Video: Want to visit Thailand? Here is how to apply for a Special Tourist Visa

[MRToMRT]

14 hours ago, sandyf said:

The website shows this address, is there more than one Emporium opposite a Fuji?

 

T. P.&T Tower

1 Vibhavadi Rangsit Rd, Khwaeng Chatuchak, Chatuchak, Bangkok 10900

http://www.thailongstay.co.th/contact.html

They have a customer service office next to fuji on Sukhumvit soi 33/1 (Bulls Head soi). I have been there myself, quite plush, many Japanese clients (they specialise in retirement visa services like a mini "elite")

Edited September 23, 2020 by MRToMRT

[MRToMRT]

3 hours ago, farang51 said:

I don't think they will allow people from India, haven't seen that anywhere.

There was an Indian maid who tested positive in quarantine about 3 weeks ago. Presumably she has a work permit. I wonder if the tailor touts also are coming back?

[BadBouy]

NO!

[michel7752]

On 9/22/2020 at 6:18 PM, PumpkinEater said:

I would almost do this to get back “in” until the last part...

Charter flight? <deleted>

What happened to my ME NON O?!!! Why a NEW visa?

 

I think this is oriented to Chinese as they can set up charters back and forth w local airlines quite easily.

 

 

CORRECT!!!

 

The whole process has been designed for the Chinese. Only they have the low infection numbers and the organization and willing people to suffer through this procedure. It was tailormade for the Chinese elite living and working in Thailand, so they can get their relatives and friends from China in.

 

Of course, this is just speculation, no facts. But when looking at it this way, only 1.200 people per month starts to make sense.

Edited September 23, 2020 by michel7752

[CorpusChristie]

Nutters, crazy irrationally people should not be allowed to enter Thailand again 

[MRToMRT]

7 hours ago, farang51 said:

I just got an answer from Thailand Longstay Company. In addition to the part zzzzz quoted, I have information on the price to the agent, see below; however no info on the price for the flight or the hotels. They say they are updating their website soon.

 

I guess I will not apply until I am certain that Thailan allow people from Denmark and until I know more about the price for the flight and the hotels.

Thanks for posting that, very informative. Actually that follows their retirement visa service offerings as as well. It like a "club" thing. For their retirement visa service it started (past tense as they have removed it from their site now) at around 23000 baht I seem to remember, they take care of thing like helping u with imm, with driving licences, airport transfers, and a load of other things one might not necessarily want. They have an office and a "club" on soi 31/1.

When I lived in that area I used to stumble by it most days going to and from the pub and supermarket.

[farang51]

7 minutes ago, MRToMRT said:

Actually that follows their retirement visa service offerings as as well. It like a "club" thing. For their retirement visa service it started (past tense as they have removed it from their site now) at around 23000 baht I seem to remember, they take care of thing like helping u with imm, with driving licences, airport transfers, and a load of other things one might not necessarily want.

Thanks, I tried to figure out what they were offering but couldn't find any info at their website.

 

Normally, I wouldn't use a service like that. However, in this case it make things easier - and we do not have a choice but to use an agent.

 

To all the "only for Chinese people" guys in here; Thailand Longstay Company said some days ago that they had recived more than 10.000 requests from Sweden. Even if they lie I do not think they will have a problem getting 1.200 visitors a month from Scandinavia. And that is actually one of my concerns; they may be able to collect 10.700 baht from 10.000 people; yet, only 1.200 get to go - very nice for them.

[uncle_tom]

So...

 

Where did the figure of 1200 a month come from? An utterly tiny number - just 0.05% of the usual total.

 

Why make a special deal for such a small number - and why 1200? - not a very round number.

 

And then the penny dropped.. This isn't intended for ordinary people arriving in wide body aircraft - this is just a little arrangement for the super rich who have private jets.

 

No doubt 1200 was the number of such people who previously landed at BKK each month..

[CANSIAM]

14 minutes ago, farang51 said:

Thanks, I tried to figure out what they were offering but couldn't find any info at their website.

 

Normally, I wouldn't use a service like that. However, in this case it make things easier - and we do not have a choice but to use an agent.

 

To all the "only for Chinese people" guys in here; Thailand Longstay Company said some days ago that they had recived more than 10.000 requests from Sweden. Even if they lie I do not think they will have a problem getting 1.200 visitors a month from Scandinavia. And that is actually one of my concerns; they may be able to collect 10.700 baht from 10.000 people; yet, only 1.200 get to go - very nice for them.

Stockholm is -22c right now makes sense... 

[MRToMRT]

18 minutes ago, farang51 said:

Thanks, I tried to figure out what they were offering but couldn't find any info at their website.

