Multi-country tourist visas stalled over security worries

[Lite Beer]

Multi-country tourist visas stalled over security worries
Supalak Ganjanakhundee
The Sunday Nation

BANGKOK: -- The idea of tourists getting one visa for six destinations in the Mekong region is tough to achieve because nations are concerned about security, Tourism and Sports Minister Kobkarn Wattanavrangkul said yesterday.

Thailand and Cambodia launched a single visa for both countries in late 2012 but the scheme has not been popular among visitors because it is still not easy to get, the minister said on the sidelines of the Greater Mekong Sub-region (GMS) summit. It takes at least three days for each country to grant tourism visas for foreign visitors who want to enter both Thailand and Cambodia on one visa, she said.

The original idea to have a Schengen-style tourist visa was suggested at a meeting in Myanmar, in 2003 between leaders of Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Thailand. But to date, only Thailand and Cambodia have reached a bilateral agreement to grant a single visa to tourists.

Countries such as Laos are negotiating to join the scheme but security concerns are preventing them, Kobkarn said.

"We will have a meeting among concerned agencies in Thailand to discuss the matter again," she said. "I will propose to reduce security concerns to promote tourism."

Thailand has good prospects to be a regional hub for tourism because it can physically and logistically link to other destinations in the Mekong region. Each country has mapped out many trails in the region to promote tourism. Thailand had proposed focusing on two trails initially - the Mekong discovery, including the Mekong Delta and the Southern Coastal Corridor, she said.

The Mekong Discovery trail includes new destinations along the Mekong River and a new trail along Route No 12 in Laos that links Nakhon Phanom via Laos to Vietnam, she said.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/national/Multi-country-tourist-visas-stalled-over-security--30250327.html

-- The Nation 2014-12-21

[Fred Flinstone]

Quote

"Thailand has good prospects to be a regional hub for tourism."

This doesn't seem to be the case at present

[NongKhaiKid]

This must be a problem for other countries.

After the incident n Sydney didn't the PM talk up how secure LoS is with the careful monitoring of all people entering and leaving ?

[HiSoLowSoNoSo]

I think that they are worried of loosing Visa fee money to other countries and security worries is BS.

[kalbo123]

Think the problem for Thailand is, if tourists have visa for surrounding countries, they will likely spend less time and money in Thailand because it's easy to leave.

[lee b]

I think that they are worried of loosing Visa fee money to other countries and security worries is BS.

I have to agree with you 100% there, although i know many will not

[chainarong]

What B/S , you get just as many fruit cakes as anybody else entering your countries with security , quite frankly none of the countries mentioned could reach an agreement on toilet paper colour let alone a scheme like the Schengen Visa although It would be nice to streamline each country's Tourist Visa requirements so that they are all the same requirements and length of time periods and instructions not subject to individual interpretations , ie 30 days 60, 90 180,with renewal, it doesn't matter how long you stay in a country, because you are spending money ,so being restrictive and hiding behind the Siam curtain will not help Thailand ,not being related but worthy of mention , you could also free up the matter of special land allowance for married expats who would like to own the land their house stands on therefore freeing up uncertainty

[IMA_FARANG]

I think that they are worried of loosing Visa fee money to other countries and security worries is BS.

-------------------------------

Absolutely.

What the real problem they have is how to divide the money.

It always is, as you correctly said, all the rest is BS.

It always is.

No honor among thieves.

[useronthenet]

Personally I think ASEAN is a waste of time, it won't pass the initial stress test. Besides, some countries will fair better than others.

Thailand for example has a lot to lose, since most employers want hard-working English-speaking employees, without attitude, and a strong work ethic, something which is apparently lacking in the country. Many I have spoken to want people from the Philippines, as they tick all the boxes.

[kalbo123]

I think that they are worried of loosing Visa fee money to other countries and security worries is BS.

-------------------------------

Absolutely.

What the real problem they have is how to divide the money.

It always is, as you correctly said, all the rest is BS.

It always is.

No honor among thieves.

As most TOURISTS don't stay longer then 30 days, and for most countries there is no visa fee I doubt these statements...

[tonbridgebrit]

Creating a Schengen-style visa for ASEAN is simply not going to happen. ASEAN is NOT the European Union.

