New Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Vietnam Combined Visa!

[craigt3365]

http://www.ttrweekly...ailand-gateway/

BANGKOK, 23 July 2012: Thailand tourism industry will face more pressure from a neighbouring countries, which are moving towards establishing a single visa that does not include Thailand as its gateway destination.

The CLMV scheme is an initiative of Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam. Described as a single visa, it is due to be officially launched this September at Ho Chi Minh City’s International Travel Expo.

The visa will allow foreign tourists to travel to any of the countries in the bloc using a single visa.

Thai Travel Agents Association president, Suthiphong Pheunphiphop, said on the sideline of the ASEAN Economic Community seminar late last week that Thailand tourism industry would be marginalised by the four ASEAN member countries as it would encourage visitors to use the Vietnam gateway to visit all four destinations ussng just one visa.

“The Thai’s government has to address this issue, as it has been slow to respond and Thailand is in danger of losing its prominence as a gateway to the Mekong region.”

[orchidlady]

I can't wait for this. This will save a lot of pages in my passport.

[WhizBang]

Association of Domestic Travel president, Yutthachai Soonthronrattanavate, said Thailand need to recognise the CLMV visa will strengthen competitiveness and we need to clean up our act and end corruption.

“Corruption was a big barrier to developing the tourism industry. Suvarnabhumi Airport was an example. It is riddled with troubles, especially traffic congestion and all because of poor management.”

Somehow I just do not see anyone in the government with the balls, or incentive, to tackle corruption now, or any time soon. Corruption, at all levels, IS killing Thailand.

Thailand's star is fading, yet no one seems to have the will to do anything about it. Oh well, no worries, Thailand will always have the sex industry to attract tourists.

[Genericnic]

I can't wait for this. This will save a lot of pages in my passport.

Agreed. I'll be early in line for this one.

David

[PattayaPhom]

I can't wait for this. This will save a lot of pages in my passport.

How long will the visa last for..is it 15 days, 30 days 90 days 1 year...Cambodia already offer an online visa, I expect you will still need to be stamped in and out so it really wont save that many pages unless you are a regular visitor to Vietnam.

[OriginalPoster]

Association of Domestic Travel president, Yutthachai Soonthronrattanavate, said Thailand need to recognise the CLMV visa will strengthen competitiveness and we need to clean up our act and end corruption.

“Corruption was a big barrier to developing the tourism industry. Suvarnabhumi Airport was an example. It is riddled with troubles, especially traffic congestion and all because of poor management.”

Somehow I just do not see anyone in the government with the balls, or incentive, to tackle corruption now, or any time soon. Corruption, at all levels, IS killing Thailand.

Thailand's star is fading, yet no one seems to have the will to do anything about it. Oh well, no worries, Thailand will always have the sex industry to attract tourists.

But are Thailand's visa requirements really restraining tourism? Thailand gives most nationalities 30 days with no visa if they arrive by air and that's not changing; the others in this new visa bloc were less accommodating. At most this new visa program will bring Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, and Vietnam to parity with Thailand in terms of ease of entering the country as a tourist. Those countries liberalizing their visa requirements won't make Thailand any less easy to visit.

[Trembly]

But Thailand would miss out on being the, er, hub (there! I said it!) or point of arrival if it doesn't participate. There are far more international flights to Thailand than there are to Viet Nam.

[OriginalPoster]

But Thailand would miss out on being the, er, hub (there! I said it!) or point of arrival if it doesn't participate. There are far more international flights to Thailand than there are to Viet Nam.

I still don't see why the Thailand would be missing out on anything. Arrive in Bangkok and you get 30 days in the county with no questions asked and no paperwork. And then you can still go to Cambodia/Laos/Myanmar/Vietnam if you want. Just don't see how this new visa would discourage people from landing in Bangkok. Thailand is already very lenient about visas for legitimate tourists, even with this new program they aren't behind their neighbors in that regard.

[Sateev]

Consider that until the relatively recent past, land border crossings into Thailand allowed 30 day visa exempt entries; now it's 15 days. Assuming tourists want to see more of SE Asia than only Thailand, they are constrained by this policy, needing to make plans around flying into Thailand or getting the bum's rush after two weeks.

While it remains to be seen what the terms of the new combined visa will be, you can bet it's a rifleshot aimed at Thailand's 'you need us more than we need you' tourism policies.

They don't see it coming, and probably won't get it until it's too late, but, as said before, Thailand's on the downhill slope, in a number of ways.

[PattayaParent]

Would be good for me if Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar would accept my visa exempt VN status so I wouldn't even need a visa

[OriginalPoster]

Consider that until the relatively recent past, land border crossings into Thailand allowed 30 day visa exempt entries; now it's 15 days. Assuming tourists want to see more of SE Asia than only Thailand, they are constrained by this policy, needing to make plans around flying into Thailand or getting the bum's rush after two weeks.

