Stricter Requirements For Tourist Visa Applicants

[Phil Conners]

This doesn't have anything to do with a regular 30 day tourist visa, does it? I ask because in the past you got the visa when you went through passport control and showed the form you received from the airline to fill out before you landed.

What if you are staying with your TGF in her village (mine owns her own house) and are not staying in a hotel?

CB

This is a common misunderstanding. What you get when arriving at the airport without a visa is a 30 day visa-exempt entry permit.

But I agree, the new confirmed-hotel-reservation rule doesn't seem really thought through, many other places you could stay, with friends, in own condo, travelling around. The rule seem to suggest you should explain the situation in a letter, but I don't think it's particularly good for tourism to have the first contact with Thailand be obstacles like this.

[SabaiBKK]

How about owning a property in Thailand?

If you own a condo can you use the ownership paperwork for the visa?

Obviously if you own a property in Thailand you dont need a hotel booking?

if you own a property worth over 3 million baht you can get an investor visa for 1 full year

[Just1Voice]

How unwise to make it more cumbersome for people to apply for a tourist visa just as a global recession is about to take hold.

If you truly want families and quality tourists here, how about these long term measures:

- Police reform to battle corruption. Like in South Korea. If they could do it, so can you. It's 2011 now, time to get real.

- Clean up the prostitution from the major tourist spots. Most tourists in the family category tend not to be impressed by prostitution in their face, and the prostitution business is a magnet for undesirables, both Thais and foreigners.

- Educate Thai electricians properly so fewer tourists are electrocuted in the shower. Parents tend to be quite upset when their children die because of neglect and incompetence.

- Regulate and ENFORCE the use of pesticides and insecticides so you won't have to wring your hands after tourists "inexplicably" drop dead in hotels and from eating poisonous food. Research, educate and encourage organic growth practices, natural and least dangerous pest control measures. Make sure the knowledge gets all the way to the actual farmers by engaging the village networks.

- Arrest ALL beggars on sight, interrogate them about their conditions and mafia networks, gather enough evidence, appropriate the assets of the leaders of the trafficking rings, give harsh punishments (fines and jail time) to everyone else involved or benefitting, use the money/assets collected in fines to rehabilitate and educate the beggars where possible. Keep up these arrests until it simple becomes too much hassle to beg or to benefit from begging.

- Clean up the scamming in tourist areas. That includes jet ski scams, gem scams, card game scams, and all the others.

Nice fantasy, but that's all it is. Most of us would love to see this happen, but we'll never see it in our lifetime. Maybe when our grand kids have grand kids of their own.

[MJCM]

How about owning a property in Thailand?

If you own a condo can you use the ownership paperwork for the visa?

Obviously if you own a property in Thailand you dont need a hotel booking?

if you own a property worth over 3 million baht you can get an investor visa for 1 full year

Has been raised to 10 Million

[BuffaloRescue]

To be honest I cant see them checking flights. When you book online you just get an email confirming your booking. You could send them an email with any dates they would accept it

[Lite Beer]

How about owning a property in Thailand?

If you own a condo can you use the ownership paperwork for the visa?

Obviously if you own a property in Thailand you dont need a hotel booking?

if you own a property worth over 3 million baht you can get an investor visa for 1 full year

Nope. 10 million baht.

[cowslip]

"Hotel reservation in Thailand with name and dates of checking in/out"

- "Airline ticket or confirmation slip with flight number and date of entry/exit"

both these are pretty impractical - especially the hotel reservation - many people go to Thailand in order to tour around and where and when they stay is dictated by what happens after their arrival.

It seems that this "pronouncement" like so many has been made without any considerations as to their practicality.

one has to wonder what the official thought he/she was truing to achieve by these measures - apart from making a fool of themselves.

[Richard4849]

Thai Embassies and Consulates abroad to be stricter with requirements when applicants are applying for Tourist visas for Thailand.

Does this apply to "Visa Exempt" entry also?

What happens if the tourists are staying with friends?

Or if you are married to a Thai citizen and will be staying at their/your residence.

Too me this sounds like another way to kill tourism.

They shoot themselves in the foot at every opportunity that they get.

