Cabinet to consider special tourist visa next week: TAT

[webfact]

Cabinet to consider special tourist visa next week: TAT

By The Nation

 

 

A Cabinet meeting next week will consider approving a special tourist visa for foreigners who wish to enter Thailand, Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) governor Yuthasak Supasorn said.

 

The visa will be valid for an initial 90-day stay but can be renewed twice – 90 days each time – for a maximum stay of 270 days. The visa, which costs Bt2,000 per person, is suitable for foreign tourists who want to stay in Thailand for a long time, Yuthasak said.

 

Plans to allow foreign tourists in must take into account the balance between public health safety, consent from local residents and income by the tourism sector, which accounts for 20 per cent of gross domestic product, he said.

 

“If the situation in the fourth quarter does not improve and no foreign tourists have yet travelled to Thailand, 2.5 million jobs out of a current 4 million in the tourism sector may be lost. So TAT has to prepare for ‘limited exposure’ to foreign tourists, hoping to attract tourists from markets such as Europe in the fourth quarter of this year. If the results are good, numbers can be expanded,” Yuthasak said.

 

The Association of Thai Travel Agents previously suggested allowing in tourists from cities or countries at low risk of Covid-19 without any quarantine. Most recently, TAT drafted guidelines, waiting for Deputy Prime Minister and Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul to discuss the matter with Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha.

 

“Efforts have been made to move forward with the limited exposure. However, after the cases of the Egyptian soldier being infected with Covid-19 in Rayong and a DJ in prison also being infected, concerns have been raised about a new coronavirus outbreak,” Yuthasak said.

 

Some 28.3 million Thais visited other provinces in the first six months of this year, a 63 per cent decrease, generating revenue of Bt202 billion, a decrease of 62 per cent. Meanwhile, 6.7 million foreign tourists were expected this year, hoping to generate Bt332 billion, a 65 per cent decrease.

 

Foreign tourists are expected to return to Thailand in the second quarter of 2021 (April-June) due to the likely development of a Covid-19 vaccine, Yuthasak added.

 

TAT expects a rebound in tourist numbers from Northeast Asia and Asean in the near term. It hopes to attract approximately 16.7 million visitors from the Asia-Pacific region and 3.8 million visitors from Europe, the Americas, the Middle East and Africa.

 

Source: https://www.nationthailand.com/news/30394306

 

-- © Copyright The Nation Thailand 2020-09-10

 

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[ezzra]

The devil will be in the details of this visa, and as been demonstrated many times over the years Thailand has good intentions but the execution and implantation are always murky and lacking in coherent details, let's wait and see...

[Mavideol]

12 minutes ago, webfact said:

Cabinet to consider special tourist visa next week: TAT

and the "great ideas" keep coming, as I said before, they should revise/restart/reset ALL their visa requirements and then we talk

[worgeordie]

If this happens and the new Visa comes into force, Its

a major turn around for the Thai Government,who when

things were good,only wanted tourists whom only stayed

a couple of weeks ,spending as much money as possible.

 

Now the opportunity to stay up to 9 months,(if it's passed)

what a difference, now if only they would think a little about

retirees and expats living and working here,and do away with

the 90 day reporting........please

regards Worgeordie

 

[Mavideol]

1 minute ago, worgeordie said:

and do away with

the 90 day reporting........please

wishful thinking, that one is on the top of their stupidity,,,, 1 year visa or extension of stay why there's a need for 90 reporting, why, why and why

[sammieuk1]

Wait for the add ons there will be at least 10 of them in the next statement ???? 

[AlfHuy]

and after 9 months, do a border run and come back for another 9 months.

No health insurance, no 800k in bank, no nothing.

Just enjoy and as a sweetener, you can buy land and build your dream home.

[ThailandRyan]

9 minutes ago, sammieuk1 said:

Wait for the add ons there will be at least 10 of them in the next statement ???? 

Yes, you can only use the Visa to stay in Phuket or on Kho Samui, but not in Pattaya, they will also have buses to take you around on preselected tours. Sou do to me like maybe a TAT version of the Zero Dollar tours may be on the horizon.

[Susco]

19 minutes ago, webfact said:

“If the situation in the fourth quarter does not improve and no foreign tourists have yet travelled to Thailand, 2.5 million jobs out of a current 4 million in the tourism sector may be lost.

Better get ready for that.

 

Even if they would open the borders next month (very much unlikely) I doubt many tourists will arrive.

 

Many people lost their jobs everywhere in the world, or have taken a serious hit financially. Most of the people I know have also taken already in consideration that this pandemic will run into the new year, and have for various reasons made plans for holidays closer to home, or no holidays at all.

 

I spoke the other day with one of the owners of the biggest entertainment venue on walking street, and he didn't have a good eye on the near future.

 

He owns several venues, and the majority of them are losing money at the moment, and he said every day new places on walking street are throwing in the towel.

 

He didn't blame only covid for this, but said this trend started before covid was here

[2 is 1]

36 minutes ago, webfact said:

Some 28.3 million Thais visited other provinces in the first six months of this year,

They go visit in they home village! Not go to speand money in your "tourist attraction"! TAT TAT TAT TAT

tatatatatatatatatatatatat.... That is firing squad sound!

If somebody have brains  even size of pea in coverment you fast chance hole TAT people!

