Tourists Are Now Permitted To Stay 24 Months !

[THAILIBAN]

i thought this report might be of interest......

I know the PHILS are not everybody's darling (as for myself, I hate the abundance of firearms and the crime rate there), but its nevertheless interesting what other countries are planning, compared to the new THAILIBAN VISA RULES here in our beloved LOS....

[jumnien]

Hopefully, this will ease the local farang traffic situation. Don't let the door hit you on the way out..

[THAILIBAN]

Hopefully, this will ease the local farang traffic situation. Don't let the door hit you on the way out..

oh, a hate-inspired FLAMER, aren't you ?

[Jingthing]

They also have the best retirement visa deal in the world if you are over 50.

[Cobalt60]

I hear you can get six years all expenses paid if you do it right (or wrong).

[samran]

PH policy towards immigration reminds me of a going out of business sale. Bargin basment prices...roll up, roll up.

[THAILIBAN]

PH policy towards immigration reminds me of a going out of business sale. Bargin basment prices...roll up, roll up.

they did have an increase in tourist-arrivals even withouth those new rules (which have not been implemented yet). but too much corruption and crime there, in my opinion.

but its nevertheless interesting to see, that 2 countries in the same area go exactly an opposite way, to the extreme.....

Edited September 5, 2007 by THAILIBAN

[samran]

moved to the visas to other countries section.

[Jingthing]

I don't think it is fair to diss the Philippines that much. Manila is a hel_l hole but many of the islands have some of the prettiest beaches on earth. They have a geographical problem with the Asia circuit travel set. Out of the way, look at a map. Bangkok makes an excellent base for the Asia circuit, Manila does not.

Edited September 5, 2007 by Jingthing

[samran]

PH policy towards immigration reminds me of a going out of business sale. Bargin basment prices...roll up, roll up.

they did have an increase in tourist-arrivals even withouth those new rules (which have not been implemented yet). but too much corruption and crime there, in my opinion.

but its nevertheless interesting to see, that 2 countries in the same area go exactly an opposite way, to the extreme.....

I'm sure it is a lovely country with great, hard working people and beautiful scenery but economically, the country is a basket case. It is a prime example of how a nations elite can ruin a country over successive generations to the point where even the natives want to leave and the greatest source of foreign income is repatriated earnings from expats.

I think many posters feel comfortable with the place as English is widely spoken...and that is a natural reaction as you feel somewhat more comfortable in an environment where you are understood. But administratively, the proof is in the pudding, and the country is a long way behind Thailand in many respects, as you say.

[tropo]

i thought this report might be of interest......

I know the PHILS are not everybody's darling (as for myself, I hate the abundance of firearms and the crime rate there), but its nevertheless interesting what other countries are planning, compared to the new THAILIBAN VISA RULES here in our beloved LOS....

click here pls (hope it is permitted to post this) :

http://globalnation.inquirer.net/news/news...rticle_id=80934

You should get your facts straight: Thailand is #3 on a list of the most murders by firearms per capita in the world. The US and Australia are in the first 32, and the Philippines is not even on the list.

Firearm murders by country

You're probably confused because you see so many security guards in the Philippines carrying firearms.

In the Philippines if someone points a gun at you it's usually only for bluff. In Thailand if you see the gun you're probably going to die.

Tourists have always been able to stay in the Philippines year after year for as long as they like. The only small difference now is that whereas previously they had to leave for a day once a year, it's now once every 16 or 24 months. Not a big change really.

One significant point in the article you linked was the large increase in tourists living in the Philippines. I wouldn't be surprised if the change in regulations in Thailand was partly responsible for this 21% increase.

Edited September 5, 2007 by tropo

[THAILIBAN]

I don't think it is fair to diss the Philippines that much. Manila is a hel_l hole but many of the islands have some of the prettiest beaches on earth. They have a geographical problem with the Asia circuit travel set. Out of the way, look at a map. Bangkok makes an excellent base for the Asia circuit, Manila does not.

I have been to the Phils in June, and I agree with you. its off-the-beaten-Path particularly for Europeans, and its way too much Americanized.

as I already mentioned, what I hated most was to see guards with firearms at virtually EVERY corner. Not even a seven-eleven without a armed guard.

at least they seem to realize that the country can benefit from attracting more foreigners, spending money there, be it as Expats or Tourists, or setting up small businesses....

they have to do something to make their country more attractive for foreigners, and they showed some action. Thailand goes the different way because here the authorities think "people will still come Thailand, no matter what we do...."