While it remains to be seen what the terms of the new combined visa will be, you can bet it's a rifleshot aimed at Thailand's 'you need us more than we need you' tourism policies.

They don't see it coming, and probably won't get it until it's too late, but, as said before, Thailand's on the downhill slope, in a number of ways.

I don't know the answer to this, but which generates more revenue for Thailand, tourists who arrive in the country by air or tourists who arrive by land? Only reason that I think that is might be the latter is that the ones that cross by land might tend stay for a longer period of time if they are willing to make periodic border runs. But I'm sure that the way that Thai authorities have it added up is that people arriving by air (to whom the grant 30 day visa-free stays rather than 15 day stays) are more affluent people and hence better business.

[Surin steve]

Heard it all before it never happens !!!!

[Sateev]

Consider that until the relatively recent past, land border crossings into Thailand allowed 30 day visa exempt entries; now it's 15 days. Assuming tourists want to see more of SE Asia than only Thailand, they are constrained by this policy, needing to make plans around flying into Thailand or getting the bum's rush after two weeks.

While it remains to be seen what the terms of the new combined visa will be, you can bet it's a rifleshot aimed at Thailand's 'you need us more than we need you' tourism policies.

They don't see it coming, and probably won't get it until it's too late, but, as said before, Thailand's on the downhill slope, in a number of ways.

I don't know the answer to this, but which generates more revenue for Thailand, tourists who arrive in the country by air or tourists who arrive by land? Only reason that I think that is might be the latter is that the ones that cross by land might tend stay for a longer period of time if they are willing to make periodic border runs. But I'm sure that the way that Thai authorities have it added up is that people arriving by air (to whom the grant 30 day visa-free stays rather than 15 day stays) are more affluent people and hence better business.

Arguably, most fly in at least once, making Thailand their base. And many I have known take side trips all over SEA, but return to Thailand before flying home, just because it is the logical 'hub', and they have a round-trip ticket. So, having a visa that freely allows them to travel between countries in the ASEAN community wouldn't impact Thailand that much.

I think it's more about Thailand's false exceptionalism - "We're above the rest". I also dispute the notion that the more affluent travelers account for 'better business'. It's the area under the curve that counts, and I submit that for every one that stays at the Oriental, Peninsula, or even the Landmark (which doesn't belong in the same sentence with the other two), there are several thousand who stay at mid-to-low-range hotels, and whose 30 baht fried rice plates, in aggregate, account for more business than the guys eating filet mignon (and claiming to love Thailand for its food) all told.

For all of TATs talk about attracting more affluent visitors, I think they would collectively sh*t themselves if the lower-end travelers suddenly found, say Laos, a better alternative. Not likely now, but in the future, who knows?

[wabear]

I suspect what will save Thailand from itself is how quickly Laos and Cambodia will over develop and become corrupt. I was in Cambodia last year for the first time and enjoyed the trip but Siem Riep is getting full of very nice hotels so it's getting expensive, and PP apparently has a very large casino now (owned by Thai of course). I"ve not been to VN for several years but I hear the development there has been amazing.

I've been traveling to Thailand for my holidays for 25 years and it's not the same place I first fell in love with. Now is the time to visit VN, Laos, Burma, and Cambodia. 10 years from now I suspect they will be worse.

What I don't understand why the Thai government makes it harder for long stays or retirement there. Yes I know they want rich people to come in on their holidays and spend lots of money before they leave, but have they ever looked at the benefits to their economy for the long stay and expat community?

[asdecas]

Association of Domestic Travel president, Yutthachai Soonthronrattanavate, said Thailand need to recognise the CLMV visa will strengthen competitiveness and we need to clean up our act and end corruption.

“Corruption was a big barrier to developing the tourism industry. Suvarnabhumi Airport was an example. It is riddled with troubles, especially traffic congestion and all because of poor management.”

Somehow I just do not see anyone in the government with the balls, or incentive, to tackle corruption now, or any time soon. Corruption, at all levels, IS killing Thailand.

Thailand's star is fading, yet no one seems to have the will to do anything about it. Oh well, no worries, Thailand will always have the sex industry to attract tourists.

But are Thailand's visa requirements really restraining tourism? Thailand gives most nationalities 30 days with no visa if they arrive by air and that's not changing; the others in this new visa bloc were less accommodating. At most this new visa program will bring Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, and Vietnam to parity with Thailand in terms of ease of entering the country as a tourist. Those countries liberalizing their visa requirements won't make Thailand any less easy to visit.

