Thailand May Change Visa Policy As Country Fears More Terror

[george]

THAILAND's 'OPEN-DOOR' VISA POLICY QUESTIONED

Thailand Fears More Terror – May Change Visa Policy

BANGKOK: -- After last week’s bombings in Bangkok and the arrest of a Lebanese-Swede last month the country of smiles are now considering their ‘open-door’ visa policy.

Thailand has annual revenue derived from tourism of $25 billion per year, and the country receives more than 12 million foreign tourists.

Tougher visa policy

The tourism industry makes for 6 percent of the Thai economy, but according to the Philstar, Thai officials are now considering a tougher visa policy, because of the incidents in the last months.

"We have to admit that there are threats all over the world, and our country is a weak link," said National Security Council chief Wichean Potephosree to the Philstar, without being to precise on how he sees the visa policy in the future.

The statement comes after authorities have found similarities between the bombs in Bangkok and India last week.

Visa on arrival for Middle East countries put on hold

Within days of the terror scare, the Thai Tourism Ministry put on hold a plan to allow visas on arrival to citizens of Middle Eastern countries, including Iran. Deputy Prime Minister Chalerm Yubumrung said he would order immigration authorities to "closely check people who enter the country, especially from countries that might have problems."

Since the bombings the security in all Thai airports, train stations and major streets has been strengthened.

Source 1: http://www.ajc.com/t...or-1355047.html

Source 2: http://www.scandasia...p?news_id=10186

-- 2012-02-20

[Mario2008]

Interesting, but as far as I'm aware of for Iranians for example there is already a strict control. They can only apply for a visa in their country of residence and it undergoes a check and is not issued the same day.

[Totster]

Interesting, but as far as I'm aware of for Iranians for example there is already a strict control. They can only apply for a visa in their country of residence and it undergoes a check and is not issued the same day.

It reads like there were plans to allow citizens of Middle East countries to apply for a VOA rather than a visa in their home country, this plan has now been put on hold after the recent trouble.

totster

Edited February 20, 2012 by Totster

[austhai]

What about the ones that don't come from the middle east. The Swedish/Lebanesse has a Swedish Passport.

They can come from anywhere. They are already living everywhere.

[bubba]

Looks like Jordan and Syria are on the visa on arrival list.

[Aasim]

This one percent or less than that makes life much more difficult for others ....

[austhai]

The problem still lies, as most terrorists already live all over the world with passports for those countries.

[RichinThailand]

My understanding is that prior to the latest events, Iran was one of the Visa on Arrival countries here in Thailand.

[eddie61]

I don't think that much will change with stricter visa regulations.

The issue is that you can get away with murder if you know the right people, and have the right amount of money to oil the wheels of the bureaucracy and police.

Those who talk loudest about this probably have direct experience of the workings of the "system".

[blows]

Probably just talk and will never happen.

[jpinx]

Too late --- the criminals are already here for a long time and will stay as long as they pay their tea money. Making life difficult with visa restrictions means that only the clever ones get in because they work out how to circumvent the new regulations. -- keep out the minnows - let in the sharks,,,

[xavierr]

To me the potential new Visa policies designed in order to deter terrorists amount to closing the stable door after the horse is stolen. Like the security controls at the airports, every measure taken is based on past experience. Therefore, the new Visa policies will end up making life harder for the innocent.

But the mind of the terrorist looks ahead, ever ferreting out loopholes in the existing system, no matter how tight the authorities think it is.

[OzMick]

While fiddling with visas, they might consider a couple of sensible suggestions:

1/ Make the term of you visa start from when you enter the country. Most people buy their visas well before departure and the clock starts ticking from date of purchase. If you buy a double entry Tourist one month before arrival, the second leg will expire before it can be used, or if you use it to visit a 2nd country, the same will happen.

2/ the date your visa expires should be marked as "Expiry Date" not "Use Before." The expressions do not mean the same thing.

[Jingthing]

It really is a shame that innocent civilians have to pay a price for this situation. Of course the vast majority of Iranian tourists are just tourists. Among these are many gay Iranians who face vicious persecution back in Iran and come to Thailand for a taste of freedom.

[Rainmon]

I don't know how immigration does their background checks, but I seriously doubt these criminals would have been allowed to enter the United States of for sure Israel. So maybe if the Thai government can work together with these countries and learn more about security that might help...

[Jingthing]

I don't know how immigration does their background checks, but I seriously doubt these criminals would have been allowed to enter the United States of for sure Israel. So maybe if the Thai government can work together with these countries and learn more about security that might help...

I can't really agree with you on that one. The U.S. immigration policies are really over the top and have suppressed tourism business that has been sorely needed in hard economic times, and otherwise would have been massive given the weak dollar. Perhaps somewhere in between the two extremes.

[animatic]

Any serious terrorist network can manage away around the visa requirements

and the delays will be just business as usual.

What is more important is the 'lose face by asking for help or cooperation with other countries' issue,

and the head in the sand stance of far too many pols.

[blows]

It really is a shame that innocent civilians have to pay a price for this situation. Of course the vast majority of Iranian tourists are just tourists. Among these are many gay Iranians who face vicious persecution back in Iran and come to Thailand for a taste of freedom.

