Free Tourist Visas Between June 25, 2009 And March 2010

[mickba]

To add: it is single entry. Most tourists get 1 month on entry, so they need the Visa only if they stay longer than 1 month. If you stay longer than 1 month you most probable want to travel a bit more, like Malaysia, Ankor Wat, Laos etc etc.....

So the single entry Visa doesn't help at all......seems the government is complete brain dead.

Could you not just get another free tourist visa from wherever else you subsequently went to (OK subject to there being a Consulate/whatever) and come back here?

If there weren't so many people using the 30 day exemption and then staying longer, why have there been so many posts criticising the reduction to 15 days and limit of 4 runs, on the basis that it is ruining the tourist industry?

Isn't this an answer to them at least?

[TheMysteriousMrTesla]

Bugger, just paid 1750 Rupees for one in Chennai

I travel on friday so it's too late for me anyway.

[chlear909]

Amazing the number of people on this thread now!

1075 User(s) are reading this topic (829 Guests and 5 Anonymous Users)

........and amazing how much negative vitriolic crap is being posted.

OK so it may not have much of an effect, but it is a positive move not a negative one. One might think from the majority of posts that they had just committed some gross misdeed. Very few are suggesting what else they should do.

For the tourist who comes here on the 30 day exemption and then runs into the 15 day border runs, surely this is helpful? I notice a lot of the criticism is coming from long stayers on whom this has little no direct effect. Why are you so incensed? Is it that you resent the fact that this might help such tourists of whom you disapprove? You sound so angry. Have you made yourselves prisoners here?

I'm just puzzled as to why so many long stayers are pouncing on this. Any answers?

BTW I'm on a retirement extension so it doesn't affect me either.

well if so many are pouncing on it there must be a reason dontchaaa think?????

its cause alota us just plain love the place and we know,viewing the history and whats really goin on if you lookeee, its a bad dum thing,,but we cant hold evry one by th hand an showem,yep som of us are in th real world thank g

[mickba]

Amazing the number of people on this thread now!

1075 User(s) are reading this topic (829 Guests and 5 Anonymous Users)

........OK so it may not have much of an effect, but it is a positive move not a negative one. One might think from the majority of posts that they had just committed some gross misdeed. Very few are suggesting what else they should do.

For the tourist who comes here on the 30 day exemption and then runs into the 15 day border runs, surely this is helpful?

in what way is it positive though? it's only a boon to backpackers who are planning on spending a couple of months in the kingdom or residents who already live here on tourist visas and do visa runs. it won't encourage any new tourism is the point.

So you've given two positives - what is your question?

I repeat, I know lots of people who come here on 30 day extensions and then stay on, running into the 15 day border runs. This board is littered with complaints from them. Isn't this at least an answer to them?

I'll ask one back (which is my point) in what way is it a negative move?

Edited June 24, 2009 by mickba

[StevieH]

So you've given two positives - what is your question?

I repeat, I know lots of people who come here on 30 day extensions and then stay on, running into the 15 day border runs. This board is littered with complaints from them. Isn't this at least an answer to them?

I'll ask one back (which is my point) in what way is it a negative move?

it isn't negative unless you consider the time wasted coming up with the idea to be negative really. it just isn't particularly positive either. in terms of impacting positively on thailand's tourism industry it's spit in rain. i'm not moaning for the sake of it, i just think that trumpeting this as a big announcement is a bit daft when thailand's tourism industry has so much fundamentally wrong with it.

[mickba]

...............................I'm just puzzled as to why so many long stayers are pouncing on this. Any answers?

well if so many are pouncing on it there must be a reason dontchaaa think?????

its cause alota us just plain love the place and we know,viewing the history and whats really goin on if you lookeee, its a bad dum thing,,but we cant hold evry one by th hand an showem,yep som of us are in th real world thank g

Yes I do think there's a reason, but I'm asking what it is and you're not telling me.

Is that "real world" language then?

[simcity]

Is china people still need to apply for a visa ?

If yes, perhaps the free visa will be interesting for travelers who came here a tour group for few days and paid a visa for this privilege.

[mickba]

I'll ask one back (which is my point) in what way is it a negative move?

it isn't negative unless you consider the time wasted coming up with the idea to be negative really. it just isn't particularly positive either. in terms of impacting positively on thailand's tourism industry it's spit in rain. i'm not moaning for the sake of it, i just think that trumpeting this as a big announcement is a bit daft when thailand's tourism industry has so much fundamentally wrong with it.

