george Posted February 27, 2009 Share Posted February 27, 2009 Free tourist visas between March 5 and June 4, 2009 BANGKOK: -- Continuing its efforts to expedite the revival of the Thai travel and tourism industry, the Royal Thai government has agreed to exempt the fee for tourist visa applications for a three month period, effective 5 March, 2009 to 4 June, 2009. 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. -- Tourism Authority of Thailand 2009-02-27 http://www.tatnews.org/latest_update/detail.asp?id=4235 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wrecker Posted February 27, 2009 Share Posted February 27, 2009 As with most things that this government is doing, the action might sound sympathetic but in the en it is opportunistic at best. If you want to attract tourists why do they need to get to a visa office, an embassy or a consultate. Just give them a three month stamp on arrival. No hassle, people can leave the same day. It is a bit like the economic stimulus package. Raising petrol prices with 5 baht including vat and complaining that the car industry is having a bad time. But than again the ruling people want to benefit but at the same time they want to enforce a kind of police state regime. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ovenman Posted February 27, 2009 Share Posted February 27, 2009 Just give them a three month stamp on arrival. That method would be far too simple. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sorensen Posted February 27, 2009 Share Posted February 27, 2009 That is a very symbolic effort. Lets get something real, like 5 years retirement visa and landownership. I heard from a friend that you can now own 1.5 ha of land in the Philippine (I am not sure about the details). Robert Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thaiblue Posted February 27, 2009 Share Posted February 27, 2009 how about something to put a smile on the faces of the people who are here long term, add to the local economy and pay taxes? as usual the only gifts we get are more stringent rules. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zappo Posted February 27, 2009 Share Posted February 27, 2009 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). An air ticket from Europe cost some 50.000 THB and a visa cost some 1.200 THB??? Who are they trying to fool. Not the incoming tourists for sure. It's nothing else than an attempt to show they are doing something. I don't know whether to laugh or cry. I know, I put on my dark sunglasses and no one can see how embarresed i am. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LTGTR Posted February 27, 2009 Share Posted February 27, 2009 That is a very symbolic effort. Lets get something real, like 5 years retirement visa and landownership.I heard from a friend that you can now own 1.5 ha of land in the Philippine (I am not sure about the details). Robert Just as symbolic as changing the border run visas to 15 days from 30.Next....... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wxpwzrd Posted February 27, 2009 Share Posted February 27, 2009 And some people just cannot be happy. They are trying to stimulate tourism. A single entry visa will cover most of the short term tourists that come here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newtronbom Posted February 27, 2009 Share Posted February 27, 2009 (edited) I agree with the poster who said "3 months on entry". Though as another said it's too easy. Some effort is better than no effort though! Edited February 27, 2009 by newtronbom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeaceBlondie Posted February 27, 2009 Share Posted February 27, 2009 Sounds good. And not a meaningless announcement, but a definite change of policy, for the slow season. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zepplin Posted February 27, 2009 Share Posted February 27, 2009 Free tourist visas between March 5 and June 4, 2009BANGKOK: -- Continuing its efforts to expedite the revival of the Thai travel and tourism industry, the Royal Thai government has agreed to exempt the fee for tourist visa applications for a three month period, effective 5 March, 2009 to 4 June, 2009. 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. -- Tourism Authority of Thailand 2009-02-27 http://www.tatnews.org/latest_update/detail.asp?id=4235 oh yes thats going to fill the empty hotels and create jobs---NOT.maybe the drink campain will work--NOT,maybe pigs will fly --NOT,the free entry to national parks?NOT nothing rational and benificial will ever get done here unless its a ferang idea. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tranquillize Posted February 27, 2009 Share Posted February 27, 2009 I wonder if this is in affect for double entry tourist visa's as well.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ovenman Posted February 27, 2009 Share Posted February 27, 2009 I wonder if this is in affect for double entry tourist visa's as well.... Re-read the OP. It said "Such arrangement is for Tourist Visa single entry only." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fvw53 Posted February 27, 2009 Share Posted February 27, 2009 I do not know how many years I visited Thailand with a EU passport which upon arrival got automatically a stamp in the passport authorising a stay of 3 months : this was the rule at least from the early 1980ies until mid 1990 ies. To re-instate this would be more simple because in large countries potential tourists sometimes live many hundred kilometers from the closest Thai Embassy or Consulate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SantiSuk Posted February 27, 2009 Share Posted February 27, 2009 If it means I can come for 3 months for free instead of just one month for free then it's worth having. 