Thai Foreign Ministry asked to rethink free visa fee decision

[Evolare]

Or how do we get the last buck out of these tourists ...... They can also start to think about an exit fee !!!

Exit fees they dont have the airport fees anymore? .the 500baht in tax i cant remeber paying it the last times i fly out but maybe its integrated in the airfare...now a days

[Maksim]

A very good decision. Too many Europeans, Americans, Australians and others nationalities - come to Thailand, and stay here illegals, after visa expire. If Thais go without a visa (30 days free) in any country in the world - they do not stay there, they do not need other countries, they have Thailand. A farang - go to Thailand huge amounts, thousands, I sometimes get the feeling that in America and in Europe - have nothing to eat, so many of them stay and work here illegally.

[steve C]

thailand looks to be heading the same way as australia, they banned alchole on trains, in australia if you serve alchole with out a liscence god help you.

the thai govt will prolly crack down on helmets seat belts soon, and cry about all the dead babies to soften you up for the fines

"alchole" what is alchole. Actually your whole comment is ridiculous, and I'm "prolly" right to say that, ay mate

[Evolare]

Besides maybe they should adapt the eye for an eye on recidency permits also as the wifey easily got recidency snd now nationality for my country but im not getting it easily from thailand...so if they want it reprisal give me recidency got damnit.

[witchhunter]

A fair decision. I fully support it. When my wife applied for a German visa, the application has been rejected. Why? They do not like to see attractive young Thai girls in Germany even if they are officially married! Only after I told my chief - i will not return to Germany without my wife and he specially asked local authorities in Munich to contact the embassy in Bangkok, the visa one month duration has been issued. In total, it took longer than 3 months to get it. I do not complain, to stay in Bangkok together was probably the happiest time in my life. In Germany we got a new visa one year duration and payed for it. After being in Germany for about 8 months, my wife returned to Thailand for about 3 months for some family business and came back to Germany before the visa expired. As a result, her German visa has not been extended! Because the authorities do not like she was not full time in Germany. At least, we have been told such BS. Recently, I have relocated to Thailand and wish to reside here as we cannot live together in Germany. Please, charge every German visiting Thailand 4000 Thai Baht at once! I am not a German citizen :-)

[Morakot]

... careful about this decision as many tourists could decide to go in other places .....

I applaud the Thai government's decision to eliminate free 30 days on arrival...

A very good decision...

A fair decision. I fully support it...

Not really a decision, more like a pointless request be a guy who is acting above his station.

Edited December 19, 2013 by Morakot

[lorbhaim]

I strongly support this action.

Most of those countries are making it extrimly difficult or immpossible for Thai nationals to get a visiting visa.

From Israel, my Thai gf didnt got any visa yet, though I offered a substantial amount for guarantee.

[belg]

hahaha

this is funny

so should we start laws with :

- thai people cannot own land in our home countries

- cannot work if not employing 4 staff from that country

- need to have in savings 100x more the average local earns per month ?

- some jobs only for locals

[deepcell]

Make sense, if your country charge my people why I would not charge your people?

[durianfan]

Fair enough ! Reciprocity is good, and long overdue . BUT than do make it fair >> land ownership , 10 year ID cards for foreigners ! Clear path to citizenship within reasonable period of time ! Do away with re-entry permits . My passport is polluted with Thai stamps, no other civilized country in the world treats it's resident "aliens" this way !

Exactly. My Thai wife has a visa for the US - it's good for 10 years! She's used it three times with no hassle. I wouldn't mind paying a few thousand baht for that privilege. Thais can also own land and businesses in America....can't say the same thing about foreigners in Thailand. Does the OP even know what the word 'reciprocity' means?

[razer]

Being from the States, Thais have to go through hell to get a visa or even try to get a visa, so I have mixed emotions on this issue.

I'm Australian, and they are the same.

My Thai girlfriend (partner) had a friendly and fast interview at the US Embassy and got a 10 year multiple entry tourist visa. The only hassle was the on-line application. 10 years!!!!

[HeavyDrinker]

I do hope this prompts the UK to reconsider the need for Thais to have visas to enter the UK.

Purely selfish, getting one for my lady is pain!

I don't see this happening, visas put off tourists.

Why would they do that just to facilitate your wife's entry to a land where she gets full citizen rights as soon as she steps off the plane?

[mancub]

I'd wager that a substantial amount of the visa fees incurred by Thais visiting the West are actually paid by Western sponsors anyway.

[Maestro]

BANGKOK: -- The Immigration Bureau will ask the Foreign Ministry to reconsider the decision to exempt visa fees for tourists and travelers from 17 countries.

The 17 countries are Australia, England, the United States, Germany, France, Sweden, Canada, the Netherlands, Italy, Switzerland, Denmark, Finland,Norway, Israel, United Arab Emitrates, Spain and New Zealand.

I know that nationals of Norway and perhaps also one or two other countries are exempt from paying a fee for visas to travel to Thailand, but definitely not from all 17 countries listed.

[thenewgoo]

Sounds to like sour grapes - some high ranking government guy was surprised when his visa to Disneyland was rejected. Roll on decision! I'm sure Myanmar will be delighted to see a 3,000 baht visa for a 10 holiday in a (former) tropical paradise.

[wileycoyote]

Yet another incentive -NOT to come to Thailand

[kelboy]

England isn't a country! The UK is.

but for how long???

YES IT IS

and we will stand alone.

As the rest will be like thailand,going down the pan.

[tuyatim]

The difference is that the foreign countries system is clearly documented and transparent to a large extent to the majority of applicants. The Thai system is littered with hoops and stumbling blocks and generally dependant on the mood and whim of immigration officer or official you deal with each time.

