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New 60 day tourist visa


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No official announcement but this has appeared on the Thai Embassy Washington's website -

https://thaiembdc.org/2020/11/05/trsingle_entry/?fbclid=IwAR0AVch_A54OW6N9CbdQCV17dqTjByN8ZHKsGo3ucrTmdOHShzCRSUC0j4s

 

This was e-mail was posted on a Facebook group from the London Embassy. No change on their website . Usual entry requirements COE , ASQ etc apply. Whether this is just for the current situation is unclear but looks like the end of backpackers in Thailand as a strategy does now to be appearing for only well tourists with money for longer stays.

 

 

Thaiemb60day.jpg.e3d744d5e47792e84831bdde54a00cff.jpg

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3 hours ago, tso310 said:

No official announcement but this has appeared on the Thai Embassy Washington's website -

https://thaiembdc.org/2020/11/05/trsingle_entry/?fbclid=IwAR0AVch_A54OW6N9CbdQCV17dqTjByN8ZHKsGo3ucrTmdOHShzCRSUC0j4s

 

This was e-mail was posted on a Facebook group from the London Embassy. No change on their website . Usual entry requirements COE , ASQ etc apply. Whether this is just for the current situation is unclear but looks like the end of backpackers in Thailand as a strategy does now to be appearing for only well tourists with money for longer stays.

 

 

Thaiemb60day.jpg.e3d744d5e47792e84831bdde54a00cff.jpg

Is that 12,000 pounds or Thai baht? 

 

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1 minute ago, EricTh said:

Is that 12,000 pounds or Thai baht? 

 

It is 500k Baht or foreign currency equivalent, seasoned for at least six months, either in Thai or foreign bank account. 

Quite who would have 500k Baht lying around in a bank account doing almost nothing for so long, just so they can enter Thailand and quarantine for two weeks at exorbitant cost, I leave to you to figure out.

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This scheme would be workable, except I see 2 big problems related to the booking of quarantine hotels:

1   We need to book the hotel before applying for the visa

2   The hotel cancellation terms seem poor.  

 

So we need to identify suitable flights, then book the quarantine hotel, then hope the visa application is successful.

 

After all that, if there is an unexpected problem with the flight, or we fail the PCR test & cannot travel (it happens!), then as this is less than 7 days before the check in date, some of the hotels will charge you for the full duration of the stay.  

Why would I want to be paying 60,000 baht for a hotel room that I cannot use ?

 

If we had "normal" booking terms, with either cancellation up to the day of arrival, or just one night's charge, it would be more acceptable. 

 

 

 

 

Edited by jaizan
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Does anyone know if you're supposed to take a repatriation flight to use this visa? Also, can anyone confirm correspondence with an embassy to determine if the funds may be between a few accounts? I've inquired but not yet heard a reply.

 

Thanks. 

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4 hours ago, BudRight said:

Does anyone know if you're supposed to take a repatriation flight to use this visa? Also, can anyone confirm correspondence with an embassy to determine if the funds may be between a few accounts? I've inquired but not yet heard a reply.

 

From EU you may book a semi-commercial flight from those companies: https://thaiembassy.ch/files_upload/editor_upload/VISA/1604497641_list-semi-commercial-flights-4-nov-2020.pdf

 

I am confident it is the same coming from the US

Edited by daviddunham
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12 minutes ago, jaizan said:

They stated that I need both a visa and COE to enter Thailand.   They included the link below.   Checking that, tourism does not seem to be a valid reason for getting a COE

It does show a tourist visa on he drop down menu.

image.png.5f4fd25c1020a169bc1dea14642f3387.png

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This is quite complicated.     I attempted to put things in the right order in the picture below.

 

Then there are potential pitfalls.   

Whilst we need a RT-PCR test certificate ISSUED 72 hours before the flight DEPARTURE, some of the hotels are referring to ASQ regulations which require the test to be PERFORMED less than 72 hours before ARRIVAL.  With a major charge if you have to get a new test done to comply.  

 

 

 

Visa.JPG

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They had the right idea with STV, the problem is it is too expensive at 12,000 baht.

60 days it too short.

Also these quarantine hotels are too expensive.

 

 45,000 baht for 14 nights = $100 a night!

These hotels are really only worth $25 per night. Food $8 a meal,  add hotel transfer $30, 2 covid tests $200, that is still only $50 per night.

These hotels are almost empty anyways. I don't see why i should be ripped off for $1000 usd to be locked up for 15 days and a change to catch covid during travel.

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The quarantine hotels are actually offering 15 night packages, which seems a bit odd when quarantine is 14 nights.

 

I could tolerate 3000 baht a night, with meals included, even if it is slightly over the top.    However, many of them also have unreasonable cancellation or change terms.     We have to bear in mind that the hotel has to be booked before the visa application.   

Then, if there's a last minute flight cancellation, I don't want to be liable for the full 45,000 baht cost.

 

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OK, so the Thai embassy in Austria has a simple paper visa application, with no need for hotel or flight details.   https://www.thaiembassy.at/en/?option=com_flexicontent&view=item&cid=21:consular-services&id=395:tourist-visa&Itemid=163&preview=1

 

The Thai embassy in London refers customers to a web based application and it's requesting copies of hotel and flight bookings.     After e-mailing them, they confirmed the accommodation detail is for accommodation AFTER the quarantine.     I don't know how many days are needed, but am thinking of 3 nights.

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On 11/11/2020 at 5:26 AM, Don Chance said:

They had the right idea with STV, the problem is it is too expensive at 12,000 baht.

60 days it too short.

Is this not the STV visa? It's an extendable (2x) 90 day visa for a whopping total of 270 days

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50 minutes ago, 2530Ubon said:

Is this not the STV visa? It's an extendable (2x) 90 day visa for a whopping total of 270 days

It resumes the usual tourist visa with additional requirements similar to STV applied on it, saying 500K baht in your bank, insurance, 72 hrs pre-departure covid test, COE

 

More targets at medium risk countries. Single entry, extended one time only for 30 more days.  

Edited by roadpeople
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17 minutes ago, roadpeople said:

It resumes the usual tourist visa with additional requirements similar to STV applied on it, saying 500K baht in your bank, insurance, 72 hrs pre-departure covid test, COE

 

More targets at medium risk countries. Single entry, extended one time only for 30 more days.  

 

Upon checking, it looks like i am correct. 500k in the bank is a requirement only for the STV visa - which is a 90 day visa renewable 2 times. Currently, The USA is in the high risk category and does not allow applicants to apply. 

 

There are no tourist visas being issued to American citizens.

 

Risk-Countries-November-1-14-300x169.jpg

Edited by 2530Ubon
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2 hours ago, treetops said:

Thailand Longstay have removed the financial requirement for an STV.

I don't see it listed as a requirement on the STV website, but if you look at a Thai embassy website (I looked at 2, the US and UK) then 500k is still required. 

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I appreciate that at least it is possible to enter Thailand now. Also it is nice that it seems to be possible the get the COE without much hassle (like one day before leaving at the embassy in person) and that we can book our own flight.

 

But 90 days is just not enough for the remaining hassle, so I will wait.

 

Is is possible to convert that tourist visa into another visa without leaving the country?

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On 11/10/2020 at 11:53 PM, jaizan said:

The quarantine hotels are actually offering 15 night packages, which seems a bit odd when quarantine is 14 nights.

 

 

Quarantine is 14 full days starting the day after you arrive in Thailand.

 

Day 1 : arrive Thailand, go to ASQ

Days 2-15: quarantine = 14 days

Day 16: leave ASQ = 15 nights' accommodation.

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