Extension of tourists visas from 30 to 45 days set for Cabinet approval

[webfact]

Extension of tourists visas from 30 to 45 days set for Cabinet approval 

 

Picture: Bangkok Biz News

 

Bangkok Biz News reported that the Thai Foreign Ministry was acting on calls from the Prime Minister to increase the number of foreign tourists by relaxing entry requirements. 

 

No visa is required for three groups, said spokesman Thanee Saengrat of the Foreign Ministry.

 

1. Those from 56 countries (P30) who can stay up to 30 days.

 

2. Others permitted under an agreement to stay up to 30 days from Hong Kong, Laos, Macao, Mongolia, Russia and Vietnam.

 

3, Nationals of Argentina, Brazil, Peru and Chile who can stay up to 90 days visa free. 

 

Due to quarantine requirements VoA is still restricted until December 30th and applies to nationals of Cambodia and Myanmar. 

 

The Foreign Ministry has now asked the Interior Ministry to consider extending the visa free stay for nationals of the 56 countries from 30 to 45 days. 

 

This proposal will last until the end of September 2021 if agreed.  

 

A list of those 56 countries on the BBN site shows that it includes nationals from the US, Canada,Japan, New Zealand, Australia, South Korea as well as the UK and most European nations. 

 

The proposals are expected to be formally approved by Cabinet next week.

 

Source: Bangkok Biz News

 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2020-12-11

 

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[yellowboat]

???? 

 

No hurry to return to Thailand anytime soon.   It is easier to deal with Thailand from outside the country.  An extra 2 weeks does not make up for the other two weeks I will incur going anywhere else.  If they were smart, they should do 90days or more, but we know the answers to that.

[Walker88]

Out of curiosity, of the 39 million tourists to Thailand in 2019, how many stayed more than 2 weeks?

 

I wouldn't be surprised if the "Two Weeks of Less" segment was at least 95%. Maybe >98%.

 

Extending the time limit from 30 to 45 days, so that folks can do the two week quarantine and still get 30 days out and about, will entice but a handful of folks to come visit.

[thaitero]

This is good news..

Foreigners can come now without  visa and all the paperwork related to these.. One headache less,, 

 

No point to talk about 2 week holidaymakers,, It not time for these people at the moment..Anyone with half braincell working should know this,,

[ThLT]

At the moment, you can't change visa in Thailand, so this basically means...

 

- 14-day quarantine in Thailand

- 30-day visa exemption (45 days if change is approved)

- 30-day extension

- 14-day quarantine in home country

 

Days in Thailand: 60/75 days

Days in quarantine ($$ hotel rooms): 28 days

 

Correct?

[thaitero]

2 minutes ago, ThLT said:

At the moment, you can't change visa in Thailand, so this basically means...

 

- 14-day quarantine in Thailand

- 30-day visa exemption (45 days if change is approved)

- 30-day extension

- 14-day quarantine in home country

 

Days in Thailand: 60/75 days

Days in quarantine ($$ hotel rooms): 28 days

 

Correct?

 

Home country quarantine depends on your home country.

My home country ( finland ) considers Thailand as safe country so no quarantine when return.

 

As for "change visa" ,,, At least in Pattaya you can convert exempt to retirement if you want,,

[quake]

One  more brain fart idea.

[Thaifly88]

20 minutes ago, ThLT said:

At the moment, you can't change visa in Thailand, so this basically means...

 

- 14-day quarantine in Thailand

- 30-day visa exemption (45 days if change is approved)

- 30-day extension

- 14-day quarantine in home country

 

Days in Thailand: 60/75 days

Days in quarantine ($$ hotel rooms): 28 days

 

Correct?

Are you sure that the visa cannot be changed once in Thailand. This would affect my decision to return. Anything further you have on this would be much appreciated.

[thaitero]

3 hours ago, webfact said:

Extension of tourists visas from 30 to 45 days set for Cabinet approval 

 

 

Wrong wording here. Nothing to do with tourist visas here.

What they are planning to do is to give 45 day exempt stamps when precovid it was 30 days.

Edited December 11, 2020 by thaitero

[grumbleweed]

... and millions of tourist began celebrating

What next, free pad thai for unicorns 

[RichardColeman]

Bit like an announcement of 'You can have sausages for breakfast when they arrive at the supermarket' !

[miamiman123]

Here we go again....until the next scheme is unveiled!

 

[tandor]

..so in proportion to this increase, the 90 day reporting should be extended to at least 120 days.

[spornb]

But there are almost zero tourists

[Locked in Ozzie]

BRAZIL ????????????????

[Olivie]

Good step...they are realizing they need tourists for their economy. No more embassy papers...
Next step that will be in talks, I guess, 7 days quarantine...

[mrfill]

3 minutes ago, Locked in Ozzie said:

BRAZIL ????????????????

They must be nuts...

[pentagara]

4 minutes ago, mrfill said:

They must be nuts...

It's similar to the pre-Covid visa rules, not too different except for the additiinal 15 days. Just for the record: This only relates to the visa. Currently to get in, you also need a certificate of entry. This is unlikely to change on 01 Jan 2021

[KhaoYai]

4 hours ago, ThLT said:

Correct?

