Cabinet okays 9-month visas for foreigners

[mlkik]

As someone who has a non o retirement extention and visited my elderly Mother in the UK early March I have not been allowed to return.

The Thai government rules are that I must have 800 000 Thai baht in my Thai bank account. I have about 1 000 000 .

I bought a new car in May 2018 and I had a bungalow built on my other halfs Fathers land. I have to pay the bills as her beauty salon does not generate enough income to pay for 1st class car insurance and air con electric bills.

I expected wrongly that people on retirement extentions would be allowed to register for repat flights in the near future. 

Some people have said that this new tourist visa will be ideal for people like myself. I dissagree as I have an extention that is valid for another 4 months and a re entry permit. Why should I have to change this and apply for a tourist visa ?

I am prepared to pay for the ASQ and get my covid test within 72 hours of my flight and have an insurance policy that is ready to go but am not considered worthy of return to a place which I wrongly thought was my home.

As someone else mentioned people thinking of retiring in Thailand think very carefully !

 

[laocowboy2]

20 hours ago, worgeordie said:

Might look good on paper, lets see what happens

when they release the terms and conditions.

regards Worgeordie

 

Correct - as always, the devil will be in the detail

Edited September 16, 2020 by laocowboy2
typo

[natway09]

On  paper it looks good.

Insurance mandatory along with 14 day quarantine OK.

I know of 4 or 5 guys that will jump at this

[smart2305]

Whoever agrees to get locked up for 15 days and pay dearly for it must be very desperate to come to Thailand. Why on earth would I do that ? I love Thailand but there are also lots of other nice places to travel. After spending 15 years in Thailand I use this opportunity to explore other countries.  Come back to Thailand only when 15 day quarantine is no longer required.

[Matzzon]

17 minutes ago, possum1931 said:

Wrong, of course there is a need for laws, but only up to a point. If a person has genuine common sense, why bother about laws.  If certain people want to sit round a table and start making up laws why should I obey them if I don't agree with them and can find a way round them?

I don't even know these people. I have my life to live and I live it my way, and it has not done me or any ordinary person any harm so far.

I hope you are not one of the members on this forum that moans about that Thailand do not know what democracy is.

You know, elected governments makes the laws. If you agree to them or not, is irrelevant. You are agreeing to laws as soon as you partake in an election. You agree to follow laws as a foreigner in a foreign country, because you are a visitor with no rights regarding that matter.

As you post above, it seems like you believe that just because you think that your way is falling under common sense, then you have the right to disregard and do not have to obey laws in a country. Really? With thoughts like that, one might think that some person never made it out of play school.

[tomauasia]

21 hours ago, ThailandRyan said:

Well lets see, 1200 tourists a month.  Just the tip of the iceberg.  40 a day, lets see where this goes.  Maybe they should let those here on Amnesty be the first people to have the Visa issued here in the country, as well as letting in all those whose Visa's and extensions of stay are still valid but are trapped outside.

Yes the logic of this government related back to preschoolers 

[ThailandRyan]

1 hour ago, utalkin2me said:

Look man, until they officially announce something, nothing matters. 

 

If it is a sure thing, as you say, then why have they not announced it officially yet? Have you seen an official announcement? 

Yes there was an official notification that Amnesty ends Sept 26th.  Nothing further needs to be posted except if they decide to extend it.  I would not expect to hear anything except the wailing and gnashing of teeth of those who did not take the message as delivered and started the process to obtain a correct visa, do there extensions or made there plane reservations.

[NoshowJones]

4 minutes ago, Matzzon said:

I hope you are not one of the members on this forum that moans about that Thailand do not know what democracy is.

You know, elected governments makes the laws. If you agree to them or not, is irrelevant. You are agreeing to laws as soon as you partake in an election. You agree to follow laws as a foreigner in a foreign country, because you are a visitor with no rights regarding that matter.

As you post above, it seems like you believe that just because you think that your way is falling under common sense, then you have the right to disregard and do not have to obey laws in a country. Really? With thoughts like that, one might think that some person never made it out of play school.

To me, everything you have wrote here is a lot of nonsense, so I won't bother picking out anything, but if you are happy living a life of being scared of your own shadow, then that's up to you, but it's certainly not for me. I am enjoying this debate, I look forward to your next post.????

[VBF]

46 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

 

Indeed - but it begs the question, why not simply allow entry to Retirees anyway?

