Thailand plans to grant multiple-entry visas to tourists from all nations

[Asiantravel]

They can't seem to make up their mind whether they want repeat tourists, or not. But 5,000 is expensive for a 6-month multi-entry visa.

It isn't for a lot of people I know

I have friends too young to retire, don't have or want a Thai wife etc and would happily pay 5000 twice a year to avoid jumping through all the hoops

The ed visas sales are going to suffer bigtime if this "news" is true

Nobody will need to give money to fake schools anymore

maybe that's why one school in particular saw the writing on the wall and decided to try to diversify into teaching people how to make money on the stock market

[ozyjon]

Thailand is moving to grant multiple-entry visas to all visitors from

any country in a bid to boost tourism and drive the economy.

Was someone hit by lightning?

I would love a 6 month visa, i can't take it longer

than that there

[zenplay]

Could be a good alternative to ED-visa ?

[MaiChai]

Sounds good in principle. The devil will be in the detail. For example driving licenses, etc.

[VBF]

They can't seem to make up their mind whether they want repeat tourists, or not. But 5,000 is expensive for a 6-month multi-entry visa.

It's not that bad for those of us living in Europe or North America and who want to spend time in Thailand without settling there - that is tourists!

If you assume 5000 Baht is ABOUT £100

Now take into account that the Triple Entry Tourist Visa from London is £75, and that effectively allows for roughly the same amount of time, but you're constrained to 3 entries within certain time scales.

If i could get a multi-entry tourist visa that allowed me to pop in and out of Thailand whenever I wanted to and as often as i wanted to - I'd take it!

It would cover my winters in Thailand with side trips to other countries in the region - it would effectively be like having a Multi Non-O but for 6 months!

Extra 25 quid well spent IMO....bring it on soon!

Or am I missing something here?

Edited August 6, 2015 by VBF

[Tomtomtom69]

I seriously doubt a 6 month multi entry tourist visa is going to help. Most genuine tourists have a set time here & certainly do not plan to go in & out of the country over a period of 6 months. There is so much they could do with changing visa rules, especially long term ones for people who live here, support families & spend money all year round. Money which feeds into the grass roots economy, unlike all the Chinese tourists who's money only benefits a select few.

Actually it would - if you talk to many of the tourists coming to Thailand they are no longer just coming to see Thailand. With so many other countries in the region, they are simply using Thailand as a base for exploring the region. With it's excellent transport links and superior road infrastructure and flight schedules compared to most neighboring countries, Thailand is a natural base for transiting the rest of the region. Someone might land in Bangkok, head to Siem Reap 3 days later, do Cambodia, then head over to Nam, cross into Laos, back to Thailand, spend a month or so here, then Myanmar, then Thailand again, then Malaysia. Although it is possible to do that now using a visa waiver, first of all, some nationals only get 15 days visa free which may not be enough and secondly, there is less scrutiny applied to visitors in possession of valid visas (of any type) than visa free visitors so this visa will likely eliminate the whole visa run fiasco that started last year.

A multi-entry visa also helps retirees and other long-term tourists who might want to spend 3-6 months in the country (usually during their colder months back home) without having to apply for permits, visa extensions or even new visas altogether. It's also flexible in that they can still go to see say Angkor Wat, without going through the whole re-entry permit business, even if they're not difficult to apply for, but they can be a nuisance especially for older people not so well versed in these things and who prefer to lead a more streamlined, less stressful life, especially when they're on holiday.

" without going through the whole re-entry permit business "

where did you read under this proposed new Visa that it will no longer be necessary to purchase a re-entry permit each time you leave the country?

In this article. It says quite clearly "multi-entry visa". The multi-entry part means you can re-use the same visa multiple times.

[lkv]

Ok here's what the reality is:

According to the Thai Immigration website, the maximum duration of stay for a tourist visa is 60 DAYS, and the maximum duration of stay for a Non-IMM Visa (ED,B,O etc) is 90 DAYS. And that will not change.

