Concluded Agreements On The Exemption Of Visa Requirements

[smartecosse]

There have been that many postings about the 30 days "visas" that my brain has gone into meltdown.

My partner is from Laos, does not work here either legally or illegally.

Can nayone let me knwo if the new "regulations" will affect the holders of Laos passports or not. The text below is from the Thai govt website but my brain wont translate it into english for me at the moment

II. List of countries which have concluded agreements on the exemption of visa requirements for holders of ordinary passports with Thailand and permitted to stay for 30 and 90 days

30 DAYS

1. Laos

2. Vietnam

3. Hong Kong SAR

4. Macau SAR

[sjaak327]

There have been that many postings about the 30 days "visas" that my brain has gone into meltdown.

My partner is from Laos, does not work here either legally or illegally.

Can nayone let me knwo if the new "regulations" will affect the holders of Laos passports or not. The text below is from the Thai govt website but my brain wont translate it into english for me at the moment

II. List of countries which have concluded agreements on the exemption of visa requirements for holders of ordinary passports with Thailand and permitted to stay for 30 and 90 days

30 DAYS

1. Laos

2. Vietnam

3. Hong Kong SAR

4. Macau SAR

Right this is exactly my concern, since I'm in the same boat as you. In fact my partner is comming over to Schengen and returns after 86 days, which is 4 days short of the last entry stamp expiration date (which is less then 90 days). So if this applies to Lao passport as well, I either need to get a ticket to Vientiane or get a tourist visa.

Somehow I don't think this applies to Lao passports, but it would be great if someone could confirm.

I tried with the Thai Embassy here in NL, they don't even know about this new law....

[Visaman]

I tried with the Thai Embassy here in NL, they don't even know about this new law....

Because there is no such a law yet, before it turns into a fact, it is only a rumour.

[Maestro]

Because there is no such a law yet, before it turns into a fact, it is only a rumour.

Laws and Ministerial Regulations are published in the Government Gazette. From that moment, they are official.

The new policy regarding visa-exempt entries reported by newspapers based on an interview or press conference with the commissioner of the Immigration Police Bureau is neither a law nor a Ministerial Regulation and therefore will not be published in the Government Gazette. It is only an internal guideline, instruction or directive within the Immigration Department.

The only “official” thing we can expect to see are more newspaper reports following more interviews or press conferences with Immigration officials, and probably a notice put up at immigration checkpoints.

From the Phuket Gazette:

Pol Col Bunphot Kongkrachan, Acting Superintendent of Phuket Immigration Office,...said that all Immigration chiefs nationwide have been ordered to attend a meeting at Immigration headquarters on September 15, during which the new stricter regulations will be explained in detail.

“I will make a more detailed statement about the new situation within a week of returning from the meeting,” he said.

Therefore, we can expect to read more about it in the papers starting 16 September. Until then, it is a free-for-all for wild speculations. Enjoy the entertainment!

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

Maestro

Edited September 13, 2006 by maestro

[technocracy]

There have been that many postings about the 30 days "visas" that my brain has gone into meltdown.

My partner is from Laos, does not work here either legally or illegally.

Can nayone let me knwo if the new "regulations" will affect the holders of Laos passports or not. The text below is from the Thai govt website but my brain wont translate it into english for me at the moment

II. List of countries which have concluded agreements on the exemption of visa requirements for holders of ordinary passports with Thailand and permitted to stay for 30 and 90 days

30 DAYS

1. Laos

2. Vietnam

3. Hong Kong SAR

4. Macau SAR

When you say she doesn't work here legally or illegally are you talking about in Thailand? As if she is does ANY work in Thailand it's illegal they need Work Visas same as everyone else. For a Lao citizen they are in the same boat as everyone else affect by the changes since they rely on Tourist visas to prolong there stay.

Laos is included in the 41 countries of the visa requirements - the be and the end of it is Thailand wish to stop overstays and people working illegally and I know of numerous Lao girls who have gone to work in bar in Pattaya etc.

