There have been reports of major changes for expats and long-stayers in thailand who have taken advantage of education visas and volunteer visas alike, including the amnesty. This made their holidays easier without having to leave the country, as well as extending their stay once visas expired. However, as things have now effectively changed from a top to bottom approach, those who have had non-immigrant visas such as ED or volunteers won't be able to renew anymore. 

 

This opens up a stark possibility that Malaysia could soon steal all those long-stayers, who have been in thailand during covid. That's because Malaysia is set to re-open anytime beginning of March. So for many tourists or expats who have been here for a while could potentially see themselves in Malaysia very soon.

 

Aside from that, Malaysia is very generous with respect to entry by giving some tourists 90 days upon arrival compared to 30 days in Thailand. 

 

But if Thailand would want to attract them back, they would obviously need to rethink and streamline the entry process by completely scrapping testing requirements for vaccinated travelers; as many have already complained about the distrust and reported related scams of testing positive at the airports, forcing travelers to pay thousands of baht for an expensive quarantine hospital-hotel, which completely ruined holidays for these unfortunate people. 

 

Philippines opened up yesterday on February 10th for fully vaccinated with a negative covid19 test taken 48 hours prior - that's it! 

 

Whether some feel compelled to get back home too early, they could instead be leaving for Malaysia soon. But the question is if Thailand will find a way to lure them back.

Ah yes, a giant enema for Thailand, now those of us that are here on "real" extensions can return to the days of yore and not have to reminisce about "the old days". 

Always loved flying to KL as of the 90 day with a smile, then a easy train ride to the monorail and low priced large hotels and apartments.

 

In terms of alcohol it isn’t that different than many places in Bangkok charge nowadays too.

 

Philippines is nice for their young retirement option from 30 ish and with a really reasonable income too. 

 

Bali doing 5 year digital nomad visa seems to be the main spot for that group and I do expect Vietnam offering more in the near future too. TH does this too but under the BOI with ridiculous requirements most nomads cant make for a similar reason as retirees have that issue proving income (even they have).

 

Thailand is still the best deal overall but I am quite confident one of the above countries eventually take over, if TH continues this way, and they will. The exodus already happened but people picked destinations outside SE asia.

 

Its not easy to rebuild atmosphere and vibe when you come from being a giant and just 2 places in a ghost street VS never being been that big before and thus making it easy to restore vibes and then expand.

Not directly related to Thai visa or extensions. Moved to the pub

11 minutes ago, racket said:

There have been reports of major changes for expats and long-stayers in thailand who have taken advantage of education visas and volunteer visas alike, including the amnesty

Who cares. Nick off.

What a joke of a thread. 

Perhaps some would prefer Malaysia to Thailand, but I did a visa run to Penang a few years ago and it sucks very very badly IMO. Had to pay waaaaay more for a tiny bedroom in a guest house than I'd pay for a better hotel room in Pattaya or Chiang Mai, the place was completely boring because bars and such are obviously not allowed. Even Maccers in the shopping mall was a joke- I had to pay extra to eat in the restaurant, and satay, which I had hoped to eat while there was way too expensive. The beaches were rubbish and horrible. People complain about dual pricing in Thailand, but try going on the cable car and you'll never complain about Thailand prices again. If I couldn't live in LOS I'd never consider Malaysia as an alternative.

16 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

Who cares. Nick off.

What a joke of a thread. 

Its not a joke.Everybody knows people doing like that.Many criminals on the run does that.I hope thailand request mandantory criminalchecks for people applying for these kind of visas.People socalled volunteers just abusing the system.

45 minutes ago, racket said:

education visas and volunteer visas

Huh?

Malaysia will "steal them" ?

I bet Thailand will be happy to get rid of them.

It wouldn’t surprise me. No secret the current administration wants to limit long stayers. Surprised they haven’t kicked you all out yet, or at the least made extensions to have very high bank balances. Old days are well and truly gone. 

What you are suggestion will happen is quite possible. Would Thailand be able or willing to adjust their policies? This particular administration has become famous for re-defining the meaning of regression. Does anyone see signs of progress, or the ability of these goons to learn from their mistakes, or move away from their xenophobia and cowardice anywhere here? I don't. 

1 hour ago, racket said:

This opens up a stark possibility that Malaysia could soon steal all those long-stayers, who have been in thailand during covid.

The word "steal" implies taking something from someone that they value. 
Thailand doesn't value these people.  They are effectively being kicked out.  "You're visa is expired - get out!"
So it's more like Malaysia is taking out Thailand trash for them.  Malaysia (along with the PI and perhaps even Vietnam) will be the landing zone for those tourists Thailand no longer wants or cares about.  Remember?  Thailand only wants the world's wealthy and well heeled millionaires and billionaire.  Malaysia isn't "stealing" anyone or anything.

40 Million scruffy potato sacks, wearing Chang T shirts, making

a bee line for the cheap bars every year, and causing general mayhem,

problems, and mess.

 

If you were in the Thai government what would you do?

Been to Thailand 20+ times and Malaysia twice. It's just sort of blah.

