Is March the "Last" Covid Ext?

[Dart12]

An Agency sent me message making it sound like the Covid Extensions are being discontinued after March.

Is this true? or just marketing on their part to get people to pay to transfer to a 60,000 baht visa?

Last thing I heard the covid ext was indefinite.

 

[ubonjoe]

The 30th is when the current order extending the order for them expires. But I am sure it will be extended for another 2 months.

[Dart12]

51 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

The 30th is when the current order extending the order for them expires. But I am sure it will be extended for another 2 months.

Ah. ok.  Still indefinite then.

Thank you Joe

[AgMech Cowboy]

Pathum Thani: I applied for a new 60 day permit to stay extension based on COVID19 on 15 March. Application accepted and stamp received "Application is Under Consideration" return on 31 March. My thought was, if they accept the application, 99% chance it will be extended.

Indefinite, NO.

Edited March 19, 2021 by AgMech Cowboy

[adexbu]

22 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

The 30th is when the current order extending the order for them expires. But I am sure it will be extended for another 2 months.

 

Yes it will, immigration officer who knows nothing as all his colleagues also confirmed me.

 

[Daithi85]

1 hour ago, adexbu said:

 

Yes it will, immigration officer who knows nothing as all his colleagues also confirmed me.

 

????????

[SpanishExpat]

It will be 100% continued. Talked to a IO last week at MTT and he admitted that just a few guys at the top level decide/ know about that. 
 

However, he also told me that after it has been extended so many times, it will be extended over and over again, until the ASQ is discontinued or at least the first vaccined travelers can enter TH without ASQ. The ASQ thing seems to be a general info, that IO were told internally from  the top.

 

Edited March 21, 2021 by SpanishExpat

[DrJack54]

9 hours ago, SpanishExpat said:

The ASQ thing seems to be a general info, that IO were told internally from  the top.

Thanks for your info. I was always thinking that the 'covid extensions' would continue until borders opened. 

If indeed it turns out that it's more based on ASQ ending then thinking that would be prior to borders opening. Just a guess.

[mtls2005]

Can't see any reason why this policy will not continue.

 

What is odd is that they wait until the last few days to announce it. 

 

If they wanted to encourage people to leave they could add an income requirement - although that requires local banks to open accounts - and/or a health insurance requirement.

 

If/when they decide to terminate this policy I think they will announce that at least 60 days in advance.

[2530Ubon]

26 minutes ago, mtls2005 said:

If/when they decide to terminate this policy I think they will announce that at least 60 days in advance.

Yes, that would be handy. Then again the phrase 'Thai time' comes to mind and let's not forget that after the amnesty finished in September, they re-announced amnesty 3 or 4 days later. Fingers crossed!

[SpanishExpat]

4 hours ago, 2530Ubon said:

Yes, that would be handy. Then again the phrase 'Thai time' comes to mind and let's not forget that after the amnesty finished in September, they re-announced amnesty 3 or 4 days later. Fingers crossed!

That was another situation back at that time. Now it's a fact that it would be mathematically impossible for those around 100k on Covid extensions to leave TH within 7 days, if it's not extended. With the lack of flights,  max 2000-3000 people can be transported on long-haul flights out of TH per day. And this would suggest that more or less every single airplane seat would have to be sold from the 31st of March onwards.

 

So no extension would lead to a massive chaos for immigration and overstays. They obviously tried this "60days and wait for the extension until the very last day"-approach in order to encourage people to leave step by step, but they failed. 

However, it's still TH and I wouldn't be suprised, if the government didn't think about that scenario. 

[jackdd]

5 hours ago, mtls2005 said:

What is odd is that they wait until the last few days to announce it. 

 

If they wanted to encourage people to leave they could add an income requirement - although that requires local banks to open accounts - and/or a health insurance requirement.

 

Immigration wants to make people worry, so that those people decide to go for the "safe" option, getting an extension through an agent, then immigration gets their pay off.

[JeffersLos]

15 hours ago, SpanishExpat said:

it will be extended over and over again, until the ASQ is discontinued or at least the first vaccined travelers can enter TH without ASQ.

 

Just what on Earth does the ASQ and travelers being able to enter Thailand have to do with foreigners in Thailand being unable to go home??? 

[orchis]

I suppose it will be continued.
It will be announced on 29 March at 9 PM, the usual cliffhanger tactic.

[Dart12]

What is the typical cost to get more pages added to your Passport (for USA)?  Anyone know off-hand?

Running out of pages may be the incentive I need to get a long term visa.  that or go to Bali where it's a simple $500 and get a 1 year business visa hassle free.