 

The Long Term Visa is perfect for those who wish to come to Thailand and avoid the winter in their home countries. 

 

 

IMO: Allow anyone to come if they are willing to quarantine - Give them a year Visa. Also extend Visa amnesty for those in country for a year. 

Clear up this whole mess and allow people to ’spend there money here’ - is that what Thailand is crying out for? 

 

Then they can worry about the two week tourists and perhaps travel corridors from countries of low infection without the need for quarantine. 

 

No, sorry, it's not "perfect for those who wish to come to Thailand and avoid the winter in their home countries."

I'm one of those people; Insurance no problem, quarantine possible but NOT in a Government establishment at the silly price that's being quoted!  

And, as I haven't actually got a home in Thailand, there's no other way I could quarantine. I doubt I'm the only "snowbird" who arranges accommodation on a per-trip basis either.

Then there's the pre-trip testing and paperwork requirements - still ridiculous.

Edited September 16, 2020 by VBF

[Matzzon]

8 minutes ago, possum1931 said:

To me, everything you have wrote here is a lot of nonsense, so I won't bother picking out anything, but if you are happy living a life of being scared of your own shadow, then that's up to you, but it's certainly not for me. I am enjoying this debate, I look forward to your next post.????

Yes, I have a question. Why would you see it as I am scared of my own shadow, just because I chose to follow laws?

[sambum]

21 hours ago, tomazbodner said:

Thailand does have ways for people to stay here long time.

 

If you're over 50, you can put 800k in bank account and apply for retirement extensions, provided you keep that in the bank all the time, or at least most of the time.

If you're married, you can put 400k in the bank account and apply for a marriage extension. If you are working with work permit on top of that, you can also apply for Thai citizenship.

If you are partner of PR holder, you can apply for extension based on PR holder.

If you are a parent of a Thai child, you can apply for extension based on that.

If you have a decent job in Thailand, you can apply for extension based on work permit, and if you hold same job for 2+ years, apply for PR. And if you keep PR for 5 years, you can apply for Thai citizenship.

And there are more of these, but all of them have something in common: they are for people who bring value to the country and are not a burden to it. Like every other country, Thailand doesn't want people that will be a burden on society.

 

I don't understand why people who are willing to spend nothing and do nothing, and are only sitting and waiting, hoping for a miracle, expect Thai government to do something for them, while at the same time they can't find one good word for this government and keep on spitting on forces in power and repeat how stupid they are?

 

Scrap together whatever is required for extension of stay, or stop complaining and accept you just don't belong here. There are flights out of Thailand every day.

"If you don't like it, go home"?

 

 

[Bkktodd]

What about those of us with retirement visas already valid and want to get back to thailand???  

[Bkktodd]

58 minutes ago, mlkik said:

As someone who has a non o retirement extention and visited my elderly Mother in the UK early March I have not been allowed to return.

The Thai government rules are that I must have 800 000 Thai baht in my Thai bank account. I have about 1 000 000 .

I bought a new car in May 2018 and I had a bungalow built on my other halfs Fathers land. I have to pay the bills as her beauty salon does not generate enough income to pay for 1st class car insurance and air con electric bills.

I expected wrongly that people on retirement extentions would be allowed to register for repat flights in the near future. 

Some people have said that this new tourist visa will be ideal for people like myself. I dissagree as I have an extention that is valid for another 4 months and a re entry permit. Why should I have to change this and apply for a tourist visa ?

I am prepared to pay for the ASQ and get my covid test within 72 hours of my flight and have an insurance policy that is ready to go but am not considered worthy of return to a place which I wrongly thought was my home.

As someone else mentioned people thinking of retiring in Thailand think very carefully !

 

Spot on!!!!  Exactly my argument. We already have money invested/supporting the thai economy.  We should have priority in returning.  No different  from those already in thailand on the very same visa 

[FarFlungFalang]

4 hours ago, Bangkok Barry said:

How do they choose the 1200 a month from the millions that TAT claims are champing at the bit to enter Thailand? I know, let's make it easy. Chinese only?

The biggest 1200 brown envelopes?

[CheelBeel]

2 hours ago, Matzzon said:

No, they are not and that is exactly where society is failing today. Too many minds that can´t accept anything, and just think they can do what they want in all situations n life. It´s sad, that´s what it is. Really sad.

world wide law enforcement corruption ...

does it exist in thailand ?

