Thai Foreign Ministry asked to rethink free visa fee decision

[puukao]

This is crazy!!! $15 USD will now force me to cancel my trip to Pattaya. sorry girls.

riots = less tourists = less money = let's figure out how to make more money

This whole LOS thing seems like some good marketing to me.

Wait until they tax you for clean air and drinkable water.

thanks for playing.. i'm boycotting Red Bull!!!

[nidieunimaitre]

I honestly believe in Alle Menschen werden Bruder.

I sympathise with poor people from underdeveloped or dictatorial countries, who want to come to Europe for a better life.

Unfortunately, Europe is not big enough to give refuge too half the Asian and African populations.

Just an idea: maybe they can try to change things in their own countries, just like the Europeans did, many years ago.

Then all people can travel visa free to all countries.

inaccurate racist garbage

Please explain.

[Maksim]

Guys, and most importantly, let's be honest with ourselves) We here - nobody. We here - just clowns. Thailand don't need us. Thailand will live perfectly - without a single farang) And maybe he will live even better if there will be no farang, and no any tourist. Let's not forget that Thailand receives from tourism - only 4 (FOUR) percent of total annual income))) They allow us to live here, and we are must be grateful to them for that. That's all.

[ericthai]

"The immigration chief said further that charging visa fees would help screen visitors to Thailand, especially criminal elements and tricksters who may capitalize on the privilege to come to Thailand to seek refuge or to commit crimes."

Are you kidding me? All the 17 countries can get 30 days VOA now, why they think visa makes refugees and criminals want to come and commit crimes?

Easy answer, some people run from their home country to avoid jail time. They know an arrest warrant is going to be issued they run to Thailand, why because no visa needed just hop a on flight and your done. If a visa is needed then you need to plan and apply for a visa. If done correctly the consultants will be issued warnings on people wanted on warrants and then a visa is not issued, therefore preventing some criminals coming to Thailand to hide. Several people have been found in Thailand hiding from their home country. Myself I don't really care either way what they do. Maybe this would be a good thing and stop the criminal element from coming to Thailand.

[punisher]

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 :-)

If u r not German why the German embassy should give your wife a visa?Go to your embassy and obtain a visa for ur wife!!!!Your boss went to where?Just by the way if a Germans wants to his wife to stay in Germany with him,she needs to pass an easy language test,so again why German embassy should give your wife a visa?Maybe next time you get some information first before apply for a visa

[bangon04]

Yes, it is true, it is far more difficult for thais to enter europe, then it is for europeans to enter thailand.

Now, why would that be?

If 1000 europeans enter thailand with no hassles, 999 will return before their visas expire, 1 will stay on illegally for working / whoring / or whatever.

If 1000 thais enter europe with no hassles, how many will return before their visas expire?

Please Samran, answer that one.

It is surely not a complete coincidence that only 60+ countries allow Thai passport holders a visa waiver. It does in fact have a lot to do with the number/proportion of Thais who eventually abuse the terms of their visa/entry requirements. Thailand is not the only country where the elite few "suffer" because of the misdemeanours of the many. Look at the Philippines for an even worse example.

But are we talking about the price of the visa or the complexity? Surely the price of the visa reflects the complexity of the process, and the complexity of the process reflects the risks of abuse.?

Otherwise the simplistic argument which says Thailand should copy the fees charged by the other country without any regard to the costs - this fits Thai logic perfectly.

[punisher]

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.

They work in Thailand illegally because immigration makes it super difficult to obtain a work visa,and most jobs are also restricted for non thais.just by the way do u have number for me?how many farangs are working illegal here?you probabably mean foreigner from Laos,Cambodia and Myanmar

[AsiaCheese]

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.

Clearly documented, yes - transparent, dunno - complicated and degrading (process), definitely. And talk about whim: it looks to me like the day's mood is the deciding factor in handing out pre-printed "no can do" letters with three checkboxes: "person might not want to return to country of origin", "reason for planned visit not clear" and a third, similar whacky one (forget now).