[madmitch]

I see the TAT statistical department have been pulling figures out of the air again. None of them seem to have any logical basis.

[Jackcwba]

What about the tourists already here? Who DO NOT have covid and wish to stay longer due to travel disruptions?

 

it makes no sense to kick them out after September 26 just to restart tourism a few days / weeks later.

 

swapping bread for crumbs. 
 

is there likely going to be some news about the folk still here ? 

[Sheryl]

30 minutes ago, worgeordie said:

now if only they would think a little about

retirees and expats living and working here....

 

And the retireeswith homes here who ate  still  stranded abroad. Rather silly to require them to get a new special toyrist visa in order to return if they already hold a valud re-entry permit.

[Pravda]

20 minutes ago, ThailandRyan said:

Yes, you can only use the Visa to stay in Phuket or on Kho Samui, but not in Pattaya, they will also have buses to take you around on preselected tours. Sou do to me like maybe a TAT version of the Zero Dollar tours may be on the horizon.

 

Actually It's a TAT version of North Korea ????

[from the home of CC]

3 minutes ago, madmitch said:

I see the TAT statistical department have been pulling figures out of the air again. None of them seem to have any logical basis.

exactly, these are their wants. IMO as Thailand looks on towards the UK, EU and the US as fall approaches and sees all the self induced calamity these nations have they will never alter their visa system in the middle of this pandemic..

[Geoffggi]

Questions people will want to know are what hoops do they have to jump through to get one, can they be obtained in country (i.e. people already here and wanting to stay longer) or are they only obtainable through a Thai embassy together with all the paperwork that has become one of the biggest obstacles facing possible visitors, together with insurance, and the forced overpriced quarantine etc.

[rumak]

47 minutes ago, webfact said:

The Association of Thai Travel Agents previously suggested allowing in tourists from cities or countries at low risk of Covid-19 without any quarantine. Most recently, TAT drafted guidelines, waiting for Deputy Prime Minister and Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul to discuss the matter with Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha.

[aussienam]

And like always, NEVER any news of retirees being allowed back on the currently suspended Non Imm O & O-A visas (unless you are married and/or married/spouse with Thai child) continues.  

Retirees are being treated with zero consideration.  Thousands of us stranded abroad, yet special tourist visas have become more of a priority and will sidestep retirees with their 800,000 baht bank deposits.  WHY? 

[crazykopite]

39 minutes ago, AlfHuy said:

and after 9 months, do a border run and come back for another 9 months.

No health insurance, no 800k in bank, no nothing.

Just enjoy and as a sweetener, you can buy land and build your dream home.

Now that is wishful thinking 

[YetAnother]

1 hour ago, webfact said:

Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) governor Yuthasak Supasorn said.

among so many govt agencies in thailand that are hard to believe anything they say, i would nominate TAT as number 1

[Matzzon]

1 hour ago, webfact said:

waiting for Deputy Prime Minister and Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul to discuss the matter with Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha.

That´s where the idea hit the brick wall somewhere

[HiSoLowSoNoSo]

Would be nice if they could reprogram all the immigration staff also, no more why you come Thailand many times BS. 

[Kelsall]

23 minutes ago, aussienam said:

And like always, NEVER any news of retirees being allowed back on the currently suspended Non Imm O & O-A visas (unless you are married and/or married/spouse with Thai child) continues.  

Retirees are being treated with zero consideration.  Thousands of us stranded abroad, yet special tourist visas have become more of a priority and will sidestep retirees with their 800,000 baht bank deposits.  WHY? 

They have your money, that's why.

[Kelsall]

35 minutes ago, Sheryl said:

And the retireeswith homes here who ate  still  stranded abroad. Rather silly to require them to get a new special toyrist visa in order to return if they already hold a valud re-entry permit.

When I arrived here over 15 years ago, a long term expat retiree told me, "If they could figure out a way to get rid of us and keep our money, they'd do it."  Well, they figured out a way and they did it.

[vandeventer]

Maybe if we didn't have to keep 400/800 baht in the bank we would spend more time in the hotels.So they would need less tourist to make everyone happy. A happy ending?

[vinci]

why don't they just offer 30 days extension for 1900, unlimited until everything go back to normal, keep what you already have in the country, these are virus free customer, they do have to spend on living is not that they live for free in Thailand, i don't understand why they have to make thing so difficult

[trucking]

When I worked for a company here and there was a big meeting, representatives would come from the provinces to attend.  They received an allowance for this plus free hotel accommodation , slap up buffet meal and similar breakfast.

 

I can't help thinking these constant announcements from various government agencies are more about getting on the gravy train than of coming up with any new ideas to benefit the economy..

 

Consider away but do nothing while the current Covid scare is on. 

[jlwilliamsjr18]

Wait for tomorrow, the clouds will roll in. It always does. 

[LEKPHUKET]

Let's not be to excited the details of the magisterial plan are not published yet.

2 weeks quarantine will be killing their great new idea.

But about the expats  travelling abroad having a retirement visa nobody speaks,  they forgot them completely

[cardinalblue]

Ex pats who live here but no family are screwed...most have O or OA visas...they can’t get in....

 

shoukd not be made to get a new tourist visa to gain entry as they live here up to a year....they bring in a lot more money than people on tourist visas solely based on their time they spend here as well as investments like vehicles,  helping poor families etc