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Tourism Ministry Proposes Waiving Visa Fees For 6 Months


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Coming to Thailand in less than 2 weeks from America. Chinese wife is currently in Beijing, also getting a visa. I called both the New York and Chicago consulates about the fees. They both said that yes, the waiver has been passed but they don't know when it will go into effect. As of now, fees still need to be paid.

Wife was only told the visa fee needed to be paid. No mention of a waiver at all.

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There was mention of it yesterday in an article on the Nation website concerning the elite card. It basicly said that they were still disscussing how to do it and the minister for Tourism and Sport was responsible to get it started.

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I just someone claiming on a Dutch forum that he called the Thai embassy in The Hague and was told that only single entry tourist visa's would be free.

However, after checking the following websites still stay quiet about free visas:

- immigration

- ministry of foreign affairs

- Tourist Authority of Thailand

- several embassies

Unless an official publication is made or someone realy recieves a fre visa all we can do is speculate, which will not give any factual information.

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Hi,

any updates on this subject?

There must have been hundreds of visa travellers to Vientienne, Phnom Penh, KL, Penang etc. within the last week.

I wonder why there is no response from those guys.......

Or is there another Thread???

Cheers

Ricci

I applied for a 60 day tourist visa in Vientiane on Jan. 20 and had to pay for it...

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Just come off the phone from the Hull (UK) Consulate very nice lady told me they are aware of the proposal for the free tourist visa but as of yet its still not been approved :o They await confirmation from the Thai Government, she was not sure with regard to when the 3/6? month expiry would be, but Knowing Thailand the countdown as already started.

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I have to say that it seems once again a case of the right hand of the Government not knowing what the left hand is doing.

As in "Yippee!" Let's whack up the extension fees from 500B to 1,900B and cut down the transit visa time to 15 days instead ot 30 and make it a bitch for farangs to get decent visas except in their own countries" ... AND "Gosh golly goodness the fatted farangs don't want to come here any more oh what can we do?"

And I note that the suggested "recovery package" is a) just that - a suggestion and :o hesitantly offered for just 6 months ... "until things get better again"

Why not have a govt policy that goes something like ... "farangs are nice and our country needs them to come here and spend lots of money so lets make them welcome and make it all easy for them" ?? With policies to support this?

R

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Hi all,

Just today applied for a tourist visa but still had to pay. I asked the lady if she knew about the free visa and she said she did not get any conformation about it.

Thai Airways has nice promotion, well at least for my return ticket BKK-SG-BKK. Just 6800 THB but everything fixed and no miles can be aquired but I had to ask for it twice. And it seems you can get it at their own ticket office only. I asked the travel agent in SG if she knew about this and she did not she told me.

Hope it helps.

Cheers,

Alex

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Fees of 3 months' visas slashed

The Council of Economic Ministers ruled to slash fees for all kinds of visas for foreingers visiting the country for three months, effective on January 20.

Deputy Spokesman of Prime Minister's Office Mr. Puttipong Punnakan (พุทธิพงษ์ ปุณณกันต์) revealed that a meeting of the Council of Economic Ministers on Wednesday (January 14) consented to slash fees for all kinds of visas for foreigners visiting the country for three months, effective on January 20.

Regarding damages from recent closure of Suvarnabhumi and Don Muang airports following blockade of People's Alliance for Democracy, the meeting instructed Ministry of Foreign Affairs to collect details of damages to be presented to the Cabinet's meeting on January 20.

Meanwhile, the meeting would reconsider later suggestion by tourism business entrepreneurs who asked the government to provide soft loans for them and reduce taxes on buildings, hotels and accommodation rooms.

Besides, the economic ministers also instructed government agencies to host seminars and studying activities to the country place of foreign countries. They also instructed the National Statistical Office and the National Economic and Social Development Board to collect information and fees relating to tourism, such as parking fees of aircrafts, in order to be presented to the Cabinet to consider to reduce fees.

In addition, the meeting instructed Ministry of Transport to seek measures to prevent airports' closure from recurring. Ministry of Tourism and Sports was instructed to negotiate for cooperation with airliners to reduce ticket fares to help turning around local tourism.

