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Thai embassies scrap 500k THB financial requirement for single entry tourist visa


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9 hours ago, NorthernRyland said:

I continue to be confused. Are you saying there are still SETV available for Americans? Why did they introduce the new 9 month tourist visa then? I thought the borders were only open to particular categories of visas that didn't include the common tourist.

9 hours ago, 2long said:

I think you will find that a huge reason for the positive test case numbers is that in Europe they're increasing testing all the time, hence more positives. And that in Thailand they only test people in quarantine, going to prison and for special reasons. Hence the lack of positives, and the blame all going to returnees.

Like many others, I feel that the virus is very much here and was probably a year ago.

I am reliably informed by a good friend in Scotland that all the local schools in his part of Glasgow have most of their classrooms half full, and also half of the teachers off with the virus.

Does anyone know if that is the case in any part of Thailand?

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1 hour ago, androokery said:

I think the problem is not really in the requirements or the cost. It's the fact that it's all a gamble. With all the risk sitting in the lap of the tourist. 

I apply for a COE, get approved to book everything , it turns out I have to prepay for pretty much everything,  and if my visa is denied there is no refund. The same if the COE is not sent back. The same if the PCR test is positive or late.  That last one is a killer, since it normally takes up to 72 hours to get the results.

 

If this crazy offer was packaged with any kind of safe-guards or guarantees, then the cost wouldn't be so bad. But as it now stands, there's a significant risk you might pay THB 150,000 and still get nothing. 

Don`t know where you live, but here in Germany the risk is close to 0 to get trough the process. 

Here you first apply for the visa and after that you start to COE process.  Haven't heard of any case, where the COE was rejected, if you upload the right flight/ASQ booking & the health insurance.

 

Airports like Frankfurt offer PCR tests, where they guarantee 97% will be done within 12hrs and 99% within 24hrs. If you pay premium, you even get your result within 6hrs.

 

The only small risk is the ASQ thing, but for that you clarify their cancellation-policies before you book it. Some hotels offer free date changes. If there is a problem <72hrs before flying with a cancelled flight/ positive PCR test, there are still enough hotels which rebook it for free or allow to cancel it for 10% of the total price. 

So if someone doesn`t check the cancellation policy and looses 50% or even the full amount, it`s that persons fault .

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11 hours ago, nursebob said:

I was wondering how long it would take them to back pedal 

 

11 hours ago, nursebob said:

I was wondering how long it would take them to back pedal 

The old regular turn around decision that happens time and time again ,why why why

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13 hours ago, webfact said:

All the other requirements needed for anyone to enter Thailand at this moment in time, such as a Certificate of Entry, declaration form, quarantine booking, Fit to Fly Certificate, COVID-19 negative test result and an insurance policy which provides a minimum of 100,000 USD coverage, including for COVID-19, appear to remain in place.

I doubt that there are many who will jump through these hoops to come to Thailand.  The bureaucracy required to accomplish just about anything in Thailand will eventually kill the goose that laid the golden eggs.  The secret change to the income requirements will definitely discourage the Indians and Chinese from coming too.  The savings requirements may not be on the web page anymore but they will be enforced arbitrarily in the future.

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Requirements in Finland, seems like updated today:

 

 

Quote

 

Tourist Visa started 19.11.2020

6. Proof of finance with the sufficient amont to cover the period of stay in Thailand as follows:
    1) 30 euro/person/ day
    2) 60 euro/family/ day
Thus, the bank statement of the applicant showing the balance of said amount every month for the last 3 months in English or Finnish. The bank statement must show account owner. In case that applicants submit the applications as a family, please provide an Extract from Population System in Finnish or English language from Notary Public. 

 

 

 

Of course the quarantine is a non-starter for 999 out of 1000 genuine tourists, me included. Plus I don't find it appealing to spend 10+ hours masked in a plane. At least Qatar also requires the use of face shield on top of mask in the cattle class.

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2 hours ago, possum1931 said:

I am reliably informed by a good friend in Scotland that all the local schools in his part of Glasgow have most of their classrooms half full, and also half of the teachers off with the virus.

Does anyone know if that is the case in any part of Thailand?

 

Is that because they're actually sick, or because they're afraid to get sick?  Here in Texas, a lot of perfectly healthy people aren't going out in public because they're afraid.

 

On the topic, I have no problem with the 500K requirement.  It's pretty reasonable to make sure I have the funds available in case of an emergency while I'm in Thailand.  The 6 month seasoning is the issue.  That means I'd have to move some non-liquid money today in order to get a visa in 6 months.

