Thailand And Cambodia To Sign Visa Agreement

[Jai Dee]

THAI-CAMBODIA TO SIGN COOPERATION FRAMEWORK ON THE SINGLE VISA IN 2ND ACMECS SUMMIT

Thailand and Cambodia will sign a memorandum of understanding for establishing one visa among ACMECs member countries during the 2nd Ayeyawady - Chao Phraya - Mekong Economic Cooperation Strategy (ACMECS) Summit. The countries are Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, and Viet Nam. The meeting will be held in Bangkok from November 1st to 3rd, 2005.

The Director-General of the Department of Foreign Trade under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Miss VIMOL KIDCHOB (วิมล คิดชอบ) revealed that the Thai and Cambodian Foreign Affair Ministers will be the delegates between the two countries in signing this single visa agreement at the Government House. She said, initially, this cooperation was between two nations. However, Thailand believes that this project will be able to extend to five ACMECs member countries, to help generate more revenues from the tourism industry.

The 2nd ACMECS Summit will also review the work progresses in various projects and activities. The topics to be discussed in the meeting will include the establishment of business association, the exemption of tax for 10 agricultural products, the transportation linkages, the support of single visa, and the establishment of industrial estates in the border areas.

Source: thaisnews.com ประจำวันจันทร์ที่ 31 ตุลาคม 2548

[Thetyim]

Can you just clarify that for me please.

Does it mean that I will be able to visit Cambo, Laos, Burma and VN with no visa

I am an a retirment visa

[Jai Dee]

Can you just clarify that for me please.

Does it mean that I will be able to visit Cambo, Laos, Burma and VN with no visa

I am an a retirment visa

That's how I understood it Thetyim... I heard it again on the radio this morning, and the reporter was saying that the issue discussed at ACMECS would enable a person who held such a visa to travel freely between all 5 countries.

If I receive more news today I'll post it.

[Khutan]

It will be interesting what this does to the "Visa Runners" from both countries.

[Maejo Man]

It will be interesting what this does to the "Visa Runners" from both countries.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Nothing really If you hold a Non Imm A/O/B you are still required to leave the kingdom every 90 days, however, in light of the above, you will probably not have to pay for a visa to enter these countries??

Let's wait and see what happens

Edited November 1, 2005 by Maejo Man

[ovenman]

Sounds like this proposal is actually inching ever-closer but I am still of the opinion that it's not likely to occur, at the very least not for all five countries involved or as simple a manner as they are making it sound. What I can picture happening is the group adding some special five-country tourist visa that must be obtained in advance, abroad. All other (current) visa categories would continue to function in their present manner so as to not disrupt the entire visa system for every country involved. Case-in-point: I have a non-immigrant 'B' visa for Thailand. Does this suddenly function as a business visa for Myanmar?

Using westerners as an example: these folks basically don't require a visa to visit Thailand now, but they do require a visa to visit the other four countries in question. What would happen under this new plan? I can't picture the Thai authorities, ever eager to increase the number of tourist arrivals in the kingdom, suddenly requiring all potential visitors to obtain this five-country visa. Equally, I have a hard time picturing say, the Vietnamese or Lao authorities proclaiming that if you don't need a visa to visit Thailand, that's good enough for us!

[phuketdon]

it is hard to imagine that less well off countries like Vietnam, Laos...would want to lose that revenue, as a one time shot to Vietnam was close to $60 US, as mentioned above, that money could go to build out their infrastructure to compete against countries like Thailand. I live in Los Angeles, and have 3 places in Phuket, my fiance family owns sevaral building in Saigon, and the competitive advantage that Thailand currently has they need to keep to fend off the Evil Empire in China, as well as India. They both are crushing those other smaller countries that lack that infrastructure. It would be nice, guess we will have to wait and see.

[huski]

Using westerners as an example: these folks basically don't require a visa to visit Thailand now, but they do require a visa to visit the other four countries in question. What would happen under this new plan?

i don't think a 30 day entry without a visa will change.

sounds like getting a tourist visa from a consulate/embassy will first include thailand and cambodia then eventually more countries, i can't imagine all the countries involved agreeing on everything right away.

holders of a thai non-immigrant visa or extension should be able to enter once this is worked out, unless this is so geared towards tourism, then we will need to get a cambodian tourist visa (and the thai visa is not in effect when re-entering).

will need to see if this is worked out, has been talked about for quite a while now.

[Patex]

Imho,

this visa- matter only affect the involved countries an their citizens

Regards, Patex

[Thetyim]

I think Ovenman might be right.

I was only thinking about a holiday but having thought further , I cannot see my one year retirement extension being valid elsewhere or I could go and live in Laos for a year.

[ovenman]

Imho,

this visa- matter only affect the involved countries an their citizens 

I doubt it. Citizens of ASEAN countries can currently travel to other member-states and receive a thirty-day visa free entry (although there may be an exception or two to this policy).

[george]

One tourist visa for Thailand, Cambodia

BANGKOK: -- Come next April, foreign visitors will be able to visit both Thailand and Cambodia on a single visa, said Vimon Kidchob, director general of the Department of International Economic Affairs.

During this week’s three-day Acmecs summit (Ayawaddy-Chao Phya-Mekong Economic Cooperation Strategy, which involves Thailand, Burma, Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam) held in Bangkok, Thai and Cambodian officials will sign a memorandum of understanding on a single tourist visa valid for both countries, Vimon explained.

The visa, which comes as part of regional cooperation aimed at boosting tourism in the region, is expected to be in effect within six months, Vimon said. She added that details of visa fees and the synchronisation of the two countries’ independent databases of blacklisted foreigners had yet to be worked out.

--The Nation 2005-11-02

[Jai Dee]

BANGKOK: -- Come next April, foreign visitors will be able to visit both Thailand and Cambodia on a single visa...

It sounds like this is going to be targetted at tourists only.

[ovenman]

BANGKOK: -- Come next April, foreign visitors will be able to visit both Thailand and Cambodia on a single visa, said Vimon Kidchob, director general of the Department of International Economic Affairs.

Once again, since I can already visit Thailand without any visa, what does this actually mean in terms of visiting Cambodia?

She added that details of visa fees and the synchronisation of the two countries’ independent databases of blacklisted foreigners had yet to be worked out.

As they say, the devil is in the details. These are the sort of issues that I expect will bring this process to a grinding halt.