If I was looking for a warm SE location to take my annual winterbird holiday for a few months, I'd be looking at Bali.  Basically $500 to get in, 1 covid test to take within 7 days of arrival, no quarantine, no nonsense.  

 

A business visa gets you 60 days, then that can be extended 4 more months, one month at a time.  

 

Good luck for TH to get anyone coming when there are alternatives which are cheaper, faster, and less hassle.

 

https://www.balivisas.com/enter-indonesia-during-covid-19-pandemic/

 

 

1 hour ago, baansgr said:

With numbers almost quadrupling to 40 million a year since 2005 and an expected 75 million tourists in 2030....they kind of don't care as people just keep coming.....maybe a rain check for TAT now.

But now they ha

 

1 hour ago, baansgr said:

With numbers almost quadrupling to 40 million a year since 2005 and an expected 75 million tourists in 2030....they kind of don't care as people just keep coming.....maybe a rain check for TAT now.

But now they need to care since there are only 1600 applications who interested in STV. Now they want to short the quarantine to 10 days. 

And i think it won't work good too. It is still to much. 

15 hours ago, GigsGigs said:

Better countries you say? Name one please.

My only requirements/criterias: Must have bar girls and cheap short-time costs.

Australia!

4 hours ago, steelepulse said:

If I was looking for a warm SE location to take my annual winterbird holiday for a few months, I'd be looking at Bali.  Basically $500 to get in, 1 covid test to take within 7 days of arrival, no quarantine, no nonsense.  

 

A business visa gets you 60 days, then that can be extended 4 more months, one month at a time.  

 

Good luck for TH to get anyone coming when there are alternatives which are cheaper, faster, and less hassle.

 

https://www.balivisas.com/enter-indonesia-during-covid-19-pandemic/

 

 

Thanks a lot. Do you know anyone who managed to get in with this visa recently?

It starts to look like there never were any Chinese STV-tourists coming from Guangzhou after all.

If only 1600 applied, even if they were all from the same one country its doomed to fail. Thats just a few flights worth and one would assume not everyone wants to come on the same dates. 

Posts using trolling images have been removed as well as the replies.

 

A post using a music video and the replies have been removed.

 

Posts trolling about prostitution and the replies have been removed. 

 

 

In theory I can get a visa, but seems I have first have to buy an airline ticket and pay for a hotel, after that I can apply. But as flights only seem to leave from another city getting there and getting a 72 hour covid test and good to fly paper would be a challenge due to timing of connections.

 

In the end its just too hard and risky for those bookings that would probably never be refunded if refused.

8 hours ago, steelepulse said:

If I was looking for a warm SE location to take my annual winterbird holiday for a few months, I'd be looking at Bali.  Basically $500 to get in, 1 covid test to take within 7 days of arrival, no quarantine, no nonsense.  

 

A business visa gets you 60 days, then that can be extended 4 more months, one month at a time.  

 

Good luck for TH to get anyone coming when there are alternatives which are cheaper, faster, and less hassle.

 

https://www.balivisas.com/enter-indonesia-during-covid-19-pandemic/

 

 

Yes, that is something I am also currently looking into. Can be gotten cheaper than that on other websites, I even think one can do it by themselves, with an Indonesian friend sponsoring, and save on the agent fee.

 

That said, this month Indonesia says they will launch e-visa, which will bypass consulates, and most likely any agent, so one can do it from the comfort of their homes. So in theory, one could apply for this B211 visa online.

 

You can follow the Immigration's IG for updates, that's what I am doing.

 

 

 

Edited October 9, 20205 yr by lkv

23 hours ago, Sammyinla said:

You are totally right. I am an Elite visa holder and I am on an email thread with 60 other members. All of them have applied to return to Thailand and it seems none of them have even received an approval letter from the MFA. I applied in August (first day of the program officially opening) and I submitted all the docs and I haven’t even received my approval letter. After I get the approval, I still have to submit additional paperwork and wait another month or so to get my COE (probably longer). This has been so frustrating. 

I just had Thai Elite Management submit my application to MFA.  They told me it would be "a month or more" before I received approval.  I would like to join the email thread.  Can you share the address here or in a PM?

On 10/8/2020 at 11:27 AM, DrTuner said:

It's 500k for the cheapest. Hardly oligarch billionaires.

Let us assume that the Elite Card holders are going to lose a year of what they paid for - will they get extensions to compensate? (obviously they won't get refunds...)

19 hours ago, gearbox said:

Thanks a lot. Do you know anyone who managed to get in with this visa recently?

I do.  No worries for him.  I've already seen some photos from him.

On 10/8/2020 at 6:34 PM, steven100 said:

are they just starting to realize the truth   ?

no one will come with their stupid STV requirements.

no one will come with any quarantine restrictions.   

 

oh lordy lordy !!  

STV stands for Stupid Thai Visa so you've hit the proverbial on the head.

On 10/8/2020 at 7:03 PM, webfact said:

Only about 1,600 people worldwide have applied to the Special Tourist Visa (STV) and only a fraction of the 7,000 Elite Card holders still abroad are interested in entering Thailand, Thai media has reported. 

Does ANYONE find that not to be expected?

