Thailand Extends Tourist Visa Fee Exemption Scheme Until 31 March 2011

[george]

Thailand extends tourist visa fee exemption scheme until 31 March 2011

BANGKOK: -- The Royal Thai Government has extended the tourist visa fee exemption scheme that had expired in March 2010. As a result of the decision, foreign citizens that qualify for a tourist visa are not subjected to a visa fee. The exemption scheme will be in effect from 11 May 2010 until 31 March 2011 (the fee exemption is not extended to other types of visas).

For further information please contact the Consular Department, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Thailand (662-981-7171)or the Royal Thai Missions or visit Visas and Travel Documents webpage.

Source: Ministry Of Foreign Affairs, Bangkok 2010-04-29

[FarangCravings]

I wonder if they will let the consulates know this time

[Mario2008]

It is already on the webiste of the Thai embassy in London, so the embassies and consulates have been informed.

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/redirect.php...Fvisa_main.html

[pepi2005]

They should better fix the situation in Bangkok *ASAP*, that would help tourism much more as it is now....

[grantbkk]

The scheme is a very slow start for Thailand master tourism recovery plan. The spending of the Bt1.6 billion beginning next month by the TAT for recovery is an even bigger joke while the political unrest is continuing. I would feel much better if I was allowed on the first class junkets around the world to promote Thailand as a tourist destination. "AMAZING THAILAND! BURMA WITH ELECTRICITY!"

[DocHolliday]

Do they seriously believe that will restore confidence and bring tourism (tourists) back to Thailand?

You can't extinguish a large fire with a cup of water.

What a 'brilliant' idea

TiT.

Edited April 29, 2010 by DocHolliday

[Thormaturge]

Probably a better idea to pay people to come here.

[Thailand]

With the current situation in Thailand even throwing in free hotels and pocket money is unlikely to bring tourists flocking back.

Going to be a huge uphill struggle to regain traveler confidence even after the current troubles are over and a long time after that.

[Guest]

This is not news - it has been announced twice before, the first time was several months back, and the second time a few weeks back. The scheme started on 1 April and was already scheduled to end on 30 March 2011. Why repeat stale news?

Edited April 29, 2010 by Guest

[aussimike]

I wonder if they will let the consulates know this time

Wow - this is really going to stimulate tourist arrival - sure everyone will be so happy to hear this -- if this is the best the govt and that amazining orgnization TAT can come up with pity help the tourism sector - as i have said before =- even if they gave away free airline tickets who in their right mind would come here now -- well ok for adventure tourism if u like ducking bullets - and need so spend some time in hospital recovering from gunshot wounds -- Malaysia and Vietnam sure inviting now - see that most overseas govt have issued strong advisory warning about visiting - with this in mind there are safer places to be for sure if u are wanting beaches and above all - security and tranquility

[moggoid]

"AMAZING THAILAND! BURMA WITH ELECTRICITY!"

[aussimike]

The scheme is a very slow start for Thailand master tourism recovery plan. The spending of the Bt1.6 billion beginning next month by the TAT for recovery is an even bigger joke while the political unrest is continuing. I would feel much better if I was allowed on the first class junkets around the world to promote Thailand as a tourist destination. "AMAZING THAILAND! BURMA WITH ELECTRICITY!"

dont worry grant -- i worked for TAT for 5 years and i can assure u they will very quickly find ways to spend the Bt 1.6 - this organization throws money to the wind -- sure they will be in germany next month for the tourism fair - and staff their stand with staff who cant even speak german let alone english - will depend on whos turn it is to go on this trip overseas --or who is in favour with the boss this month -- seen it happen so many times before its a joke --

free hotels - free airline tickets are not even going to get people back to bkk for the forseable future - what the hel_l for -??

[ndtcl]

Is visa on arrival also free of charge for the time period specified?

[Mario2008]

This is not news - it has been announced twice before, the first time was several months back, and the second time a few weeks back. The scheme started on 1 April and was already scheduled to end on 30 March 2011. Why repeat stale news?

It was announced in the news papers, but not announced by the foreign ministry. No we have details as to from when till when and we know the embassies and consulates have been informed.