Source: National News Bureau of Thailand - 15 January 2009

This is interesting..... make boarder runs 15days only, then announce a free for all for visa fees.

I have to apply for a double tourist visa in Laos on 20th.... Maybe I'll be getting this for free if the above quote is accurate??.... then again TIT!

I just went to Savannakht to get a non"O" and was only able to get a tourist for now. Me and another man from Ireland that received a non"O" paid the full rate.

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Fees of 3 months' visas slashed

The Council of Economic Ministers ruled to slash fees for all kinds of visas for foreingers visiting the country for three months, effective on January 20.

Deputy Spokesman of Prime Minister's Office Mr. Puttipong Punnakan (พุทธิพงษ์ ปุณณกันต์) revealed that a meeting of the Council of Economic Ministers on Wednesday (January 14) consented to slash fees for all kinds of visas for foreigners visiting the country for three months, effective on January 20.

Source: National News Bureau of Thailand - 15 January 2009

It is not happening. :o

Tourist visa from Tokyo 9th Feb. full price 1,800 Baht

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  • 2 weeks later...

Taiwan considers relaxing visa rules to spur tourism

Thailand, which has seen a sharp drop in the number of tourist arrivals, has slashed its visa fees in a bid to bring the holiday-makers back

The Bureau of Consular Affairs (BOCA) yesterday said it was thinking of relaxing visa restrictions to attract more foreign tourists to Taiwan.

BOCA Chief Luo You-chung said his bureau was studying methods to reduce or abolish visa fees and expand visa-waiver and landing visa programs for foreign nationals by the end of March to help Taiwan stay competitive in the global tourism market.

He made the remarks amid reports that Thailand, which has seen a sharp decline in tourist arrivals because of its political conflicts and the world financial crisis, was planning to waive visa fees for tourists starting next month.

“Along with Thailand, Taiwan is also studying a slate of ideas for preferential visa treatment to attract more foreign visitors and stimulate domestic consumption,” Lo said.

- Taipei Times / 2009-02-22

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Well if I pay to go to Commie Lao and get the free visa I might have enough to buy a half price TG fromdomestic to Int at swampy or a bottle of KingPowershower water on level 5

Think I'll stay in arrival canteen over the

"Metro" haha station with the trolley Dollys and awaiyt some more April fools from TIT/TAT/TOT/AOT axis

Chok Dee

While we may wish it was otherwise would we wantto be anywhere else I guess few people do visa runs back to Somalia Iraq or Scotland

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From Sydney to Bangkok the TG price back in July 08 was for "Q" class ( 3 month ticket )

AUD$ 860 ticket

AUD$ 515 taxes and charges

$1375 total

As of 20/01

AUD$ 890 ticket

AUD$ 340 taxes and charges

$1230 total

As you can see they reduced the fuel tax by AUD$175 but increased the basic ticket price by AUD$30.

These are cheap prices from a small travel agent who specialises in Asian travel

The Flight Centre for same ticket is AUD$1376.

Travel agent has hinted that TG might be dropping their prices.

Hope this happens soon as must pay for my ticket before 17/02/09

Maybe this is of some help ( not holding my breath on TG prices )

Update on Thai Visa from Sydney Australia.

On Monday 23/2 went to get 60day tourist visa.

When I asked if it was free, the young lady just gave me a very blank look.

Still AUD$45

On the same day went to Thai Airways office to see if I could upgrade to use up some points.

Seems they have uppted the number of points needed to upgrade to business class.

But there is a special promotion on at the moment but still you need more points then

before they went up.

You just beat them.

Regards aussiep

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All foreigners who apply for Tourist Visa at the Royal Thai Embassies and the Royal Thai Consulates-General worldwide, including eligible foreigners who apply for Visa on Arrival at designed checkpoints, will be exempted from tourist visa fee from 5 March to 4 June B.E.2552 (2009). Such arrangement is for Tourist Visa and Visa On Arrival only.

