New travel rules: Thailand’s ETA to shake up visa-free visitors

[James9999]

1 hour ago, PingRoundTheWorld said:

Why are you assuming the current administration is concerned about sequential visa runs? the military government and immigration officials they appointed had a stick up their *** about it, but historically there was no problem doing sequential border runs indefinitely before the coup, and Thaksin always wanted foreigners (money) coming in AFAIK.

Why do you assume that I assume that the current administration is concerned about sequential visa runs? There was a comment about people abusing the system. I was commenting on the comment that working within the current visa regulations was abuse.

[VBF]

4 hours ago, alex8912 said:

No Evisa should take a week ( or longer). You just proved my point and also proved the incompetence of the Thai Evisa system compared to most other countries sending the visa almost instantly or within 24 hours. Great for you VBF and the completely planned life YOU and only you have. 

Can I help it if everyone else is disorganised?

OCD does have its advantages, you know 😆

[BrandonJT]

9 hours ago, bamnutsak said:

When they were proposing adding a 300 baht fee they ran into problems with how to collect it, and how to avoid having Thais pay.

 

https://www.nationthailand.com/news/tourism/40038663

 

Problem solved with a fee for the ETA.

 

So the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Transport gets his slush fund.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Also solves the problem of all the retirement and other long-term visa people complaining that the 300 baht tourism fee could affect them.  Now if it's only for visa exempt they won't have anything to complain about.

[Norwegiantraveler]

My question is for people like me who travel around are we gonna need to provide an entire itinerary for the trip ?

 

Because last year when I applied for a visa, it was approved even if I had only booked a hotel for my first week.

 

 

 

 

[Cameroni]

32 minutes ago, Norwegiantraveler said:

My question is for people like me who travel around are we gonna need to provide an entire itinerary for the trip ?

 

Because last year when I applied for a visa, it was approved even if I had only booked a hotel for my first week.

 

 

 

 

Almost certainly no. 

 

 

[Lopburikid]

On 9/6/2024 at 12:55 PM, cjinchiangrai said:

Link? I would like to see the details.

 

On 9/6/2024 at 12:55 PM, cjinchiangrai said:

Link? I would like to see the details.

Just google ETA for Thailand!

[CANSIAM]

On 9/6/2024 at 9:21 PM, paulikens said:

What harm do border runners do you exactly?  

In the eyes of most Immigration personnel anywhere, and without some sort of long stay visa, runners seem to be holidaying a little too long.....maybe time to head back home to work..... 

[Bday Prang]

Another global assault on peoples freedoms ,  and we can probably expect a lot more in the coming years.   More hoops to jump through yet we will still be subject to immigration officers'  "discretion"

Just anorther version of the ridiculous Thailand Pass  that appeared during covid

[Hawaiian]

10 hours ago, Norwegiantraveler said:

My question is for people like me who travel around are we gonna need to provide an entire itinerary for the trip ?

 

Because last year when I applied for a visa, it was approved even if I had only booked a hotel for my first week.

 

 

 

 

What about travelers, like my Thai girlfriend and I,  who stay at a private residence?  How do we document that? 

[VBF]

2 hours ago, Hawaiian said:

What about travelers, like my Thai girlfriend and I,  who stay at a private residence?  How do we document that? 

Go online to one of the many booking sites or a hotel's own site, book a hotel pending payment, print that off to a PDF, submit PDF with your application.

Job done

[mokwit]

5 hours ago, CANSIAM said:

In the eyes of most Immigration personnel anywhere, and without some sort of long stay visa, runners seem to be holidaying a little too long.....maybe time to head back home to work..... 

Why go home to work when they have a job in Thailand?

[CANSIAM]

1 hour ago, mokwit said:

Why go home to work when they have a job in Thailand?

Can't work on an exempt stamp, ahhhh yes I'm sure it's happening anyway...

[MangoKorat]

On 9/6/2024 at 6:09 AM, hotchilli said:

Forever tweaking the system.... 

Yep, new announcements on a weekly basis - bunch of mixed up cookies.

[CANSIAM]

10 hours ago, MangoKorat said:

Yep, new announcements on a weekly basis - bunch of mixed up cookies.

Perhaps if they think a little harder, get past 'money' which alters their thoughts, restructure back to the ole 30 day exempt stamp for most, their "good guys in bad guys out" slogan may improve........

[Hawaiian]

13 hours ago, VBF said:

Go online to one of the many booking sites or a hotel's own site, book a hotel pending payment, print that off to a PDF, submit PDF with your application.

Job done

Thanks for the advice, but I asked how to document staying at a private residence and not how to game the system.

Hopefully, this will be cleared up before the rules go into effect.  This year we will be in Thailand in November and I will inquire about it.

[Pouatchee]

On 9/6/2024 at 12:09 PM, ikke1959 said:

How about people who like to travel around?? They have book all accommodations before???

 

how about people working abroad who have a permanent address but must come in on tourist visa to visit loved ones?