The sceme did not start on the 1st April, it will start on 11th of May.

[Mario2008]

Is visa on arrival also free of charge for the time period specified?

The announcement doesn't say so, but normally it is.

[Igor]

They'd do a lot better by devoting themselves to cleaning up some of the scams that tourism suffers from. Honest cops would be a good start, too. Let's face it, someone planning to spend a few thousand dollars on a vacation are going to be a lot more interested in not getting beaten up by a jet ski rental thug than they will be by the prospect of saving $50 on a visa. Of course, on the good side, it is comforting to know that if you do not shoplift at the airport, you will be locked up in a cheap hotel instead of a nasty jail and the nice policeman will do his very best to make sure you never have to go to prison.

[visarunner]

This is not news - it has been announced twice before, the first time was several months back, and the second time a few weeks back. The scheme started on 1 April and was already scheduled to end on 30 March 2011. Why repeat stale news?

Before the wrong Ministry informed the public.

This this time it is annouced by the "OWNER" of the Royal Thai Embassies and Royal Thai Consulates, so they have to follow.

[JackSterling]

The scheme is a very slow start for Thailand master tourism recovery plan. The spending of the Bt1.6 billion beginning next month by the TAT for recovery is an even bigger joke while the political unrest is continuing. I would feel much better if I was allowed on the first class junkets around the world to promote Thailand as a tourist destination. "AMAZING THAILAND! BURMA WITH ELECTRICITY!"

This is very true.. If Thai leaders had real sense about the rest of the world and the way foreign nationals of most western countries actually think about them and Thailand today.. this would really be a truly wonderful vacation spot for sure...

[tawan300]

and for the tourist who wish to extend there visa you can visit our borders in the south, but do be careful as bombs and shooting do a care from time to time enjoy your holiday in the land of smiles.

[wilgoster]

This is not news - it has been announced twice before, the first time was several months back, and the second time a few weeks back. The scheme started on 1 April and was already scheduled to end on 30 March 2011. Why repeat stale news?

Gee whiz! Why did they charge me 2000 baht for my 2-month Tourist Visa at Viantiene on April 5, 2010? Could scheme and implementation be not one and the same?

[Frezie]

I know this has been discussed before and maybe I'm being stupid but can some expert out there please explain to me in words of one syllable. If a tourist comes here for a 2 or 3 week holiday there is no visa fee. Is that correct ? If so then the vast majority of visitors are not effected. Only the back packers who will often stay longer than a month will benefit. Almost by definition thes folk are normally on a shoestring budget so don't contribute much to the economy. Nothing wrong with that, good luck to them, but how is this action going to benefit Thai tourism

[vinceentz]

Seriously (or maybe not so seriously). What they need is to attract a different kind of tourism. Something like : "Have you ever wanted to fire a AK47 into a live crowd (ps. don't worry. We'll just blame it on the red shirts)" or : "Hotels in BKK half price. Incl free Molotov Cocktail at arrival". Maybe even a new slogan : "Visit Bangkok and paint the town red" with a Policecloned song going something like this : "Rooooxanne. You don't have to put on your red shirt!"

[Stone]

As an expat for 15 years I'm happy to see we are more appreciated and welcomed with a free visa fee.

I remember the good old days about 10 years ago,or maybe 8 when I got 3 months "welcome" tourist stamp when entered the kingdom Of Thailand. It went from 100 baht overstay, to 200 overstay, then 500 baht, and then to make it sure it was only 15 days tourist visa crossing the border to Malaysia, where they still give you 3 months visa.

Now Thailand is close to a civil war,,,and do understand that pats and tourist are do needed to make he wheels to go around.

Thailand have always been a country where to find peace, friendly people and smiles,,,,,now this might look like to be a history,,what happens now? Why this stupid violence in this great kingdom??? What is going on??

My kids are born in the motherland Thailand,,is it now time to pull them out from their own country...

I'm confused and do not know the real situation, who does it effect who ever is the prime minister??? It is always the same story,,,very corrupt and not so corrupt.

From a person who loves Thailand.

[Guest]

This is not news - it has been announced twice before, the first time was several months back, and the second time a few weeks back. The scheme started on 1 April and was already scheduled to end on 30 March 2011. Why repeat stale news?