Source: Royal Thai Embassy Helsinki

("You are not allowed to post a URL.")

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All foreigners who apply for Tourist Visa at the Royal Thai Embassies and the Royal Thai Consulates-General worldwide, including eligible foreigners who apply for Visa on Arrival at designed checkpoints, will be exempted from tourist visa fee from 5 March to 4 June B.E.2552 (2009). Such arrangement is for Tourist Visa and Visa On Arrival only.

Source: Royal Thai Embassy Helsinki

("You are not allowed to post a URL.")

Thanks and welcome to Thai Visa.

Your post is the first one we have gotten with dates and type of visas.

After you do 9 more posts you will be able to post URL"s and no longer be a newbie.

Edit: PDF of announcemet dated Feb. 25 http://www.thaiembassy.fi/forms/visaexemption09.pdf

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All foreigners who apply for Tourist Visa at the Royal Thai Embassies and the Royal Thai Consulates-General worldwide, including eligible foreigners who apply for Visa on Arrival at designed checkpoints, will be exempted from tourist visa fee from 5 March to 4 June B.E.2552 (2009). Such arrangement is for Tourist Visa and Visa On Arrival only.

Source: Royal Thai Embassy Helsinki

Thank you for posting. :o

Amazing that the first word of confirmation comes out of a small Embassy 7,885 Km away... but whatever works.

Thanks again. :D

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hello all,

"ด้วยเมื่อวันที่ 19 กุมภาพันธ์ 2552 กระทรวงมหาดไทยได้ออกประกาศ

ให้คนต่างด้าว ที่ประสงค์จะเข้ามาในราชอาณาจักรเพื่อการท่องเที่ยว

ได้รับการยกเว้นค่าธรรมเนียม ในการตรวจลงตรา ประเภทท่องเที่ยว

( Tourist Visa ) เป็นเวลา 3 เดือน โดยเริ่มตั้งแต่วันที่ 5 มีนาคม 2552

ถึงวันที่ 4 มิถุนายน 2552 เพื่อเป็นการส่งเสริมการท่องเที่ยวและ

ช่วยเหลือ ผู้ประกอบการธุรกิจท่องเที่ยว

จึงขอประกาศมาให้ทราบโดยทั่วกัน

All foreigners who apply for Tourist Visa at the Royal Thai Embassies and the Royal Thai Consulates-General worldwide, including eligible foreigners who apply for Visa on Arrival at designed checkpoints, will be exempted from tourist visa fee from 5 March to 4 June B.E.2552 (2009). Such arrangement is for Tourist Visa single entry only."

Source: Royal Thai Embassy Helsinki

Yes single entry only....

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Be interesting to see how this plays out. It wouldn't surprise me any to learn that Helsinki doesn't have the official story correct. Wouldn't be the first time something like that happened regarding visas and it's odd that no other consular office (that we're aware of) is reporting tourist visas being free as of 05 March.

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Interesting. One Thai embassy, two different texts on their website:

http://www.thaiembassy.fi/forms/visaexemption09.pdf

http://www.thaiembassy.fi/

--

Maestro

"The fee exemption is applicable to all visa categories and will last for a maximum 90 days."

here the new website of TAT with the quote above... http://www.tourismthailand.org/thailandtourismupdate/

and following this link you'll find the quote ...(link not allowed)

We should wait and see more....to clarify  :D

Interesting Maestro?  :o  TiT.

Edited by phrikpon
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What actually would boost and promote is the way Malaysia treat visitors -

for almost every country no visa is required and you get a 90 day stamp in your passport on arrival not only 15 days!

And its free for the wife too

I tried to interest in Malaysia my second home scheme but the lack of fiery chillis even in Chinese Georgetown lured us back to Lanna

For anyone whod like ease of 10yr visa and english speaking check it via google

malyasiamy second home

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So how much is someone likely to save for a free visa?

I would have thought that most tourist with decent incomes to spend are and western get a free visa waiver anyway.

The 30 day visa runs of the days of old would generate alot more revenue I would think, alot more peope in LOS.

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