1,200 baht is better than a smack in the mouth (perhaps I shouldn't use such analogies given some of the other postings I see on tv.c!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tingtongmaak Posted February 27, 2009 Share Posted February 27, 2009 This will have zero effect on the number of visitors to Thailand. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phuketrichard Posted February 27, 2009 Share Posted February 27, 2009 wont make 1 bit of diference BUT at least it reads positive!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlueSmurf Posted February 27, 2009 Share Posted February 27, 2009 Just give them a three month stamp on arrival. No hassle, Yes wrecker that is such a good idea.....Its too simple thou to put into effect...Its instant tourists they want and that would encourage people to travel here and stay longer and even if they moved around Asia they would be able to come back to Bangkok and fly home... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lite Beer Posted February 27, 2009 Share Posted February 27, 2009 And some people just cannot be happy. They are trying to stimulate tourism. A single entry visa will cover most of the short term tourists that come here. Most Western short term tourists do not need a Visa. They get in for free anyway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daxbr Posted February 27, 2009 Share Posted February 27, 2009 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). http://www.tatnews.org/latest_update/detail.asp?id=4235 Does it also include Honorary Consulates? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ovenman Posted February 27, 2009 Share Posted February 27, 2009 This will have zero effect on the number of visitors to Thailand. Little effect anyway. If they want to boost tourism numbers, they really need to get the cost of airfares down and offer actually attractive hotel packages (unlike the usual b.s. discounts from rack rate like this offer in Phuket). But those two things are sorta beyond the government's control. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ovenman Posted February 27, 2009 Share Posted February 27, 2009 Does it also include Honorary Consulates? Interesting point. I wondered about that myself as the honorary consulates rely on the visa fees and such to keep running. Can't imagine that working for free is gonna make them happy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wxpwzrd Posted February 27, 2009 Share Posted February 27, 2009 And some people just cannot be happy. They are trying to stimulate tourism. A single entry visa will cover most of the short term tourists that come here. Most Western short term tourists do not need a Visa. They get in for free anyway. If they come in less than 30 days, yes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vahack Posted February 27, 2009 Share Posted February 27, 2009 how about something to put a smile on the faces of the people who are here long term, add to the local economy and pay taxes?as usual the only gifts we get are more stringent rules. good point there. i put over 4 million baht into the Thai economy last year feeding clothing and housing my wife's family, friends, etc lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davyboy Posted February 27, 2009 Share Posted February 27, 2009 That is a very symbolic effort. Lets get something real, like 5 years retirement visa and landownership.I heard from a friend that you can now own 1.5 ha of land in the Philippine (I am not sure about the details). Robert A 5year visa extension and no 90 day reporting. What a wonderful dream. If only!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PATLOM Posted February 27, 2009 Share Posted February 27, 2009 Free gifts would be more efficient.. Dailly free beers , Free massage , free girl, or even free museum or mational park entrance (at least the same price for Farangs as Thai).... Imagination had never been the main Thai characteristic. Enjoy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
raybona Posted February 27, 2009 Share Posted February 27, 2009 Just give me a good reason why, long or short term, why do we need a visa at all ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pattaya46 Posted February 27, 2009 Share Posted February 27, 2009 Just give me a good reason why, long or short term, why do we need a visa at all ?Hi,Which country or you from ? Can anybody go there without a visa ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thaibkk Posted February 27, 2009 Share Posted February 27, 2009 what is the point ? from most western countries you do not even go to the embassy for a visa as you get it on arrival ... ??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boggzzy Posted February 27, 2009 Share Posted February 27, 2009 That is a very symbolic effort. Lets get something real, like 5 years retirement visa and landownership.I heard from a friend that you can now own 1.5 ha of land in the Philippine (I am not sure about the details). Robert I work in the Philippines the place is a Dump and the corruption twice as bad.the roads are bad and it takes for ever to a few km. i would be back to Thailand tomorrow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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