OK I'll settle for that. You're stretching it somewhat to try to make the wasted time a negative. What time? As far as I can see someone just asked shall we continue with the free visa thing and someone said yeh OK. Big deal! I haven't even heard them trumpetting yet.

I never tried to say how positive it is. I just don't see why it's a negative or why so many longstayers are so negative about it.

Yes I'm well aware of all the other ills and who knows, maybe they have some more ideas.

Maybe it will be 70 baht to the £ again by Christmas and everything will be OK after all.

[thaibeachlovers]

What kind of deluded idiots think that a free visa is the answer to the revival of the tourist industry? The complete lack of thought process in government here never ceases to amaze me.

I would be interested to know how effective the previous 'free visa' strategy was before... any figures out there?

It is exactly this kind of unnecessary calling Thai officials using this kind of language that makes expats look so bad. You can certainly get your point across with out calling Thai officials "deluded idiots." If you read read the interview with Thai Visa just recently, you would understand that Thai officials do monitor what is being said on this webpage.

Where are the Thai Visa monitors that allow this name calling against the people that have to run THEIR country. Contuining this will only contribute to TV's unpopularity with some. I said, "some."

I believe Thais should be able to run their country and make regulations any way they want, even if we don't like them.

By that logic, it is the right of Burmese officials to murder, torture and inflict genocide on their own people and ethnic groupings, and we have no right to call them filthy murdering scum.

If someone does something that is obviously stupid, and if people are affected by that, then, IMO, they do have the right to make their point of view known, though they should of course say that it is their own opinion.

Incidentally, after so many years of being told that the tourism industry is of little consequence to Thailand, and that only rich tourists are welcome anyway, I seem to hear the sound of chickens coming home to roost!

[chlear909]

...............................I'm just puzzled as to why so many long stayers are pouncing on this. Any answers?

well if so many are pouncing on it there must be a reason dontchaaa think?????

its cause alota us just plain love the place and we know,viewing the history and whats really goin on if you lookeee, its a bad dum thing,,but we cant hold evry one by th hand an showem,yep som of us are in th real world thank g

Yes I do think there's a reason, but I'm asking what it is and you're not telling me.

Is that "real world" language then?

Ok ,sorry,what i meant was that we love the place and we can tell this is just another temporary 'show' fix being implemented to impress uneducated users .The actual atitude behind the move is not really thought to improve things its just political to placate ,temporarily, the poliical element in thailand yelling for changes to make the industry really start attracting tourists and improving things.We know who made this change is really only interested in keeping their job and satisfying moneyed individuals in government. so what would be a good solution.?

well perhaps a well thought out long term plan taking into it the ideas of more than a few political figures.It would take real long term work which is not a skillset of who is in charge now and this entity wants to cover up the fact that this is true,,,hence the big FREE VISA show.

is that better?

[Moonrakers]

What kind of deluded idiots think that a free visa is the answer to the revival of the tourist industry? The complete lack of thought process in government here never ceases to amaze me.

I would be interested to know how effective the previous 'free visa' strategy was before... any figures out there?

It is exactly this kind of unnecessary calling Thai officials using this kind of language that makes expats look so bad. You can certainly get your point across with out calling Thai officials "deluded idiots." If you read read the interview with Thai Visa just recently, you would understand that Thai officials do monitor what is being said on this webpage.

Where are the Thai Visa monitors that allow this name calling against the people that have to run THEIR country. Contuining this will only contribute to TV's unpopularity with some. I said, "some."

I believe Thais should be able to run their country and make regulations any way they want, even if we don't like them.

By that logic, it is the right of Burmese officials to murder, torture and inflict genocide on their own people and ethnic groupings, and we have no right to call them filthy murdering scum.

If someone does something that is obviously stupid, and if people are affected by that, then, IMO, they do have the right to make their point of view known, though they should of course say that it is their own opinion.

Incidentally, after so many years of being told that the tourism industry is of little consequence to Thailand, and that only rich tourists are welcome anyway, I seem to hear the sound of chickens coming home to roost!

From visa regulations to murderous despots, oh dear.

[Brewsta]

What kind of deluded idiots think that a free visa is the answer to the revival of the tourist industry? The complete lack of thought process in government here never ceases to amaze me.

