracking app on my phone, including registration of my number with Thai chana. I didn't need to cross the border to achieve this, and I'm struggling to see how doing a border run would have made the process any smoother.

[drbeach]

15 minutes ago, mixed said:

Can anyone guess whether a land border will be open for those with multi entry visas?

I can't make a guess as to when, or even whether that will happen. My hunch is that it could happen, as a local agreement between Thailand and Myanmar at the Phu Nam Ron checkpoint in Kanchanaburi. Both sides would make money off of it and since the person seeking an extension on the Thai side doesn't actually need to physically leave (they just hand their passport off to an agent of Thai immigration, who runs the passport over to the Myanmar side for the stamps) then quarantines and other things don't come into it. You could conceivably just show up and get a new 90 day stay on a multi entry visa (or 60 days if a METV) after waiting for a few minutes (probably up to 30 mins).

[tribalfusion001]

9 minutes ago, jacob29 said:

I already have a tracking app on my phone, including registration of my number with Thai chana. I didn't need to cross the border to achieve this, and I'm struggling to see how doing a border run would have made the process any smoother.

A border run, I think they want tourists to go home and come back at a later date. I took the option of going home as I was BKK during the coup of 2014 and I knew what was coming with this lot in charge, curfew, booze ban etc.

Edited July 10, 2020 by tribalfusion001

[drbeach]

4 minutes ago, jacob29 said:

I already have a tracking app on my phone, including registration of my number with Thai chana. I didn't need to cross the border to achieve this, and I'm struggling to see how doing a border run would have made the process any smoother.

Exactly. And besides, you can't cross a land border anyway. Similar or in some cases even more stringent entry requirements apply to enter neighboring countries. Only option is a flight out - for your home country or somewhere in Europe.

[drbeach]

Just now, tribalfusion001 said:

A border run, I think they want tourists to go home and come back at a later date. I took the option of going home as I was BKK during the coup of 2014 and I knew what was coming with this lot in charge.

I think that's a bit of hyperbole. Many of the stringent immigration requirements (as well as many other silly laws) were actually made during the pro-western left wing regime of Thaksin. You can thank him for cracking down on visa runs without having to do the actual "run" (only your passport did), introducing 90 day reporting, introducing or reinforcing dual pricing at national parks and introducing that silly alcohol law where you aren't allowed to purchase booze between 2 and 5pm. And plenty of other brain farts.

[tribalfusion001]

Just now, drbeach said:

I think that's a bit of hyperbole. Many of the stringent immigration requirements (as well as many other silly laws) were actually made during the pro-western left wing regime of Thaksin. You can thank him for cracking down on visa runs without having to do the actual "run" (only your passport did), introducing 90 day reporting, introducing or reinforcing dual pricing at national parks and introducing that silly alcohol law where you aren't allowed to purchase booze between 2 and 5pm. And plenty of other brain farts.

I meant the curfew and booze ban, closing beaches, Thai chana app etc. But you are correct about immigration issues.

[audaciousnomad]

 

4 minutes ago, drbeach said:

I can't make a guess as to when, or even whether that will happen. My hunch is that it could happen, as a local agreement between Thailand and Myanmar at the Phu Nam Ron checkpoint in Kanchanaburi. Both sides would make money off of it and since the person seeking an extension on the Thai side doesn't actually need to physically leave (they just hand their passport off to an agent of Thai immigration, who runs the passport over to the Myanmar side for the stamps) then quarantines and other things don't come into it. You could conceivably just show up and get a new 90 day stay on a multi entry visa (or 60 days if a METV) after waiting for a few minutes (probably up to 30 mins).

That would be nice. I have done that day trip a couple of times. It's not too bad. Even spent a few nights in Kanchanaburi after just to have a looksie.

[drbeach]

1 hour ago, tribalfusion001 said:

Undocumented tourists who have had a free pass, not something Thai immigration like. People were lucky immigration did this amnesty at some point it has to end and people go home.

It's a force majeur situation.

I'm sick of reading about various bar stool conspiracy theories not based in fact. Thai immigration were forced to put in place some kind of scheme to handle the many stranded foreigners here. Many flights were cancelled, in fact even today there are probably only 10% the number of flights that are usually running and all 37 international land border crossings remain closed. Neighboring countries are closed.

 

This is a once in a lifetime event. If Thailand wanted to rid itself of the "foreigner" problem as some of the conspiracy theories go, then they could have done so a long time ago. Why wait until now.

