I have read the very helpful post about obtaining a tourist visa for a Thai citizen.

I am an American who would like to visit Australia for about 2 weeks with my Thai friend. I will meet him in Thailand and then we would travel to Australia together.

1. Can I "sponsor" him or can only an Australian citizen sponsor a tourist? He would be staying with me for the whole trip and we would both be traveling on the same airline reservation.

2. We have know each other for about 5 years and have traveled to other ASEAN countries that did not require a visa. (Hong Kong, Bali, Laos, Singapore)

3. Is the 10 day processing time reliable? I know I should not buy airline tickets before obtaining the visa but I only plan to be in Thailand for about 2 weeks before going on to Australia and I would like to be in Bangkok when the application is submitted. If I wait for the visa, we would only have about a day or two to make travel arrangements and flights might not be available.

I am wary because he was turned down for a USA tourist visa a couple of years ago. They assure that every one wants to stay in the US forever and won't return home! I hope Australia is a little more reasonable.

Thank you for any insight.

A foreigner cannot sponsor another foreign national. I assume your BF has a good job, assets etc in Thailand that can prove his intent to return. Online application for tourist visa at:

http://www.immi.gov.au/Services/Pages/visitor-e600-visa-online-applications.aspx

Australia is just as stringent as the US, if not more. He will be asked to do an interview at their office. The only people who can obtain a visa that fast are Australians married to Thai citizens.