I would be interested to know how effective the previous 'free visa' strategy was before... any figures out there?

It is exactly this kind of unnecessary calling Thai officials using this kind of language that makes expats look so bad. You can certainly get your point across with out calling Thai officials "deluded idiots." If you read read the interview with Thai Visa just recently, you would understand that Thai officials do monitor what is being said on this webpage.

Where are the Thai Visa monitors that allow this name calling against the people that have to run THEIR country. Contuining this will only contribute to TV's unpopularity with some. I said, "some."

I believe Thais should be able to run their country and make regulations any way they want, even if we don't like them.

By that logic, it is the right of Burmese officials to murder, torture and inflict genocide on their own people and ethnic groupings, and we have no right to call them filthy murdering scum.

If someone does something that is obviously stupid, and if people are affected by that, then, IMO, they do have the right to make their point of view known, though they should of course say that it is their own opinion.

Incidentally, after so many years of being told that the tourism industry is of little consequence to Thailand, and that only rich tourists are welcome anyway, I seem to hear the sound of chickens coming home to roost!

You are assuming that the Burmese Junta's murderous mentality is the norm? Ridiculous opinion, IMHO.

Brewsta

[londonthai]

I've just heard it on the BBC News.

There are queues ten miles long outside the Thai Consulate in London.

Apparently there was a mad scramble involving thousands of people, all desperate to get their free visas before the consulate runs out of rubber stamp ink.

Major employers in London are complaining that their offices are unmanned as the stampede for visas reches crisis proportions.

Riots and mayhem on the streets are feared.

The Home Secretary is considering mobilising the Home Guard to restore order to the capital

at the moment the thai consulate website is out of date by some 7 years

http://www.thaiembassyuk.org.uk/visa_exemption.html

"Tourist Visa Exemption

According to the Interior Ministerial Announcements dated 1 October B.E. 2545 (2002), 20 December B.E. 2545 (2002), 18 October B.E. 2547 (2004) and 6 May B.E. 2548 (2005), "

but tomorrow I will check it personally

[realbadgirl]

We actually will attract more of "the BOTTOM OF THE BARREL" YUCK!

[optimjim]

I've just heard it on the BBC News.

There are queues ten miles long outside the Thai Consulate in London.

Apparently there was a mad scramble involving thousands of people, all desperate to get their free visas before the consulate runs out of rubber stamp ink.

Major employers in London are complaining that their offices are unmanned as the stampede for visas reches crisis proportions.

Riots and mayhem on the streets are feared.

The Home Secretary is considering mobilising the Home Guard to restore order to the capital

[Lockstock]

I believe that those who don't agree with the freebie do not like the fact that we will attract a lot of tourists and make previous expats not be able to stand out of the crowd.It Cha la si

Yes....because Thailand is expecting crowds of tourists again.... ....dont think so some how. LOS is ten years away from crowds of tourists even if it does play its cards perfectly from now on.....which is a tall order.

The recent collection of items on the 'reasons not to go to Thailand' list will make people (tourists) go elsewhere in the short term. Whilst 'elsewhere' they discover that 'elswhere' exists and they decide that 'elsewhere' is lovely and where they will go next year.....and the year after.....making sure that they tell their friends what a great time they had 'elsewhere'.

[threedot]

What kind of deluded idiots think that a free visa is the answer to the revival of the tourist industry? The complete lack of thought process in government here never ceases to amaze me.

I would be interested to know how effective the previous 'free visa' strategy was before... any figures out there?

It is exactly this kind of unnecessary calling Thai officials using this kind of language that makes expats look so bad. You can certainly get your point across with out calling Thai officials "deluded idiots." If you read read the interview with Thai Visa just recently, you would understand that Thai officials do monitor what is being said on this webpage.

Where are the Thai Visa monitors that allow this name calling against the people that have to run THEIR country. Contuining this will only contribute to TV's unpopularity with some. I said, "some."

I believe Thais should be able to run their country and make regulations any way they want, even if we don't like them.

Firstly, of all the things expats are responsible for in Thailand, I hardly think calling some bureaucrats 'deluded idiots' is what is giving farang in Thailand a bad name, a comment which I feel appropriate since offering free visas is akin to peeing in the ocean compared to the more significant reasons why tourists are currently not coming to Thailand. There is only so much that can be blamed on the financial meltdown.