[Bkktodd]

20 hours ago, androokery said:

I think the limiting factor here is the number of ASQ rooms. And when they say max 1200 tourists I think they are hoping for double occupancy in those rooms. If the tourists are single travellers they are probably looking at around 600 tourists per month. But there will be a few couples and families. So maybe 700. 

Quarantine with a stranger.  No thanks. Why if we already have retirement visas are we called tourists? 

[stuarty]

51 minutes ago, VBF said:

 

And, as I haven't actually got a home in Thailand, there's no other way I could quarantine. I doubt I'm the only "snowbird" who arranges accommodation on a per-trip basis either.

 

You can't quarantine in your own home.

[JackThompson]

4 hours ago, ebean001 said:

no matter what country immigration puts a lot of rules around a visa. these people are spending millions of bahts in thailand. they keep 100s employed. right?

 

i would make it just like the retirement visa. instead of age 50 (?) I would make it age 0. 90 day report i would keep. actually i would push for 120 day report. 

 

cost would be 2000/yr with required thailand medical insurance...about 3000b/month. if they complain about the 3000 then tell them cambodia is nearby. in other words...you don't need them. 

That 3000 is either low or high, depending on age / conditions.  But in any case, the goal isn't to transfer money from visitors to the rich (insurance companies, etc) - but to regular Thais / small businesses.  That is what made tourism work so well for so many Thais, before immigration began systematically dismantling it - it built an economic ladder where none existed before.

 

Of course, Thais should not have to foot the bill for the uninsured - so best to require insurance that covers "stabilize and repatriate."  This would be much less expensive because it would handle emergencies  only, and have no long-term care involved (for cancer, etc).  It would also be required of short-term visitors, who are more likely to go on a party-time bender, and end up needing the services of a hospital.

 

[Anna Rak]

18 hours ago, Peterw42 said:

You dont have to be the owner, you can basically quarantine where you live

 

• Evidence of long-term residence in Thailand such as hotel reservation, rental contract in traveller’s name or that of family members residing in Thailand or title deed of a purchased unit.

Yellow Book, that a lot of people on here say is useless, plus a Pink I.D. card might not go a-miss. ( Things that may help)

[EricTh]

The key word here is 'lure quality tourists' and not those backpackers, cheapskates and moneyless homeless people who is trying to escape to Thailand because they don't have money back in their home country.

 

I am wondering how they are going to select this type of tourists.. Is it through cash requirements or income statements.

Edited September 16, 2020 by EricTh

[Bkktodd]

19 hours ago, Sheryl said:

 

Presumably retirees now overseas could return under this provision provided they are from the right countries. 2 salient conditions not included in the OP, but in the referenced article:

 

"Evidence of long-term residence in Thailand such as hotel reservation, rental contract in traveler’s name or that of family members residing in Thailand or title deed of a purchased unit."

 

and

 

 "this visa will be applicable to visitors from countries that have been able to control the Covid-19 outbreak"

 

so sounds like it is aimed at long time residents and snowbirds who spend at least a few months a year.  Also sounds like it may nto be available in some countries.

 

"Related state agencies will draw up the final regulations and the Interior Ministry will announce official details soon."

 

A key question for many TV members will be: can foreigners already in Thailand switch to this visa or do they really have to leave the country and come back in?

Well im SOL holding a thai retirement visa but stuck here in the USA. Sadly a low rusk country is in that mix. I argue that if im covid negative before i board the flight.  Negative when i land 14 days later still negative when released.  Shouldnt matter where we came from.  

[JackThompson]

4 hours ago, Ganesh108 said:

I'm well aware of current regulation, otherwise no special appeal would be needed, right? People coming from Thailand would be an extremely low, virtually zero risk.

Yet those entering Japan from Thailand somehow test positive.  The Thai low-cases might have something to do with no testing in except w/ significant-symptoms (very rare with covid) or special-cases like prison-admittance. 

 

4 hours ago, polpott said:

So why are they, unlike some countries, required to undergo 14 day quarantine when entering the UK?

Other countries are surely aware of this - but perhaps China and Thailand will shake-hands on some travel-deal, with their other hands behind their back with fingers-crossed regarding their "low/zero covid" statements.
 

