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

[jobas69]

Another nail in the coffin 

[Freigeist365]

Not even Monty Python would have been able to come up with something like this back then. RIP international tourism ???? 

[Dart12]

Is this for all countries?  or just western?

 

[Bangkok Barry]

5 hours ago, Haggislover said:

Other destinations are on the card now, another instance of thai lunacy

Indeed. Hundreds to choose from, and often cheaper and cleaner with infinitely better infrastructure and attitude and value. Why anyone would still want to come to Thailand is beyond me. Even without the lunatic restrictions. It is only the Thais who believe that the country is irresistible, as they've been brainwashed from birth to think. It isn't. Even without the lunatic restrictions.

[ukrules]

1 hour ago, IsaanEng said:

Can anyone name another country so reliant on the tourist industry that is so out of touch with reality.

We've always been told that tourism is merely a small part of the economy in Thailand.

 

I thought at the time 'that's a lie' but now I know it was something else : a self fulfilling prophecy

[Freigeist365]

Whenever you think you've seen it all... Freaking clowns!!! Is it a requirement to have an iQ lower than 20 to enter a leading government position in Lala-Land??? If yes, please employ donkeys for a change - they'd do a much better job!!!!

[juice777]

I lived in Thailand for about 5 years living from investments from the UK. I was thinking of coming back and spending all my money In Thailand again at no point in my life do I ever plan to have £12000 just sitting in a bank doing nothing not even getting interest. And all this Hatred against Backpackers is so Obvious jealousy, The spend more money over 3 months then a 2-week sex Tourist dose over 2 weeks. I must have spent a small fortune In Thailand over the last 20 years most of it on Tourist Visas giving it to the small business in Thailand that's it for me Thailand is dead to me. I could save up £12000 but then leave it in the Bank for 6 months when I am screaming for a holiday no thanks.

[jethro69]

So better go for the METV then, a bargain with only ~200K  (6000€), or has this one gone up to 2.000K ??? 

[Paul2121]

Absolutely crazy to expect every tourist to have 500,000 Baht in there account 

[jethro69]

I have actually 2 accounts with more than 500K in, but it's just the principle. The next time will also be the last time, have a few things to settle.

Does anyone knows a transporter to bring some staff over to Cambodia, Vietnam or Laos ???

[GeilGeilertzen]

Get rid of the riff raff!! ????????

[John Drake]

9 minutes ago, juice777 said:

And all this Hatred against Backpackers is so Obvious jealousy,

 

Heck, I know I'm jealous. Wish I could be young again and go adventuring with little more than a backpack.

[ThailandRyan]

55 minutes ago, moe666 said:

post police on the loose

Read my post they wanted enough money to live in Thailand for 90 days, depending on ones spending habits 12,000 dollars for 90 days isn't much.

So 120,000 baht is not a alot of money in your book for a long term tourist to spend for 30 days. Really, you definitely must live the high life.  I know many retired folks that live on 30k to 40k baht a month and still travel.  Hell with 500k THB tgat would last them well over a year.  If you only come for 60 to 90 days, most folks can rent out a condo or an AirBnB for a cheap amount and, still have money to travel around on.  Personally, I live on just over 120k a month, but that's a condo payment, food, electricity, water, gas,and transportation for 2 of us plus the kids when they are with us. When I first starting coming I would stay for 6 weeks each time and only spend between 90 and 120k, and that was with traveling and doing Muay Thai, while hitting the beach every day and still going out.

[Airalee]

5 hours ago, Falcon said:

Taking in to account the lack of tourists here allowed entry and the future lack of tourists because of both financial problems and / or Thailand’s rediculous ideas on how to restart the tourist trade, or put more simply, how to get a hold of foreigners money, I am expecting them to announce that they are going to charge and entry fee to the country, just like Bhutan who charge up to $250 per day just to be in the country. Ideal for Thailand that...

 

Bhutan

However, it's also considered to be one of the most expensive trips in the world that you can embark upon. The government has placed a minimum fee of around $200 USD per day per person in low season and $250 USD per day per person during high season for visitors to Bhutan

“This covers accommodation, transport within Bhutan, a tourist guide, food and non-alcoholic drinks, entry fee, a $65 “tourism levy” or “sustainable development fee (SDF)” (earlier known as “royalty” to the government), and the fee for the tourist’s visa.

There is an additional surcharge of $40 for tourists travelling solo, and $30 for each tourist in a group of two.”

source...  

https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/explained-what-bhutans-new-tourism-fee-will-mean-for-indian-travellers-6252722/

 

[Techno Viking]

1 hour ago, John Drake said:

 

 Not everyone is a decrepit old miser who has to have someone lead them by the hand to the toilet and constantly worry about paying up for hip replacements. Many a youngster has made their fortune or carved out a comfortable life for themselves by throwing caution to the winds and taking a chance on life. It takes a real gloomy sourpuss with no imagination left in his life to condemn others who have a dream and are young enough to try and live it out.

 

I agree whole heartedly agree and at the age of 43 I hope it is many yeas before Iam an old decepit miser worrying about paying for a hip replacement..... In alll honesty if the hip is ok enough to climb over a balcony rail I reckon thats how I will sort that situation.

[from the home of CC]

57 minutes ago, John Drake said:

 

I wonder if there are even more Thais in the US evading US immigration laws and working illegally? Be interesting to compare the numbers. Can't see too many Americans stealing Thai jobs, avoiding withholding taxes, getting free 1-12 education, here.

considering the robust immigration control in the US I don't see how that would be possible, just my opinion.. 