But you cannot really tell the truth on TV becaue it might offend someone.

If tourism numbers are down by a single person next year, I'll eat my hat.

More of the expected bleating. This forum is really too predictable.

[Hanuman2547]

Or if you are married to a Thai citizen and will be staying at their/your residence.

Wouldn't you be getting a Non O in that case?

I have usually only stayed for 30 days or less at time. Before that I had a one year visa and work permit so I don't know anything about a "Non O" visa.

[drdoom6996]

Thai Embassies and Consulates abroad to be stricter with requirements when applicants are applying for Tourist visas for Thailand.

Does this apply to "Visa Exempt" entry also?

What happens if the tourists are staying with friends?

Or if you are married to a Thai citizen and will be staying at their/your residence.

Too me this sounds like another way to kill tourism.

That's the idea. Thailand is for Thais. Welcome back Taksin Government

[falang07]

How about owning a property in Thailand?

If you own a condo can you use the ownership paperwork for the visa?

Obviously if you own a property in Thailand you dont need a hotel booking?

if you own a property worth over 3 million baht you can get an investor visa for 1 full year

Are you sure? I think this was abandoned some time ago...

[Larry]

See all those wealthy Europeans in the islands? See all those nice families from Scandinavia? See all those honeymooners in Phuket and Ko Samui?

Well guess what! A good many of them (if not most) came here as backpack tourists, or at the recommendation of their kids who had been here as backpack tourists.

Don't cut off the branch you're sitting on, unless you're on the right side of the cut.

[SabaiBKK]

How about owning a property in Thailand?

If you own a condo can you use the ownership paperwork for the visa?

Obviously if you own a property in Thailand you dont need a hotel booking?

if you own a property worth over 3 million baht you can get an investor visa for 1 full year

Has been raised to 10 Million

if your property has been bought before the raise its still valid as the law was not retroactive ....... i have a couple friends on investors visas with properties not over 4 million baht worth

[ThaiSold]

I doubt very much anything has actually changed, looks like the same requirements as before. Thai visa confirmed it yeah? details please.<br><br>BTW visa exempt don't need anything new which 95% of peopel opening this page probabaly care about.<br><br><br>

[ikis]

yep, the backpackers and other budget travellers will choose another destination.

maybe it would be easier for thailand and everybody if they just make up a rule that you need to have at least 1 million dollars in your bank account and prove it, to get a 90 day visa.

no need for flight tickets or hotel reservations etc etc.

and thais wouldn't have to be afraid of about not wealthy enough tourists/expats invading their country.

[MJCM]

............

On the plus side, you can now obtain a 90 visa, with no limits. Meaning you can get as many 90 visas you want. You wont have to be out of the country for 6 months before the next visa. I guess they just want you to get a regular visa.

................

Please correct me if I'm wrong!!!

Where did you get that info from that you can get as many 90 (day) Visa's you want ??

Edited August 26, 2011 by MJCM

[tragickingdom]

In practice this only apply for certain people which the government rather do not like to see. The explanation letter is the key here. No hotel reservation, okay, so you state in one line, I stay with frineds or I want to discover the country and do not know where I will stay. No ticket can easily be explained too. We all know new government new rules, and rules are meant to be broken. Within a few weeks no embassy employee gives a shit about the rules anymore.I bet they apply though for those people getting a visa in one of the countries around Thailand where you get a funny sticker instead of a stamp. It is a way to keep the fake teachers out.

[vietnamvisa]

Thank you Information

[connda]

How unwise to make it more cumbersome for people to apply for a tourist visa just as a global recession is about to take hold.

If you truly want families and quality tourists here, how about these long term measures:

- Police reform to battle corruption. Like in South Korea. If they could do it, so can you. It's 2011 now, time to get real.

- Clean up the prostitution from the major tourist spots. Most tourists in the family category tend not to be impressed by prostitution in their face, and the prostitution business is a magnet for undesirables, both Thais and foreigners.

- Educate Thai electricians properly so fewer tourists are electrocuted in the shower. Parents tend to be quite upset when their children die because of neglect and incompetence.