 

They could have decided that tourism is only going to be for rich people or do a Saudi Arabia and not issue any tourist visas anymore (incidentally, Saudi last year for the first time actually introduced a tourist visa).

 

With a properly managed scheme in place, the country can manage the gradual exit of foreigners stranded here without breaking up families or putting a strain on their limited resources. This plan would be in effect until the borders re-open.

[drbeach]

2 hours ago, at15 said:

People are now allowed to transit in the following places, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, Hong Kong, Taipei.

I dont see how the authorities are going to think nobody can get home. Like they said in the article , in a rare case where you can prove you have no way to return to your home country then a letter from your embassy may suffice. 
I am on google flights researching the options , plenty of flights available. 

Singapore doesn't allow transits yet. Only for travelers arriving from Australia and New Zealand traveling onto third countries.

[cormanr7]

2 hours ago, heist said:

The problem is everything we read is just speculation at the moment. I've heard two different 'insider opinions' within the last 8 hours. 

Here's hoping that common sense prevails though.

 

Highly misleading pic, today there are confirmed flights to a.o. HKG, Singapore, Taipei, Amsterdam, Vienna, Zurich and Doha as per the official flight status page of Suvanabhumi airport (https://www.bangkokairportonline.com/flight-status-departures/). What's more, most of these flights with the exception of Vienna have been running all the time. 

[audaciousnomad]

EXACTLY.
Why such a rush to purge foreigners now? That's like a store facing bankruptcy, but doesn't want any customers buying any more of its inventory. Kick them out, even if their wallets are open!  Makes little sense. LOL

[Binding2003]

Everyone here talking about sending the tourists home. I have been living here since 2009 and I just need to get out and back in for a new 1 year extension.

I am not allowed to do this inside the country (I tried), in Thailand. I simply have to visit an embassy outside of Thailand first. Many others are in the same boat. Not everyone is a tourist and still on amnesty, and who wants to go "home" then? Thailand is my home...

[tribalfusion001]

11 minutes ago, drbeach said:

It's a force majeur situation.

I'm sick of reading about various bar stool conspiracy theories not based in fact. Thai immigration were forced to put in place some kind of scheme to handle the many stranded foreigners here. Many flights were cancelled, in fact even today there are probably only 10% the number of flights that are usually running and all 37 international land border crossings remain closed. Neighboring countries are closed.

 

This is a once in a lifetime event. If Thailand wanted to rid itself of the "foreigner" problem as some of the conspiracy theories go, then they could have done so a long time ago. Why wait until now.

 

They could have decided that tourism is only going to be for rich people or do a Saudi Arabia and not issue any tourist visas anymore (incidentally, Saudi last year for the first time actually introduced a tourist visa).

 

With a properly managed scheme in place, the country can manage the gradual exit of foreigners stranded here without breaking up families or putting a strain on their limited resources. This plan would be in effect until the borders re-open.

There were flights running to just about everywhere up until the end of March, people chose to stay instead of leaving. The ones on tourist visas, exempts and VOAs had no excuses to stay when there was a worldwide pandemic exploding.

[mtls2005]

9 minutes ago, cormanr7 said:

Highly misleading pic,

 

Not only that, they list all the codeshares, so one flight is cancelled (in reality it was cancelled months ago) and it shows up as two, three, four or five "cancellations".

 

People can fly out, they just seem to be able to find excuses not to. 

 

Unless the government urges people to depart they never will.

[Jajazazajaja]

14 minutes ago, drbeach said:

It's a force majeur situation.

I'm sick of reading about various bar stool conspiracy theories not based in fact. Thai immigration were forced to put in place some kind of scheme to handle the many stranded foreigners here. Many flights were cancelled, in fact even today there are probably only 10% the number of flights that are usually running and all 37 international land border crossings remain closed. Neighboring countries are closed.

 

This is a once in a lifetime event. If Thailand wanted to rid itself of the "foreigner" problem as some of the conspiracy theories go, then they could have done so a long time ago. Why wait until now.

 

They could have decided that tourism is only going to be for rich people or do a Saudi Arabia and not issue any tourist visas anymore (incidentally, Saudi last year for the first time actually introduced a tourist visa).

 

With a properly managed scheme in place, the country can manage the gradual exit of foreigners stranded here without breaking up families or putting a strain on their limited resources. This plan would be in effect until the borders re-open.

I’ve never understood the expat paranoia of “oh they have been trying to get rid of us for years” thing

 

i hear it every night in the pub from people who have been here for 20 years without any problems 

[Sambotte]

I hope it's just to push the agent business.

