BREAKING NEWS Tourists to get unlimited 30-day extensions to stay after ‘visa amnesty’ ends

[falangUK]

9 hours ago, keith101 said:

My sentiments exactly!

 

If i am forced to leave Thailand because they closed the borders making it impossible to exit/re-enter and get a 90 day stamp then i will definitely never return , to my wife and home + family and F them all .

 

[bodga]

9 hours ago, CorpusChristie said:

Or maybe they will just issue the letters and give the extensions without questioning the reasons 

for a  tip

[FlyingThai]

5 hours ago, CorpusChristie said:

The amnesty was given because the Gov didnt want people congregating at immigration and spreading the virus , since Thailand had been virus free , theres no need to stop people congregating at immigration and so they can once again get visa extensions  

That's right but since then (March 27th) priorities and motivations have shifted. Now the country is on it's backend economically and the reasons for letting people stay are more to keep some revenue in the country rather than avoid crowding.

 

I'm not against charging people for their stay permits but to make such a process contingent on documents such as embassy letters or F4F medicals won't get them anywhere. Either they want some tourism $$$ or they don't. I'm also still convinced that their Phuket Safe&Seal plan will never materialize in the way they expect so the earlier they kiss that pipedream goodbye the better.

[Destiny1990]

12 hours ago, trucking said:

 

Ah so, herpes might come in useful after all.

Lucky you.

[Iforbach]

As far,as 30 day report whats big deal just do it ...the moaners probably want a red carpet job ..by way can anyone tell me the moaners what percentage live here are are they crying from overseas ..? 

[FarFlungFalang]

9 hours ago, DrJack54 said:

Only one country as an example. AU government has limit of 4k repats per week. International airlines have stated it will take 6 months to repatriate 100k Au currently outside of Australia. Think Qutar stop flights to AU (not sure)

Any comments from Oz guys welcome.

BTW Au gov just announced no Au citizens can exit Au till Dec 16. 

Tony Abbott just flew to the UK.You just need permission.

[crazykopite]

I am okay my retirement visa is good until June 2021 but surely it would make sense if they just extended the current visa amnesty for a further 3 months instead of having to provide letters to get a 30 day extension it’s just a wasted paper exercise and a burden on all the immigration offices in the kingdom the only winners that I can see will be visa agents who will be ripping off those desperate for some form of visa .

[crazykopite]

13 hours ago, Oldie said:

This unfit to fly certificate you can get at any clinic? Reminds me when I needed a health certificate for my driver's license. I went to a small clinic and told them that I need such a certificate. The lady at the reception said 100 Baht and after 10 Minutes I received it. I never saw the doctor. Is this the same with this certificate?

500 baht where I live but yes all you do is hand your passport in at reception and pick it up with letter 2 hours later

[Peterw42]

3 minutes ago, crazykopite said:

I am okay my retirement visa is good until June 2021 but surely it would make sense if they just extended the current visa amnesty for a further 3 months instead of having to provide letters to get a 30 day extension it’s just a wasted paper exercise and a burden on all the immigration offices in the kingdom the only winners that I can see will be visa agents who will be ripping off those desperate for some form of visa .

I think you will find its an exersise to get rid of the people who have done nothing to even try and return home or extend. If the amnesty continues there are a bunch of people who will continue to not try and get home and not try and get an extension. At some point it has to be get out or get an extension.

[jesimps]

"Immigration Deputy Commander Maj Gen Pornchai Khuntee announced the news at a press conference held at the Immigration Bureau headquarters in Bangkok, saying that the Cabinet had approved the move."

 

I just love that name.

[crazykopite]

12 minutes ago, Peterw42 said:

I think you will find its an exersise to get rid of the people who have done nothing to even try and return home or extend. If the amnesty continues there are a bunch of people who will continue to not try and get home and not try and get an extension. At some point it has to be get out or get an extension.

I wouldn’t be surprised if many decided to just go for the overstay option after all the maximum fine is 20,000 baht that’s not expensive if your country has got an extremely high Covid death rate such as the USA and I don’t think the IDC is big enough to hold 1,000s of overstay foreigners.

[jesimps]

14 hours ago, Pattaya Spotter said:

Well looks like all the "Thailand hates farangs" and "Immigration just want all dirty farang to leave" brigade have a lot of egg on their posts.

The first "I love all Thais regardless, because they can do no wrong and I'm a goody goody" post of the day.

[Peterw42]

55 minutes ago, Iforbach said:

As far,as 30 day report whats big deal just do it ...the moaners probably want a red carpet job ..by way can anyone tell me the moaners what percentage live here are are they crying from overseas ..? 

 I think you would find that is the case for many issues in Thailand, the most vocal critics dont live here and havnt visited for years.

[Pattaya Spotter]

19 minutes ago, jesimps said:

The first "I love all Thais regardless, because they can do no wrong and I'm a goody goody" post of the day.