[tropo]

PH policy towards immigration reminds me of a going out of business sale. Bargin basment prices...roll up, roll up.

That's a sad attitude. I would say their policy towards immigration is quite intelligent in contrast to the "cutting off the hands that feed them" policy in Thailand.

I suppose you're one of the fans of the toughening up of Thai immigration policy. If Thailand didn't have such difficult immigration rules, you'd be out of a job as this forum wouldn't exist.

[samran]

they have to do something to make their country more attractive for foreigners, and they showed some action. Thailand goes the different way because here the authorities think "people will still come Thailand, no matter what we do...."

Supply and demand, like all things in life.

Lower the price if you want customers in the door, raise it if you think they'll still come and if you can get away with the higher price. PH the former, Thailand the latter. Time will tell if the policy is right or not (though we all will have our opinions).

Immigration rules world wide follow the same logic.

Wanna go to retire to Australia? Invest AUD$750K and have at least a $50K per year pension. And people still come.

Want to migrate to the UK independently and not an EU citizen? Make sure that you earned in the top 10th percentile in your home country before you try applying for a visa and have at least a masters degree, and then make sure you can earn at least GBP35K once you arrive in the first year, or we will kick you and your family out and not renew your visa (sound familiar?). Yet still they keep coming.

Supply and demand.

[jumnien]

Whatever the intention of visa rules, the fact remains that farang populations and farang expenditures are growing rapidly in the last ten years. It's hard to argue that Thailand's visa arrangements stifle farang coming to Thailand. Just think how bad it would be here if they eased restrictions. Be careful what you pray for! namo tassa bhagavato arahato sammasambuddhassa

[samran]

PH policy towards immigration reminds me of a going out of business sale. Bargin basment prices...roll up, roll up.

That's a sad attitude. I would say their policy towards immigration is quite intelligent in contrast to the "cutting off the hands that feed them" policy in Thailand.

I suppose you're one of the fans of the toughening up of Thai immigration policy. If Thailand didn't have such difficult immigration rules, you'd be out of a job as this forum wouldn't exist.

actually I'm not if you care to read my previous posts, just looking at the situation as it is.

[THAILIBAN]

i thought this report might be of interest......

I know the PHILS are not everybody's darling (as for myself, I hate the abundance of firearms and the crime rate there), but its nevertheless interesting what other countries are planning, compared to the new THAILIBAN VISA RULES here in our beloved LOS....

click here pls (hope it is permitted to post this) :

http://globalnation.inquirer.net/news/news...rticle_id=80934

You should get your facts straight: Thailand is #3 on a list of the most murders by firearms per capita in the world. The US and Australia are in the first 32, and the Philippines is not even on the list.

Firearm murders by country

You're probably confused because you see so many security guards in the Philippines carrying firearms.

In the Philippines if someone points a gun at you it's usually only for bluff. In Thailand if you see the gun you're probably going to die.

Tourists have always been able to stay in the Philippines year after year for as long as they like. The only small difference now is that whereas previously they had to leave for a day once a year, it's now once every 16 or 24 months. Not a big change really.

One significant point in the article you linked was the large increase in tourists living in the Philippines. I wouldn't be surprised if the change in regulations in Thailand was partly responsible for this 21% increase.

JINGTHING and TROPO, I don't have the smallest intention to "diss" the Phils, apart from the crime rate and the firearms, i found it nice actually, friendly people and everybody speaks at least basic english.

and I am aware about Thailand being almost on the top of ranking when it comes to murder by firearns (i have seen that nationmaster statistic before, its a bit outdated, but probably the facts havent changed much since then), but one thing for sure is: Here in Bangkok I can board a public Bus without the danger being shot during a robbery (which occurs DAILY in Manila).

When I travel to another country, the first thing I do is to buy local daily papers. the day I arrived, I found an article about a bus robbery in Manila (Mandaluyong), which ended with 6 deaths after a shooting between the police and the gangsters (3 gangsters dead, 2 passengers and the busdriver).

the following days I could read a lot of reports of gang-shootings within the city limits, often killoing innocent passers-by. robberies and hold-ups of public Jeepneys (the Sawngthaews of the Phil) happen EVERY DAY, and not only after dark......

such thing is unknown in Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore.....

in Thailand life can be dangerous as well, particularly if u deal with the wrong people, or do business that may disturb other Thais who are competitors.... but the chance of being shot on a public bus or on the street during a robbery as an innocent passer-by is extremely low.

that makes the difference (though I am far away from saying that Thailand is a peaceful country....)

oh, and actually I didnt wanna start a thread that ends up as "dissing" any country or "bashing" or anything else....