So therefore a MULTIPLE ENTRY TOURIST VISA will allow multiple entries within a period of 6 months, provided that each entry has a duration of stay of maximum 60 days.

In other words, long stayers that were stretching double entries for 6 months (2000 baht) or triple entries (3000 baht) for 9 months will stretch this multiple for 9 months, but at a cost of 5,000 baht. In other words, if you were getting 6 months for 2,000 baht, 9 months for 3,000 baht or 12 months for 4,000 baht, now you will get 9 months for 5,000 baht. Plus all the additional visa run cost and extension cost that will remain unchanged, because each of these multiple entries will be able to be extended at a cost of THB 1,900 for 30 days.

Just a price increase, hope it clarified the issue for some.

[VBF]

Ok here's what the reality is:

According to the Thai Immigration website, the maximum duration of stay for a tourist visa is 60 DAYS, and the maximum duration of stay for a Non-IMM Visa (ED,B,O etc) is 90 DAYS. And that will not change.

So therefore a MULTIPLE ENTRY TOURIST VISA will allow multiple entries within a period of 6 months, provided that each entry has a duration of stay of maximum 60 days.

In other words, long stayers that were stretching double entries for 6 months (2000 baht) or triple entries (3000 baht) for 9 months will stretch this multiple for 9 months, but at a cost of 5,000 baht. In other words, if you were getting 6 months for 2,000 baht, 9 months for 3,000 baht or 12 months for 4,000 baht, now you will get 9 months for 5,000 baht. Plus all the additional visa run cost and extension cost that will remain unchanged, because each of these multiple entries will be able to be extended at a cost of THB 1,900 for 30 days.

Just a price increase, hope it clarified the issue for some.

BUT!! What it will also do is allow you to leave Thailand and return as often as you like within the 6 months and, when it suits you NOT be constrained by a maximum of 3 entries.

I would rather know that i can travel freely within a 6 month "window" than have to watch my dates carefully and only be able to do 3 trips. What, if it comes to fruition, it buys you is additional freedom for (if you see my post #155 above) an additional 1,250 Baht spread over 6 months. That's about 200 Baht/month of the trip and you can relax more.

This all supposes that it happens of course!

Edited August 6, 2015 by VBF

[lkv]

Yeah but what you do right now on your double entry visa is the following:

After 30 days into your 60 days you get your 30 extension and on that you can get your reentry permit from Suvarnabhumi at 1,200 baht so you don't lose your entry. It's true, for the first 30 days of the 60 it restricts your ability of movement.

Pluses and minuses, for long stayers that are stretching these visas 2 double entries from Vientiane that cost 4000 baht and last a year will now cost 5,000 baht and last 9 months, but for genuine travelers that are in and out of Thailand at least 5 times within 6 months, it saves on the cost of the re-entry permits.

Normally, because most people that this addressed to fall into the long stayer category, the Immigration will have a revenue increase from this. Just like they had from reducing the extensions for ED Visas from 9 months to 3 months to 2 months and in some cases for 1 month! Yes, some students pay 1,900 baht per month now to Immigration.

Ok here's what the reality is:

According to the Thai Immigration website, the maximum duration of stay for a tourist visa is 60 DAYS, and the maximum duration of stay for a Non-IMM Visa (ED,B,O etc) is 90 DAYS. And that will not change.

So therefore a MULTIPLE ENTRY TOURIST VISA will allow multiple entries within a period of 6 months, provided that each entry has a duration of stay of maximum 60 days.

In other words, long stayers that were stretching double entries for 6 months (2000 baht) or triple entries (3000 baht) for 9 months will stretch this multiple for 9 months, but at a cost of 5,000 baht. In other words, if you were getting 6 months for 2,000 baht, 9 months for 3,000 baht or 12 months for 4,000 baht, now you will get 9 months for 5,000 baht. Plus all the additional visa run cost and extension cost that will remain unchanged, because each of these multiple entries will be able to be extended at a cost of THB 1,900 for 30 days.