Gee whiz! Why did they charge me 2000 baht for my 2-month Tourist Visa at Viantiene on April 5, 2010? Could scheme and implementation be not one and the same?

Who can tell why? But this scheme was already announced twice before with a start date of 1 April.

[givenall]

They should better fix the situation in Bangkok *ASAP*, that would help tourism much more as it is now....

I hope the situation goes to normal quickly; especially it is effecting me personally. But if I drive 2 KM from the hot area, the life seem very much normal. I know the shopping area like Paragon, Central world closed, but I remember few years back, when there was no Paragon and no one wanted really to go to World Trade Center, tourist still came and enjoyed Thailand. Emporium is still there and many shopping area still open and available as before.

The tourism is a big business so the other countries which compete with Thailand for Tourism are making a big deal about this situation

[LPCustom69]

This is not news - it has been announced twice before, the first time was several months back, and the second time a few weeks back. The scheme started on 1 April and was already scheduled to end on 30 March 2011. Why repeat stale news?

Gee whiz! Why did they charge me 2000 baht for my 2-month Tourist Visa at Viantiene on April 5, 2010? Could scheme and implementation be not one and the same?

I don't think it applies to visas granted in SE Asia.

[backsoon]

This is only the beginning.

I can see a free funeral plan for tourist victims.

Free beer at go-go bars nationally, if you get the girl.

Or free girl at go-go bars if you pay for the beer.

Must be coming soon from patriotic feelings of all walks of Thais.

Pity I get nothing out of it, though...

[grantbkk]

The scheme is a very slow start for Thailand master tourism recovery plan. The spending of the Bt1.6 billion beginning next month by the TAT for recovery is an even bigger joke while the political unrest is continuing. I would feel much better if I was allowed on the first class junkets around the world to promote Thailand as a tourist destination. "AMAZING THAILAND! BURMA WITH ELECTRICITY!"

dont worry grant -- i worked for TAT for 5 years and i can assure u they will very quickly find ways to spend the Bt 1.6 - this organization throws money to the wind -- sure they will be in germany next month for the tourism fair - and staff their stand with staff who cant even speak german let alone english - will depend on whos turn it is to go on this trip overseas --or who is in favour with the boss this month -- seen it happen so many times before its a joke --

free hotels - free airline tickets are not even going to get people back to bkk for the forseable future - what the hel_l for -??

Recent events and the additional Bt1.6 BILLION approved this week brings to mind TAT’s total lack of credibility, the scandals, the mismanagement, falling tourist numbers and junkets to who knows where or for what reason. The lack of any marketing skills whatsoever on TAT’s part is legend. Billions of Baht have been spent (wasted) recently on failed programs with no oversight or accountability. With the astronomical amounts of money being shoved down a black hole can the TAT explain why they cannot even come up with a two or three word slogan to market Thailand as a tourist destination? “Amazing Thailand” was so last century. One may think that this is just another one to the thousands of complaint letters that TAT must receive every month from tourists, vendors, tour operators, hotels and hostels but I’m here to offer a program guaranteed to make money for the government and entrepreneurs as well. I am offering this custom tailored program to the TAT free of all charges except maybe a plaque of recognition when this takes off like a rocket.

I can sum it up in two words: Extreme Tourism. I want you to conjure up a vision of rolling down a dirt road in the one of the three southern most provinces in a military vehicle with an armed military escort. This for many would be a thrill but we haven’t even started out adventure. As you recall, this area is plagued by what many call an insurgency and what some call a civil war where as many as 4,000 people have been killed over the past four years. The South Thailand insurgency is a separatist campaign which is taking place in the predominantly Malay Pattani region, made up of the three southernmost provinces of Thailand, with violence increasingly spilling over into other provinces. Although separatist violence has occurred for decades in the region, the campaign escalated in 2004. This backdrop sets the scene for an ambitious Extreme Tourism program that will finally put Thailand on the map.