 

Normally, I wouldn't use a service like that. However, in this case it make things easier - and we do not have a choice but to use an agent.

 

To all the "only for Chinese people" guys in here; Thailand Longstay Company said some days ago that they had recived more than 10.000 requests from Sweden. Even if they lie I do not think they will have a problem getting 1.200 visitors a month from Scandinavia. And that is actually one of my concerns; they may be able to collect 10.700 baht from 10.000 people; yet, only 1.200 get to go - very nice for them.

Me too, I am watching it closely but if they are giving info to Sweden they are very quiet on the UK side of things which worries me.

I have no choice, the cost of running a second home in the UK for the next 6 months is going to be way more expensive than returning to Thailand even with all these additional charges. I am paying for two homes which is a financial bind on me.

[CANSIAM]

2 hours ago, pantsonfire said:

Is there a list of approced countries?

Im guessing - Norway, Sweden, Finland, China, Taiwan, Hongkong, Japan, SKorea, Australia, NZ ? 

[MRToMRT]

17 minutes ago, uncle_tom said:

 

 

Why make a special deal for such a small number - and why 1200? - not a very round number.

 

 

I think the current limiting factor is ASQ hotels. The group of 11 are already filling them so they can only do STV in line with additional available ASQ rooms. If they can get ASQ rooms this thing may grow, wether its a con or not. Will it grow big enough to make an economical difference to Thailand ... NO. Its a) a trial for future relaxations and b) a political ploy.

Edited September 23, 2020 by MRToMRT

[CANSIAM]

6 minutes ago, MRToMRT said:

Me too, I am watching it closely but if they are giving info to Sweden they are very quiet on the UK side of things which worries me.

I have no choice, the cost of running a second home in the UK for the next 6 months is going to be way more expensive than returning to Thailand even with all these additional charges. I am paying for two homes which is a financial bind on me.

I'm hopeful things may open up more ( with other visa types ) come Nov, Dec , Jan. you think ?

[uncle_tom]

3 minutes ago, MRToMRT said:

I think the current limiting factor is ASQ hotels. The group of 11 are already filling them so they can only do STV in line with additional available ASQ rooms. If they can get ASQ rooms this thing may grow, wether its a con or not. 

Thailand has around a million hotel rooms, most of them sitting empty at the moment as their owners slowly go bust. I find it very hard to believe that's the limiting factor..

[SmartyMarty]

The embassy in London claims it knows nothing about this visa. Go figure.

[JeffersLos]

On 9/22/2020 at 2:14 PM, mybeat said:

so where to apply? 

Not inside Thailand. They're trying to kick us out. 

[MRToMRT]

34 minutes ago, uncle_tom said:

Thailand has around a million hotel rooms, most of them sitting empty at the moment as their owners slowly go bust. I find it very hard to believe that's the limiting factor..

Hard to believe they have not been passed as ASQ rooms yet, yes I agree. Apparently in Phuket there are 5000 rooms that have applied for ASQ status (80 hotels I seem to remember).

But none of them are on the current ASQ list yet so not available.

[MRToMRT]

39 minutes ago, CANSIAM said:

I'm hopeful things may open up more ( with other visa types ) come Nov, Dec , Jan. you think ?

Honestly I think economics makes it very very possible. Politics even more probably so.

[CANSIAM]

37 minutes ago, SmartyMarty said:

The embassy in London claims it knows nothing about this visa. Go figure.

Alarming, shell out money or your credit card number to Bangkok with only hopes of getting there.  

[CANSIAM]

8 minutes ago, MRToMRT said:

Honestly I think economics makes it very very possible. Politics even more probably so.

Agreed

[ChakaKhan]

Time reveals the truth---let them run this strategy and see who falls for it--then maybe, just maybe this will be an awakening to WHO visits LOS and WHOM they should cater too.....when you sell a "product" to a customer that is your base, focus on them...reminds me when I worked in a Bar that used to be a strip club-----put lipstick on a pig, it still had the reputation as being a strip club and attracted that base......let the lesson be repeated until it is learned, or until the well runs dry.......time will tell

[lkv]

43 minutes ago, ChakaKhan said:

Time reveals the truth---let them run this strategy and see who falls for it-

Yes, the trial of this scheme will run until 30 September 2021.

 

No more regular tourists until then.

 

Perhaps the new foreign retirees, that do not yet hold a non O that they can/have been extending, could use this one also, in lieu of non O. After all, snowbirds do go back home from time to time, don't just move to Thailand.

 

 

[ChakaKhan]

Just now, lkv said:

Yes, the trial of this scheme will run until 30 September 2021.

 

No more regular tourists until then.

 

Perhaps the new foreign retirees, that do not yet hold a non O that they can/have been extending, could use this one also, in lieu of non O. After all, snowbirds do go back home from time to time, don't just move to Thailand.

