45 day visa waiver finished, back to 30 days on arrival

[CanadaSam]

29 minutes ago, NanLaew said:

Can you tell the difference between 'tourist' and 'people'?

I don't know what you're on about, mate. 

 

Are you saying tourists are not people?  

[NanLaew]

2 minutes ago, CanadaSam said:

32 minutes ago, NanLaew said:

Can you tell the difference between 'tourist' and 'people'?

I don't know what you're on about, mate. 

 

Are you saying tourists are not people? 

@moe666 said "Most tourist coming to Thailand only need 5 to 10 days at most..."

 

You countered with the far broader demographic of "people from Europe stay an average of 17-18 days".

 

Yes, tourists are people but not all people are tourists. Just because the TR visa is the only sort of visa that fits their circumstances doesn't mean they are tourists.

 

Anyway, this thread is about the visa-waiver scheme which was extended as an incentive to tourism. It also benefited a bunch of people (not tourists) who, to quote @Trip Hop,  normally "can’t be arsed applying for 60 day visas" or "losing a day at immigration for an extension".

 

Hope this helps.

[brianthainess]

18 hours ago, cheapcanuck said:

All the neighbouring countries will be getting a boom of tourist due to Visa runs. 

And a lot more Arrivals can be reported by TAT.

[Hanuman2547]

It was a good program while it lasted.  Maybe someday it will be back again.  A friend of mine already booked his flights here for 45 days from mid-December to the end of January.  He will probably take a trip out of Thailand for a week or so and then return before leaving the end of January.  Sure the Thai government will make money exiting and then returning but they will miss out on the money he would have spent if he didn't have to leave.  

[brianthainess]

18 hours ago, NanLaew said:

Yeah, Laos earned a whopping 286 baht off me earlier this week!

I thought the visa alone was $40 ??? Anyway according to TAT you are now a new arrival. 

[brianthainess]

17 hours ago, CanadaSam said:

You're wrong, people from Europe stay an average of 17-18 days.

 

That's average, which means half of European arrivals stay longer.

 

Dropping to 15 days visa exempt would mean essentially losing half of European tourists!

 

Most tourist coming to Thailand only need 5 to 10 days at most, 30 days is too much for the majority.

 

Source:  

UK  school teachers and other countries get long holidays too, in OZ it's quite normal to take a months holiday. 

[brianthainess]

15 hours ago, Jack Hammer said:

You must be the “hansum man”! the bar girls call out to 

NO That's me 

[brianthainess]

2 hours ago, Trip Hop said:

we just can’t be arsed applying for 60 day visas in advance or losing a day at immigration for an extension?

But you'd have 29days more. 

[NanLaew]

33 minutes ago, brianthainess said:

I thought the visa alone was $40 ???

Indeed it is but the Lao government gets that. The 286 baht is what I spent at the convenience store.

 

33 minutes ago, brianthainess said:

Anyway according to TAT you are now a new arrival. 

Correct but with my entry enabled by a Non-O, I am NOT a tourist.

 

PS: I'm leaving again tomorrow night, coming back in May. TAT loves me.

 

Edited April 2, 2023 by NanLaew

[blazes]

21 hours ago, teutonian said:

My god. For someone who wants to speak English this is unreadable.  Now that we have access to GPT, it fixed it for us all:

 

I have been living in Vietnam and using a visa run company that costs $127 US per month for unlimited border crossings from HCMC to Moc Bai. However, there are rumors that the government will switch to a 3-month visa system starting in June and I am unsure what the cost of visas will be. I have decided to go back to the Philippines where I can renew my tourist visa internally at the local immigration office for approximately $30 US per month. I plan to leave Vietnam at the end of April 2023. While Vietnam is a great place with good food, infrastructure, and people, the language can be a hassle. I gave up on Thailand a few years back because of the abundance of flip flops. Cambodia is okay in terms of accessibility to visas, but it has become more of a CCP Vasil state with a lot of Chinese crime. However, the upside is that there is a good pension and easy access to multiple entry visas. After weighing everything, I have decided that going back to the Philippines is the best option due to the abundance of English speakers, affordable rentals, and easy visa access with little language barrier and friendly people. This will be the end of my Asian country adventure, as I have lived in all four countries over the last few decades on and off.

Amusing to see that the great Brain GPT was unable to spell "vassal".  I guess whoever fed the software with the idea that Cambodia is a vassal of the Chinese Communist Party (and why single out only Cambodia for that honour?  why not include the USA?) was him or herself unable to spell the word "vassal".

 

There is hope for us all yet....

[CaliforniaBrit]

On 3/31/2023 at 11:34 PM, Polaky said:

They should reduce it to 14 days, fresh new notes arriving every fortnight instead of every month, no tourists comes in for 30 days, they don't get 30 days holiday a year, 4 weeks Max, and why would you want to spend your entire 4 weeks every year in Thailand of all places, unless your ugly and hard up for a woman.