Absolutely not - everyone forgets the elephant in the room - China - inward tourism from China will grow exponentially in the coming decades, to the extent that it will push other countries down the ranking. Chinese tourists will, on the whole and for the foreseeable future, be mostly group tourists, from the Thai point of view easy to deal with - and they go home on time!

[Sateev]

I suspect what will save Thailand from itself is how quickly Laos and Cambodia will over develop and become corrupt. I was in Cambodia last year for the first time and enjoyed the trip but Siem Riep is getting full of very nice hotels so it's getting expensive, and PP apparently has a very large casino now (owned by Thai of course). I"ve not been to VN for several years but I hear the development there has been amazing.

I've been traveling to Thailand for my holidays for 25 years and it's not the same place I first fell in love with. Now is the time to visit VN, Laos, Burma, and Cambodia. 10 years from now I suspect they will be worse.

What I don't understand why the Thai government makes it harder for long stays or retirement there. Yes I know they want rich people to come in on their holidays and spend lots of money before they leave, but have they ever looked at the benefits to their economy for the long stay and expat community?

You may be right about Laos, but Cambodia's corruption already far exceeds that of Thailand, and is at a lower (street) level, as well as high up. The 'high up' in Cambodia isn't really very high, at least in comparison to Thailand, where MOST of the real corruption takes place. The average expat won't even be aware of it, unlike in Cambodia, where it's in your face.

As for the government making it harder for retirees and long-stayers - don't let the TV members hear you say that. They'll tell you that it's a piece of cake - as long as you are rich...

In fact, however, there is good reason for Thais to resist the farang influence that would come with assimilation. They want Thailand to remain Thai. They don't want to play in the big world, but rather keep to a zero-sum game in their own small sandbox. And I don't really disagree with that. It's what makes Thailand unique, and fascinating. More and more, I begin to accept it. But it doesn't make it any easier to live here.

[phl]

In the mean time Thailand has been busy introducing "draconian" laws against tourists.

Seems neighbors putting their heads together to attract foreigners while Thailand goes in the opposite direction .

Being a business owner in thailand hate to even think of what's to come

[tig28]

In the mean time Thailand has been busy introducing "draconian" laws against tourists.

Seems neighbors putting their heads together to attract foreigners while Thailand goes in the opposite direction .

Being a business owner in thailand hate to even think of what's to come

Hi phl

What are some of these "draconian" laws against tourists?

[phl]

In the mean time Thailand has been busy introducing "draconian" laws against tourists.

Seems neighbors putting their heads together to attract foreigners while Thailand goes in the opposite direction .

Being a business owner in thailand hate to even think of what's to come

Hi phl

What are some of these "draconian" laws against tourists?

Property laws, visa rules etc

[tig28]

In the mean time Thailand has been busy introducing "draconian" laws against tourists.

Seems neighbors putting their heads together to attract foreigners while Thailand goes in the opposite direction .

Being a business owner in thailand hate to even think of what's to come

Hi phl

What are some of these "draconian" laws against tourists?

Property laws, visa rules etc

Hi phl

Thailands property laws have zero impact on tourists -- no?

The tourist visa requirements of Thailand are very liberal compared to almost any country in the world.

[phl]

In the mean time Thailand has been busy introducing "draconian" laws against tourists.

Seems neighbors putting their heads together to attract foreigners while Thailand goes in the opposite direction .

Being a business owner in thailand hate to even think of what's to come

Hi phl

What are some of these "draconian" laws against tourists?

Property laws, visa rules etc

Hi phl

Thailands property laws have zero impact on tourists -- no?

The tourist visa requirements of Thailand are very liberal compared to almost any country in the world.

Yes and no. the positive policy's towards tourists always spreads down the line to other aspects.

Just like when they changed the visa runs, they changed other requirements, like ripple effect.

It is about the general attitude in my opinion

[PoodMaiDai]

Cambodia is going to offer (bought) citizenship for foreigners here soon. I heard it is not going to be cheap, but is pretty straight forward.

The surrounding nations really seem to be trying new things while Thailand is stuck in the mud.

[Asiantravel]

Cambodia is going to offer (bought) citizenship for foreigners here soon. I heard it is not going to be cheap, but is pretty straight forward.

The surrounding nations really seem to be trying new things while Thailand is stuck in the mud.

Even Vietnam has changed beyond all recognition despite being a communist government.

In the late 90s getting a visa for Vietnam used to be an involved process but today there are very many casual travelers staying in Vietnam indefinitely on renewable three monthly stamps and in some cases 12 monthly.

Thailand simply doesn't adapt to the times

[Trembly]

Would be good for me if Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar would accept my visa exempt VN status so I wouldn't even need a visa

You have a VN passport?