Visa amnesty 27th September

[jackdd]

2 hours ago, FarFlungFalang said:

The plan was to get an exit stamp first which is where it gets a bit tricky as I'm not clear on the law in regards to Thai official's ability to refuse exit.There's also the question of seeking asylum.I wish I paid more attention in preschool when this subject came up.Immigration won't extend my visa because my visa has expired yet I'm not on overstay just in a state of limbo land and come 26th of Sept my ability to reside at my home with my wife will be terminated without any means to address the situation.

As BritTim already said, you won't even get an exit stamp. If you still enter the "no mans land" area, the authorities on both sides will most likely take the easiest approach, they will tell you to go back to Thailand. Nobody will care about you wanting to become a refugee in Laos. And in case you are still there when they close the border, they will most likely just take you back on the Thai side and if your documents are in order they tell you to find a hotel and stop annoying them.

[RaduAlex]

I think this news confirms that a further amnesty extension is extremely unlikely: https://www.emirates.com/media-centre/emirates-to-resume-flights-to-bangkok-from-1-september/. They would not do this if they were not expecting return traffic from Bangkok, as there will be no tourism resumption even in October. Whatever may come then will be limited to Phuket.

[audaciousnomad]

9 minutes ago, RaduAlex said:

I think this news confirms that a further amnesty extension is extremely unlikely: https://www.emirates.com/media-centre/emirates-to-resume-flights-to-bangkok-from-1-september/. They would not do this if they were not expecting return traffic from Bangkok, as there will be no tourism resumption even in October. Whatever may come then will be limited to Phuket.

Or...just trying to sell inbound tickets since people are getting their hopes up of coming to Thailand based on various media outlets "hopeful" reporting.  Anyone who buys an Emirates ticket inbound based on those reports is setting themselves up to be denied entry or getting their flight cancelled and waiting 2 months to get their refund. LOL

[treetops]

42 minutes ago, audaciousnomad said:

Or...just trying to sell inbound tickets . . . .

I tend to agree, but they only stopped selling September tickets a couple of weeks ago, so it seems a bit odd.

[worldfun]

I don't think airlines have any special insight info that we don't have. I guess they just try their best to get any customers they can even it result in canceled flights!
Mainly we speculation from thai news/politicians as no one have any approved plans in place. All we have is emergency decree extended till end of SEP which likely means no changed i border openings, airline landings etc.

From Malaysia I'd say we have a definite no that Thai-Malay borders will reopen next month or anytime soon as some Malay movement restriction expires 31Aug:

https://www.thestar.com.my/aseanplus/aseanplus-news/2020/08/27/malaysia-to-keep-border-shut-says-senior-and-defence-minister

 

As to Myanmar borders situation has also deteriorated from optimistic as crazy panic yet again ensues as kovid infections rise at the India border far far away from Thai border! Yet Prachuab province yet again campaigned for their temporary border to be made permanent which could be a useful border run for the upper south ????
We all know local borders are wide open for illegal crossings despite a bit of window dressing news:

<removed>

 

So situation remains on the fence as usual so Prayut will make the decision during the last 2 weeks if he haven't already forgotten about the amnesty! I'd say chances had definitely dipped below the 50% mark since last (final) extension but nothing in black & white till 26th roll in...

Make our preparations as best we can & all the best

Edited August 28, 2020 by ubonjoe
removed link to Bangkok Post (forum rule)

[321 BOOM]

4 hours ago, audaciousnomad said:

Or...just trying to sell inbound tickets since people are getting their hopes up of coming to Thailand based on various media outlets "hopeful" reporting.  Anyone who buys an Emirates ticket inbound based on those reports is setting themselves up to be denied entry or getting their flight cancelled and waiting 2 months to get their refund. LOL

Fully agree.

 

Was reading the same announcement from Emirates. This has nothing to say until confirmed by Thai authorities. Emirates actually announce that many times and had to delay it. For us its the flight out of LOS we waiting for but we will check first if this flights will really happen.

