Visa on arrival.discriminate

[ivars]

Visa on arrival.

I am a citizen of Latvia(Republic of Latvia).

From 1997  I visited Thailand many times and got the Thai “visa on arrival” at Bangkok Dong Muang airport.

From Jan,2003 this service is not more available for Latvia and other Baltic countries.

Now I need to send my passport,2 photoes,application form to the Royal Thai Embassy in Oslo(Norway). It is more than 1000 km from  Latvia,(cross Estonia,Finland,Sweden).

Only post service for some passports is 125 Euro !

I don’t understand why the Thai officials made this problem for Baltic countries.

Only 3 former USSR Republics(Russia, Kazakhstan and Ukraine) have a priviledge to get visa on arrival. Strange also,that Chech Republic in Eastern Europe may get visa on arrival,but Slovak Republic can’t.  I would like to know the reason of it.

In May,2004 Latvia officially will be among the countries of European Union.

And in this situation I can’t understand the steps of the Thai Government when they consider

the Baltic states as the countries of the 3rd world,communist or underveloped countries.

I hope that country of smile(Thailand) will become more open and with more logic in the nearest future.

Sincerely Yours

Ivars

Riga,Latvia

[dr_Pat_Pong]

The countries you mention can apply for a tourist visa on arrival, except Slovak. That visa will enable a 15 day stay. Those countries require that ALL Thai's obtain a visa BEFORE arrival. Take your argument to your own Foreign Affairs Minister. It has to be a 2 way street.

[ivars]

First of all I would like to inform you,that very small amount(about 5 persons a year)Thai citizens visit Latvia with comparison thousands of tourists that visit Thailand every year from Latvia.

I was told by official immigration authorities at the Riga international airport just now, that Thai citizens can get visa on arrival at the Riga,Latvia airport. But before his arrival to Latvia the traveller must send fax to the Latvian immigration department(Pilsonibas un imigracijas dienests, http://www.pid.gov.lv/) with the date of his arrival.

Taking into consideration that there is no Latvian Embassy in Thailand traveller will get visa at the Riga airport according to the Latvian laws.

So,at the present moment there is discrimination to the Latvian people who would like to visit Thailand as we must get visas in Oslo,Norway that is far away from Latvia.This is the same saying to Thai people go to Latvian Embassy in India or China.

I think you understand me.

Ivars

[dr_Pat_Pong]

Ivars   It really is something that your own Minister of Foreign Affairs needs to negotiate with the Thai Ministry. The absence of Latvian and Thai diplomatic representation in each others country doesn't help. You are permitted to get a visa from Oslo by mail, so it isn't the end of the world. I don't know the actual reason some Baltic states can get a visa on arrival, and others cannot, but I suspect that the can get states negotiated successfully with the Thai side in the lead up to the changes made on 29 December 2002

[Khun Larry]

RACIST POST DELETED

[dr_Pat_Pong]

Khun Larry's grossly racist and offensive post has been removed.

[Khun Larry]

Khun Larry's grossly racist and offensive post has been removed.

Dr

"grossly racist"? hardly

politically incorrect? maybe

[dr_Pat_Pong]

We'll agree to disagree. Why infest a Thai site when you feel so negatively about Thai people ?

[francois]

We'll agree to disagree. Why infest a Thai site when you feel so negatively about Thai people ?

agreed!

although I did not have time enough to read this post from larry, I do agree with Dr, even if we have a lot to say about our life here and surely more to say about the way things change,

we can't hold reponsible Thai people in general for what is happening!

I guess, that we are all here for the same kind of reasons,

and wahtever happens to us, there is something that will always remain, we like Thai people!  

we might have a lot to say about this too, but in anyway, we do like them .. in general, even if we don't like the changes that the government plan to do to immigration's laws,

this belong to the top, surely not to the people we meet everyday, who, for most of them don't agree with this new policiy for immigration.

anyway .. have a good day  

[JemJem]

I sympathise with all the inconvenience, Ivars. But I feel that the situation will MOST PRBABLY change by the time Latvia formally enters the EU.

Visa itself is a very discriminatory issue. I am from Turkey and although I am financially more than self-sufficient, it is a hassle for me to get the visa of many European countries. The embassies of some so called 'civilised' countries (I don't wanna name them here not to offend or upset anyone from those countries) even make dozens of people wait for hours outside their embassy grounds in rain, snow or whatever and then treat them very rudely once they are inside.

As for racist comments sometimes made in this forum, it is of course sad to come across.

Ivars, I hope you enjoy your stay in Thailand.

Regards,

Jem

[Ivarins]

Hallo!

There is a happy news for Latvian and Baltic Republic citizens!

From 29.07.2005. citiziens from some more countries can visit Thailand and get the Thai visa on arrival:

List of 20 countries is as follow :

1. Bhutan : Kingdom of Bhutan

2. China : People’s Republic of China (including Taiwan)

3. Cyprus : Republic of Cyprus

4. Czech : Czech Republic

5. Estonia : Republic of Estonia

6. Hungary : Republic of Hungary

7. India : Republic of India

8. Kazakhstan : Republic of Kazakhstan

9. Latvia : Republic of Latvia

10. Liechtenstein : Principality of Liechtenstein

11. Lithuania : Republic of Lithuania

12. Maldives : Republic of Maldives

13. Mauritius : Republic of Mauritius

14. Oman : Sultanate of Oman

15. Poland : Republic of Poland

16. Russian Federation

17. Saudi Arabia : Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

18. Slovakia : Slovak Republic

19. Slovenia : Republic of Slovenia

20. Ukraine

http://www.mfa.go.th/web/12.php#Tourist

http://www.am.gov.lv/en/news/press-releases/2005/july/29-5/

Best Regards from Riga,Latvia.