The Royal Thai Army has ordered 96 brand new armored personnel carriers (APC’s) from Kharkiv Morozov Machine Building Design Bureau in the Ukraine. The16.4 ton monsters called the BTR-3 is becoming quite popular. Burma has ordered 1000 and Iraq has ordered 336. They are not cheap at about $1.25 million each but if Thailand is trying again to pay for military equipment with frozen chicken who really cares about price. I mention this because a frozen chicken deal for Swedish Gripen fighter jets thawed recently. These APC’s are fitted out with things like the one-person KBA-105 "Shkval" unified fighting module which can accommodate 30mm gun, 7.62mm coaxial machine gun, 30mm automatic grenade launcher and anti-tank guided weapons. To me this sounds very sexy and can be used in promotional material with impunity. Another handy feature of this APC is that it’s fully amphibious. Believe it or not the BTR-3 even has power steering, automatic transmission and air-conditioning! What can be better than that? This thing holds three crew and six infantry soldiers.

Here is a synopsis of the business plan. Take three or four of these new APC’s and under the Army’s watchful eye, convert them for use as tour vehicles. Rip out the utilitarian bench seats for the six infantry soldiers and replace them with VIP seats the likes of which can be found on their aging Bell 212 helicopter reserved for special flights. Really the only other major modification would be windows. You need lots of windows. Only the finest bulletproof glass will do. As a safety precaution I would not award this contract to just any general’s brother who owns an automobile repair shop. We’re talking national pride here and a showcase for Thai ingenuity.

Now back to that dirt road in the war zone. You now have a APC crammed with six high-end tourists on the adventure of a lifetime. The are on an expensive tour of an active war zone. The onboard communication equipment is crackling with news of new murder victims, improvised explosive devices, roadside bombings, police and army raids, snipers, and even the random beheading. This is all being passed on to your intrepid extreme tourists. If the APC Extreme Tourism Vehicle (APCETV) is close enough to the action they respond to the scene of the carnage. The best think that can happen on the tour is coming under small arms fire. Four hours of true life and death experience is over as quickly as it started. The photograph of the tourist wearing that war surplus helmet with the crew and their APCETV, Priceless”!

Marketing this program will seem magical. News agencies from around the world will be scrambling to put their perspective to a true international news story. The story will spread like bird flu throughout the internet community of well heeled extreme tourists. Word of mouth will have all the seats filled for years to come. The TAT will finally have the successful program that has eluded them so far in the 21st century.

My research leads me to believe that every single seat will be filled on every APCETV on each four hour “War Safari”. USD1,000 for each seat will be the cost of a regular tour. TAT and the Army may decide to offer group rates but that will cut into profits and is totally unnecessary given the potential popularity of the program. Hats, tee shirts and models of the APCETV will add millions to the program’s bottom line. No one, unless they are killed during to tour, will be able to resist the memorabilia from the “War Safari”. The imagination runs wild when you think of the product and branding opportunities just waiting to be capitalized upon. "I went to a civil war in Bangkok and all I got was this Red tee shirt" may become a big seller.

To the TAT: Please don’t thank me now. Let’s wait until we have this unique Thai Extreme Tourism Experience up and running. May I suggest you and your legal team develop a waiver for your customers to protect your organization and the country from those pesky, frivolous law suits some people tend to file nowadays. Remember it is important that the waiver be in the language most often used by the participant. This is gong the bring back tourism to the Kingdom like nothing you at the TAT could ever conceive.

[thaigold]

The scheme is a very slow start for Thailand master tourism recovery plan. The spending of the Bt1.6 billion beginning next month by the TAT for recovery is an even bigger joke while the political unrest is continuing. I would feel much better if I was allowed on the first class junkets around the world to promote Thailand as a tourist destination. "AMAZING THAILAND! BURMA WITH ELECTRICITY!"

"Amazing Thailand, Burma With Electricity" I like that.

[Mario2008]

This is not news - it has been announced twice before, the first time was several months back, and the second time a few weeks back. The scheme started on 1 April and was already scheduled to end on 30 March 2011. Why repeat stale news?

Gee whiz! Why did they charge me 2000 baht for my 2-month Tourist Visa at Viantiene on April 5, 2010? Could scheme and implementation be not one and the same?

Read the announcement. It doesn't start until May 11th.