Edited August 28, 2020 by 321 BOOM

[ubonjoe]

21 minutes ago, 321 BOOM said:

Was reading the same announcement from Emirates. This has nothing to say until confirmed by Thai authorities. Emirates actually announce that many times and had to delay it. For us its the flight out of LOS we waiting for but we will check first if this flights will really happen.

They will have to cancel their plans again. The IATA updated their site yesterday and it states this now. 

Full requirements are here by the clicking Thailand. https://www.iatatravelcentre.com/world.php

[blanes2007]

9 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

Yes you can but some offices might say no.

Thnx again. What offices? I'm in Chiang Mai... so must be ready to worst... 

[ubonjoe]

4 minutes ago, blanes2007 said:

Thnx again. What offices? I'm in Chiang Mai... so must be ready to worst... 

Not sure but I think they have done them. All you can do is apply for it to know for sure.

[WhateverDude]

On 8/28/2020 at 8:13 AM, ubonjoe said:

Yes you can but some offices might say no.

That's what Samut Prakan's immigration is saying. So, do we have any options to try to get the 30-day VE extension we still haven't used? We are talking to them about the extension that we would get with a letter from the US embassy for an extension, but that's it.

Thanks for any guidance on this!

 

[worldfun]

On 8/28/2020 at 5:39 PM, ubonjoe said:

They will have to cancel their plans again. The IATA updated their site yesterday and it states this now. 

Full requirements are here by the clicking Thailand. https://www.iatatravelcentre.com/world.php

What inside info does IATA have that we don't have? 30sep date is where current emergency decree ends and it's a good guess it's highly linked with border closures/restrictions too. However it's likely to be extended as long as the PM can find excuses for it same with the borders...

[BritTim]

1 hour ago, worldfun said:

What inside info does IATA have that we don't have?

It is important that airlines know the rules. As a result, the Thai authorities liaise with IATA to ensure they have adequate notice of changes that affect them.

[Captain Monday]

On 8/27/2020 at 10:15 PM, audaciousnomad said:

Or...just trying to sell inbound tickets since people are getting their hopes up of coming to Thailand based on various media outlets "hopeful" reporting.  Anyone who buys an Emirates ticket inbound based on those reports is setting themselves up to be denied entry or getting their flight cancelled and waiting 2 months to get their refund. LOL

The whole network planning process is driven by revenue/marketing and begins 9 months or so in advance is in shambles. I have been rostered to many flights that never happened this year due to constant changing restrictions. Airlines are not trying to trick anybody just doing what they can in unprecedented situation.  

[JackThompson]

4 hours ago, Captain Monday said:

The whole network planning process is driven by revenue/marketing and begins 9 months or so in advance is in shambles. I have been rostered to many flights that never happened this year due to constant changing restrictions. Airlines are not trying to trick anybody just doing what they can in unprecedented situation.  

If that were true, refunds on cancelled flights would be issued immediately when the flight is cancelled - rather than leaving people stranded AND w/o the money to purchase a flight that might actually happen. 

 

What the airlines are doing is immoral to the extreme.  Their mandate is "maximizing revenue for shareholders," which is fine, but must be balanced by governments forcing them to abide by sane regulations/laws.

[Sambotte]

44 minutes ago, JackThompson said:

If that were true, refunds on cancelled flights would be issued immediately when the flight is cancelled - rather than leaving people stranded AND w/o the money to purchase a flight that might actually happen. 

 

What the airlines are doing is immoral to the extreme.  Their mandate is "maximizing revenue for shareholders," which is fine, but must be balanced by governments forcing them to abide by sane regulations/laws.

Exactly. With the help of visa mastercard etc. The middle-corporations controling your money.

 

People should require the simple rule :

- You buy a ticket : money is looked

- Service (flight) is provided : money is spend

BUT IF

- Service is canceled, money is NOT spend and immediately unlocked (to you)

 

Crypto and smart contract do that very easily. Time to evolve ?... 