 

It's like if I lived in New Orleans and people kept telling me I could get cheaper rent in Alabama, I'd still want to stay in New Orleans.

4 hours ago, connda said:

The word "steal" implies taking something from someone that they value. 
Thailand doesn't value these people.  They are effectively being kicked out.  "You're visa is expired - get out!"
So it's more like Malaysia is taking out Thailand trash for them.  Malaysia (along with the PI and perhaps even Vietnam) will be the landing zone for those tourists Thailand no longer wants or cares about.  Remember?  Thailand only wants the world's wealthy and well heeled millionaires and billionaire.  Malaysia isn't "stealing" anyone or anything.

I been working in malaysia(labuan)for 3,5 years before.Great country and cheap prices.1 beer daytime was 2 ringit(22 bath)for a pine.At nigthtime more expencive when the beatiful pinay and indonesian girls arrived.Cheap hotels and crime wery low.

"There have been reports..." Please share the details.

 

Still need a 'travel pass' in advance of arrival, issued by a Malaysian embassy.

 

Seems that 7 days quarantine on arrival is still a requirement.

 

Apart from the above Malaysia ins a complex society and is subject to severe muslim laws and regulations.

 

I've visited (usually 2 to 3 weeks at a time) to do many consulting projects. I don't find people in shops etc., that friendly. The 'entertainments', str8 and gay, common in Thailand are available but on a much smaller scale and way less open.

 

Malasyia is a complex mix of cultures and religions and they don't mix much. Food is fine, actually excellent in areas like Georgetown. 

 

I was never impressed by the 'service' at the 4 and 5 star hotels I stayed at and I found staff less than helpful. e.g, I asked the hotel to call the airport and check what had to be booked to have a wheelchair on standby when my taxi arrived at KLIA to depart for Thailand. I listened as the hotel staff spoke to numerous departments at the airport with no result.

 

Eventually my own company office hired a car which had whelchairs available to take me to the check-in desk where I asked for the airline (Malaysian) to provide a wheelchair from check-in to the aircraft door. 

 

Disinterested staff insisted that I must go personally to the Malaysian admin. office in the basement of the airport to arrange a chair. With the help of 2 other passengers I got there and again nobody interested until a snr. person suddenly appeared and instantly everybody looked busy.

 

The snr. lady asked me 'are you being taken care of?' I responded NO! She became quite irate and yelled at all the staff and ordered one young man to get a wheelchair immediately and stay with me until I was in the aircraft. 

 

 

6 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

Perhaps some would prefer Malaysia to Thailand, but I did a visa run to Penang a few years ago and it sucks very very badly IMO. Had to pay waaaaay more for a tiny bedroom in a guest house than I'd pay for a better hotel room in Pattaya or Chiang Mai, the place was completely boring because bars and such are obviously not allowed. Even Maccers in the shopping mall was a joke- I had to pay extra to eat in the restaurant, and satay, which I had hoped to eat while there was way too expensive. The beaches were rubbish and horrible. People complain about dual pricing in Thailand, but try going on the cable car and you'll never complain about Thailand prices again. If I couldn't live in LOS I'd never consider Malaysia as an alternative.

Penang is full of bars and whorehouses. Old Penang is or used to be a great town for food,  drink and nightlife

Thai Longstay Visa system in -country is a BUSINESS for PROFIT designed, owned & operated by Immigration, with effectively No Rules. Agents will continue to fix you up if you are unable or unwilling to comply with “ the rules”.
 

These new rules make zero sense except to drive more people to Imm. Agents for Imm. Revenue Increase. “Same as it ever was” ……????????

NOBODY is giving up Thailand for dull religious Malaysia over Ed / Vol visa issues easily sidestepped by use of Agents.OP could be considered a naive or troll non- story.????????

Def lovely food in Penang. I like the one dish places where some family has been selling chicken and beansprouts for a hundred years -and growing the bean sprouts in the basement.

 

But TripAdvisor is full of reports about surprise bills at sea food restaurants. I had a 100% markup over a crab misunderstanding that was not a misunderstanding. Can't fault the Indian food, but not a baht cheaper than on Soi 11. The med tourism prices are Bumrungrad+.

 

For me, Penang was a good long weekend (and I stayed a week) one and done.

 

Langkawi nearby is a good add on, but again, not nearly as interesting or food-glorious as a Thai island. Mark Weins has a couple good of Langkawi video's that I wish I saw before bothering to go.  

6 hours ago, daveAustin said:

It wouldn’t surprise me. No secret the current administration wants to limit long stayers. Surprised they haven’t kicked you all out yet, or at the least made extensions to have very high bank balances. Old days are well and truly gone. 

 

Have you ever even been to Thailand, Dave?

 

13 hours ago, talahtnut said:

40 Million scruffy potato sacks, wearing Chang T shirts, making

a bee line for the cheap bars every year, and causing general mayhem,

problems, and mess.

 

If you were in the Thai government what would you do?