 

 

 

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10 hours ago, Thomas J said:


I have traveled throughout the world and never have I been asked to prove I have sufficient funds to travel.

Travel to the USA on a passport that is not visa exempt! You will be asked for proof at the embassy when you apply for your visa, and border patrol will ask to see your proof or actual funds when you arrive.

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14 hours ago, Peterw42 said:

I think peole would rather the quarantine be removed, the insurance isnt much and probably not a bad idea

Sure, but the bad idea is to force foreigner to get a Thai insurance instead of one from there own country. Because, first, in case of problem to get money, it will be easy to speak your own language than speak with Thai people who will maybe don't want to understand english when it is for give money. And second, in my country, i can get a much better wide cover for 3 times cheaper.

Should then remove the obligation to paid expensive 4 stars hotel for 14 days quarantine... and in fact, remove quarantine.

COVID, by facts, doesn't kill enough to be scare about this. The road in Thailand kill much more... suicide kill much more, and many other problem kill much more than this COVID.

But... is it possible to talk about this true reality you can verify everywhere in official poll institute ? Looks like it can be censored. But why ?

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47 minutes ago, jerolamo said:

Sure, but the bad idea is to force foreigner to get a Thai insurance instead of one from there own country. Because, first, in case of problem to get money, it will be easy to speak your own language than speak with Thai people who will maybe don't want to understand english when it is for give money. And second, in my country, i can get a much better wide cover for 3 times cheaper.  <snip>

Are you sure that an ANNUAL Travel insurance, issued in one's home country would not suffice for a 60 day trip?

Mine (Nationwide) includes Covid and Emergencies for trips not exceeding 90 days away from home.

Doesn't get over the quarantine of course.....

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I fully understand the 10 day quarantine and insurance, but I don't understand why the insurance has to be so high AND such a high amount of money. No sane person has 21k CAD just 'laying in the bank for 6 months'. I understand the cost of a hotel, plane ticket, food, buying stuff (plus emergencies), etc, but no way can anyone spend $21k CAD over a period of a month or two unless they buy a vehicle.

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3 minutes ago, Blai said:

I fully understand the 10 day quarantine and insurance

 

The reduction to day 10 days was rejected - proposal to be resubmitted in 4 weeks.

 

4 minutes ago, Blai said:

but I don't understand why the insurance has to be so high AND such a high amount of money. No sane person has 21k CAD just 'laying in the bank for 6 months'.

 

The 500K Bht/6 months had nothing to do with insurance and, has rightly, been scrapped. Down to 20K Bht or thereabouts (saw a strange post from the Belgium embassy I think it was that had a weird daily figure?).

 

The insurance requirements still stand.

 

7 minutes ago, Blai said:

no way can anyone spend $21k CAD over a period of a month or two unless they buy a vehicle.

 

Wouldn't be too sure about that. Personally I'd think it was rather ... extravagant; but that's down to my own personal finances. Others I've seen/met do it regularly. But irrelevant now, as it was before it was scrapped, they just wanted to see it, you didn't have to spend it.

 

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16 hours ago, peeglen said:

The requirement is still on the Vancouver Thai Consulate page, plus the 500k has to have been in the account for 6 months, income verification not accepted.

Correct but I think you would need to call them to find out for sure.  The website info may just have not been updated.  While immigration offices enforcing different rules is legendary it is very unusual for Embassy and Consulates to have different requirements.  I note that the website for the Embassy in Ottawa does not have the 500000 baht.  Unfortunately I think that is because they never had it.  The requirements they list are pre Covid ones.

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Good. You knew they had to walk this back.

 

LA Consulate website says $700 pp/$1500 pf. Much more in line with what is acceptable. I've gone from laughing my head off to just north of not bloody likely. I need a break from the US of COVID.

 

Quarantine sucks, but I'm useless af anyway the first couple weeks...I'd splurge for the ASQ. Big thing is the fact that there're only still 3 flights a decade going to Thailand now.

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14 hours ago, paulikens said:

can someone clarify...can you actually get in with a tourist visa now then? as far as i know you can't. so all this is totally irrelevant at the moment 

The important requirement is the certificate of entry (COE), and the SETV can be used to get one along with other requirements. 

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14 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

Immigration will only want to see the COE, covid 19 test, fit to fly certificate and a valid visa in your passport.

Does border-immigration not ALSO want to see the expiry date of your covid-19 insurance policy.

I understood that they would stamp you in for whichever is shortest: the permission to stay your Visa entitles you to, or the expiry date of that coivd-19 insurance policy.

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