Another One (rumor) From Stickman

[giruz]

It will make little to no difference to people's holiday decisions - if they're planning a 2 week package holiday, they just post their passport off along with a cheque some time in the many months before they leave, and it comes back in the mail a few days later with a visa in it. If they're backpacking around the region, they just hand their passport in at their hotel in whichever neighbouring country they're in and it is given back to them a few days later with a visa in it.

Many backpackers use Thailand as base for regional exploration. The introdution of visa requirements for all people coming to Thailand will have two effects (IMO):

1- A massive amount of work for thai embassies around the world if not VOA

2- Reduction of visitors esp. backpakers

Incidentally, Vietnam has one of the most booming tourist industries in Asia, yet requires a visa to enter.

how can you affirm this? Do you have any paper to confirm it? Moreover, VN is just starting to have tourists. Thailand is much more developed than VN. Don't forget the services that you expect in VN compared to TH.

VN might start now..but it is starting with backpackers and 'adventurous' tourists. Thailand is a destination for families... two markets that are very very different.

Tell me how many countries that rely on tourism as source of income require visas? Egypt, Russia, Cambodia, Cuba, China and all those countries wants tourist and ask for visas only because they need foreign money in hard currencies. The story of terrorism it is just bullshits. They want money and are countries run by non democratic government.

The plain easy answer is jut money & un-democratic rules.

Western countries do require visas to stop (or at least limit) the influx of illegal immigrants entering a country on tourist visas.

All of this may be moot anyway if the "rumour" is just the result of Chinese whispers as Maestro suggested.

I hope so...(for Thailand)

g.

[Prakanong]

I have said for quite a while now Thailand could make a pretty penny issuing Visa's on Arrival to people from visa exempt countries where they do not have a ticket out withing 30 days - this would catch all those backpackers and longer stay types.

Issuing these for all arrivee's would make them even more - all those 1900THB's

Same as you get upon arrival in say Cambodia - no need to apply outside the country.

[Farma]

Bahrain has a system where you hand over the cash to the immigration officer on arrival. It works efficiently and adds less than a minute to the processing time.

Cairo is similar. You buy visa stamps from the banks just before immigration.

A system like this would work easily in Thailand.

[dantilley]

It will make little to no difference to people's holiday decisions - if they're planning a 2 week package holiday, they just post their passport off along with a cheque some time in the many months before they leave, and it comes back in the mail a few days later with a visa in it. If they're backpacking around the region, they just hand their passport in at their hotel in whichever neighbouring country they're in and it is given back to them a few days later with a visa in it.

Many backpackers use Thailand as base for regional exploration. The introdution of visa requirements for all people coming to Thailand will have two effects (IMO):

1- A massive amount of work for thai embassies around the world if not VOA

2- Reduction of visitors esp. backpakers

So how will backpacker numbers be reduced? They'll still be able to use Thailand as a base for regional exploration, much as they do now.

Incidentally, Vietnam has one of the most booming tourist industries in Asia, yet requires a visa to enter.

how can you affirm this? Do you have any paper to confirm it?

Of course I don't. And even if I did have a "paper" to confirm this, what use would it be on an online forum?

[bkkguy1970]

Western countries do require visas to stop (or at least limit) the influx of illegal immigrants entering a country on tourist visas.

a problem that Thailand never has!!!

bkkguy

[Charles2550]

Like many others I am convinced that Thai Authorities will keep tightening the screw regarding immigration.

That said. Please keep in mind that Stickman, and his associate Mark Stick 2, are not professional journalists. They are English teachers with limited spare time. Their site is filled up with rumours, rants... Nothing is hardly ever verified or cross-checked there. I might add that the quality of their site has been going down lately.

Moreover, their "hobby" website brings them some consequent extra cash (by the hit). So sensationalism is profitable for them -while they sit comfortably on their work visa.

Cheers,

P.S. Of course posters on the Thai Visa forum are not professional journalists either. However, being personnaly concerned with immigration issues, most posters try to get their facts right. As they believe this the best way to help each others.

I obviously need English tuitions and would rely on these guys for that... but certainly not to get reliable information about Thailand.

