I was reading one of the many "clarifications" by immigration or some other official and it seems that this idea has been scrapped before it got off the ground...am I right?

No you are wrong, will go in effect 29/8.

No you are wrong, will go in effect 29/8.

not me who's wrong.....it was a Thai government official or the Nation reporter.

It is part of the new police order that will go into effect on the 29th of this month. It has certainly not been done away with.

"He did confirm that those entering Thailand on a 30 day visa exempt entry can only extend for 7 days in Thailand; a tourist visa can extend for 30 days."

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/754414-immigration-clarifies-new-regulations-for-foreigners-in-chiang-mai/?hl=%2B30+%2Bday+%2Bextension

K. Thawatchai - Chiang Mai - 24/8/2014

Edited August 24, 201411 yr by wilcopops

No you are wrong, will go in effect 29/8.

not me who's wrong.....it was a Thai government official or the Nation reporter.

I think it was an immigration officer that was asked about the extension and he said only 7 day extensions which was correct on the date it was stated. It was not in the Nation it was in a local Chiang Mai newspaper.

e.g - 24th August?

You should read the news article about the same meeting that says something different about the extensions. http://www.chiangmai-mail.com/current/news.shtml#hd1

e.g - 24th August?

The meeting was on the 20th.

The link you posted is the same new article I posted after yours.

"For those entering the country on a 30 day visa exemption, it is possible to extend the stay for a maximum of 90 days per request." - so he doesn't know what he's talking about or has been misreported.

Actually that thing about the 90 days is from the existing police order C. The new one does not have it.

The new on just says 30 days. Here is the changed clause.

"2.4 In the case of tourism purposes:

Each permission shall be granted for no more than 30 days from the date on which the permitted period has lapsed.

The alien:

(1) Must have been granted a tourist visa (TOURIST) or exempted from applying for a visa. Each permission shall be granted for no more than 30 days as announced by the Ministry of Interior.

(2) Must not be of a nationality or type prescribed by the committee monitoring official proceedings of officers of the Immigration Bureau."

"For those entering the country on a 30 day visa exemption, it is possible to extend the stay for a maximum of 90 days per request." - so he doesn't know what he's talking about or has been misreported.

You're omitting the preamble and introducing confusion in doing so.

A major change involves those requiring medical extensions as now Immigration requires a letter on the letterhead of a government hospital to obtain the medical extension. The patient does not need to be treated at the government hospital but the letter requesting the medical extension must be on the hospital’s letterhead from a doctor that also practices at that hospital. For those entering the country on a 30 day visa exemption, it is possible to extend the stay for a maximum of 90 days per request,

This regulation has been in place since at least, 2004. Reason 2.25 that you can read here:

http://www.immigration.go.th/nov2004/doc/temporarystay/policy305-2551_en.pdf

In the latest regulation, this is being amended to favour applicants from certain Gulf countries.

Edited August 24, 201411 yr by paz