[paulikens]

On 9/6/2024 at 4:44 PM, Patong2021 said:

 

The abuse of the visa system gives reason for the immigration department to  change its regulations making them more onerous.  Border runners  play the system which inevitably results in  visitors who respect the rules  suffering additional regulations that would not be necessary if people respected the visa rules.

Additional regulations aren't anything to do with border runners and if you think that you're very naive.   

[paulikens]

On 9/8/2024 at 3:15 AM, CANSIAM said:

In the eyes of most Immigration personnel anywhere, and without some sort of long stay visa, runners seem to be holidaying a little too long.....maybe time to head back home to work..... 

What harm are they doing exactly?   They're putting money into the Thai economy.  Immigration officers just drunk on power.   Cuz if they're not breaking the rules then it shouldn't be a problem but Immigration officers like to flex their muscles a lot.  

[paulikens]

On 9/6/2024 at 4:44 PM, Patong2021 said:

 

The abuse of the visa system gives reason for the immigration department to  change its regulations making them more onerous.  Border runners  play the system which inevitably results in  visitors who respect the rules  suffering additional regulations that would not be necessary if people respected the visa rules.

Border runners are abiding by the rules.  They're not abusing the system.  If the rules state you can't keep doing border runs then fair enough but they don't.  In actual fact if anything it's the IO's who aren't respecting the rules by denying people entry who have actually done nothing wrong, just because they feel like it.   

[CANSIAM]

5 hours ago, paulikens said:

Border runners are abiding by the rules.  They're not abusing the system.  If the rules state you can't keep doing border runs then fair enough but they don't.  In actual fact if anything it's the IO's who aren't respecting the rules by denying people entry who have actually done nothing wrong, just because they feel like it.   

Give it a bit of time, this unlimited border entries won't last, the ETA system now is the start, IO's prefer to see visa's if one is entering often. In my case years ago working a 28/28 on/off rotation outside Thailand, after pages and pages of exempt 30 day entries, an officer said "you spend a lot of time here you need a Non O" so I got one rather than push it further.....   

[khunjeff]

On 9/7/2024 at 2:55 PM, Captain Monday said:

The difference is a visa requires Embassy/consular review, and an application fee that is ”non refundable, in all cases”.

ETA are approved online in minutes or hours as a matter of routine, unless you are on some kind of blackist or inadmissable for some reason, the stated point of it all.

 

That depends entirely on the particular country and its laws and procedures - it is not universally true.

[Captain Monday]

32 minutes ago, khunjeff said:

 

That depends entirely on the particular country and its laws and procedures - it is not universally true.

What is not true? I really only have experience with K-ETA. The Japan thing and Singapore is optional prior to boarding. 
 

I have an ETA from Australia. I don’t know much about it my company made it for me and it attached to my profile. Whenever I fly a plane to AUS or deadhead there they check it. 
I would never travel there for personal travel. 
 

I do have a crew visa for China too. Even thought my company pays for it I have to do the legwork. Pain in the ass to deal with China consuls basically . 

[paulikens]

18 hours ago, CANSIAM said:

Give it a bit of time, this unlimited border entries won't last, the ETA system now is the start, IO's prefer to see visa's if one is entering often. In my case years ago working a 28/28 on/off rotation outside Thailand, after pages and pages of exempt 30 day entries, an officer said "you spend a lot of time here you need a Non O" so I got one rather than push it further.....   

TBH unlimited border runs aren't a thing anyway in theory yes but the reality is that very few IO's will let you have entry if you have more than 2 or 3.      Why didn't you get an Non O in the first place surely easier?  

[CANSIAM]

9 hours ago, paulikens said:

TBH unlimited border runs aren't a thing anyway in theory yes but the reality is that very few IO's will let you have entry if you have more than 2 or 3.      Why didn't you get an Non O in the first place surely easier?  

Didn't have any mentioning of it from IO's exiting and entering every 27-28 days for work for a few years......doesn't get any easier than exempt entry.....

[Unclernie]

The <deleted> show will begin shortly. Grab some popcorn and grab a seat. This will be hilarious 

[glegolo18]

I have heard "out there" that this ETA will not be starting as they have computer-problem.

Have you guys even heard about this??? Seems strange???

[Rolo89]

1 hour ago, glegolo18 said:

I have heard "out there" that this ETA will not be starting as they have computer-problem.

Have you guys even heard about this??? Seems strange???

The EU similar scheme has already been delayed 4 years and is still not in. I imagine the Thai scheme will be delivered a few years late.

[glegolo18]

10 minutes ago, Rolo89 said:

The EU similar scheme has already been delayed 4 years and is still not in. I imagine the Thai scheme will be delivered a few years late.

Thank you for your thoughts.....

 

[Upnotover]

1 hour ago, glegolo18 said:

I have heard "out there" that this ETA will not be starting as they have computer-problem.

Have you guys even heard about this??? Seems strange???

 

[glegolo18]

4 minutes ago, Upnotover said:

 

Thank you very much.