TAT plans to extend visa stay for European tourists to raise revenue

[Gillyflower]

jonclark

I spend 4 months in Thailand every year, but I won't talk about myself as you mentioned the 'retired'. I live in CM so can only talk about that. I know quite a few Canadians and quite a few Australians - all under 50- who come to Thailand for 2,3,4 and even 5 months. The Canadians work, like being firemen for example or foremen on big construction works, but because of their harsh winters can't work all year round. Also some of them have short term contracts and the money is HIGH in Canada. Some Oz have a business that can be left for some months. I know an Englishman who comes here for 3 months with his wife. He has a flourishing business in England, but controls everything by internet, also has good employees. They aren't rich, but it's true they are not poor. And there are a lot of people in this situation.

[charmonman]

First of all, is it not the Dept. of Immigration that sets the rules for who gets to stay for how long, and haven't they recently been trying to shorten the length of time people can stay? Second, as noted by many others, a tourist visa already gets you 60 days!!

The TAT must be completely clueless, or this article written by a very confused individual.

[SteveFong]

Havent heard much about the death, or not, of the bus business for the visa runs?

while in Chiang Mai, they were advertised on every block

[hawker9000]

"One of the measures is the doubling of stay for tourist visa holders which would, for example, allow European tourists to remain in the Kingdom for as long as 60 days, as opposed to the current 30-day limit."

Just when I thought I had it down... Isn't the current Tourist Visa for 60 days - plus 30 day extension allowed at immigration?

The Exemption is 30 days - beginning tomorrow another 30 day Exemption can be added at Immigration..

So what am I missing... ? Europeans don't get 60 day tourist visas now? My bet is TAT is confusing a Tourist Visa with an Exemption ...

Wow - no wonder there is so much confusion passed around.

Exactly. What ARE we missing here? Guess they COULD be talking about Visa Exemption rather than Tourist Visas, but as you say, there's already a 30-d extension option that goes into effect tomorrow.

'Guess it's time for another "clarification".

I think it's just that this is from TAT and not Immigration, and the speaker was talking, emm, "off the cuff" as we apparently say around here...

[JB300]

Just copy Malaysia's rules, 3 months stay for free.

just wish they would do the same as Malaysia and give a 5yr residence permit for roughly the same amount in the bank account as for retirement visa and my Malaysian friends tell me I could apply for a passport after that as well. why don't they follow the normal international route of offering citizenship for contributing to the country?.

But Malaysia doesn't allow dual citizenship so you would need to renounce your current citizenship to get the passport.

[SteveFong]

Whoever said there is not an exit fee to leav Thailand, perhaps may want to tell that to the people at the booth that are collecting your departure card and fee, to leave internationally,

I do not know the domestic rules

[Khun Paul]

Personally if they did away with the double pricing and scams they would then have far more income than they need, but as always GREED is the main aim not quality tourism.

[zierf1]

By "european" do they mean all western countries?

[belg]

do they know what they want ? just experimenting ?

90 days would be nice ...

5 year visa's for expats would be even better

[Wombat6]

It wont be up to TAT to increase the visa stay times,that will be

up to the Immigration Dept,and they seem hell bent on curbing

length of stays.

Why don't they call it the Amazing Thainess Year,

regards worgeordie

I agree...what has TAT got to do with making rules for visas. TAT will be starting a new trend if they talk to another Government Department (Immigration). TAT should start looking at their own operations by not discriminating against tourists..... ie charging the same fees at National Parks....Once bitten, a tourist will not visit other National Parks if they are anything like me..

[SureNDT]

Shows you how naïve I am, I thought all the tourism problems were going to be solved by new tourists from Brunei, the 175th most populous country in the world.

Or the worlds 5th highest GDP per capita I suppose.

but it still looks poor except for the palaces etc, even the airport looks 3rd world. I will say though it is one of the safest countries in the world I've been to and the people amongst the nicest, sharia law is for natives and you see Malaysian women walking around in shorts and vests.