[Prakanong]

So here we have it. Thailand has the most successful tourist industry in the world. Many other countries have come here to examine this success and try to emulate it. It means BIG bucks for anyone that can achieve it.

One of the basic tenants of Thailands tourism success is the VOA. Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia locally also have VOA and are trying desperately to boost their lagging tourism market. If Thailand was to change this it WOULD have a negative effect and casue Thailand to lose tourist dollars to these 3 countries or the indochins countries, something THailand I believe would never agree to.

Paid for VOA is still going to make big lines and big headaches for many people. Again not something the Thai tourism industry wants or needs. Thailand is seen as being welcoming, something we may not be seen as if we start taking money up front.

Badbanker

Apples and pears to compare Singapore and Thai tourism markets as they are not really going for the same thing - Singapore and Bangkok might be similar but then again not really.

Singapore has circa 10 million arrivals a year to Thailands 13 million +. I bet Singapores are mostly business travellers rather than the tourists hailand gets.

You are right though in that countries like Malaysia are spending a lot on their "Malaysia Truly Asia" campaign but the place just does not have the attraction to most westerners as Thailand - it does have better beaches though ;-)

Here in Singapore I do see "Amazing Thailand" adverts about but not as many as the Malaysia one, the India one or the Wow Philippines one

Maybe TAT is directing its budget eleswhere as it has this place wrapped up?

[Prakanong]

Bahrain has a system where you hand over the cash to the immigration officer on arrival. It works efficiently and adds less than a minute to the processing time.

Cairo is similar. You buy visa stamps from the banks just before immigration.

A system like this would work easily in Thailand.

Exactly - just think of all those 1900THB

13 million arrivals - lets be very generous indeed and say 6.5 million of them paying 1900 on arrival

[rak sa_ngop]

I think a lot of people here are forgetting about the large number of Western visitors to Thailand who actually live, work or run businesses in Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, Myanmar, etc. who view Thailand as the ideal "hub' for a short break for shopping, cheap healthcare, a bit of relaxation etc. These people are used to making last minute decisions to travel and will certainly be inconvenienced by any new visa requirements.

The winners in all this will be Singapore, Malaysia and Hong Kong.

[Prakanong]

I think a lot of people here are forgetting about the large number of Western visitors to Thailand who actually live, work or run businesses in Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, Myanmar, etc. who view Thailand as the ideal "hub' for a short break for shopping, cheap healthcare, a bit of relaxation etc. These people are used to making last minute decisions to travel and will certainly be inconvenienced by any new visa requirements.

The winners in all this will be Singapore, Malaysia and Hong Kong.

I bet there is more people making the short hop up from Singapore each weekend but I know what you mean.

The Thai Singapore Embassy will not issue a multiple entry non-imm B even to guys with reason to travel to Thailand on biz each month working for multi-national big companies.

If they allowed you to pay at the airport/border crossing al la Cambodia though they could make a lot of 1900THB's

[Austhaied]

It will make little to no difference to people's holiday decisions - if they're planning a 2 week package holiday, they just post their passport off along with a cheque some time in the many months before they leave, and it comes back in the mail a few days later with a visa in it. If they're backpacking around the region, they just hand their passport in at their hotel in whichever neighbouring country they're in and it is given back to them a few days later with a visa in it.

Many backpackers use Thailand as base for regional exploration. The introdution of visa requirements for all people coming to Thailand will have two effects (IMO):

1- A massive amount of work for thai embassies around the world if not VOA

2- Reduction of visitors esp. backpakers

So how will backpacker numbers be reduced? They'll still be able to use Thailand as a base for regional exploration, much as they do now.

Incidentally, Vietnam has one of the most booming tourist industries in Asia, yet requires a visa to enter.

how can you affirm this? Do you have any paper to confirm it?

Of course I don't. And even if I did have a "paper" to confirm this, what use would it be on an online forum?

Ever heard of a scanner.. Pedantic Champeen of the World..I am..

[Jimjim]

As it's just a rumor at this point, why not just wait and see?

[terryp]

OH NO!!!!!…Thousands of more dumb questions are going to be asked about “ How Do I get a Visa”

Thailand the new Hub for OBVIOUS Visa Questions obviously ..rumor has it

[Maizefarmer]

As it's just a rumor at this point, why not just wait and see?