Just a price increase, hope it clarified the issue for some.

BUT!! What it will also do is allow you to leave Thailand and return as often as you like within the 3 months and, when it suits you NOT be constrained by a maximum of 3 entries.

I would rather know that i can travel freely within a 6 month "window" than have to watch my dates carefully and only be able to do 3 trips. What, if it comes to fruition, it buys you is additional freedom for (if you see my post # above an additional 1,250 Baht.

[lkv]

And let me just clarify my understanding of things so far, and it makes sense.

Just like with the NON Imm Visa you have 2 types, single and multiple, the exact same thing will happen to the tourist visa: 2 CATEGORIES

1. Single Entry Tourist Visa Price 1,000 baht

2. Multiple Entry Tourist Visa Price 5,000 baht

Bye bye double and triple. We will see very soon if I'm right about this when it gets clarified.

[VBF]

And let me just clarify my understanding of things so far, and it makes sense.

Just like with the NON Imm Visa you have 2 types, single and multiple, the exact same thing will happen to the tourist visa: 2 CATEGORIES

1. Single Entry Tourist Visa Price 1,000 baht

2. Multiple Entry Tourist Visa Price 5,000 baht

Bye bye double and triple. We will see very soon if I'm right about this when it gets clarified.

Well it would suit me to pay 5000 for the added freedom, but as you say we WILL have to wait and see. You can be sure that if it happens, the details will be here on ThaiVisa!

Just a rider to that comment - back in the days when certain UK consulates would issue Multi-Entry O visas to anyone over 50, I would get one of those and stay in Thailand and surrounds for 6 months, travelling at will. Now that cost £120 and was good for 1 year BUT.... I never stayed in the region for more than 6 months. I was happy with that then, so would be happy with £100 now. My circumstances are not unique, but obviously differ from other people's.

Edited August 6, 2015 by VBF

[lkv]

Yes, I understand what you're saying. All I'm saying is that it's just another money making scheme

People in the category you are describing that need freedom they just travel in and out and they don't stay 60 days per entry anyway, so those were restricted to two visits in 3 months until now if they got their visa around SE Asia. And yes it saves quite some hassle for those people.

Purely from a financial point of view, those people represent a very small minority.

Realistically, the way I'm reading the story is: "We'll let you stay, but pay more." - for long stayers. "Travel 2-3 times and pay 5,000 baht" (for frequent travelers). In other words, just pay more.

But hey, flexibility costs money fair enough. You want 5 year flexibility with one year stamp on arrival. Not a problem. THB 500,000 baht (USD 14,285) and you can relax without any worries in your newly purchased condominium that you bought in an overvalued bubble market. Like a recent ad on the Elite website sounded.

It's becoming a recurring theme, it's always more and more.

But then again that's just my opinion

PS: My logic is correct if they take out the doubles and the triples, which I think they will, so the break even point for genuine travelers will be 5 trips in 6 months.

And let me just clarify my understanding of things so far, and it makes sense.

Just like with the NON Imm Visa you have 2 types, single and multiple, the exact same thing will happen to the tourist visa: 2 CATEGORIES

1. Single Entry Tourist Visa Price 1,000 baht

2. Multiple Entry Tourist Visa Price 5,000 baht

Bye bye double and triple. We will see very soon if I'm right about this when it gets clarified.

Well it would suit me to pay 5000 for the added freedom, but as you say we WILL have to wait and see. You can be sure that if it happens, the details will be here on ThaiVisa!

Edited August 6, 2015 by lkv

[The Blot]

Positive...

[lkv]

It is, even more people are coming with a bigger smile on their faces While they are paying more.

You know, even if they don't take the doubles or the triples out, I think some people will pay for multiple just for the perceived flexibility and not use their full potential. But if I was them right now, I would leave single and multiple only.