The airport is in the middle of major renovation, I was there last week.

[jpeg]

TAT should update all their photos of Thai beaches to eliminate the beds and umbrellas - then numbers will surely increase significantly? Though this week Patong Beach is virtually deserted - public yet out in numbers to "reclaim" their beach.

And show photos of all the new taxi meters cruising the island too

[hawker9000]

Whoever said there is not an exit fee to leav Thailand, perhaps may want to tell that to the people at the booth that are collecting your departure card and fee, to leave internationally,

I do not know the domestic rules

OT, but...

How long since you've been in Thailand? Since, oh, around 2007? Lol. There is a departure tax, but it's rolled into the cost of your ticket, not collected at "booths" like in the old days. At least in Bangkok. ...which might make it easier to raise, which I think they've done and are getting ready to do again, actually...

To be fair, I think there might be some relatively unusual instances involving transit passengers where the tax has to be paid "by hand". Also, not sure about int'l flights out of Don Muang.

[SteveFong]

Whoever said there is not an exit fee to leav Thailand, perhaps may want to tell that to the people at the booth that are collecting your departure card and fee, to leave internationally,

I do not know the domestic rules

OT, but...

How long since you've been in Thailand? Since, oh, around 2007? Lol. There is a departure tax, but it's rolled into the cost of your ticket, not collected at "booths" like in the old days. At least in Bangkok. ...which might make it easier to raise, which I think they've done and are getting ready to do again, actually...

To be fair, I think there might be some relatively unusual instances involving transit passengers where the tax has to be paid "by hand". Also, not sure about int'l flights out of Don Muang.

There is absolutely a departure fee at Swampy to go to the USA

[hawker9000]

Whoever said there is not an exit fee to leav Thailand, perhaps may want to tell that to the people at the booth that are collecting your departure card and fee, to leave internationally,

I do not know the domestic rules

OT, but...

How long since you've been in Thailand? Since, oh, around 2007? Lol. There is a departure tax, but it's rolled into the cost of your ticket, not collected at "booths" like in the old days. At least in Bangkok. ...which might make it easier to raise, which I think they've done and are getting ready to do again, actually...

To be fair, I think there might be some relatively unusual instances involving transit passengers where the tax has to be paid "by hand". Also, not sure about int'l flights out of Don Muang.

There is absolutely a departure fee at Swampy to go to the USA

YES, it's IN the ticket price! (including going to the U.S.) No separate "booth" or payment at Swampy, unless something new within the last couple of months, which I doubt. 'Through there all the time.

[SteveFong]

Whoever said there is not an exit fee to leav Thailand, perhaps may want to tell that to the people at the booth that are collecting your departure card and fee, to leave internationally,

I do not know the domestic rules

OT, but...

How long since you've been in Thailand? Since, oh, around 2007? Lol. There is a departure tax, but it's rolled into the cost of your ticket, not collected at "booths" like in the old days. At least in Bangkok. ...which might make it easier to raise, which I think they've done and are getting ready to do again, actually...

To be fair, I think there might be some relatively unusual instances involving transit passengers where the tax has to be paid "by hand". Also, not sure about int'l flights out of Don Muang.

There is absolutely a departure fee at Swampy to go to the USA

YES, it's IN the ticket price! (including going to the U.S.) No separate "booth" or payment at Swampy, unless something new within the last couple of months, which I doubt. 'Through there all the time.

yes,

there is a booth,

at swampy.

as of Nov 2013 when I went to Bali,

and in March 2014, when I went to the US

separate booth,

and a line,

and a departure card,

and a fee

[Ricardo]

yes,

there is a booth,

at swampy.

as of Nov 2013 when I went to Bali,

and in March 2014, when I went to the US

separate booth,

and a line,

and a departure card,

and a fee

It didn't apply to flights to the UK, in October-2013 or April-2014, how much did you have to pay ?