[ubonjoe]

28 minutes ago, Dart12 said:

What is the typical cost to get more pages added to your Passport (for USA)?  Anyone know off-hand?

The USA no longer adds pages to their passports. That ended a few years ago.

You could get a new passport without a problem. It is done by mail to the Embassy in Bangkok. See: https://th.usembassy.gov/u-s-citizen-services/passports/

[SpanishExpat]

1 hour ago, JeffersLos said:

 

Just what on Earth does the ASQ and travelers being able to enter Thailand have to do with foreigners in Thailand being unable to go home??? 

Everyone, except maybe the Aussies /Kiwis can go home without major hurdles! So it’s just a mutual agreement. Thailand wants the money /most Covid extended Traveller want to enjoy TH!

 

I just quoted the IO so it’s NOT my personal opinion.

[Dart12]

55 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

The USA no longer adds pages to their passports. That ended a few years ago.

You could get a new passport without a problem. It is done by mail to the Embassy in Bangkok. See: https://th.usembassy.gov/u-s-citizen-services/passports/

So it looks like about $110 usd and a whole lot of headache?

But it seems there is an option for a passport card.  Does IO give headaches if I start only using a card?

[jackdd]

8 minutes ago, Dart12 said:

But it seems there is an option for a passport card.  Does IO give headaches if I start only using a card?

I don't know if the IO will give you headaches, but they won't allow you into Thailand or give you an extension if you only have a passport card and not a regular passport.

[Dart12]

3 minutes ago, jackdd said:

I don't know if the IO will give you headaches, but they won't allow you into Thailand or give you an extension if you only have a passport card and not a regular passport.

I had that sneaking suspicion.

 

[ubonjoe]

25 minutes ago, Dart12 said:

But it seems there is an option for a passport card.  Does IO give headaches if I start only using a card?

The card may work for ID purposes but nothing more than than. 

[ubonjoe]

27 minutes ago, Dart12 said:

So it looks like about $110 usd and a whole lot of headache?

It is not difficult to get. It normally takes about 2 weeks to get the new passport.

[edwardandtubs]

8 hours ago, SpanishExpat said:

That was another situation back at that time. Now it's a fact that it would be mathematically impossible for those around 100k on Covid extensions to leave TH within 7 days, if it's not extended. With the lack of flights,  max 2000-3000 people can be transported on long-haul flights out of TH per day. And this would suggest that more or less every single airplane seat would have to be sold from the 31st of March onwards.

 

So no extension would lead to a massive chaos for immigration and overstays. They obviously tried this "60days and wait for the extension until the very last day"-approach in order to encourage people to leave step by step, but they failed. 

However, it's still TH and I wouldn't be suprised, if the government didn't think about that scenario. 

No extension wouldn't lead to chaos because almost everyone will get their 60 day extension before 30 March and those extensions will expire at different times within the following couple of months.

 

But it seems pretty obvious that the current situation will keep being extended by 2 months at a time just because it benefits everyone. October seems like the obvious time for it to come to an end if travel restrictions really are lifted as planned.

[Wongkitlo]

18 hours ago, JeffersLos said:

 

Just what on Earth does the ASQ and travelers being able to enter Thailand have to do with foreigners in Thailand being unable to go home??? 

People will be able to do border runs again so no need for covid visa.

[DrJack54]

4 minutes ago, Wongkitlo said:

People will be able to do border runs again so no need for covid visa.

Don't follow......if/when quarantine is no longer required to enter Thailand that does not mean borders open.

[Wongkitlo]

31 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

Don't follow......if/when quarantine is no longer required to enter Thailand that does not mean borders open.

 I assumed that if Thailand is in the situation with no quarantine or special permission other neighbouring countries would be in a similar situation. He was asking " what on the earth which to me seemed permission to speculate.

[Dart12]

@ubonjoe  I was just informed that what the Jomtien office makes us do is technically illegal:  requiring us to give up our passports to them for 24 hours or more.

What is your take on that statement?

[jackdd]

8 minutes ago, Dart12 said:

@ubonjoe  I was just informed that what the Jomtien office makes us do is technically illegal:  requiring us to give up our passports to them for 24 hours or more.

What is your take on that statement?

As far as I know you can decide to not give them your passport, they don't force you. Why exactly should it be illegal for them to ask for your passport?

Edited March 23, 2021 by jackdd

[Dart12]

2 minutes ago, jackdd said:

As far as I know you can decide to not give them your passport, they don't force you. Why exactly should it be illegal for them to ask for your passport?

You don't get the stamp if you don't give it up to them.

As for your question, IDK., just here-say some a constant world traveler.  I've done no research on it though.