How wrong you are about other countries' systems. My family has lots of overseas visitors to the UK and many times we've had problems that have been caused by the whims and laziness of UK Entry Clearance Officers. Many times we've had friends or family apply for UK visas only to have them rejected. Each time we've lodged objections and each time they've eventually agreed to provide visas. We even had to take them to court once and the magistrate gave them a good bo***cking for wasting everyone's time. And that's been the major problem; so much time wasted and, in some cases, quite a bit of money. So please don't think it's a fairer system getting visas for the UK than for Thailand. If it's that hard for our friends and family to get UK visas I dread to think what it's like for visitors who don't have contacts in the UK!

But as a regular visitor to Thailand, I don't want to have to face all the inevitable hassle of applying for visas. The expense is just another cost that has to be borne, albeit a relatively small percentage of the total holiday cost. Filling out the inevitable paperwork and supplying all the bits that will be needed with it, then waiting hopefully for a visa is far worse.

[renaissanc]

There are too many old men in leadership positions in Thailand. They need to be replaced by young, intelligent women. This man needs a woman to slap him to his senses. His idea is so stupid that he should feel embarrassed, apologize for even thinking what he has proposed, and then move himself to an inactive post.

[Maestro]

I wonder how much the Minister of Foreign Affairs likes to read in the newspaper what the immigration commissioner plans to ask his ministry. I also wonder how much the Minister of the Interior likes the fact that one of his underlings is announcing publicly that he will bypass him by addressing a request directly to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

[punisher]

dao16

You really must do better !

Please tell us the countries that have major problems with Thais "overstaying "

Almost all of western european countries,about 15 yrs ago it was super easy to get a visa for Germany for example,but after a lot of thais overstayed or disappeared........................,and again have a look to Japan right now,they just changed the visa rules for thais,but now they talk already to change it back,because

a lot of Thais overstay or disappear,and that only after 3- 4months

[Lupatria]

I wish they would treat all Thai citizen in my home country the same way they treat "farrangs" in their so called LOS!

No more free language courses, wellfare, child support, free TV, telephone rent etc.

[jsflynn603]

But...but....we (America)...NEED those fees to support NSA!

Don't they understand. NSA's work is important.

NSA must oversee everything, everyone, in every way, and everywhere.... In Thailand where assuredly many radicals are, even now, planning acts of ter(xxxx) (I don't want to spell it out lest the "eye" turn upon me) just waiting till they have enough baht to buy a ticket.

Without fees of Thai tourists NSA's oh, so important work might fail.

Surerly, the see this....

[Basil B]

Probably shooting ones self in the foot, try charging 4000B (may/may not get, but no refund) for a visa

Brits spend a hell of a lot of money in Thailand, but many will not cough up £80 for a visa, they will go elsewhere.

Though it is a good point raised by Thailand concerning the punitive pricing by the UK, but then there are other issues if we are talking reciprocal rites like land ownership, the rights to live and work in Thailand, and even get Thai nationality if one is married to a Thai, etc.

[Angeledge777]

The difference with my country and them is that people who can travel from my country aren't criminals while people from Thailand are mostly corrupted people or more attracted to crimes than others. That's why we need to check any Thai national who wants to come in.

Let's be honnest, Thailand need even more our money than we need them in our country. If they want to charge us fees, fine. I'll go to the Carribeans instead of Thailand next time, what will make them waste around a houndred of thousand baht per year.

[Maestro]

There is an inter-ministerial commission, based on section 6 of the Immigration Act, composed as shown below, but the minutes of this commission's meetings are not made public and it is highly unusual for a member of this commission to announce publicly what proposals he will make at a future meeting.

Section 6 : The immigration Commission will consist of the Under Secretary of
the Minister of Interior as Chairman and the following members :
- Under Secretary of Ministry of Foreign Affairs
- Director general , Police Department
- Director General , labor Department
- Director General , public Prosecution Department
- Secretary General , Board of Investment Committee
- Secretary General , National Security Council
- Director , Tourist Organization of Thailand
- Commander of Immigration Division as member and secretary

Immigration Act EN.pdf

[Morakot]

I wonder how much the Minister of Foreign Affairs likes to read in the newspaper what the immigration commissioner plans to ask his ministry. I also wonder how much the Minister of the Interior likes the fact that one of his underlings is announcing publicly that he will bypass him by addressing a request directly to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

I'd imagine his "diplomatic" request will be filed in the bin labelled We'll-look-into-this. But to be honest it's more likely that this half-baked idea was blocked internally, considering the fact that he went public.

Edited December 19, 2013 by Morakot

[nithisa78]

Breathtaking stupidity.

this isn't about you. it is about VISA fees.

A fee is the price one pays as remuneration for services. Fees usually allow for overhead, wages, costs, and markup.

This isn't the first time making the mistake of tuning into the cry baby, not grateful for anything chanel.

Thank you, Thailand. For a beautiful and Sainted bride. The constant kindness and hospitality you have extended for I have lost track of how many years. Tolerance for my inability to learn your language....etc. etc. etc.

[howerde]

Even if they indroduce a fee, i doubt it wiil stop many people going

[sunshine51]

Mixed feelings about this. Uk immigration is a nightmare for a lot foreigners - I was married to a Swede 30 years ago and we ended up leaving the UK for Sweden it was such a nightmare. It's the same story now with my Thai wife. Hoops to jump through loads of costs involved so I can understand why the Thai immigration feels this way - but then I think about the other stuff like owning land, boat, even being married and having to show fixed incomes from home so I can stay with my missus... sigh.. nothing is ever simple is it

Alwyn...the only thing "simple" was yesterday....keep calm...carry on.

Just tea in a storm cup...

Edited December 19, 2013 by sunshine51