What they're suggesting may be a bit off, from a practical point of view (one doesn't really want to scare tourists off, right), but at the bottom of it, they're quite correct in wanting equal terms... I guess this one's a bit tongue-in-cheek, but nonetheless a reminder that reciprocal agreements should be in place, and not a situation where only (genuine) Rolex buyers are welcome...

[ekkamai]

They already charge for tourist visas, but they don't charge when they give visa exemptions. If they want to get rid of visa exemptions then they will also need to employ more people to process the visas. It will cost them more money to process these visas than they want to charge for it.

I seriously doubt that. Say, 500 THB per visa. Do the maths. Lucrative business, and I guess that's the real motive....

[hotrod4098]

so when does this go ahead..3900 for a visa .30 days is a lot of cash...

[MK1]

I agree with the possibility of applying for a visa outside of the country to screen for criminals because we all know Thailand appears to be a big magnet for the unsavorily type.

However, Thailand is a long way from being similar to a developed country in terms of safety & security, trusted law & enforcement, politically stable, having recognized standards, fair wages and conditions, reasonable safe public transport and public works infrastructure just to name-a-few.

I presume most us can live with the fact that Thailand is not perfect around the edges with regard to what I have just outlined and we all generally accept the risks versus what we have to pay for, on face value, day to day. In other words; we presently get what we pay for. But if Thailand increases the cost of visas without providing additional certain assurances then most foreigners will perhaps re-consider what they're paying for, in favour over, choosing perhaps another destination.

Edited December 19, 2013 by MK1

[Frank33]

Many of us have completely misunderstood the contents of this article. The Immigration Bureau does not intend to abolish visa free entry for the nationals of 17 of the most affluent countries.

The misunderstanding is due to the misleading header “No more 30 days on arrival entries planned” added by thaivisa.com. The original headline says “Foreign Ministry asked to rethink free visa fee decision”.

My interpretation of the article is this:

The Foreign Ministry has decided to scrap the visa fees for these 17 countries. This decision would be entirely consistent with their policy to improve the rules for visa free entry by land (now 30 days instead of 15) for a number of affluent countries, which was implemented a few weeks ago.

The Immigration Bureau opposes the decision about scrapping the visa fees for the 17 countries listed above and wants it reversed.

[mancub]

Guys, and most importantly, let's be honest with ourselves) We here - nobody. We here - just clowns. Thailand don't need us. Thailand will live perfectly - without a single farang) And maybe he will live even better if there will be no farang, and no any tourist. Let's not forget that Thailand receives from tourism - only 4 (FOUR) percent of total annual income))) They allow us to live here, and we are must be grateful to them for that. That's all.

You may consider yourself a clown...in which case you'd be correct , Thailand doesn't need you ...as.it has sufficient numbers already ,notably in officialdom and in the political arena .

However ,If your post was ironic in intention.....accept my apologies !

[khaowong1]

well they should think and understand why those countries have visa fee ... as many Thais lost themselves in those countries to work illegally. Not to mention for the sake of the tourism industry Thailand decided to drop visa fee for many countries ... the reciprocity should be the same actually nothing wrong in this but careful about this decision as many tourists could decide to go in other places .....

I don't know the real number of illegal Thai workers in the US, but I know of 10 or 12 in Arizona personally. My guess is, many. Almost all, if not all, working in a Thai restaurant.

[Briggsy]

What free visas?

[Amras]

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.

Since when is it difficult? I've applied for 2 tourist visa's for my girlfriend with a little bit of paperwork and no issues at all.

Migrating is a different story, but always has to be. I wouldn't put Australia in the 'difficult' tourist visa basket. A small amount of work, yeh, but not painful.

[Maestro]

Removed an off-topic post with false information and the reply to it.

[Frank33]

What free visas?

The ones that may be issued following a decision of the Thai Foreign Ministry

[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.

...