If they don't extend, it will look absolutely terrible for Thailand.

Total nonsense except he is just saying (again sadly) "we don't like farangs, go away". 

Since an extension would be ZERO PROBLEM. 

So it would be here total xenophobia.

Good luck for any tourism business after that if they do it. 

 

Just curious : any other country doing this ?

[ubonjoe]

A post containing completely false and inflammatory info has been removed.

[Yorkshire Tea]

I read this morning that Australia is reducing the number of Aussies allowed back by 50% & making them pay for govt quarantine.   So, good luck to them getting home if you try to kick them out.  And good luck getting them back as tourists again ????

[MagnumForce]

6 minutes ago, RR2020 said:

From 1st of August you are 90 days overstay and up for 1 year ban from Thailand and deportation.

 

Thats the way its been explained to me.

Who explained that to you? Do you think they would do that? Can you imagine the absolute uproar of all the embassies and their respective citizens who would be affected? 

 

I think it's time for the mods to close these type of threads. Two of them are running concurrently in this forum. Nothing but scaremongering and causing people to panic. It doesn't help in any way apart from making some people, who probably aren't even on amnesty, feel all smug and superior. Until we hear word from a much higher power than Col. Phakkhaphong, then we won't know for sure.

 

[Soutener]

I have until 14 July on my one year Non O multiple entry visa, but my last border run extension ran out mid June. Is there anywhere I can get a 3O day extension as per the old border run? I currently have no insurance and a landlord who will not travel to immigration with me.

[clorox]

you can get sick of anything you like, tourist visa or not the facts is none of the them are here illegally, all of them are legal or else they wouldn't be here if its illegal.

[CrunchWrapSupreme]

3 hours ago, BritTim said:

The final result may be some kind of compromise.

Ah yes. The classic Thai power play. The grandstanding. The ultimatums.

 

After the bans and lockdowns, the great beer families started making noise. Then the shopping mall families. Then the Great Leader called that meeting with them. Then lo and behold, deals were cut and things happened. Now he wants a meeting with the newspapers. No doubt other deals will be made.

 

Now the immigration guys are making noise. "Well, we wouldn't want all these farangs kicked out, now would we?" Another deal shall be cut.

 

It's all good and fun, but whatever. I've got a school work contract and a pile of other papers, but am still missing a few. I'd be willing to kick down a few thousand to "expedite the matter", Thai style. Just give me my Non-B already.

[mike787]

2 hours ago, Jajazazajaja said:

????

 

Your agent knows full well this “announcement” is unofficial and means absolutely nothing. 

up to you but its NOT going to a free ride forever mate!  Thailand is not giving out free visa and passports.

[Jajazazajaja]

2 minutes ago, mike787 said:

up to you but its NOT going to a free ride forever mate!  Thailand is not giving out free visa and passports.

 

Of course not,

but there will be some solution, and it won’t need a Visa agent 

[Sambotte]

2 minutes ago, mike787 said:

up to you but its NOT going to a free ride forever mate!  Thailand is not giving out free visa and passports.

I think maybe 99% of farangs here don't care about paying, seriously.

It's much more about getting kind of expelled or forced into overstay, or having to find a sh..ton of papers.

Or to buy a ticket to "somewhere" (since some countries do not even allow their citizen to come back i"m just shocked here), and to be ready for the lottery : cancel, delay, last minute requirement-paiement-stress, quarantine at arrival, etc. ad nauseam !

[clorox]

1 minute ago, mike787 said:

up to you but its NOT going to a free ride forever mate!  Thailand is not giving out free visa and passports.

most people here are not looking for a free ride, they don't want free visa or passport, they want normalcy to going back to what they been doing, they just need a little help to get through this epidemic

[bkk6060]

22 minutes ago, MagnumForce said:

I think it's time for the mods to close these type of threads. Two of them are running concurrently in this forum. Nothing but scaremongering and causing people to panic. It doesn't help in any way apart from making some people, who probably aren't even on amnesty, feel all smug and superior. Until we hear word from a much higher power than Col. Phakkhaphong, then we won't know for sure.

Yes, you are right.

Some of these threads and posts claiming ¨they heard or understand¨ or ¨my accountant told me¨ sure seem irresponsible with no verifiable support or link.

All this does is add to the stress and anxiety of those affected by this very important issue.

Seems the appropriate thing to do would be to wait for the truth/documentation regarding the governments decision.  We all hope that comes out soon.