However since there has been no mention of restrictions/changes on border passes it seems this is unchanged so can freely cross on a pass rather than a VOE. Since these have 5 day restrictions (could be 6 days - can't remember).

[sjaak327]

When you say she doesn't work here legally or illegally are you talking about in Thailand? As if she is does ANY work in Thailand it's illegal they need Work Visas same as everyone else. For a Lao citizen they are in the same boat as everyone else affect by the changes since they rely on Tourist visas to prolong there stay.

Laos is included in the 41 countries of the visa requirements - the be and the end of it is Thailand wish to stop overstays and people working illegally and I know of numerous Lao girls who have gone to work in bar in Pattaya etc.

However since there has been no mention of restrictions/changes on border passes it seems this is unchanged so can freely cross on a pass rather than a VOE. Since these have 5 day restrictions (could be 6 days - can't remember).

`

Hold on maybe it is wishfull thinking on my part, but Laos is not part of the 41 country list, nor is it listed as VOA (20 countries). It is not a visa exemption as such, they have a mutual agreement not requiring a visa (same for Thai People going into Laos, they don't need a visa, like any other nationality.

This list of 41 and 20 countries as listed by MFA doesn't list Laos.

Of course they might fall under the same regime, but that's what I would like to know for sure.

http://www.mfa.go.th/web/2381.php#Tourist

[technocracy]

Hold on maybe it is wishfull thinking on my part, but Laos is not part of the 41 country list, nor is it listed as VOA (20 countries). It is not a visa exemption as such, they have a mutual agreement not requiring a visa (same for Thai People going into Laos, they don't need a visa, like any other nationality.

This list of 41 and 20 countries as listed by MFA doesn't list Laos.

Of course they might fall under the same regime, but that's what I would like to know for sure.

http://www.mfa.go.th/web/2381.php#Tourist

Well I think you luck is in - here's me trusting the UK Thai Embassy is upto date! But it appears that in in either the 18 October B.E. 2547 (2004) and 6 May B.E. 2548 (2005) they remove Laos from the list as the list shown there includes them - but hey they've only had nearly 4 years to update their website!!!!!

Thai Embassy website

So it appears that it's life as normal for Lao citizens - I've just got the hassle now for when we cross over to go shopping in Nong Khai!

So ignore my previous post!

EDIT: However it is interesting to note that Vietnam and Hong Kong SAR is on both lists - concluded and VOE exempt - work that out!!!!!

Edited September 13, 2006 by technocracy

[smartecosse]

thanks for the opinions - its quite hard trying to work out what will happen

for technocracy - i meant what i said when she does no work at all - she is a housewife (which b4 i get flames i suppose is work but you do not need a permit for that ............. yet !)

[salween]

Because there is no such a law yet, before it turns into a fact, it is only a rumour.

Laws and Ministerial Regulations are published in the Government Gazette. From that moment, they are official.

The new policy regarding visa-exempt entries reported by newspapers based on an interview or press conference with the commissioner of the Immigration Police Bureau is neither a law nor a Ministerial Regulation and therefore will not be published in the Government Gazette. It is only an internal guideline, instruction or directive within the Immigration Department.

The only “official” thing we can expect to see are more newspaper reports following more interviews or press conferences with Immigration officials, and probably a notice put up at immigration checkpoints.

From the Phuket Gazette:

Pol Col Bunphot Kongkrachan, Acting Superintendent of Phuket Immigration Office,...said that all Immigration chiefs nationwide have been ordered to attend a meeting at Immigration headquarters on September 15, during which the new stricter regulations will be explained in detail.

“I will make a more detailed statement about the new situation within a week of returning from the meeting,” he said.

Therefore, we can expect to read more about it in the papers starting 16 September. Until then, it is a free-for-all for wild speculations. Enjoy the entertainment!

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

Maestro

To that end was looking to read that original Bangkok Post piece but the link seems to be dead now. Has the Post taken it off-line? Is the full text posted somewhere?

Thanks