My interpretation of the article is this:

The Foreign Ministry has decided to scrap the visa fees for these 17 countries....The Immigration Bureau opposes the decision about scrapping the visa fees for the 17 countries listed above and wants it reversed.

By golly, Frank, you might be right. Perhaps the TAT put pressure on the MFA, to reach tourist targets, and instead of waiving the fee for all countries like last time the MFA wants to do it only for the 17 countries mentioned by the immigration commissioner.

[Skip09]

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.

Take this into consideration: http://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/ps/2011/11/177239.htm

If it happened again tomorrow we'd do it all over again. I don't mind helping people when they're down on their luck, but I think they should remember things like this and take them into considerationing instead of forgeting all about it and try to give us the squeeze.

[Maestro]

Removed an off-topic post.

[beowolf2012]

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

please don't give rhem futher ideas...

[NeverSure]

I think that one reason Western countries make it harder and more expensive to enter is because of the safety nets that illegals manage to obtain, and because no one requires a work permit. The country is also huge and easy to hide in.

There are millions of illegals in the US. If one gives birth to a child, the child is a citizen. Then its parents get rights. Then the social networks kick in and they are set for life.

Even if there is no child, the illegals soon blend in because they don't stick out the way farangs or other Asians do in Thailand. America is a melting pot of virtually all races and ethnicities, most of whom are citizens.

In America it is strictly and constitutionally illegal to stop someone for no reason other that to ask for ID.

For all of the occasional America bashing, there are millions of people who have wanted in so badly that they have risked their lives by coming in across the Rio Grande River and/or braving a very dangerous desert trek and many have died trying.

I don't know of anyone who wants out except legitimate tourists.

[SugarB]

 

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.

imagine the hell of applying for the visa to the US then the hell of security entering the country then there's the hell of being there.

 

I went to the US where Pittsburgh is. It seemed to be a much nicer country than the US that you go to. The immigration staff at Atlanta were polite and friendly, and my travel authorisation came over the internet in the space of a few minutes.

SC

[DrTuner]

Many of us have completely misunderstood the contents of this article. The Immigration Bureau does not intend to abolish visa free entry for the nationals of 17 of the most affluent countries.

The misunderstanding is due to the misleading header “No more 30 days on arrival entries planned” added by thaivisa.com. The original headline says “Foreign Ministry asked to rethink free visa fee decision”.

My interpretation of the article is this:

The Foreign Ministry has decided to scrap the visa fees for these 17 countries. This decision would be entirely consistent with their policy to improve the rules for visa free entry by land (now 30 days instead of 15) for a number of affluent countries, which was implemented a few weeks ago.

The Immigration Bureau opposes the decision about scrapping the visa fees for the 17 countries listed above and wants it reversed.

Now this finally makes sense. TV used to be the place to go for accurate info on immigration policies, but it seems to be turning into a yellow press "click me" publication.

[luangtom]

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

There already is an exit-fee.......I believe my last visit it was 900-baht.

[soihok]

This "fee to enter" has already been in place in Indonesia for quite some time. Most Western passport holders have to pay to enter, yet Asean passport holders enter free of charge. It has become the norm now.

I think it may cause a stir to begin with, but it is quite possible it will happen at the end of the day.

I am married to a Thai, for me to get a 12 month visa based on marriage (non imm-O) I now have to produce a letter from my wife inviting me to stay in the Kingdom with her (in "our" house that I paid for). This wasn't in place a few years ago.

This is the same when she applies for a UK visit visa based on family (written by the family member who's residence she will be staying at).

It is all very "tit-for -tat".

[Maestro]

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

There already is an exit-fee.......I believe my last visit it was 900-baht.

I believe the Thai airport tax you pay as part of the ticket price is still 700 Baht.

[runningfree73]

Gotta watch out for those tricksters.

[slipperylobster]

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

please don't give rhem futher ideas...

sure..they get you coming..and going...

the girls get the gold mine for the duration of your stay

...and you get the shaft in the end!

i still enjoy it here, but please lube me up a bit more.