Not quite - some countries, including the UK allow home quarantine on return so no hotel cost.

 

But whatever, this is not going to even scratch the surface of the defecit the tourist industry is dealing with.  Only an end to quarantine will do that and it doesn't look like that's happening anytime soon. They just don't get it - most people can only take 2 weeks holiday at any one time.

Edited December 11, 2020 by KhaoYai

[KhaoYai]

24 minutes ago, Olivie said:

Good step...they are realizing they need tourists for their economy. No more embassy papers...
Next step that will be in talks, I guess, 7 days quarantine...

7 days quarantine would reduce the number of infections but some would still get through.

 

But watch this space - if they don't get the Chiang Mai/Chiang Rai outbreak under control soon, it may just be that all quarantine measures have been a waste of time.

 

[thetravelbee]

Hello everyone, I am still confused. What is this tourist visa they are talking about? Are they talking abut Visa exempt to be exented to 45 Day?

I am an Italian national and used to be able to enter with Visa Exempt Stamp valid 30 days and extendable another 30. Is this the visa this article is referring to? It is very confusing...Can someone please help clarify?

Cheers.????

[Magenta408]

Positive steps, however the 14-day quarantine period is still brutal on any budget and secondly, do people really have travel budgets of the sort needed to transfer their currency at the current Baht exchange?  Some do and will not be affected at all, others will not be able to. I suggest you test people before they board the plane for Thailand and then measure temperatures upon arrival. We've lived with viruses before.

Edited December 11, 2020 by Magenta408
typo

[soi3eddie]

7 hours ago, webfact said:

Bangkok Biz News reported that the Thai Foreign Ministry was acting on calls from the Prime Minister to increase the number of foreign tourists by relaxing entry requirements.

 

Seem's to me that they are running out of ideas and starting to mildly panic as the economic devastation sets in. Whilst what they really need to do is get the quarantine requirement down to no more than 5 days. That would be the tipping point for many wishing to visit. After all if you've spent a day (or 2 days from North America) getting here than 2 of those quarantine 5 days would be welcome to catch up on sleep and relax. My mother is booked to visit from UK mid January for 18 days - BA haven't yet cancelled the flight - but the last thing she wants to do is quarantine. She might be pursuaded to do 5 days but not longer. 

 

[glegolo]

5 hours ago, thaitero said:

 

Home country quarantine depends on your home country.

My home country ( finland ) considers Thailand as safe country so no quarantine when return.

 

As for "change visa" ,,, At least in Pattaya you can convert exempt to retirement if you want,,

Retirement is NOT a VISA it is an extension of stay. That change is being called an Conversion

 

glegolo

[glegolo]

2 minutes ago, soi3eddie said:

 

Seem's to me that they are running out of ideas and starting to mildly panic as the economic devastation sets in. Whilst what they really need to do is get the quarantine requirement down to no more than 5 days. That would be the tipping point for many wishing to visit. After all if you've spent a day (or 2 days from North America) getting here than 2 of those quarantine 5 days would be welcome to catch up on sleep and relax. My mother is booked to visit from UK mid January for 18 days - BA haven't yet cancelled the flight - but the last thing she wants to do is quarantine. She might be pursuaded to do 5 days but not longer. 

 

Good ideas are rare in these days.... We who lives here do NOT want these guys running here on their short time f:king:spree and spread there covid-19   NO 5 days, no Sir,

 

glegolo

[BadSpottedDog]

Most people don't get more than 2 weeks holiday from work. Why is this so hard to understand? If you want more tourists, you have to make it easier & cheaper. Bottom line. COVID is not going to be gone. Ever. Use smart therapies for those that are infected!
 

 

[Blumpie]

Where have all the tourists gone... long time passing...

 

It's hilarious to hear these news stories all geared towards tourism.  There will be no tourism in 2021 (unless  you count stellar successes of 7000 per month or whatever that is!).  The vaccine JUST rolled out in 3 countries.  We have six billion to inoculate.  Not everyone who gets jabbed runs screaming to the airport to go to Thailand.  SORRY GUYS!  

 

The people who will travel are probably looking to see family, friends, not going to Thailand.  The economy earth wide is tapped out money wise.  Taxes will be skyrocketing.  This isn't fear mongering, this is a fact.  

 

The only thing they need to concentrate on is 2022.  And even that is looking bad, real bad.  2023?  Still not there.

 

Make them free, pay people to come here.  It won't help very much.   

 

 

[Blumpie]

I can't help but feel these "leaders", these people who are in government are so inept that they actively read these forums and base government policies based on what a sweaty buffalo writes, rather than any kind of expertise, education, or common sense.  Particularly when it comes to tourism.  

 

Nobody is expecting any kind of tourism in any kind of numbers anywhere else for many many years.  

[Garbol56]

5 hours ago, quake said:

One  more brain fart idea.

Maybe, but a step in the right direction. 

It's easy to be a critic. 

[bimmerbob]

6 hours ago, thaitero said:

This is good news..

Foreigners can come now without  visa and all the paperwork related to these.. One headache less,, 

 

No point to talk about 2 week holidaymakers,, It not time for these people at the moment..Anyone with half braincell working should know this,,

 

Yours is  the silliest responses so far........