No Visa Required For More Thailand Short-Stay Visitors

[webfact]

No visa for more short-stay visitors

By The Nation

The Cabinet yesterday approved a plan to let people from Romania, Bulgaria, Malta, Andorra and San Marino enter Thailand as tourists for stays of up to 15 days without requiring a visa.

Deputy government spokesman Supachai Jaisamut said the Foreign Affairs Ministry proposed the plan to Cabinet.

It will take effect once the Interior Minister signs an announcement endorsing the change.

-- The Nation 2010-08-11

[SamritT]

What about people from Montenegro?

[Malani]

Same as for Serbians, Bosnians, Croatians. We need visa to enter a Thailand..

[laocowboy2]

Malta, Andorra and San Marino - While Bulgaria and Romania have significant poulations, neither is a rich country. The three others probably have a combined population below that of Pattaya. I somehow doubt that this is going to do much for the tourism numbers:

[viorel]

This is a very good news, because last year when i traveled to Thailand, i almost lost the airplane.

The Thai Embassy in Romania gave me the visa after 1 week, with only 3 hours before checkout .

[TheBarbarian]

It is quite absurd that people from andorra or San Mariono needed a visa in the first place. They will not stay here they are very rich.

[phuketrichard]

so tell me, who gives a shit?? do they think this will solve the problems?

[robert00]

so tell me, who gives a shit?? do they think this will solve the problems?

No they think they can get more money

[robert00]

What about people from Montenegro?

they don't come here, they are too rich, they go Seint tropez

[mussen]

This is a very good news, because last year when i traveled to Thailand, i almost lost the airplane.

I lost my phone once but never an airplane

[asiawatcher]

It is quite absurd that people from andorra or San Mariono needed a visa in the first place. They will not stay here they are very rich.

San Marino (spelling Barbarian) and Andorra? You think they are rich? Go visit - then make these 'absurd' comments ... Both are principalities only - not countries in their own right. Gee even Chiang Mai with luck may secede and become one and then Thaksin supporters can apply for a Visa to visit the real country - Thailand. Then Thailand would have the right to reject them or at least lose them at 15 days !

[swerver]

Simplefied System

It would be more helpful if the cabinet makes a ruling to issue a longterm Foreign Resident Card.

By longterm I suggest having livied in Thailand uninterupted for 10-years.

This card will have a bar code which will open the file of the holder of the card at any Thai Immigration Registration office.

If the holder has not caused any changes to information in the computer file s/he can sign a simple card to that effect and submit it to the Immigration Officer who then validates the file for another year.

In the event of any changes, then the holder has to submit them on a Change Reporting Card and sign the card in the presence of the Immigration Officer who will enter the changes in the computer file after which the officer validates the file for one more year.

If Immigration is affraid loosing money, the charge can be kept the same as it is now 1,900 Baht.

[Jimi007]

Simplefied System

It would be more helpful if the cabinet makes a ruling to issue a longterm Foreign Resident Card.

By longterm I suggest having livied in Thailand uninterupted for 10-years.

This card will have a bar code which will open the file of the holder of the card at any Thai Immigration Registration office.

If the holder has not caused any changes to information in the computer file s/he can sign a simple card to that effect and submit it to the Immigration Officer who then validates the file for another year.

In the event of any changes, then the holder has to submit them on a Change Reporting Card and sign the card in the presence of the Immigration Officer who will enter the changes in the computer file after which the officer validates the file for one more year.

If Immigration is affraid loosing money, the charge can be kept the same as it is now 1,900 Baht.

Oh come on! What would all those Immigration Officers do? They need all that paper work and all those rubber stamps to look like they are actually doing something official!

[IMA_FARANG]

Isn't this nothing more than adding some more countries to the "stamp at airport" list. And for Montenegro...I suppose that means for those that have a LEGAL Montenegroian passport. Unlike some other former Thai prime ministers.

[bendejo]

What about people from Montenegro?

Free entry, a free pair of steel bracelets, and free accommodation provided by the gov't.

We can only wish....

[smotherb]

Dear Swerver,

I appreciate your suggestion of a Long Term Residents status, but see two flaws in your approach.

First, why limit the special Foreign Resident status to simply time-served? Simply living here uninterrupted for ten years does not necessarly benefit Thailand, its economy, or its residents. Other inportant issues would better serve the Thai people and perhaps more closely reflect beneficial human additions to Thailand.