They employed many thousands of Thais in guest houses, cheap restaurants, travel agencies, taxi drivers, bus companies, longtails etc etc etc.

Rich people ( and the seriously rich will never IMO want to visit Thailand anyway when they can go to Dubai or the Maldives etc instead ) will never IMO employ as many low status Thais as the budget tourists that you so obviously despise.

 

If a sizable chunk of poor Thais income ( in better times ) is removed, they are consigned to the low paid ranks of sweat shop workers or maids ( I wouldn't wish maid service on anyone I cared about, and yes I know girls that left the bar to become maids. They were back in the bars quick quick ) etc.

7 hours ago, bbko said:

The same statement could be made for Thailand, get rid of the criminals, the fake ED visas, the fake covid extensions, the fake volunteer visas, the falsified bank statements and Thailand could return to it's glory days.

"Glory days"????????????????

How long ago were they? I've been visiting and living in Thailand for many decades, but I don't remember any "glory days".

Perhaps staying in an atap A frame and sharing a camp bathroom with cold water and squat toilets qualifies as "glory days" for some, but I preferred hot water and an ensuite hut, and by the time they were readily available the really great beaches were already being covered by concrete and the flashpackers were jacking up the prices.

 

BTW, the only problems I ever had were with Thai scammers and the decrepit transport.

7 hours ago, LaosLover said:

Def lovely food in Penang. I like the one dish places where some family has been selling chicken and beansprouts for a hundred years -and growing the bean sprouts in the basement.

 

But TripAdvisor is full of reports about surprise bills at sea food restaurants. I had a 100% markup over a crab misunderstanding that was not a misunderstanding. Can't fault the Indian food, but not a baht cheaper than on Soi 11. The med tourism prices are Bumrungrad+.

 

For me, Penang was a good long weekend (and I stayed a week) one and done.

 

Langkawi nearby is a good add on, but again, not nearly as interesting or food-glorious as a Thai island. Mark Weins has a couple good of Langkawi video's that I wish I saw before bothering to go.  

I was put off Langkawi when I found out there is no public bus service there, and have to use taxis.

"Thousands of expats & tourists in Thailand could head to Malaysia soon"

 

Good riddance ... bye bye.  Although I'm failing to see how it's easier to stay in Malaysia if you can't even manage to stay in Thailand.

 

 

Malaysia has to be the most boring country in Asia, it is just dull!!!

 

14 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

This particular administration has become famous for re-defining the meaning of regression.

Hadn't it been wonderful during the former non-junta administrations, had it? 

KL is ok,  Bukit Bintang has plenty of good restaurants and bars.  Lots of parks and gardens scattered throughout KL,   and it's alot cleaner looking than Thailand that's for sure. China town is ok for a visit,  Twin towers and many top shopping centers with top notch restaurants are available around KL.

People are friendly,  hotel rooms are cheap or on par with Thailand,  however you can find a decent clean modern hotel room much better than in Bangkok if you look around.   How may hotel rooms in Thailand have you seen where everything is broken or the AC hasn't been cleaned for 3 yrs, and generally the room is old and dirty.  

 

 

23 minutes ago, steven100 said:

hotel rooms are cheap or on par with Thailand, 

???????????????????

Not on Penang they weren't. I had a tiny room in a guest house that cost way more than a decent hotel room in Thailand ( not in Bkk though, but Penang would be the equivalent of Pattaya, and Pattaya hotel rooms definitely cheaper ). Perhaps KL is equivalent to Bkk, but I didn't stay in Bkk much either.

27 minutes ago, steven100 said:

How may hotel rooms in Thailand have you seen where everything is broken or the AC hasn't been cleaned for 3 yrs, and generally the room is old and dirty.  

Hardly any. Generally everything worked, and the rooms were cleaned properly.

Some were not but that was rare.

1 hour ago, Saanim said:

Hadn't it been wonderful during the former non-junta administrations, had it? 

Yes, absolutely. I hated Bush Jr. at the time he was president. Then came Trump. And Jr. seemed like a statesman and a patriot by comparison. 
 
I feel the same way about Thaksin. Loathed him at the time. Now, compared to Prayuth he seemed like a stable genius, a highly competent leader and a man who actually cared about the masses. Corrupt? They all are. At least he got stuff done. There is a reason why millions still love him, and only 3500 still support Prayuth. 

 

We are very, very sorry. We are stubborn and obstinate men. We have been big bosses for a long time, and been surrounded by yes people. So, it very hard for us to be humble. We have seen the utter demise of the tourism industry, that some blame us for. We have seen that millions are out of work, and we fear this economic meltdown will last many years. Did we cause that? 

What kind of defective, intellectually incapacitated leadership makes a plan like this, to shut down the construction sites, due to Covid infections, warns the workers in advance, and then makes no provisions to lock down the sites long enough to determine who is infected? And allows thousands of super spreaders to exit Bangkok, and travel throughout the nation, contributing to the situation we see today. What kind of leaders DO NOT shut down the area around Samut Sakhon after 900 cases are found in one day, back in December of 2020? Th list of mistakes they made is a mile long.