The governments of the countries in ASEAN want to keep their borders, each government is refusing to hand out any power or controls it has over it's own country. Remember, if you scrap your borders and become one area of united countries, well, the seperate governments in those countries start to lose power and control. In Europe, because it is united, it has Brussels, and countries agree that rules that come out of Brussels will be follwed by everybody. We all know that ASEAN will never have a place similar to Brussels.

Can anyone imagine, ASEAN picks a city, say Hanoi. And they all send their representatives to Hanoi, and work out rules collectively. You really think that the governments of Laos and Burma are going to accept the new rules, and hence, have their own power and control reduced ?? No way.

[madmitch]

Surely Thailand is already the regional hub in the Mekong area. It's the place with most flights from Europe, the largest airport and the place where most tourists start their Southeast Asian trips. For once the word hub is used correctly.

But is it being used more and more as the place travellers fly into before flying straight out to other countries in the region?

[RubbaJohnny]

Surely Thailand is already the regional hub in the Mekong area. It's the place with most flights from Europe, the largest airport and the place where most tourists start their Southeast Asian trips. For once the word hub is used correctly.

But is it being used more and more as the place travellers fly into before flying straight out to other countries in the region?

Swampy is not even in the top 20 unlike 3 other ASEAN airports Changi S Hatta and KLIA

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World%27s_busiest_airports_by_passenger_traffic

Euro visitors are a minority compared to other Asean Mid East Chian USa and Australasia

Not one of the top origin countires in Europe

Country or territory 2013 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 2007 2006 * ASEAN 7,396,297 6,253,480 5,594,577 4,534,235 3,968,579 3,971,429 3,520,051 3,389,342 1 China 4,705,173 2,789,345 1,721,247 1,122,219 777,508 826,660 907,117 949,117 2 Malaysia 2,996,071 2,560,963 2,500,280 2,058,956 1,757,813 1,805,332 1,540,080 1,591,328 3 Russia 1,736,990 1,317,387 1,054,187 644,678 336,965 324,120 277,503 187,658 4 Japan 1,537,979 1,371,253 1,127,893 993,674 1,004,453 1,153,868 1,277,638 1,311,987 5 South Korea 1,297,200 1,169,131 1,006,283 805,445 618,227 889,210 1,083,652 1,092,783 6 Laos 1,106,080 951,090 891,950 715,345 655,034 621,564 513,701 276,207 7 India 1,049,856 1,015,865 914,971 760,371 614,566 536,964 536,356 459,795 8 Singapore 936,477 821,056 682,364 603,538 563,575 570,047 604,603 687,160 9 Australia 907,868 930,599 829,855 698,046 646,705 694,473 658,148 549,547

Edited December 21, 2014 by RubbaJohnny

[JOC]

Instead of worrying about combo-visas, Thailand should concentrate on easing the rules for their own visitors and expats.

Ie: A snowbird on a 4 months visa from his homecountry, still have to exit after 2 months go get his last 2 months extension. Pure stupidity!!

Not to mention the 90-day reporting!! Waste of time and energy for everyone involved, and serves absolutely no purpose!!

[Fab5BKK]

A similar multi-country visa scheme does work in East Africa but still can't work here?

[PREM-R]

I don't see how allowing a single VISA for multiple countries is a SECURITY problem. With a visa obtained for a single country or for mutliple countries a visitor would still has to pass through immigration at the border to obain an ENTRY stamp so any SECURITY issues would be handled there. I don't think there is any intention to allow visitors to enter the ASEAN group countries and then not face any further scrutiny as they pass from country to country, as is possible between EU countries.

Edited December 21, 2014 by PREM-R

[Bakseeda]

I think that they are worried of loosing Visa fee money to other countries and security worries is BS.

Maybe they are worried about losing it too......

[salavan]

if its laos and cambodia tourist would proberly have to enter through thailand anyway because there are no direct flight to laos and cambodia as far as i know, not from the west anyway

[SoFarAndNear]

There is a Thailand/Cambodia multi visa?!

[yellowboat]

Surprised this idea was even floated at all. Why make it easy for your customers to visit your competitors ?

Thailand is still the gateway to its closest neighbors. Veitnam would be a wonderful competitor to Thailand for the gateway status, but sadly their visas are expensive and they do not have the infrastructure yet.

Edited December 21, 2014 by yellowboat

[jlwilliamsjr18]

Oh! Look over there, I see Thaksin...no, he's over there, oh oh....now he's over there, no he's not....he's over there.