What's more frustrating is that the people making these decisions are responsible for a significant part of Thailand's GDP (~7%) and thousands of jobs depend on their actions. I don't have anything against this proposal but since the average vacation/holiday time for a full time employee is 4 weeks a year and they receive 30 days by flying here anyway, how many genuine tourists do they think this will effect? Really, who is going to base their decision on where to go on holiday because they get a free visa anyway? I would imagine if you came on holiday here, the visa is less than 1% of the total holiday cost!

I just don't understand this ruling, it's neither helping the average family looking for a holiday, nor the people who want to stay in Thailand for the longer term.

And finally, I agree Thais should not be free to run their country and have never suggested otherwise. The best way to vote is with your feet, which people seem to be doing!

[jboras]

Free tourist visas between June 25, 2009 and March 2010

BANGKOK (thaivisa.com): -- 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, effective 25 June 2009 to March 2010.

All foreigners who apply for Tourist Visa at the Royal Thai Embassies and the Royal Thai Consulates-General worldwide will be exempted from tourist visa fee from 25 June 2009 to March B.E.2553 (2010).

Such arrangement is for Tourist Visa single entry only.

-- Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Bangkok 2009-06-24

A bit slow off the mark with your news!

We have had free Visas since the start of the year when one applies at the Thai Embassy in Australia....

This is old news.....................

[khaowong1]

I really don't see the point of this.

Do they seriously think that by issuing free tourist visas it is going to increase the number of tourists coming to Thailand?

Firstly, how would any potential tourists even know that the visa was free until they went to apply for one. It's not as though the news of this wonderful freebie is going to be plastered all over the press, radio and TV.

And secondly, once they goe to apply for said visa, they have probably already booked their holiday or their flight, so the fact that it is free will no no way influence their decision to come here.

If this is the best idea they can come with to boost tourism, then they are in for a lean time in the coming months.

if your living here in Thailand, you should know by now, that the Thai govt. is not long on working out the basic logics to any solution. They put this out there to show the Thai masses that they are doing everything in their power to provide the Thai tourist worker with tourists... It will look good on their resume come next voting season... Lean times, they are acoming... let there be no mistake about that...

[dman961]

Free tourist visas between June 25, 2009 and March 2010

BANGKOK (thaivisa.com): -- 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, effective 25 June 2009 to March 2010.

All foreigners who apply for Tourist Visa at the Royal Thai Embassies and the Royal Thai Consulates-General worldwide will be exempted from tourist visa fee from 25 June 2009 to March B.E.2553 (2010).

Such arrangement is for Tourist Visa single entry only.

-- Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Bangkok 2009-06-24

Single entry, that's a great idea. So instead of 30 days you get 60 days, that's great news if they ever close the airports agian, eh.

[exexpat]

Too little too late. I ain't fallin' for that. No thanks, wont come even for free. Malaysia is da bomb and having so much fun here...people speak English, very international, would never even "think" of returning to Thailand.

[khaowong1]

What kind of deluded idiots think that a free visa is the answer to the revival of the tourist industry? The complete lack of thought process in government here never ceases to amaze me.

I don't think anyone thinks it will revive the tourist industry, or that there is any single action that will do so. It might help though, just a little bit. At least there is someone with some power actually trying to do something. If a lot more people try and do something positive too, perhaps it will revive?

I agree Stub, but like Mobi said earlier, who the hel_l is going to know that the Thai govt. is issuing free tourist visa's? It's not like some smuck in Fargo, North Dakota is reading about the "free Thai tourist visa" in the Fargo Rambler... or even on the Thai immigration website.. If they have any smarts, they will plaster this all over there immigration websites and make sure every travel agent in Thailand and through out the world knows about this "free" tourist visa... but don't hold your breath...

[Lite Beer]

A bit slow off the mark with your news!

We have had free Visas since the start of the year when one applies at the Thai Embassy in Australia....

This is old news.....................

This is actually Very New News. So new that you will not find it anywhere else.

So new that most Consulates will not know about it yet.

The Free Visas you are talking about were also mentioned on Thai Visa first. That particular offer Finished on 4th June. This is a new one.

[Farfetched]

anyone know what will happen with double entry? this applies to single, but what if want double? pay for one or pay for 2?

It'd be up to the Thai Mission concerned.

In May I went to Laos for a double entry Tourist Visa and at that time it was free for both the single and double entry Visa's.