I thought Iran executed gays? Or is it that they don't have any?

[in Iran we don't have homosexuals like in your country. We don't have that like in your country. ... In Iran we do not have this phenomenon. I don't know who's told you that we have this.]

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad

Edited February 20, 2012 by blows

[travelinasia]

Does anyone really think that terrorists will call it quits because it is difficult to get a visa? More than likely just another inconvenience that solves nothing .. much like the "no alcohol between 2-5" .. another exercise in futility ..

[belg]

well, what about EU countries that give very very easy a double nationality to those kind of people ? they seem DUTCH, FRENCH, BELGIAN op paper, but you just have to look at their name or had, to know these have more than one nationality

[Pib]

Deputy Prime Minister Chalerm Yubumrung said he would order immigration authorities to "closely check people who enter the country, especially from countries that might have problems."

What's the definition of a country that has problems? Thailand has plenty of problems so does this mean returning Thai citizens will be closely checked?

Just more talk; little to no real action will be taken.

[Jingthing]

It really is a shame that innocent civilians have to pay a price for this situation. Of course the vast majority of Iranian tourists are just tourists. Among these are many gay Iranians who face vicious persecution back in Iran and come to Thailand for a taste of freedom.

I thought Iran executed gays?

Under Iranian law, yes gays can be executed. There are no reliable sources for how many gays have been murdered by the Perzianist^TM regime just for being gay and/or caught in gay sex acts. Some human rights organizations suspect that many executions are labeled as something else for political reasons. (The regime understands that their policies on gays plays poorly in the international media.) In reality, what this means for Iranian gays is a lifetime in the deep closet, constant fear, and in some cases gay men without gender identity issues cutting off their genitals at government expense. Its a good deal for actual transgender people but a horror show for gay men. Iran is OK with men becoming women, but not OK with gay men. The last time I checked the two top countries in the world for sex change surgery are Thailand and Iran.

In Pattaya which has before recently gotten a lot of tourism from Iran, I have definitely noticed lots of gay Iranians among them. They can be open here in a way that is impossible in Iran.

Edited February 20, 2012 by Jingthing

[xavierr]

At any rate those who will suffer the immediate consequences of a tightened visa policy will be the average visitors.

[xavierr]

It is not only Iranian gays who come here, there are many Baha'is and minority Christians fleeing religious persecution, as well as those fleeing political persecution

[Jingthing]

It is not only Iranian gays who come here, there are many Baha'is and minority Christians fleeing religious persecution, as well as those fleeing political persecution

No doubt. And also pro regime people as well. In any case, MOSTLY tourists and the Iranian tourists and residents here are MOSTLY not threats.

I mention the gays because I estimate based on gaydar that the percentage of gay tourists among the Iranians to be at least 20 percent in a country where the president claims there are no gays. So I think it is a remarkable thing. (Its a matter of controversy, but I think the actual occurrence of gay male homosexuality in human populations is closer to 2 to 3 percent rather than the 10 percent that used to be promoted by gay activists.)

Edited February 20, 2012 by Jingthing

[Soutpeel]

Basically there is only one reason why men from the MIddle East come to Bangkok, and it isn't for the culture or shopping; yet, back in their own country, they will say "haram" "haram" (forbidden) to the drinking and night life that they find in the Nana night district.

Why are you singling out men from the middle east in this regard ?....the vast majority of men from the West dont come here for the culture or shopping either !!!

Woopsie forgot all the men from mud island, US, Aussie land etc all come her for the beaches and temples...

[antipodesant]

What about restricting visa's for all those soul brothers who come here for the sole purpose of crime?

I don't know if anyone has noticed but there seems to be more and more of them every month!

"for the sole purpose of crime" are you suggesting these people all wear a sign around their neck (s) advertising the fact 'I am visiting Bangkok (or Thailand) so I can set off all these little bombs that I procurred' Dream on.

And as for, Sama same. Thai bar girls have made Thai nationals needing a Visa to go to most counties. Including New Zealand (which used to be Visa Free until recently. Don't know what you mean by recently but visas were required 15 and 11 years ago respectively. OK you might say I don't know shyt but I took my wife (Thai) there, and we had to get a visa at the embassy in Bangkok both times.

[Rainmon]

If the Thai's can't figure out how to do better visa screening and continue to let these mad bombers into the country they will loose the regular tourists anyway, even with tighter visa controls that cause an inconvenience for everyone. I mean look what happen when the yellow shirts shut down the airport and the red shirts occupied central Bangkok. So it's a catch 22 situation. Who cares what the passport says, I would start doing profiling like Israel has been doing for years with their security, if they don't look right or act suspicious they don't get in until further checks are run. "Israel’s approach allows most travelers to pass through airport security with relative ease. But Israeli personnel do single out small numbers of passengers for extensive searches and screening, based on profiling methods that have so far been rejected in the United States, subjecting Arabs and, in some cases, other foreign nationals to an extensive screening that comes with a steep civil liberties price."

[Brian67]

This one percent or less than that makes life much more difficult for others ....

Ain't that the truth

[blazes]

What about restricting visa's for all those soul brothers who come here for the sole purpose of crime?

I don't know if anyone has noticed but there seems to be more and more of them every month!

Soul brothers? who they?