I would suggest a Preferred Foreign Resident status which requires, but is not limited to: 1) does the falang spend sufficient money (say B65,000/mo) in Thailand? 2) does the falang speak Thai and know something of Thai current events, history and culture; 3) does the falang's family (Thai or falang) live with them in Thailand; 4) has the falang spent suffcient time (perhaps 3-5 years) in Thailand without record of illegal or unethical actions; 5) is the falang a legitimate retiree or tax paying Thai business investor; and 6) does the falang respect and defer to the sovereignty of the King. Of course, some verifiable form of proof would be required or all the issues--ATM withdrawals or bank transfers, Thai test, family visas, falang retiree or investor visa history, and oath of deference to the King.

Second, automating the whole Foreign Resident status thing may be problematic considering the current state of the Thai bureacracy. Let me make that, 'the current state almost all bureacracies.' How many of our falang embassies require more than our old passport to issue a new one? Don't you have to fill out another form that states essentially the same information already on your passport? Ah, but I digress. Simply allow the Preferred Foreign Resident Status recipient to go to the nearest Thai Immigration Office (no having to go to the original place of issue) every so often (180 days?) to register and every year to pay some appropriate fee (B1900 or less).

What think you?

[keith7777]

Dear Swerver,

I appreciate your suggestion of a Long Term Residents status, but see two flaws in your approach.

First, why limit the special Foreign Resident status to simply time-served? Simply living here uninterrupted for ten years does not necessarly benefit Thailand, its economy, or its residents. Other inportant issues would better serve the Thai people and perhaps more closely reflect beneficial human additions to Thailand.

I would suggest a Preferred Foreign Resident status which requires, but is not limited to: 1) does the falang spend sufficient money (say B65,000/mo) in Thailand? 2) does the falang speak Thai and know something of Thai current events, history and culture; 3) does the falang's family (Thai or falang) live with them in Thailand; 4) has the falang spent suffcient time (perhaps 3-5 years) in Thailand without record of illegal or unethical actions; 5) is the falang a legitimate retiree or tax paying Thai business investor; and 6) does the falang respect and defer to the sovereignty of the King. Of course, some verifiable form of proof would be required or all the issues--ATM withdrawals or bank transfers, Thai test, family visas, falang retiree or investor visa history, and oath of deference to the King.

Second, automating the whole Foreign Resident status thing may be problematic considering the current state of the Thai bureacracy. Let me make that, 'the current state almost all bureacracies.' How many of our falang embassies require more than our old passport to issue a new one? Don't you have to fill out another form that states essentially the same information already on your passport? Ah, but I digress. Simply allow the Preferred Foreign Resident Status recipient to go to the nearest Thai Immigration Office (no having to go to the original place of issue) every so often (180 days?) to register and every year to pay some appropriate fee (B1900 or less).

What think you?

Come on guys, give it a break, 15 days, you can't get your whistle wet in that amount of time. Just a thought.

[c64]

Dear Swerver,

I appreciate your suggestion of a Long Term Residents status, but see two flaws in your approach.

First, why limit the special Foreign Resident status to simply time-served? Simply living here uninterrupted for ten years does not necessarly benefit Thailand, its economy, or its residents. Other inportant issues would better serve the Thai people and perhaps more closely reflect beneficial human additions to Thailand.

I would suggest a Preferred Foreign Resident status which requires, but is not limited to: 1) does the falang spend sufficient money (say B65,000/mo) in Thailand? 2) does the falang speak Thai and know something of Thai current events, history and culture; 3) does the falang's family (Thai or falang) live with them in Thailand; 4) has the falang spent suffcient time (perhaps 3-5 years) in Thailand without record of illegal or unethical actions; 5) is the falang a legitimate retiree or tax paying Thai business investor; and 6) does the falang respect and defer to the sovereignty of the King. Of course, some verifiable form of proof would be required or all the issues--ATM withdrawals or bank transfers, Thai test, family visas, falang retiree or investor visa history, and oath of deference to the King.

Second, automating the whole Foreign Resident status thing may be problematic considering the current state of the Thai bureacracy. Let me make that, 'the current state almost all bureacracies.' How many of our falang embassies require more than our old passport to issue a new one? Don't you have to fill out another form that states essentially the same information already on your passport? Ah, but I digress. Simply allow the Preferred Foreign Resident Status recipient to go to the nearest Thai Immigration Office (no having to go to the original place of issue) every so often (180 days?) to register and every year to pay some appropriate fee (B1900 or less).

What think you?

I think Thailand should be very glad that any foreigner wants to spend some time and money here.

Enough said. I've been traveling around the world for 11 years and have lived in LOS for the last two years.

I got 5-6 days left in this country and There must be some extremely grave reasons for me to ever come

back.