I was reading here that the Thai government have extended the free visas untill july, problem is when i contacted the Thai consulate in Birmingham UK i was told they had recieved no confirmation from Thailand with regards to this so they are still charging can any one shed some light on this please?.

Edited April 27, 201016 yr by Aikido

It has been previously announced that tourist visas will be free until 31 Mar 2011. But there seems to be a hold up in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs issuing the appropriate letters confirming that to the Thai consulates around the globe. Until that happens the consulates will be charging for tourist visas.

The free visa scheme starts today (Wednesday), according to a Bangkok Post article titled "Tourist arrivals down at Suvarnabhumi" (Published: 27/04/2010 at 11:14 AM). Here's the sentence:

He said other tourism promotion measures, such as the free visa scheme o begin on Wednesday, were also expaected to boost tourist arrivals.

Edited April 27, 201016 yr by hyperdimension

The free visa scheme starts today (Wednesday), according to a Bangkok Post article titled "Tourist arrivals down at Suvarnabhumi" (Published: 27/04/2010 at 11:14 AM). Here's the sentence:

He said other tourism promotion measures, such as the free visa scheme o begin on Wednesday, were also expaected to boost tourist arrivals.

“He” in this particular case being Tourism and Sports Minister Chumpol Silpa-archa.

Tourist visas will be free when the consular sections of Thai embassies and the Thai consulates receive written instructions from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, not because the Minister of another ministry shoots off his mouth to the press about something that is not within his authority to handle.

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Maestro

We will know in a couple of hours when the Thai Embassies in Asia are opening.

Tourist visas will be free from May 11th till March 31 2011. Not as of today.

Tourist visas will be free from May 11th till March 31 2011. Not as of today.

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YES---Same here in NZ---have been informed today by email from the Thai Consulate---just in time for my visit in June and July---maybe even August wih an extention

Bucko

This morning, I called the Thai Consulate here in Dublin. I am travelling to South East Asia this coming summer, so I was hoping to get a free 2 entry visa for Thailand.

However, according to one lady at the Consulate, they have not yet been notified, and therefore, visas are not free (yet). However, I was also told that even though visa fees may be waived there will still be 'an administration fee of 20 Euro'. Besides, according to the same person at the consulate in Dublin, during the last promotion (the one that ran till March 10) only 1 entry tourist visas were free. Those who applied for visas with multiple entries (2 entries, etc.) would still would have to pay at least 80 Euro for a 2 entry visa...

To be honest, I am a bit dissapointed with the whole 'promotion'. If the visas were to be truly free, there should not be any additional administration fees, otherwise, technically, the price of a 1 entry visa only goes down from 40 Euro to 20 Euro.

There is no fee at an official Consulate. Honorary Consulates are the places that have started that practice as it is there income (they are not paid civil servants). The free visa begins on May 11.