We'll see.

Edited August 6, 2015 by lkv

[Maestro]

Standby for the "Clarification"

Precisely. For example, I would like to have clarification of the following regarding this proposed new multiple-entry tourist visa valid for six months:

1. Multiple entries. Does it mean an unlimited number of entries for six months from the issue date of the visa?

2. Permitted period of stay per entry. For how many days will the foreign tourist be allowed to stay after each entry?

[lkv]

1. Yes, unlimited entries valid for 6 months. You can enter Thailand 50 times if you want within those 6 months (from the "Issue Date" until "Enter Before" on your visa sticker)

2. The standard duration of stay for the Tourist Category is 60 DAYS per entry. Only Non-Imm visas, such as educational, business, marriage etc have a 90 day duration of stay per entry.

Unless they change the standard duration of stay for the tourist category which I see very unlikely to happen.

3. Since every entry can technically be extended for an additional 30 days at local immigration for 1,900 baht, this will leave the long stayers with an option of getting or not getting an extension and just leaving the country every 2 months.

4. If the last of your multiple entries will take place very close to the "Enter Before" date, you could stretch one of these multiple theoretically for 9 months, which is what one would stretch a triple, the only difference being the triple costed 3,000 baht and this costs 5,000 baht.

Pays off for anyone that wants to travel more than twice in 3 months or more than 3 times in 6 months, and it's less hassle for the people in the region because no Thai Embassy in neighboring Asian countries would issue more than a double entry tourist visa at present (as far as I am aware).

Standby for the "Clarification"

Precisely. For example, I would like to have clarification of the following regarding this proposed new multiple-entry tourist visa valid for six months:

1. Multiple entries. Does it mean an unlimited number of entries for six months from the issue date of the visa?

2. Permitted period of stay per entry. For how many days will the foreign tourist be allowed to stay after each entry?

Edited August 6, 2015 by lkv

[Maestro]

I prefer not to speculate what the specifics of this proposed new visa type, if it is ever approved by the the cabinet, will turn out to be. I think, though, that we should remember that this proposal was announced not by immigration, which is familiar with terms like multiple entry and tourist visa, but by the Minister of Tourism, and that it was made with reference to the current visa exemption scheme available to tourists from "30 to 40 countries" and the related 30-day permission to stay, which would seem to imply that the proposed new visa is meant to give tourists from all countries the same ease of travelling to Thailand, but not free of charge.

[lkv]

I see your point, and you're right we're speculating right now but my feeling is once it's been all over the news, it's going to happen.

Not happening would mean someone "losing face", don't see that happening but who knows.

All the assumptions I have made so far are based on the current Thai Immigration Laws. If someone on a multiple non B valid for 12 months for example could enter an unlimited number of times within those 12 months, I reckon multiple 6 months means unlimited 6 months. Otherwise it makes no logic in the whole structure.

About the 60 days, it's always been like that, whether you had a single/double/triple entry visa. Why would this duration of stay change now? Again it doesn't makes sense to me.

We'll find out in a matter of days anyway, but if I was the one writing these rules and regulations anything else than unlimited entries within 6 months and 60 days per entry would contradict the logic of all the others, no?

I prefer not to speculate what the specifics of this proposed new visa type, if it is ever approved by the the cabinet, will turn out to be. I think, though, that we should remember that this proposal was announced not by immigration, which is familiar with terms like multiple entry and tourist visa, but by the Minister of Tourism, and that it was made with reference to the current visa exemption scheme available to tourists from "30 to 40 countries" and the related 30-day permission to stay, which would seem to imply that the proposed new visa is meant to give tourists from all countries the same ease of travelling to Thailand, but not free of charge.

[starky]

I seriously doubt a 6 month multi entry tourist visa is going to help. Most genuine tourists have a set time here & certainly do not plan to go in & out of the country over a period of 6 months. There is so much they could do with changing visa rules, especially long term ones for people who live here, support families & spend money all year round. Money which feeds into the grass roots economy, unlike all the Chinese tourists who's money only benefits a select few.