- Regulate and ENFORCE the use of pesticides and insecticides so you won't have to wring your hands after tourists "inexplicably" drop dead in hotels and from eating poisonous food. Research, educate and encourage organic growth practices, natural and least dangerous pest control measures. Make sure the knowledge gets all the way to the actual farmers by engaging the village networks.

- Arrest ALL beggars on sight, interrogate them about their conditions and mafia networks, gather enough evidence, appropriate the assets of the leaders of the trafficking rings, give harsh punishments (fines and jail time) to everyone else involved or benefitting, use the money/assets collected in fines to rehabilitate and educate the beggars where possible. Keep up these arrests until it simple becomes too much hassle to beg or to benefit from begging.

- Clean up the scamming in tourist areas. That includes jet ski scams, gem scams, card game scams, and all the others.

- Get rid of the "dual pricing" model and stop gouging tourists.

[cmcompdoctor]

Visas in Thailand are still way easier than in any eastern country but we still complain......

I can understand that they want to get rid of people living in Thailand with tourist visas, if you plan to stay here make it right.

If you stay with friends or family its easy to ask them to make a letter for you and send it to you vie email before you leave your country.

[SabaiBKK]

this is quite impractical , my parents always get a 60 days visa when they come visit me and my brother they stay at my home , my bro home , move to hua hin, phuket, pattaya, chiang mai etc.... they never stay at the same spot and do not know what hotel they will book 2 days before moving ...... thats pretty stupid and poorly thought out as usual with Thai policy makers ..... my uncle and my aunt are even in a worse situation as they usually have open tickets or start in thailand at my home , my bro home or my uncle home in CNX then go to veitnam , come back , move to laos come back, move to burma , come back and then go back either from BKK or from hongkong or singapore ....... how will they get their triple entry touris visas next time?

[Sateev]

The interesting question is what's behind this?

Last time a certain family came to power, it started with the "Thai Love Thai" party, and followed with Purachai and his antics, and a no-so-gradual tightening of visa requirements and enforcement, including the 90-in-any-180 day rule, etc.

Looks like deja-vu all over again.

The astounding thing is how poorly thought-out this rule is. In dozens of trips from the US to Thailand, over 30 years, I can't remember more than one or two instances where I checked into and out of the same hotel at the beginning and end of my trip, nor ever making reservations for any but the first hotel I checked into. Before I moved here, I would check into a hotel for a couple days, decompress, and then head off for parts unknown (with a substantial budget, mind you - I am no backpacker). This new rule would make that impossible (if followed), or encourage cheating (if not).

So, as another poster suggested, it either signals an enmity toward backpackers, and collaterally, guys like me, or is just a knee-jerk reaction to the prevailing political wind.

Either way, it's just plain getting old.

[Gers1873]

Obviously another well thought out idea.

Logic, like whisky, loses its beneficial effect when taken in too large quantities.

[shadiadi]

@digicat no for doing your own electrical work you will be deported for working without a work permit lol

[Crushdepth]

Another effective tourism promotion strategy by the Thai government.

[ToffeEFCpower]

Note: The article only refers to changes associated with 60 day visas, Bo mention of the standard 30 day entry permit on airport arrival

[gamini]

The new regulations are quite fair and are the same as a Thai applying for a visa to visit a European country. It says that if you can't supply a hotel booking

all you need to do is have a covering letter saying you will be staying with friends. I can't see what all the fuss is about. Such remarks as "killing tourism" are pathetic.

Tourists are coming here in increasing numbers.

[shadiadi]

Tourist come here to relax not to be hassled

where are you going? On what day? Why are you going? Who are you going to be with? What are you going to be doing?

Wow might as well go to North Korea for a holiday

[ToffeEFCpower]

How about owning a property in Thailand?

If you own a condo can you use the ownership paperwork for the visa?

Obviously if you own a property in Thailand you dont need a hotel booking?

if you own a property worth over 3 million baht you can get an investor visa for 1 full year

Has been raised to 10 Million

if your property has been bought before the raise its still valid as the law was not retroactive ....... i have a couple friends on investors visas with properties not over 4 million baht worth

[ToffeEFCpower]

What about if your property is in a company name?