I just wanted to make this report public to others and show that there are countries, which go a diffrent way than Thailand..... for whatever reason....

and, as I have heard, the Thai Immigration authority is a frequent guest on this board too, so maybe they can get some "inspiration"

Edited September 5, 2007 by THAILIBAN

[tropo]

in Thailand life can be dangerous as well, particularly if u deal with the wrong people, or do business that may disturb other Thais who are competitors.... but the chance of being shot on a public bus or on the street during a robbery as an innocent passer-by is extremely low.

You must have arrived at a bad time, and of course the newspapers need to keep the bad news flowing because it sells papers. If you read the Pattaya newspapers, you'd think it's a war zone.

The chances of being shot in a robbery in Manila is also extremely low and the population is about 3 times that of Bangkok. Next time you go to the Philippines you may want to visit other places. Manila is not the place where expats generally chose to live.

[astor]

Well ; but the Philippines immigration requires the bank statement just for a tourist visa. The Thailand don't do it.

I believe that in spite of all the Thailand is still the better.

[tropo]

Well ; but the Philippines immigration requires the bank statement just for a tourist visa. The Thailand don't do it.

I believe that in spite of all the Thailand is still the better.

You must be confused. Bank statements have never been required to extend a tourist's stay in the Philippines...it's not actually a visa, but a visa exempt privilege extended to tourists of many nations.

[qualtrough]

i thought this report might be of interest......

I know the PHILS are not everybody's darling (as for myself, I hate the abundance of firearms and the crime rate there), but its nevertheless interesting what other countries are planning, compared to the new THAILIBAN VISA RULES here in our beloved LOS....

click here pls (hope it is permitted to post this) :

http://globalnation.inquirer.net/news/news...rticle_id=80934

You should get your facts straight: Thailand is #3 on a list of the most murders by firearms per capita in the world. The US and Australia are in the first 32, and the Philippines is not even on the list.

Firearm murders by country

You're probably confused because you see so many security guards in the Philippines carrying firearms.

In the Philippines if someone points a gun at you it's usually only for bluff. In Thailand if you see the gun you're probably going to die.

Tourists have always been able to stay in the Philippines year after year for as long as they like. The only small difference now is that whereas previously they had to leave for a day once a year, it's now once every 16 or 24 months. Not a big change really.

One significant point in the article you linked was the large increase in tourists living in the Philippines. I wouldn't be surprised if the change in regulations in Thailand was partly responsible for this 21% increase.

You have got to be joking about the gun pulling in bluff. Where did in the world did you get that idea?? Have you ever read a filipino newspaper or watched TV there?? Doesn't sound like it. The Nationmaster stats are suspect due to a number of internal discrepancies that you can find if you peruse them for more than a few minutes. The fact that the Philippines are not even in the top ten for gun crimes tells me that they are totally whacked. I lived there for two years and I can tell you that the crime rate (outside of Makati and a few other areas) is way beyond what you will experience anywhere in Thailand. The usual response from office staff when I mentioned I was thinking of visiting someplace upcountry was, "Sir, that area is very dangerous", or "Sir, a bus was ambushed there last night", or "That area is controlled by the NPA" and so on. Petty crime is rife as well. You don't see anyone leaving stalls unattended even for a moment, and the guards with guns are there for a reason. I counted 7 guards with shotguns outside one major bank in Makati at night. They weren't bluffing, and anyone who tried to rob the bank wouldn't be bluffing either.

Edited September 5, 2007 by qualtrough

[britmaveric]

Flippo-land is not thailand, enuf said.

[astor]

Well ; but the Philippines immigration requires the bank statement just for a tourist visa. The Thailand don't do it.

I believe that in spite of all the Thailand is still the better.

You must be confused. Bank statements have never been required to extend a tourist's stay in the Philippines...it's not actually a visa, but a visa exempt privilege extended to tourists of many nations.

REQUIREMENTS FOR U.S. CITIZENS TO OBTAIN VISA TO ENTER THE PHILIPPINES

Tourist Visa (For stay from 21 to 59 days)

Submit your valid, signed, U.S. Passport, must have 6 months validity remaining

1 Visa Application Form, completed and notarized

1 Passport-type photograph (printed name and signature on front of photo required)

Completed Cover Page (print from browser)

Copy of travel itinerary

Copy of most recent bank statement - or ask your bank for a "Visa Letter"

Source : http://www.traveldocs.com/ph/vrdc.htm

[tropo]

Well ; but the Philippines immigration requires the bank statement just for a tourist visa. The Thailand don't do it.