[Sambotte]

10 hours ago, WhateverDude said:

That's what Samut Prakan's immigration is saying. So, do we have any options to try to get the 30-day VE extension we still haven't used? We are talking to them about the extension that we would get with a letter from the US embassy for an extension, but that's it.

Thanks for any guidance on this!

 

Same.

Immigration should have a clear rule about this. Normal extension, not used because amnesty, ok or not ok... Not the usual "depends on IO"...

I guess all this mess is just to extract money from farangs already in Thailand via agents.

In the same time Thailand is desesperate to get tourists back but under virus fear, too complicated, BUT still Thailand make it complicated for those already here (and virus FREE) to stay... Non-sense...

[greggraham]

Malaysia is shut until 2020. "A ban on foreign tourists entering the country has also been extended until the end of the year"

 

https://www.garda.com/crisis24/news-alerts/373766/malaysia-authorities-announce-extension-of-covid-19-restrictions-until-december-31-update-25 

[Daithi85]

28 minutes ago, greggraham said:

Malaysia is shut until 2020. "A ban on foreign tourists entering the country has also been extended until the end of the year"

 

https://www.garda.com/crisis24/news-alerts/373766/malaysia-authorities-announce-extension-of-covid-19-restrictions-until-december-31-update-25

Wow well there goes that hope,any news at all about Laos Cambodia borders opening any time soon?

[JacksSmirkingRevenge]

I feel the amnesty will be extended until 2021.  No borders are opening by Sept. 26.  Not much will have changed since they announced the amnesty extension.  It's the same as it was.  And no borders open.  

[Captain Monday]

5 hours ago, JackThompson said:

If that were true, refunds on cancelled flights would be issued immediately when the flight is cancelled - rather than leaving people stranded AND w/o the money to purchase a flight that might actually happen. 

 

What the airlines are doing is immoral to the extreme.  Their mandate is "maximizing revenue for shareholders," which is fine, but must be balanced by governments forcing them to abide by sane regulations/laws.

I don't know why refunds are not issued immediately, that is not what I posted. I cant even get my Business class lounge card for 2020 sent because they have been delayed due to covid-19. The point about Emirates operating flights in October is they are probably using the best information available to get the schedule posted, which is usually sold 6-9 months in advance. Even primary scheduling of crews is done at least one month in advance, and before that Network planning has been working on it for weeks. I was supposed to stay over in China 3 times in July, never happened. I was supposed to have gone to Hong Kong early this month. (AUG). Suddenly we were told all pilots were to be tested on arrival and if found positive for Covid-19 sent to government quarantine (in non air con dumps) for two weeks. There is no way we could conduct operations under these restrictions and the flights were cancelled.

Edited August 30, 2020 by Captain Monday

[worldfun]

7 hours ago, JacksSmirkingRevenge said:

I feel the amnesty will be extended until 2021.  No borders are opening by Sept. 26.  Not much will have changed since they announced the amnesty extension.  It's the same as it was.  And no borders open.  

Yes if using logic that how it must be, but we all know we cant put too much faith in that.
But chances are there even immigration have done all they can to give the impression this is the final grace extension & 26sep is the deadline for getting out! Luckily PM & other agencies concerned such as tourism, kovid team etc will have their own preference so lets pray ????

[Mike Teavee]

9 hours ago, JacksSmirkingRevenge said:

I feel the amnesty will be extended until 2021.  No borders are opening by Sept. 26.  Not much will have changed since they announced the amnesty extension.  It's the same as it was.  And no borders open.  

The US embassy has issued an email to say that it's citizens should go to Immigration & get a Stamp to update their permission to stay until 26th September & then either a long term visa OR a 30 day extension (their letter seems to support this) OR leave... 

 

So things are very much not the same as they were, obviously it's up-2-you if you choose to bury your head in the sand & believe they are... 

Edited August 30, 2020 by Mike Teavee