PM to look into extending tourist visas to 90 days

[Parker2100]

On 8/30/2023 at 2:07 PM, newnative said:

    Flights to Thailand from the east coast of the US take around 23 hours each way, with one stop.  Washington Dulles to Bangkok on Qatar is 21 hours 10 minutes, for example.  So, that's around 2 days of flying, round-trip, not 5.

Depends on the scheduling og the connecting flights.

 

If you pay top dollar, sure.  But my flights usually have two connecting flights.  And I prefer sufficient time in-between connections in case one is late or cancelled.

 

Still, if you are lucky enough to have 3 week to a month of vacation time.  Is paying a couple grand to fly halfway around the world going to be the first choice of most tourists?

 

[jacko45k]

On 8/30/2023 at 10:10 AM, Parker2100 said:

Sounds fine to me.  When they have a 90 day tourist Visa I may do that.

He presumably means a 60+30 extension...... somewhat easier than depositing 800,000 baht and spending 1900 each year and wasting time at immigration.

Edited September 3, 2023 by jacko45k

[Parker2100]

16 minutes ago, jacko45k said:

He presumably means a 60+30 extension...... somewhat easier than depositing 800,000 baht and spending 1900 each year and wasting time at immigration.

I believe the original discussion was about extending Visas (ot stamps?) to 90 days.

 

I have done the 60+30.  But there is a limit.

 

 

 

 

[Irrumator]

On 8/28/2023 at 4:31 AM, retarius said:

Good idea. But I have read on here that visas are very difficult to get in some jurisdictions. There was a case on here very recently where a British man was asked for proof of $10000 (?) in his bank account. He gave up in the end. They need to sort out rules which I/Os need to follow. Get rid of this nonsense where every immigration office interprets the rules in different ways. The only decent way of getting a 90 day tourist visa is to come into the country on a visa waiver then extend it at the immigration local office near to where you stay.

Britain doesn't use dollars, they use pounds (£).  You didn't know the difference?

It would be 10,000 baht which is the standard amount an IO can ask to see although it rarely happens.   Maybe he looked a bit scruffy and beg-packerish.  

 

And the only way to get 90 days is to apply for a 60 day single entry tourist visa (SETV) before you leave your home country and then extend it for a further 30 days for 1,900 baht whilst here.  

If someone arrives on a visa exemption which lasts 30 days and then extends it, they only get a maximum of 60 days.

Jeez, the lack of knowledge by people who apparently live here is astonishing.  

[jacko45k]

1 minute ago, Irrumator said:

Jeez, the lack of knowledge by people who apparently live here is astonishing.  

People who live here don't use tourist visas or visa exempt entries so that can be understood. It was all different but a year or so back, with the temporary post Covid measures too. 

My computer doesn't have a Sterling (£).....key either.. I just copied yours. 

[PaulHamon]

A 90 days visa exempt entry would put Thailand in the same ballpark as others First Class countries in Asia like Singapore, South Korea, Malaysia, Hong Kong and Japan.

 

I know Immigration wants the cash but 1,900x2=3,800 to extent currently 30 days in 90 (if that was possible) is nothing compared to the 7% VAT they get on all the Baht that is spent by foreigners and the ongoing multiplier effect of the money entering in the Thai Economy. 

7% VAT on 55,000 Baht is 3,800, they're not losing anything, the government would just getting it in other ways.

[jacko45k]

On 9/8/2023 at 3:54 PM, PaulHamon said:

A 90 days visa exempt entry would put Thailand in the same ballpark as others First Class countries in Asia like Singapore, South Korea, Malaysia, Hong Kong and Japan.

 

I know Immigration wants the cash but 1,900x2=3,800 to extent currently 30 days in 90 (if that was possible) is nothing compared to the 7% VAT they get on all the Baht that is spent by foreigners and the ongoing multiplier effect of the money entering in the Thai Economy. 

7% VAT on 55,000 Baht is 3,800, they're not losing anything, the government would just getting it in other ways.

I would wonder if the majority of tourists would really stay that long..... most have jobs to go back to. It would entice more snowbirds, retirees and summertime construction workers for sure. 

Edited September 15, 2023 by jacko45k