I believe that in spite of all the Thailand is still the better.

You must be confused. Bank statements have never been required to extend a tourist's stay in the Philippines...it's not actually a visa, but a visa exempt privilege extended to tourists of many nations.

REQUIREMENTS FOR U.S. CITIZENS TO OBTAIN VISA TO ENTER THE PHILIPPINES

Tourist Visa (For stay from 21 to 59 days)

Submit your valid, signed, U.S. Passport, must have 6 months validity remaining

1 Visa Application Form, completed and notarized

1 Passport-type photograph (printed name and signature on front of photo required)

Completed Cover Page (print from browser)

Copy of travel itinerary

Copy of most recent bank statement - or ask your bank for a "Visa Letter"

Source : http://www.traveldocs.com/ph/vrdc.htm

That's why you are confused. You're talking about applying for a visa for the Philippines in the US.

It's a total waste of time and money.

What the majority of people do is enter WITHOUT a visa and get a 21 day stamp. Before the 21 days are up, you apply for an extension to 59 days, and every 59 days thereafter up to 16 months. No questions asked, no bank statement required for a stay of up to 16 months.

They've now introduced a different application form that must be filled out to extend the stay to 24 months. No visa runs, no leaving the country for 2 years.

How is this worse than the Thai visa system?

If you are married to a Filipino, then you get a free one year balikbayan visa that can be renewed yearly. No reporting, no financials, no visa runs required. Just stay and enjoy your family life.

In the Philippines family unity is considered more important than money.

[tropo]

You have got to be joking about the gun pulling in bluff. Where did in the world did you get that idea?? Have you ever read a filipino newspaper or watched TV there?? Doesn't sound like it. The Nationmaster stats are suspect due to a number of internal discrepancies that you can find if you peruse them for more than a few minutes. The fact that the Philippines are not even in the top ten for gun crimes tells me that they are totally whacked. I lived there for two years and I can tell you that the crime rate (outside of Makati and a few other areas) is way beyond what you will experience anywhere in Thailand. The usual response from office staff when I mentioned I was thinking of visiting someplace upcountry was, "Sir, that area is very dangerous", or "Sir, a bus was ambushed there last night", or "That area is controlled by the NPA" and so on. Petty crime is rife as well. You don't see anyone leaving stalls unattended even for a moment, and the guards with guns are there for a reason. I counted 7 guards with shotguns outside one major bank in Makati at night. They weren't bluffing, and anyone who tried to rob the bank wouldn't be bluffing either.

You have got to be joking. You've had limited experience in the Philippines, and now Nationmaster is "whacked" because you don't agree with their statistics.

Let's scrap that list and start using the "Qualtrough - This is how I see it" list. Philippines will be number one on your list because you've read a lot of newspapers and watched TV.

Let me clear up your obvious confusion.

The Nationmaster list is a list of murder by firearms, not a list to show where more murders occur. For example if it was a "murder by knife" list, I'd put the Philippines ahead of Thailand, but that would only be my perception.

If you don't agree with stats that don't match your personal perception, then make a new list and publish it. Until then, Nationmaster is our only working list and possibly an improvement on your own limited perceptions.

[otton]

PH policy towards immigration reminds me of a going out of business sale. Bargin basment prices...roll up, roll up.

I guess one could say exactly the same for all the rest of the 3rd world countries, like Thailand, which put such a big public accent on ever trying to increase tourist numbers and which have "retirement visas" for foreign pensioners (a thing almost unheard of in rich developed countries)...

Edited September 8, 2007 by otton

[Jersey_UK]

PH policy towards immigration reminds me of a going out of business sale. Bargin basment prices...roll up, roll up.

I guess one could say exactly the same for all the rest of the 3rd world countries, like Thailand, which put such a big public accent on ever trying to increase tourist numbers and which have "retirement visas" for foreign pensioners (a thing almost unheard of in rich developed countries)...

Only been to the Philippines once for 10 days, and that was a few years back.