[Gillyflower]

It didn't apply to my flight to France at the end of March. I notice on my ticket that the taxes are almost as much as the amount of fare.

[tonbridgebrit]

"Therefore, the Governor revealed that the TAT is preparing to propose a range of tourism stimulus measures to the Ministry of Tourism and Sports for consideration. One of the measures is the doubling of stay for tourist visa holders which would, for example, allow European tourists to remain in the Kingdom for as long as 60 days, as opposed to the current 30-day limit."

Why not go one step better, and make it 90 days ? Or maybe tell the customers "you can stay as long as you like, as long as you're spending money, you're bringing money into the country, and you're not competing against our own people for jobs". Okay, if you teach English, we might give you a permit.

[Greer]

SteveFong - what kind of visa do you have for Thailand?

The only thing I can think of is that you must have a single entry Non-Immigrant visa, and then yes, you have to pay each time because you need to get the re-entry permit - which is not the same as the old fee that was imposed on everyone when they fly out, and is now a component of the taxes collected in the ticket price.

If like many of the expats who live here, you have a Non-Immigrant visa with a Multiple re-entry stamp, then there is nothing to pay at the airport.

There is no separate collection of departure tax as there used to be, that was abolished years ago.

I have been flying in and out of Suvarnabhumi airport twice a month for the past two years going to and from places in Asia, Australia and Europe and there have been NO separate fees at all and there is no separate booth that I have seen since the bad old days of Don Mueang airport.

[hawker9000]

I left in June. I did not pay a departure fee (that is, I didn't go to some desk or window or booth and hand over any money myself). Twice before this year - didn't pay it either time. Two times in 2013 - did not pay it. But some may have to pay it if wasn't included with the ticket for some reason (e.g., maybe bought ticket from a travel agent who neglected to collect it). I haven't paid it myself in years - not sure I've paid at any time since Swampy was opened. Other countries (e.g., PI, yes).

Further:

http://www.airportsuvarnabhumi.com/about-suvarnabhumi-airport/bangkok-international-airport-departure-tax/

I think that if you have an extended layover and leave the airport, you might also have to pay it.

Edited August 31, 2014 by hawker9000

[Expat Brad]

But apart from teenagers on a year out (not the quality tourist TAT wants I suspect) , those who have retired, or the rich. How many people can actually afford in terms of time and money to take a 2 month holiday? As far as I know most people who work have about 25 days annual holiday and i'd imagine that these folk (working people) are the mainstay of Thailand's tourist industry in terms of revenue. A 30 day or 60 day visa will make little difference if they are on a two week break?

Whilst it is a nice gesture from TAT, they seem to be targeting a very small group with this extension I doubt very sadly, that it will lead to the generation of significant revenue.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Sorry but you are way off the mark with your comments. These young people come here at all times of the year & whilst they stay they spend all their money, mostly in the local Thai economies eg. Street sellers. market stalls, small guesthouses etc. that are operated by the majority of Thai ppl (lower income earners/businesses). These ppl spend far more money at a local level than a rich person does.

As far as retirees are concerned yeah wonderful fantastic but after they have shelled out on the house the car & so fourth many slow down on their spending considerably. because they are on a budget. Not all are on big pensions.

I will be on a retirement visa myself next year so please don't take offence. In my opinion anyone that wants to stay in this lovely country & is able to do so on whatever funds that they can do it on should be allowed to stay. I would like to finally say that the perfect visa would be an extension of stay 30 day for as long as you have funds for example 20-30,000 baht per 30 days.

[JB300]

There was talk of reintroducing the Departure Fee of 500THB (which is already included in your ticket) at Swampy but I don't remember paying anything last time I was there (March) & certainly didn't last Sunday when coming back from Phuket.

Philippines & Indonesia do collect a Departure Fee at the Airport but I don't recall paying it when leaving Indonesia by boat.

Edited September 3, 2014 by JB300