[Carrerakiss]

Personally I think ASEAN is a waste of time, it won't pass the initial stress test. Besides, some countries will fair better than others.

Thailand for example has a lot to lose, since most employers want hard-working English-speaking employees, without attitude, and a strong work ethic, something which is apparently lacking in the country. Many I have spoken to want people from the Philippines, as they tick all the boxes.

This is nothing to do with ASEAN, simple a few countries bordering the Mekong River talking among themselves.

Although you are right, ASEAN itself is nothing other than a talking shop. But that's another topic.

[Carrerakiss]

Surely Thailand is already the regional hub in the Mekong area. It's the place with most flights from Europe, the largest airport and the place where most tourists start their Southeast Asian trips. For once the word hub is used correctly.

But is it being used more and more as the place travellers fly into before flying straight out to other countries in the region?

Swampy is not even in the top 20 unlike 3 other ASEAN airports Changi S Hatta and KLIA

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World%27s_busiest_airports_by_passenger_traffic

Euro visitors are a minority compared to other Asean Mid East Chian USa and Australasia

Not one of the top origin countires in Europe

Country or territory 2013 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 2007 2006 * ASEAN 7,396,297 6,253,480 5,594,577 4,534,235 3,968,579 3,971,429 3,520,051 3,389,342 1 China 4,705,173 2,789,345 1,721,247 1,122,219 777,508 826,660 907,117 949,117 2 Malaysia 2,996,071 2,560,963 2,500,280 2,058,956 1,757,813 1,805,332 1,540,080 1,591,328 3 Russia 1,736,990 1,317,387 1,054,187 644,678 336,965 324,120 277,503 187,658 4 Japan 1,537,979 1,371,253 1,127,893 993,674 1,004,453 1,153,868 1,277,638 1,311,987 5 South Korea 1,297,200 1,169,131 1,006,283 805,445 618,227 889,210 1,083,652 1,092,783 6 Laos 1,106,080 951,090 891,950 715,345 655,034 621,564 513,701 276,207 7 India 1,049,856 1,015,865 914,971 760,371 614,566 536,964 536,356 459,795 8 Singapore 936,477 821,056 682,364 603,538 563,575 570,047 604,603 687,160 9 Australia 907,868 930,599 829,855 698,046 646,705 694,473 658,148 549,547

ASEAN does not equal the Mekong delta, which is what we are talking Bout here. Neither Singapore or Malaysia border the Mekong River..

[Carrerakiss]

Why are so many people getting their knickers in a twist about ASEAN?

Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines, to name a few, have nothing much to do economically or geographically with the Mekong River, and this article is about some of the countries bordering the river talking about reciprocal visa agreements.

[Suradit69]

I think that they are worried of loosing Visa fee money to other countries and security worries is BS.

I have to agree with you 100% there, although i know many will not

Many people can and do enter Thailand on 30 day visa exempt entries that cost nothing and there was a period when Chinese tourists got visas for free, so your worry about losing visa fee money doesn't seem to be a major concern of the authorities, just one more baseless farang fantasy projecting their thinking onto Thais.

From 9 August to 8 November 2014, holders of Chinese and Taiwanese passports will be exempt from paying fees for tourist visas to Thailand. The short-term move was implemented by the National Council of Peace & Order (NCPO) as part of a series of measures to revive the Thai tourism in the second half of 2014.

Edited December 21, 2014 by Suradit69

[jpinx]

My daughter and family want to visit. Where can she apply for a combo-visa so that we can go to Ankor Wat?

[chrisinth]

"I will propose to reduce security concerns to promote tourism."

Good luck with that.......................

That would be a difficult enough task in a normal country, but one that is still under martial law?

Trust me, border security will trump tourism in every case.

[Equalizer]

Quote

"Thailand has good prospects to be a regional hub for tourism."

This doesn't seem to be the case at present

Hub, meaning the point of arrival. Thailand will always get the landing fees of all visitors to the Mekong region. Unless of course these other countries have several billion dollars hanging around to build an international airport that can accommodate the worlds SE Asian bound aircraft. Plus the infrastructure that is needed to go with it.

[Equalizer]

P.S plus after they have landed they will need to connect to a domestic Thai airline to get there.

[Lupatria]

Welcome to the hub of protectionism. Security reason- or lack of security?