[newnative]

   Why only 1200 a month?  Again, over-thinking it fellas.  Give anyone a visa that wants one and agrees to testing and a 14 day quarantine.  You should be hoping for big numbers not small 300 a week ones.  Think big.  Whether you let 1 person in or 100,000 persons in, if they agree to testing and quarantine the numbers coming in shouldn't matter. 

[JackThompson]

53 minutes ago, Matzzon said:

I do not need to explain that. There are guidelines and rules for a company and their employees that wish to work in Thailand that must be followed to make it legal.

Right, and the DOL is pretty decent.  I was talking about those who are not employees in Thailand - nor do any work-business at all with Thai entities - who have foreign-sourced income to spend here.
 

Quote

What can I say. You must be very unlucky. 

Thanks to this forum, which only records a fraction of the corruption, where many had repeat-experiences of my own, I know it isn't "just me" or "my luck" which is the issue. 

Just look at the agent-business - would have to be pretty green about how "incentives" work, not to figure out the "why" of the problems.
 

Quote

No compassion for people who engage in things they can´t handle.

They were handling everything just fine, until Immigration and Covid border-closures got in the way.  Just allow paid-extensions for them w/o hoop-jumping until the borders open, and their lives can continue as before.

 

Their Thai families are MUCH better off than most with Thai breadwinners, so if looking down at them, I'd hate to think of how you view working-class / farmer Thais. 

 

Of course, this state of poverty-affairs for so many Thais, is in no small part due to Immigration letting in hordes of L-Visa types.  Though, in fairness, a few I spoke to were paying 10% of their gross-income to agents, so victims of the same racket.

 

 

 

2 hours ago, Matzzon said:

2 hours ago, possum1931 said:

So you are saying that if you think a law or rule is unfair you should still obey it?

Yes, of course I am saying that. How would you think the world would be if everyone was thinking and doing like you? The answer is anarchy, and I do not think you would like that.

I tend to agree, but it's a bit different when the "authorites" are neck-deep in graft / bribes / extortion though, isn't it?  I haven't used an immigration-agent to play that game, so will subsist on Embassy Letters for now. 

 

Had no problem with the Dept of Labor - did it all by the book for my WP.  Of course, immigration treats my WP as "fake" - since they didn't get a payoff to issue it.
 

Edited September 16, 2020 by JackThompson

[Bkktodd]

19 hours ago, Peterw42 said:

This new visa, you can quarantine at your own home

I miss that part....if i have condo in thailand.  Can quarantine there?  Give me that ankle braclet gps. Ill stay  3 weeks. Why not

[Peterw42]

2 minutes ago, Bkktodd said:

I miss that part....if i have condo in thailand.  Can quarantine there?  Give me that ankle braclet gps. Ill stay  3 weeks. Why not

Quarantine still has to be in a quarantine hotel, but it can be where you live, before it was always going to be Phuket.

 

Apologies, as I didnt write that clearly

[farang51]

32 minutes ago, Bkktodd said:

 Shouldnt matter where we came from.

 

11 minutes ago, newnative said:

Whether you let 1 person in or 100,000 persons in, if they agree to testing and quarantine the numbers coming in shouldn't matter. 

They need to make sure their health care system can handle new cases. Thus, a limit on the number of arrivals - at least at first - and not allowing people from the worst hit countries from where the risk for a new case is higher.

[Bkktodd]

2 hours ago, brucec64 said:

You seriously can't figure that one out? Of course this scheme is not targeting 14 day tourists, so why even bring it up? There are many snowbirds who could take advantage of this. A lot of people come for 6 months, and might do the 14 day quarantine. Also, this would also be an avenue to get into the country for those who qualify for retirement extensions. Once inside the country, this visa could be converted to a retirement visa/extension.

And what of those who already  have that coveted retirement visa/extension 

[Bkktodd]

7 minutes ago, farang51 said:

 

They need to make sure their health care system can handle new cases. Thus, a limit on the number of arrivals - at least at first - and not allowing people from the worst hit countries from where the risk for a new case is higher.

If testing is done prior to and after arrival. Makes no difference where you come from  falangs need a covid NEGATIVE result BEFORE boarding the flights.  

[androokery]

6 hours ago, thaistocks said:

Double CV19 test, plus 14 days quarantine -and on top you must in advance specify where you will rent/stay the whole time?  Leaving no freedom to move around? Its too draconian and sadly will be passed up by most all.

Not only specify but also pay - and show proof of payment.