[khaowong1]

My first post - but had to comment. The Thai Prime Minister was on BBC NEWS 24 yesterday and clearly stated that none of the events of this and last year had directly affected the tourist industry (like closing the airport, arresting tourists with arbitary offences and large fines, red-shirts here, yellow shirts there etc etc). What hope is there when a seemingly intelligent, educated man says this? Free Tourist visas? P****Ing in the wind yet again I'm afraid. Until these people learn to accept that they bear most of the responsibility for the fiasco that is now the Thai tourism industry, and not blame external influences completely for their own inadequacies, then there will be no improvement. I tis saddening to say many of my pals losing their shirts on bars and restaurants that should have a perfectly secure future, even in times of global downturns. The tourist industries of Phillippines, Malaysia, Vietnam and Cambodia are also seeing a downturn, but not of the magnitude of here. Downtown Pattaya is a ghost town and getting worse. And the local mayor believes that going no a promtional tour to Mumbai will help matters - God help us all !

I really don't see the point of this.

Do they seriously think that by issuing free tourist visas it is going to increase the number of tourists coming to Thailand?

Firstly, how would any potential tourists even know that the visa was free until they went to apply for one. It's not as though the news of this wonderful freebie is going to be plastered all over the press, radio and TV.

And secondly, once they goe to apply for said visa, they have probably already booked their holiday or their flight, so the fact that it is free will no no way influence their decision to come here.

If this is the best idea they can come with to boost tourism, then they are in for a lean time in the coming months.

'PONG', you're missing the 'PING' !

You sign off with:

"Those who are free of resentful thoughts surely find peace."

— Buddha

Better start practising what you're preaching . . . . or, from now on be known as Moby-DICK.

Perhaps look at this free-visa-effort as something POSITIVE; and maybe it infers that the Thai Government is beginning to wake-up a bit to the needs of the country ?? Give them a chance; obviously your keepers gave you (more than) one ?!?

JGK/Pattaya

Mumbai, good thinking Mayor... that's what Pattaya needs, more tailors.

[tomjoad56]

Even the press release on this is written poorly. I have no idea what, "to March 2010" means. This serves as a great example of one of the problems here, the reluctance of locals to swallow a little pride and ask for help (Western, Chinese, I don't care who, as long as they are competent) in doing things correctly. Once you learn the proper way, you no longer need assistance and you can do things without assistance. I guess I'll never understand.

BANGKOK (thaivisa.com): -- 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, effective 25 June 2009 to March 2010.

[wlcart]

In all my years of traveling anywhere in this world I have never let the cost of a tourist visa be a factor in my decision making about where to go. With the cost of flying, hotel, food and all the other expenses, a few bucks saved on a visa really doesn't amount to much. Plane tickets fluctuate in price up and down more than the cost of a tourist visa. Baht appreciation can suck more out of a travelers pocket than a visa.

The people who this really helps are the expats using 'tourist' visa as a way to take residency in Thailand. Every tourist I have ever met traveling for more than 30 days travels to other countries anyway, someone touring the region will not just say in Thailand. People living here stay the full 90.

Hey it was a nice thing for the Government to do, but sorry I just don't think it will be all that effective.

[dr_Pat_Pong]

I've just heard it on the BBC News.

There are queues ten miles long outside the Thai Consulate in London.

Apparently there was a mad scramble involving thousands of people, all desperate to get their free visas before the consulate runs out of rubber stamp ink.

Major employers in London are complaining that their offices are unmanned as the stampede for visas reches crisis proportions.

Riots and mayhem on the streets are feared.

The Home Secretary is considering mobilising the Home Guard to restore order to the capital

[cookyboy]

I believe that those who don't agree with the freebie do not like the fact that we will attract a lot of tourists and make previous expats not be able to stand out of the crowd.It Cha la si

I think this juicy little comment deserves its own thread.

Don't worry 'realbad' girl. Most of us long time thai supporting farangs won't be bumping into you at Kao Sahn or Q-Bar/ BedSupper anyway.

There will be plenty of new boys around to keep you amused, and to throw a little farang buck over a tiny, but needy percent of the population.

give me 80 baht to the british pound and i will go to thailand more often

[FairwayJack]

free...Free....FREE...???? Now just how is this supposed to attract the "quality tourist" ??? They should have doubled the visa fee. Then we'd get the uppity hoity toity crowd. Now we'll only get the unwashed hoi polloi