Nonsense! Like many retired people, my wife and I travel extensively and we visit Thailand virtually every year. Our next arrival in Thailand is on 21 April, 2023 and we will be in the country for 30 nights. We would have liked the option to stay longer and spend more money! 

[kinyara]

Thailand understands its tourist market way better than a lot of the posters on this thread. 

[marin]

53 minutes ago, CaliforniaBrit said:

Nonsense! Like many retired people, my wife and I travel extensively and we visit Thailand virtually every year. Our next arrival in Thailand is on 21 April, 2023 and we will be in the country for 30 nights. We would have liked the option to stay longer and spend more money! 

If you do this every year and enjoy yourself simply get a 60 day tourist visa before you leave. You can double your fun.  

 

40+ years ago there was no visa waiver or visa on arrival. You simply got one before you came. 

[Salerno]

1 hour ago, CaliforniaBrit said:

We would have liked the option to stay longer and spend more money! 

A 30 day extension on top of the visa exempt not good enough for you? A side trip. given you are "extensive travellers", and enter visa exempt again not good enough for you? A 60 day tourist visa with the option of another 30 day extension not good enough for you? A METV (close to 9 months if timed properly) not good enough for you? 

 

All I can say about your post (and others) is ...
 

1 hour ago, CaliforniaBrit said:

Nonsense!

Yes, it would be nice if they kept it at 45 days, or even increased it, but the backlash on this thread is ridiculous given the plethora of options available.

[DrJack54]

12 minutes ago, Salerno said:

Yes, it would be nice if they kept it at 45 days, or even increased it, but the backlash on this thread is ridiculous given the plethora of options available

Agree 100%. 

Ridiculous thread.

I recently took trip to Vietnam.

Being Oz there is NO visa exempt entry for entry to Vietnam.

 

Pre to covid you could obtain a 90 day multiple entry tourist visa.

That is no longer available.

Only tourist visa available is single entry tourist visa.

 

What are the moaners on about re Thailand options. 

Edited April 2, 2023 by DrJack54

[DrJack54]

31 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

Only tourist visa available is single entry tourist visa.

Oh ...and that visa is 30 days.

Yet some complain about the options Thailand provides. 

[Trip Hop]

1 hour ago, Salerno said:

A 30 day extension on top of the visa exempt not good enough for you? A side trip. given you are "extensive travellers", and enter visa exempt again not good enough for you? A 60 day tourist visa with the option of another 30 day extension not good enough for you? A METV (close to 9 months if timed properly) not good enough for you? 

 

All I can say about your post (and others) is ...
 

Yes, it would be nice if they kept it at 45 days, or even increased it, but the backlash on this thread is ridiculous given the plethora of options available.

You can argue any situation in the way that you have but you’re just being pedantic and missing the point. It’s all about convenience and if the 45 day option is there, plenty of people will use it. End of!

[ThailandRyan]

11 minutes ago, Trip Hop said:

You can argue any situation in the way that you have but you’re just being pedantic and missing the point. It’s all about convenience and if the 45 day option is there, plenty of people will use it. End of!

Not completely true, and if the 45 day is gone, like it is, folks will still come and get the 30 day then pay 1900 baht to get another 15 days.......easy peasy and not a big problem to get.

[Salerno]

12 minutes ago, Trip Hop said:

It’s all about convenience and if the 45 day option is there, plenty of people will use it. End of!

What part of...

1 hour ago, Salerno said:

Yes, it would be nice if they kept it at 45 days, or even increased it, but the backlash on this thread is ridiculous given the plethora of options available.

Didn't you understand?

[DrJack54]

1 minute ago, ThailandRyan said:

......folks will still come and get the 30 day then pay 1900 baht to get another 15 days....

Extension is 30 days. 

[ThailandRyan]

4 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

Extension is 30 days. 

Oops yes sir, you are right, I was thinking of when exiting via a land border and reentering, got them mixed up, and then there is no fee.

 

US citizens get 30 days visa-free for each entry if they fly and 15 days if they enter through a land border

Edited April 2, 2023 by ThailandRyan

[DrJack54]

37 minutes ago, ThailandRyan said:

US citizens get 30 days visa-free for each entry if they fly and 15 days if they enter through a land border

That's ancient.

US citizens will receive 30 at land border entry visa exempt. 

Same via air.

Both permits can be extended by 30 days at immigration office. 1900b .

Note max 2 visa exempt entries via land per calendar year. 

Edited April 2, 2023 by DrJack54

[BritTim]

7 hours ago, marin said:

40+ years ago there was no visa waiver or visa on arrival. You simply got one before you came. 

My first visit to Thailand was in 1982. At that time, visa exempt entry for those from the UK was already possible, though I think it was only for 10 days. Further, at that time, getting visas was a breeze. If desired, you could turn up at one of the honorary consulates and request a one year multiple entry Non O to visit Thai friends (no proof needed that you actually had any Thai friends) and walk out an hour later with a visa stamp making it easy to spend over a year enjoying Thailand if you had no commitments elsewhere.

 

The visa exemption scheme has experienced improvements at times, but (unlike in the past) is not usable to stay in Thailand indefinitely.

