Single Entry Tourist Visa to Thailand now requires foreigners to show funds of 500k THB

[Techno Viking]

6 minutes ago, Dexxter said:

 

Is Visa Exempt still available? Will it ever be available again? Somehow I think Thailand is finished as a destination. Time to extract my Thai wife from there and get on with life elsewhere in the world.

 

 

Does not affect me so have not taken any notice.

[Bangkok Barry]

4 minutes ago, Dexxter said:

 

Is Visa Exempt still available? Will it ever be available again? Somehow I think Thailand is finished as a destination. Time to extract my Thai wife from there and get on with life elsewhere in the world.

 

She'll probably thank you. I know of a dozen or more Thai women who have gone to live overseas and not one, not one, wants to return to Thailand except maybe for a brief visit to see family. One in particular said she would return when her German husband died. He died six years ago and she's still there.

[racinkc1]

Cheap Charlie? Isn't anyone who moves to a country with a weaker currency, being cheap? Oh, ya, you just prefer Thai food right? Haha....

[wcoast]

Places like Pai and Koh Pha Ngan might never recover from this requirement.

[Traubert]

If you can afford it, all well and good. If you can't, see yer..........

 

It's the flights that are an obstacle at the moment.

[Ventenio]

2 hours ago, Peterw42 said:

None of those options currently apply, there is no 30 day visa exempt entry, any entry has 2 weeks in quarantine, there is no option to do border runs.

 

of course i know that...

 

I'm ASSuming this new restriction is permanent.....so I'm talking about next year.

 

Yes, maybe it will go back to 20,000 after covid, but I doubt it...

 

we all know the situation now.

 

i don't see anywhere in the article where it says this requirement is only for a few months.

 

i might be wrong

[KhonkaenExpat]

Good by Tourism. let's kill the economy some more, soon the Baht will crumble 

[rott]

42 minutes ago, Kiujunn said:

I asked for an example of one or two of the "hundreds" of places "cheaper and cleaner with infinitely better infrastructure and attitude and value " that you mentioned - and you came up with an unqualified rant.

Offhand I am unaware of anywhere in S E Asia that is throwing it's borders open to all comers. 

Hope somebody can tell me I'm wrong, wouldn't mind a trip to Cambo or Laos. 

[alyx]

19 hours ago, ThailandRyan said:

My Luxury Card Gold Card, a MasterCard by Barclays has no limit, so how does that translate into showing someone a monetary amount since I have no spending limit.  If I wanted to buy a Lambo, and they took a Mastercard Gold, and Mastercard approved it, off of the showroom floor I drive.  I know plenty of people that do not have money just sitting around, instead they have assets that they can leverage, and by making a simple phone call they can get cash, many live there lives on their cards, and each is paid of monthly.

I agree with you but, as you wrote it, "and Mastercard approved it", that will require confirmation that you have the funds... and that is what is asked from the "tourists". Holding cards doesn't show one's credit, but, for some of us, a social status

[Bkktodd]

6 hours ago, mvdf said:

Why are you all complaining and calling officials here "retarded"?? Isn't that what your own embassies demand from us Asians too if we want to go visit London or Chicago or Toronto? We too have to show a consistent bank balance maintained over a similar stretch of time to demonstrate that we are "eligible" to step foot on your holy soil! 

Stepping foot is different from staying and working as is with alot of “visitors “in Europe and USA. You dont get many farangs illegally working in Thailand for 20.000b a month

Edited November 12, 2020 by Bkktodd

[Bkktodd]

4 hours ago, sandyf said:

That could be one view, a bit narrow minded.

A more open view could be that recent events have highlighted how problematic relying on revenue from international tourism can be. It would be a prudent move by the Thais to try and rebuild the economy without such a dependence on tourism.

The door is not closed, just not so wide open.

Care to give examples?  Tourism is using the natural resources already available. Beaches, diving, shopping, etc.  if its good for other countries why not Thailand.  The friendliness and wonderful inexpensive food is what attracts alot of tourists.   Based on your economic assumptions then Maldives,. Most of Europe, Brazil should give up on tourism and make souvenirs to sell online

[NanLaew]

4 hours ago, dutchdude said:

the Vietnamees are laughing their asses off, I can see the billboards all over Europe , come to Vietnam its for free and it looks the same as Thailand and we speak better English

 

 

Despite a recent marketing blitz on CNN by the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism, at the present time, Vietnam isn't allowing tourists to enter and doesn't have any published plans to do so any time in the near future.

 

You may also have noticed that the Incredible !ndia tourist advertising is also currently running on European media.

[capriole]

They don't only ask for the money in the account but aslo for a non objection letter from the employer, why the heck should I let my employer know where I want to go for a holiday? ????

 

[Migrosmarket]

On 11/11/2020 at 1:49 PM, Fairynuff said:

He’s wrong, and so are you. Out of the millions of tourists what percentage fall into the category you talk about? I’ll answer for you... a tiny percentage who get a lot of publicity.

Either way..... keep them out. If you want to stay long term, show you can afford it and there is less risk of you being a burden.

 

And there are loads of e beggars on youtube without a penny. Chuck them out as well. 

 

One has to have standards.