The gloss came off LOS some years ago, and spending 2 weeks at own expense in quarantine is not an attractive prospect.

 

IMO most will discover their own countries rather than be inconvenienced overseas.

Didn't I see a report that 'many' in HongKong had applied for the Elite Visa?

24 minutes ago, overherebc said:

Didn't I see a report that 'many' in HongKong had applied for the Elite Visa?

Yes, but one, how many have actually completed the process, and two, they  are basically political refugees looking at their migration options - the thai elite visa is an easy stopgap/ backup option (for those who can afford it).

Get it now.

A new life.

An Elite Life.

14 hours ago, bangon04 said:

Let us assume that the Elite Card holders are going to lose a year of what they paid for - will they get extensions to compensate? (obviously they won't get refunds...)

I got six months extension. But yes it's been six months now with the borders closed. No idea if they'll further extend.

On 10/8/2020 at 6:53 PM, GigsGigs said:

Indeed. But then again 175k THB to these millionaires is like 10$ USD to us, scale to scale.

Sorry but, really, speak for yourself: it is like 1 $US to me. I do not have the great financial position you seem to be enjoying (pun intended). Joke apart: you are correct

On 10/8/2020 at 2:47 AM, mlkik said:

I have a relationship,car and a home in Thailand and have a Non - O based retirement extension and can not return.

I am not part of the captive audience. I am not interested in this ridiculous visa !

Same same but not different

Yea well the STV is still a total confusion with different rules in different countries. In addition to the extreme requirements, the Thai embassy in my country is asking for a bank statement to show €15,000 on a savings account for the past 6 months. Who even keeps €15,000 stuck on one savings account. Looks like they're intention is to make nobody actually apply!

well deserved, once again a huge demonstration of their greediness. no sympathy at all.

7 hours ago, ChomDo said:

Yea well the STV is still a total confusion with different rules in different countries. In addition to the extreme requirements, the Thai embassy in my country is asking for a bank statement to show €15,000 on a savings account for the past 6 months. Who even keeps €15,000 stuck on one savings account. Looks like they're intention is to make nobody actually apply!

the orders come from above, the puppet master.

Thailand: forget about fantasy programs such as the STV or a Phuket program. Start with allowing all longstay visa holders come back. Including all who have a NON O retirement visa yearly extension. This is far better for all involved. The visaholders know Thailand and are far better integrated in Thailand then a newly visitor in this crazy covid situation. They will spend their money, meet again with their loves and friends they have been missing so long. Thailand; please stop with all these extra hoops to jump through. We are all willing to prevent covid coming to Thailand and keep Thailand safe while we are there.  But keep the conditions for returning to Thailand simple and realistic.

 

Then we will all benefit. 

 

 

From the love is not tourism thailand group, the government answer after promising yes to allow tourists in is stv. Really think the goverment is just made up of two thick planks

HOOPS HOOPS and more HOOPS.

This gets more ludicrous by the minute. No one can agree on anything so why would you risk not getting a refund on 1,000s of dollars paid up for flights and accommodation (locked up for 14 days) for your plans to be thrown into disarray and your money to be lost. Locked away for over 14 days ????

Don't get me wrong . I have been locked away in Perth , Australia for over 7 months now and desperately want to come home to see the wife in Korat but the needing to isolate for 14 days on arrival in Bangkok after having a Covid-19 test after leaving a country with extremely low flu numbers will more than likely change our minds.

Now if it was maybe 7 days quarantine that would be a different story. Or to quarantine in my own house in Korat after having all the Covid-19 swabs shoved up me spouts before leaving Australia. And then maybe swab me on arrival in Bangkok and lock me up in a room for 24 hours until that test also comes back negative for Covid-19.Then get the cook to pick me up and take me home to Korat.

Or open up a Golf Resort and test me every third day.

But hey no alcohol when in quarantine at a hotel ????

Better tell the cook I will be late !!

 

 

14 hours ago, ChomDo said:

Yea well the STV is still a total confusion with different rules in different countries. In addition to the extreme requirements, the Thai embassy in my country is asking for a bank statement to show €15,000 on a savings account for the past 6 months. Who even keeps €15,000 stuck on one savings account. Looks like they're intention is to make nobody actually apply!

25k on embassy website in Oz with 6 month back date although condo owners exempt but on another thread they need 3 million baht. From one extreme to another! 

the small guy can get screwed but the supreme government can not? nobody is coming to their stupid party. fact. ????

who knew 555

On 10/8/2020 at 2:02 PM, MRToMRT said:

Can you share some info with us on that? For those of who had no contact from them after submitting passport copy, what happens next?

They told me they are only issuing STV visas to citizens of "low risk" countries. I am from a "medium risk" country so I'll have to wait. They say my passport copy has been forwarded to Thai immigration where I'm sure it will sit unopened. I expect the rules will change again in a few weeks time in any case. I have no idea how they decide which countries are low, medium or high risk. Canada has the same daily case numbers per million as Denmark or Holland for example but the Danes and Dutch are supposedly eligible and Canadians are not.

 

I know very little outside that, and some of what I know I am very unsure of. Why they got back to me and not to your email is impossible to say.