[Langsuan Man]

I don't mind that they changed the Visa Exempt but how they did it is once again a nail in the coffin of tourism to Thailand 

 

I left for Ho chi men city on Friday the 31st and was stamped out of the country on my Visa Exempt and not a word was said about the rule change. Came in to DMK Sunday and only received the 30 days. When I asked the supervisor about it she said I would have to pay an overstay fine for a couple of days and have overstay stamped in my passport since my departure to the US is on May 3rd.

 

The stamp in my passport is the straw that broke my back and I don't think that I will be returning. After almost twenty years it's just no longer worth jumping through their hoops and my only recourse is to vote with my feet

Edited April 2, 2023 by Langsuan Man

[pomchop]

On 3/31/2023 at 9:15 PM, Tod Daniels said:

News flash for the thick ???? It is most definitely NOT an Aprils Fools joke. ????

That's why I waited until I had images of NEW entry stamps from the border before I posted the news 

The change to 45 days from 30 days on the visa exempt/visa waiver entries and the change to 30 days from 15 days on the visa on arrival entries was a plan to boost tourism. I believe it started Oct 1st 2022 and was set to run out (just like it did) at 11:59PM March 31st..   

 

So don't extend it on first day of what many would consider to be start of low season? 

 

Even if an extension had resulted in a realtively small number of people staying an extra two weeks what is the harm during slow season when the govt is subsidizing locals to travel to try and fill empty hotel rooms?  Would you rather have a few more rooms filled with farangs or let them sit empty?  Ask the hotels and I suspect they prefer policies that fill more rooms.  I can almost understand if they extended it to beginning of peak season around nov 1....but slow season?  Anyone who has been in Thailand from around April/May til Nov knows that hotels are wide open and begging for longer stays.

[Salerno]

1 hour ago, Langsuan Man said:

I don't mind that they changed the Visa Exempt but how they did it is once again a nail in the coffin of tourism to Thailand 

So let me get this straight, due to your own incompetence you have left yourself open to being on overstay, with the extremely small possibility of getting free accommodation in the IDC and a subsequent five year ban if you don't rectify the situation and are unlucky enough to get picked up by immigration in the couple of days prior to your scheduled flight and this, according to you, is "a nail in the coffin of tourism to Thailand "?

 

Not only that, you make the highly dubious claim of not returning although allegedly you've been a visiting for almost 20 years.

 

I feel for you, I really do, a terrible situation they put you in 

 

 

Edited April 2, 2023 by Salerno

[Upnotover]

1 hour ago, Langsuan Man said:

....but how they did it....

You mean by not changing the period during which the visa exempt entry was temporarily increased to 45 days?  It was always due to end on March 31 and it did.  You did rather well not to have read any of the news items in the past several weeks/months on this subject.

[tai4de2]

12 hours ago, CaliforniaBrit said:

Nonsense! Like many retired people, my wife and I travel extensively and we visit Thailand virtually every year. Our next arrival in Thailand is on 21 April, 2023 and we will be in the country for 30 nights. We would have liked the option to stay longer and spend more money! 

If you stay 30 nights you will have overstayed by a day.

[Langsuan Man]

9 hours ago, Salerno said:

So let me get this straight, due to your own incompetence you have left yourself open to being on overstay, with the extremely small possibility of getting free accommodation in the IDC and a subsequent five year ban if you don't rectify the situation and are unlucky enough to get picked up by immigration in the couple of days prior to your scheduled flight and this, according to you, is "a nail in the coffin of tourism to Thailand "?

 

Not only that, you make the highly dubious claim of not returning although allegedly you've been a visiting for almost 20 years.

 

I feel for you, I really do, a terrible situation they put you in 

 

 

How is Immigration surprise change in the rules a sign of my incompetence?

 

I dispute your characterization that the change was always known to occur on the 31st.   When last I read in the English paper, we are not allowed to quote,  they were still considering it and most expected the change to occur in July.  And we are talking while on a trip over a weekend,  not a couple of days prior to my scheduled flight as you intimate

 

Finally, my veracity has never been challenged on this forum so I don't much care whether you believe me  or not.  Truth be told your aggressive response to my contribution to the discussion is evidence that you missed the whole point of my response. It's the constantly changing of the rules that is a problem for continued tourism 

[DrJack54]

10 minutes ago, Langsuan Man said:

 

I dispute your characterization that the change was always known to occur on the 31st.   When last I read in the English paper, we are not allowed to quote,  they were still considering it and most expected the change to occur in July.

If you believe media and esp nonsense that comes out of TAT that's strange.

 

They didn't make a change on March 31 the way you imply.

The TEMPORARY increase to 45 up from 30 days for visa exempt entry was just that..... temporary.

 

Your trip to Saigon was made being well aware of March 31 deadline.

 

In any event just obtain a 30 day extension to your exempt entry if overstay stamp is an issue.

Pretty poor planing in my book. 

Edited April 3, 2023 by DrJack54