[redwood1]

6 minutes ago, Migrosmarket said:

Either way..... keep them out. If you want to stay long term, show you can afford it and there is less risk of you being a burden.

 

And there are loads of e beggars on youtube without a penny. Chuck them out as well. 

 

One has to have standards.

Would it not be a pity if somehow you did not meet the standards....Thailand would be losing a real humanitarian... 

[Prairieboy]

Is this the same visa one gets on arrival at the airport?

[David Garden]

There is plenty of countries in the world that offers better deals.... And of course next month Thailand will come with a new strategy and the story is not finished ....    Clearly the people creating these restrictions are not the ones impacted by the economic situation generated by the covid....

[ChadKL]

What about the safety and security implications? A tourist has to declare and prove significant cash assets in the bank, complete with bank statements, prior to and possibly upon entry to a foreign country. Anyone in possession of that information could easily communicate it to others, and the tourist then becomes a prime target (with known cash assets) ripe for robbery, fraud, kidnapping, or other crimes. I would definitely forego a visit to any country with such a requirement -- especially a place with widespread crime and corruption.

[off road pat]

On 11/11/2020 at 5:53 AM, MadMuhammad said:

Im guessing we won’t see any backpackers for a long time to come. Not such a bad thing 

Hm,..According to a survey In red in the Bangkok post a long time ago, Backpackers were the best tourists for the economy !! They go to several small or medium sized guesthouses, eat in street restaurants, spend there money in small rural shops,...travel around and spread that money all over the country! And all there money they spend stays in the country !!!

The other tourists book a holiday at a multinational travel agency, pay in advance, are send to a hotel belonging to a multinational corporation, eat in that hotel, go on excursions organized by that hotel !,....all the money stays in that multinational company and is reinvested abroad !!!

[Peterw42]

55 minutes ago, Prairieboy said:

Is this the same visa one gets on arrival at the airport?

There is no visa on arrival or visa exempt 30 day entry at the moment. you dont on a plane or in to thailand without a visa, insurance etc

Edited November 12, 2020 by Peterw42

[Thomas Hannah]

21 hours ago, terryofcrete said:

That was a long time ago ! Lots of things common everyday stuff in Thailand now more expensive than at home for me in Ireland considered to be an expensive country to live in. 

It is still cheap for many things.Hotel rooms are.Transport. yes you do not need to tell me about thailand.going there for 35 years and lived there for 12.Also costs in ireland.The place is dead now nearly all year.there will always be people who go there.

[SupermarineS6B]

1 hour ago, ChadKL said:

What about the safety and security implications? A tourist has to declare and prove significant cash assets in the bank, complete with bank statements, prior to and possibly upon entry to a foreign country. Anyone in possession of that information could easily communicate it to others, and the tourist then becomes a prime target (with known cash assets) ripe for robbery, fraud, kidnapping, or other crimes. I would definitely forego a visit to any country with such a requirement -- especially a place with widespread crime and corruption.

Yeah there used to be a lovely credit card scam doing just that from a very high "Power" duty free mob....... Credit card details for everyone ..........  lovely......

[sandyf]

3 hours ago, Bkktodd said:

Care to give examples?  Tourism is using the natural resources already available. Beaches, diving, shopping, etc.  if its good for other countries why not Thailand.  The friendliness and wonderful inexpensive food is what attracts alot of tourists.   Based on your economic assumptions then Maldives,. Most of Europe, Brazil should give up on tourism and make souvenirs to sell online

Which part of this statement did you find difficult, "The door is not closed, just not so wide open."

 

I can only assume your policy is to put all your eggs in one basket.

[sandyf]

1 hour ago, ChadKL said:

What about the safety and security implications? A tourist has to declare and prove significant cash assets in the bank, complete with bank statements, prior to and possibly upon entry to a foreign country. Anyone in possession of that information could easily communicate it to others, and the tourist then becomes a prime target (with known cash assets) ripe for robbery, fraud, kidnapping, or other crimes. I would definitely forego a visit to any country with such a requirement -- especially a place with widespread crime and corruption.

Been standard practice for years for anyone applying for a UK visitor visa.

[Enlil]

this is retarded on so many levels

 

Why it even matter u had 500k 6 months before your travel? It should matter at the time of travel.

 

As well ppl lost income and businesses due to covid and had to use savings.

[Fex Bluse]

These folks really do display their absolute stupidity. Wow

[jomtienisgood]

On 11/11/2020 at 11:53 AM, MadMuhammad said:

Im guessing we won’t see any backpackers for a long time to come. Not such a bad thing 

Did they hurt you in whatever way??????

[Rancid]

Would seem they plan on restructuring their tourist industry when things eventually pick up. 30 day trips still fine presumably but no more tourist visas, or at least few with that criteria.

[EVENKEEL]

6 hours ago, hellohello123 said:

I cant think of any country that the general population is wealthy enough or the cost of living is so high that they have 500k baht equivalent for 6 months in an account

????‍♂️ Wow, I'm wealthy I guess.

[Dalewhatdale]

Tourism is way, way down. What could we do? I know. Let's make it increasingly, and stupefyingly harder for tourists to visit.

If that doesn't fix the rpblem, I dont know what will.