 

 

And the well will continue to run dry...everyone has a breaking point....protesting now in BKK

[Kadilo]

.

Edited September 23, 2020 by Kadilo

[lkv]

44 minutes ago, ChakaKhan said:

And the well will continue to run dry...everyone has a breaking point....protesting now in BKK

Sure, but this has nothing to do with the foreigner's visa hurdles. 

 

Thais have been brainwashed enough to believe foreigners are infected and Thailand is covid free, so anybody moaning at 10K application fee or 50K ASQ is a rich foreigner being stingy, as far as they care.

 

According to Wikipedia, the causes are:

 

	Dissolution of the pro-democracy Future Forward Party Political corruption scandals, including 1MDB[1][2] Distrust in the 2019 general election and the current political system, competitive authoritarianism and illiberal democracy Legal inequality LGBT discrimination Economic impact of COVID-19 pandemic Human rights abuses Increasing royal prerogative and lèse majesté law

 

And the goals are: 

 

Dissolution of the House and fresh legislative elections Ending intimidation of the people Drafting a new constitution Abolition of the military-appointed Senate Amendment of royal prerogative and lèse majesté law Increasing civil, economic and political rights

 

So, as you can see, no mention of visa exempt or non O.

 

But yes, I do agree that, if there is a change of government, the new government, in time, will likely adopt measures that could be more favourable to foreigners.

 

But until then, they are working on charging the protest leaders, so...

 

Source for the above quotes: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/2020_Thai_protests

Edited September 23, 2020 by lkv

[Albert Zweistein]

Just watched the video, I am speechless.

[CANSIAM]

1 hour ago, lkv said:

Sure, but this has nothing to do with the foreigner's visa hurdles. 

 

Thais have been brainwashed enough to believe foreigners are infected and Thailand is covid free, so anybody moaning at 10K application fee or 50K ASQ is a rich foreigner being stingy, as far as they care.

 

According to Wikipedia, the causes are:

 

	Dissolution of the pro-democracy Future Forward Party Political corruption scandals, including 1MDB[1][2] Distrust in the 2019 general election and the current political system, competitive authoritarianism and illiberal democracy Legal inequality LGBT discrimination Economic impact of COVID-19 pandemic Human rights abuses Increasing royal prerogative and lèse majesté law

 

And the goals are: 

 

Dissolution of the House and fresh legislative elections Ending intimidation of the people Drafting a new constitution Abolition of the military-appointed Senate Amendment of royal prerogative and lèse majesté law Increasing civil, economic and political rights

 

So, as you can see, no mention of visa exempt or non O.

 

But yes, I do agree that, if there is a change of government, the new government, in time, will likely adopt measures that could be more favourable to foreigners.

 

But until then, they are working on charging the protest leaders, so...

 

Source for the above quotes: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/2020_Thai_protests

To capture the 'goals' I guess a coup is in order, then the coup leader would step down and adhere to a fair election between all parties in Thailand ? Sounds good.

[KhaoYai]

On 9/22/2020 at 6:46 AM, zzzzz said:

its for the many many (there easily 2,000 that holiday3-4months in Phuket every winter that own condos,villas etc)

And you think 2000 tourists will even scratch the surface of the deficit created in the Thai tourist industry? The norm is more than that per hour.

Edited September 23, 2020 by KhaoYai

[anchadian]

Richard Barrow in Thailand 

 

@RichardBarrow

 

Update about Special Tourist Visa: The travel agents have started to ask for a 10,000 Baht upfront service fee which is non refundable. As the government hasn’t announced any details yet, including which countries are allowed to take part, it’s advisable not to pay yet [1/2]

Richard Barrow in Thailand 

 

@RichardBarrow

 

As well as the 10,000 Baht service fee, you have to pay in advance ฿2,000 for visa, also your chartered flight, 15 day quarantine and 15 day hotel stay after that. You also need medical coverage of $100,000 and COVID-19 tests. Minimum stay is 30 days and maximum is 270 days [2/2]

[aussiexpat]

I have 3 options:

 

- Thai Elite visa @ 500k baht + 60k ASQ stay on entry. This gives me 5 years in Thailand

 

- TSV which could be at least 150-200k baht to book everything through a sole agent, which would give me only 9 months in Thailand 

 

- Say no to Thailand. Life in Queensland Australia is as normal as you can get (we have no community spread of covid in 5 million people) 

 

I'm now 99.98% sure of option 3, give up on Thailand and hope my condo is still there in a couple of years

 

Note: 99.98% is the number of Queenslanders who never got Covid, but Thailand will still treat us like we had leprosy 

 

 

Edited September 24, 2020 by aussiexpat