What put me off the place was armed guards everywhere, outside Hotels, Minimarts, supermarkets etc etc and they were not armed with a stick, nor were they blowing whistles like in Thailand............You do not have to know anything about a country to realise that these guys are not in place for fun / show.......which told me more than enough to re-inforce stories heard before, during and after my visit (both on Internet and in real life) to realise it was not the place for me to stay long term / to live in..............not to say of course that everyone in the PI is a gun / machete toting gangster - but I got the solid impression that those "with something" were well aware that they needed to protect themselves against "those without".

For Tourists / folk walking around with a £ note stuck to their forehead (AKA Mr / Mrs Farang) Thailand is 1 million percent safer. I am not saying LOS is better than the PI, both to me are 3rd world toilets - one is simply a lot safer than the other for me - if not for the locals. At the moment anyway..........as no inherent reason why Thailand could not be the new PI.

[otton]

For Tourists / folk walking around with a £ note stuck to their forehead (AKA Mr / Mrs Farang) Thailand is 1 million percent safer.

Yes Thailand is safer but you may want to take a look at crime stats before saying it's 1 million percent safer (and yes I know you aren't speaking literally).

The crime level (real and perceived) is what is putting off a lot of people from many places in South America and other SE Asian countries which are, TODAY, overall much better and FRIENDLIER than Thailand...

The PI are a good example: crime and less developed infrastructure are what is preventing it from stealing from Thailand all of the people sick of Thailand's xenophobic immi laws and increasing unfriendliness towards the "farang".

[LivinLOS]

Whatever the intention of visa rules, the fact remains that farang populations and farang expenditures are growing rapidly in the last ten years. It's hard to argue that Thailand's visa arrangements stifle farang coming to Thailand. Just think how bad it would be here if they eased restrictions. Be careful what you pray for! namo tassa bhagavato arahato sammasambuddhassa

Yeah so terrible with the improved roads, improved private hospitals (that having been financed to supply wealthy farang markets dont dual price) radically improved local business environment, increased taxation collection, flood of money to local land owning people, better infrastructure, etc etc etc.

Of course some moobaan up in Nakhon Nowhere is so much a better place to live and work than say a Phuket ?!?

[hansunger]

Well ; but the Philippines immigration requires the bank statement just for a tourist visa. The Thailand don't do it.

I believe that in spite of all the Thailand is still the better.

You must be confused. Bank statements have never been required to extend a tourist's stay in the Philippines...it's not actually a visa, but a visa exempt privilege extended to tourists of many nations.

REQUIREMENTS FOR U.S. CITIZENS TO OBTAIN VISA TO ENTER THE PHILIPPINES

Tourist Visa (For stay from 21 to 59 days)

Submit your valid, signed, U.S. Passport, must have 6 months validity remaining

1 Visa Application Form, completed and notarized

1 Passport-type photograph (printed name and signature on front of photo required)

Completed Cover Page (print from browser)

Copy of travel itinerary

Copy of most recent bank statement - or ask your bank for a "Visa Letter"

Source : http://www.traveldocs.com/ph/vrdc.htm

That's why you are confused. You're talking about applying for a visa for the Philippines in the US.

It's a total waste of time and money.

What the majority of people do is enter WITHOUT a visa and get a 21 day stamp. Before the 21 days are up, you apply for an extension to 59 days, and every 59 days thereafter up to 16 months. No questions asked, no bank statement required for a stay of up to 16 months.

They've now introduced a different application form that must be filled out to extend the stay to 24 months. No visa runs, no leaving the country for 2 years.

How is this worse than the Thai visa system?

If you are married to a Filipino, then you get a free one year balikbayan visa that can be renewed yearly. No reporting, no financials, no visa runs required. Just stay and enjoy your family life.

In the Philippines family unity is considered more important than money.

----------------------------

U r right! its much easier to get and extend a visa in PI. i live in PI for 20 years and stay every year for 4 - 5 month in LOS.

i try to compare those countries, but you can not compare. they are totaly different. PI is a bit Latino stylish.

i like both countries but if i would not have 2 kids in PI, i probably would live in thailand. i feel saver there. i got robbed and badly hurt 1997, thrown out of a jeepney in Manila at 1 p.m. in sta. Cruz (near GPO). the last 10 years i lived in zamboanga city(southern PI). every day you will find news about a murdered person. years ago, 2 pople found murdered near my house, but you would not find this news in the local papers. so i assume, the official stastitics are not true.

i believe that thailand is much saver than PI. there are only a few things, which are same or better(in PI): san-miguel-beer (cheap), filipinas(..same) and at least you can communicate properly.

all in all, if you young and strong: go PI, older people should try to stay in LOS...

good day