Tourism is Thailands largest foreign currency earner. The income generated by way of even a Baht 1000 - 2000 visa would be a pittance versus the foreign currency lost to Thailand, never mind the impact it would have on the local tourist industry by way of the drop in arrival numbers - not to mention the logistics and admin nightmare associated with processing literally millions of applications around the world. You only have to look at the cost of employing all the extra admin staff in the respective host country capitals (especially Western countries) to quickly realise that each additional employee would have to process so many applications per day/week/month whatever, just to cover costs. And put the cost up so that it becomes vaible from that perspective, and you quickly see it becomes a cost that a lot of people will just say, "sod that" to.

Nope - makes no sense however you look at it (logisticaly, economically whatever ....).

When you read things like this without any info to support the story you really start wondering just what else the reporter is saying that has nothing to support it ..... !

Edited May 22, 2007 by Maizefarmer

[torrenova]

This smacks of another bar story or worse, another real suggestion from someone in power who has no-one to balance their arguments and who has thought this up over morning coffee after a very heavy night on the JW Blue and coke !

[JR Texas]

As it's just a rumor at this point, why not just wait and see?

Tourism is Thailands largest foreign currency earner. The income generated by way of even a Baht 1000 - 2000 visa would be a pittance versus the foreign currency lost to Thailand, never mind the impact it would have on the local tourist industry by way of the drop in arrival numbers - not to mention the logistics and admin nightmare associated with processing literally millions of applications around the world. You only have to look at the cost of employing all the extra admin staff in the respective host country capitals (especially Western countries) to quickly realise that each additional employee would have to process so many applications per day/week/month whatever, just to cover costs. And put the cost up so that it becomes vaible from that perspective, and you quickly see it becomes a cost that a lot of people will just say, "sod that" to.

Nope - makes no sense however you look at it (logisticaly, economically whatever ....).

When you read things like this without any info to support the story you really start wondering just what else the reporter is saying that has nothing to support it ..... !

JR Texas: Excellent comment! The problem with "not making sense" is that The Three Stooges (political, military, corporate elite) seem to strive hard to enact policies that MAKE NO SENSE. So, to predict the future in terms of visa rule changes, you have to think about what changes you would make that make no sense.

To find out what visa changes will likely soon be part of Thai reality, simply start asking questions like these: What visa changes would you enact to greatly reduce foreign investment and severely damage the tourism industry? What visa changes would you enact to cause the real estate market to crash? What visa changes would you enact to hurt the maximum number of people, both farang and Thai?

These questions will lead to changes in visa policy that make no sense. But to The Three Stooges, they make perfect sense and are desirable. From where I sit, things do not look good. And I want them to look good, believe it or not. I am actually an optimist at heart.......but reason does not allow me to embrace emotion and disregard the facts that are in front of me.

Good luck!

"All in all its just another........Brick in the Wall"

--Pink Floyd

[jeebusjones]

You only have to look at the cost of employing all the extra admin staff in the respective host country capitals (especially Western countries) to quickly realise that each additional employee would have to process so many applications per day/week/month whatever, just to cover costs. And put the cost up so that it becomes vaible from that perspective, and you quickly see it becomes a cost that a lot of people will just say, "sod that" to.

Nope - makes no sense however you look at it (logisticaly, economically whatever ....).

I really have to disagree with you here. If they put in a paid visa-on-arrival system, like they have in Laos, Nepal etc, the admin staff would hardly have to be increased.

You just fill out an application, pay the fee when you hand over your passport, and you're stamped immediately. Particularly, a system like Nepal wouldn't create anymore work or the need for more staff. Just one extra step of taking cash from the traveller. A very easy way to earn money.

And I highly doubt the number of arrivals would drop simply because people were required to pay, say 1,000 baht on arrival.

[thaihome]

China gets more foreign tourist (i.e., non HK/Macao) then Thailand, but has no visa exempt or [paid] VOA and everyone must get a visa in their own country or stop off in HK. Despite this, tourism in China continues to grow each year at an even faster rate then Thailand. Seems to me, as been said here many times, for virtually all tourist on real holidays, entry requirements do not figure into the decision very much.

TH