[TERMINATOR3AB]

So  I   can stay  30  days   normal  tourist   visit   as I   always    have once ... when  all  good and vacines  around

However if I wish to stay 60   days  I have to  have 500K  in bank  for  6 months 

They are  crazy  ..What is wrong with Thailand  Gov?

Money  money   money......  believe  it or not all you rich  out there  that is a lot of  money to have  doing   nothing .... sorry 

More like this  will just send  any  genuine  long stay  tourist  to another  country  for hoilday

They not shoot in the foot ....  they  cut thier bloody  silly throats 

What  is the delusion  that Thailand  is the be  all  and end  all  of places to visit.....Believe  me it is not .... about  now  number 50  on list of  60  places to visit  with  similar  climate  and  conditions  and  hospitable  populations

Soon  as a this  vacine is available and  travel  returns  .... I have no interets to return to  Thailand  anymore  

I will  bring my wife to  Tropical  Queensland  Australia  to  live a dream  life she has never known ...No racism...social security...free medical..beautiful  climate  like  any   tropical Asian country  and beaches  that go  for  thousands  of miles  ..perfect  clean  air  ...To my wife it will be  a paradise with very low population ..no  crowds  no stress   just   happiness .....Thailand  was a paradise  20 years ago ....not now  far from it  .....

Good Luck  Thailand 

 

[talahtnut]

If I had £13000 in a bank gathering dust, man, that would be gone before the next morning.

Stuff the farang hatingThai government, the UK has much more to offer than Thailand.

[Garbol56]

I suspect that this is the first of many new requirements of this military government which is positioning itself for when the covid pandemic has passed.

This government no longer wants the western casual tourist and dont care about the short term financial and social harm caused by their new policies to the general Thai people who previously relied on foreign tourists for a living.

Myanmar is looking good now.

[condobrit001]

So a family of four wishing to holiday here would need two million baht to cover the four visas in their accounts? (around $66,000 dollars). In any case, what business is it of the Thai government to know how much the tourists visiting their country have in the bank? The same family of four would have to spend a small fortune in any case with air fares, visa charges, insurance and ASQ! Do these people have any education or common sense?

[sambum]

1 hour ago, ukrules said:

These measures are designed to deter, not encourage more visitors.

 

When they want more visitors the restriction will be removed.

 

Put Anutin in charge - he's the man for that job!

[sraisin]

Aussie here in Bangkok who’s family visits regularly, last year 7 of us spent 10 days in the most amazing luxury villa in Samui, followed by a few days in Bangkok 5 star. We dropped a bundle on accommodation, food and activities. Combined somewhere north of US$50k. I can guarantee none of them would even finish reading the list of requirement before dropping Thailand as an option. Those lost customers will be difficult to convince all is well if restrictions ease up in future. They will have moved on and be lost to Thailand for a long long time. Loyal customers are won over time with great effort, they can be lost in a news flash and may never return. I hope the strategic thinkers that lead this amazing country have thought this through.

[Calach]

Brilliant. 

[condobrit001]

May I suggest as many of us as possible contact the BBC consumer affairs programme called "Rip Off Britain". They would love to highlight the plight of British and other tourists wanting to visit Thailand - whether for a holiday or other reasons. They would love to feature this, and I am sure would even contact the Thai embassy in the UK for their comments.

[from the home of CC]

26 minutes ago, Paul2121 said:

Absolutely crazy to expect every tourist to have 500,000 Baht in there account 

real 'tourists' will utilize the voa. Real 'tourists' live in another country and are coming for a holiday and presumably have a job they have to return to. Living on the border of the US  for 40 years I entered frequently, their main concern? did I have a job back in Canada? which would necessitate my return. Most countries have a similar concern. They don't want a bunch of foreigners running around doing whatever they deem necessary to keep living there including breaking laws and  offering bribes. I have friends (retired) that apply for a tourist visa every year, they usually spend 3 months. They are real long stay tourists, in my home country we call them snowbirds. They are not wealthy by any standards but will have absolutely no problem providing this requirement. But as I say, these are real tourists not folks trying to circumvent laws to live in another country..  

[portlandtree]

6 hours ago, Christopher84 said:

I guess the 1,2,3 star hotels and all the Motels based on tourism can just close down. 

right as with all the restrictions and <deleted> only the wealthy  will come and they dont stay in 1,2,3 star hotels or spend money on the street vendors

[aussiexpat]

What I find funny about this is that I just sold a house so actually have the equivalent of about 15 million baht in my banks awaiting investment. 

 

But I don't qualify for a 60 day tourist visa to Thailand because I can't show evidence of having 500k baht for 6 months. Thailand is now just becoming embarrassing with their money grabbing focus rather than Covid risk.

 

Edited November 11, 2020 by aussiexpat

[Donga]

Expect all this silliness will dissipate once a vaccine becomes available and the Thai govt has to get real as they see all those backpackers and older guys go elsewhere.

[ChipButty]

My wife said if this is true we might as well go live in the Temple now

[paulikens]

whats all this talk on here saying we will go to cambodia or vietnam?they are just as bad as thailand and not letting anyone in.

in actual fact they are worse. at least thailand is letting in a very small minority the other two aren't cuz they are gripped by irrational fear of a virus that for the most of us is no worse than a heavy cold