It was posted in the early evening (Thai time) yesterday...what timezone are you in? If "goody goody" means following the laws of the country I'm living in (especially the immigration laws) I plead guilty.

[5633572526]

14 hours ago, Pattaya Spotter said:

Well looks like all the "Thailand hates farangs" and "Immigration just want all dirty farang to leave" brigade have a lot of egg on their posts.

Nope just you 

[vandeventer]

         Can't they just make it simple for dumb old men?

[Peter Denis]

14 hours ago, keith101 said:

I contacted the Aus Embassy and got a email reply as follows     

Visa Letters:

..., we have decided to issue the letters for two categories of Australians:

1.      If you are transitioning from a short term tourist visa to a long term visa, Thai Immigration generally want a letter from us to allow you to do so. We are happy to do so as long as you can show us evidence that you’ve applied for a long term visa; or

2.      ,,,

Is that reason 1 not a Catch-22 ? > some IOs require such an Embassy letter to apply for a long-term Visa and the Australian Embassy will gladly provide them when shown evidence that you applied for it.

[newnative]

     Two steps forward, one step back.  Good they sort of came to their senses and allowed those already here to stay indefinitely but not good they are making them report every 30 days and jump through hoops with not-needed Mickey Mouse documentation.  Just be honest for once and say, hey, we want you to stay because we need you.  

[starman97015]

Makes me wonder how many people will suddenly develop an "illness" between now and September 26th.

[johng]

7 minutes ago, newnative said:

Just be honest for once and say, hey, we want you to stay because we need you.

But to be honest they don't want us to stay and also don't need us.

[Nanaplaza666]

I see some posters writing about it being some kind of sceem to make money . In my mind this is a very good option and doesn't hurt nobody because if it would be business as normal they would have made that money in the past few months as they always did for years and years . They also didn't make any money for momths so i think it's normal that they came up with this solution and there is nothing wrong with this . 

[ThailandRyan]

15 hours ago, DrTuner said:

So .. every 30d from September 26th the immigration offices will be packed and deserted in the meanwhile? Can't they just do the "amnesty" until further notice, with the 30 days at the end when travel normalizes, instead of creating bureaucratic mess.

Money, Money, Money for each extension.  Would not a 90 day extension been better.

 

"They also didn't make any money for momths so i think it's normal that they came up with this solution and there is nothing wrong with this",  Really @Nanaplaza666 

[Thed]

15 hours ago, DrTuner said:

So .. every 30d from September 26th the immigration offices will be packed and deserted in the meanwhile? Can't they just do the "amnesty" until further notice, with the 30 days at the end when travel normalizes, instead of creating bureaucratic mess.

 

[casey1]

15 hours ago, DrTuner said:

So .. every 30d from September 26th the immigration offices will be packed and deserted in the meanwhile? Can't they just do the "amnesty" until further notice, with the 30 days at the end when travel normalizes, instead of creating bureaucratic mess.

but if they make you apply for unlimited extensions they go back to receiving income each time unlike an amnesty, and that's legal income for the government, not talking about the illegal income  that gets generated also , in fact should see decrease in the illegal income ... but doctors may not be so scrupulous....

 

[wensiensheng]

15 hours ago, Pattaya Spotter said:

Well looks like all the "Thailand hates farangs" and "Immigration just want all dirty farang to leave" brigade have a lot of egg on their posts.

On the other hand, the “Thailand hates us and only want us for our money” brigade will see plenty of justification for their position in this news.

 

win some, lose some

[NorthernRyland]

1 hour ago, Peterw42 said:

At some point it has to be get out or get an extension.

and that "some point" should be when the pandemic is over and life goes back to normal.

[hotchilli]

15 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

Tourists to get unlimited 30-day extensions to stay after ‘visa amnesty’ ends

If you can supply a sick-note !

laughable.

[wensiensheng]

20 minutes ago, Nanaplaza666 said:

I see some posters writing about it being some kind of sceem to make money . In my mind this is a very good option and doesn't hurt nobody because if it would be business as normal they would have made that money in the past few months as they always did for years and years . They also didn't make any money for momths so i think it's normal that they came up with this solution and there is nothing wrong with this . 

30 day extensions instead of 90 extensions from border runs, equals more money in the door methinks. And money earned from those who have no choice but to stay, due to medical reasons or travel restrictions. Assuming those people would ordinarily head home (a big assumption I know), then it is exploiting those who are forced to stay, rather than staying by choice.

 

but hey ho, Covid has cost most people at least some money along the line

[Pattaya Spotter]

3 minutes ago, hotchilli said:

If you can supply a sick-note !

laughable.

I'm sure medical clinics will hand them out like candy for B 200.

[0815]

15 hours ago, DrTuner said:

So .. every 30d from September 26th the immigration offices will be packed and deserted in the meanwhile? Can't they just do the "amnesty" until further notice, with the 30 days at the end when travel normalizes, instead of creating bureaucratic mess.

Read the article again !