Long term expats are a drop in the ocean, both in numbers and economically, so I would not expect anything this government to do would benefit us. This is all about increasing tourist dollars, regardless of who benefits from those dollars.

Long term expats are what keeps this place ticking over for many parts of the year, they also have a lot of friends who visit here on a regular basis for holidays so don't be so quick to write them off

Big amount of Expats in Isaan, with not more income then a few hundreds bugs are keeping up the economy in Thailand , !!

5555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555

Also a big amount of guys like myself who work in offshore oil and gas and.live here month on month off or whatever there roster. I can tell you those boys spend a lot more than a lousy 800 000 baht a year mate.

[GanDoonToonPet]

I remember about 5 years ago they were giving away free tourist visas to promote tourism. Now they are planning to charge 5000 to do the same? I was a genuine tourist back then & only applied for a single entry, even though the double entry was free as well.

I've just returned from Laos via a visa run company,with my second double entry tourist visa. Costs were 3000 to the company, 1500 for the Laos entry visa & 2000 for the Thai tourist visa. Add in 2000 for drinks / snacks / beers minus 1000 saving on duty frees so you're talking 7500 minimum for the whole shabang.

99% of people at the embassy were teachers FYI...

So I have 6 months,with extensions & am not going to leave Thailand for 6 months at least. I probably won't even need the second entry as I'll be starting work soon & will change to a 'B' visa shortly.

I fail to see how this new plan is going to promote tourism. Most genuine tourists will only come once for 2 weeks anyway.

[fish fingers]

unusual u turn by Prayuth .. Personally think the Thai economy is in a heap of trouble

[mudcat]

Interesting to note that visa fees support Thai embassies and foreign ministry while Immigration fees and bribes support the police.

[Thian]

Why not open the gates totally? Give every arrival a 6 months visa without questions. Now we still have to go to the embassy a few times.

[JDGRUEN]

Waiting for more details on this. Like can one stay the whole 6 months without leaving? Can you leave and get another one after 6 months.

If yes to both, that will kill the Elite visa and what is left of the education visa. 10k a year to stay is a bargin and about the same as what Cambodia offers ( $300 for a 1 year).

Who knows if there will be an allowance for Two Back to Back 6 month visas... may be restricted to one... No way to know yet. And my bet is at the 90 day mark the Tourist will be required to Exit and Reenter. But again we do not know for sure.

IF Immigration allowed Continual back to back issuance of this 6 month visa (even with one exit and reentry requirement at the first 90 day mark and a Visa Run at the 180 day mark... it would make the hassle (sometimes / maybe / often a hassle) of the Extension of Stay based on Retirement or Marriage not very attractive. IF allowed to be done two times a year at a total of 10K baht - even with a border run plus a visa run ... Not a big deal depending on where one lives in Thailand (relative to a close border or nearby consulate).

Such a visa IF allowed back to back would also make the Non Immigrant Over Multi Entry Visa not so attractive especially since a Multi-Entry 'O' cannot be obtained in the region.

[MyFriend You]

why don't they charge everybody 5000 baht on arrival ? you can stay 6 month, but you don't have too ... as most are here for 30 days max ...

now 28.000.000 x 5.000 =

140,000,000,000

Now that makes sense - East Timor when it first opened chaged everyone - diplomats, tourists, military, UN, NGO's, didn't matter who, $25 on the tarmac - just to enter their country, then you would go to the Visa line and pay for your Visa. Never heard of anyone getting back on the plane beause they had to pay an arrival tax...........the Visa was 3, 6, 9 or 12 months whatever you were willing to pay for in $50 increments.

Donald Trump needs you on his US Presidential Campaign!! Go Donald!!!

[flyingdoc]

Some superb ideas emerging at last !!!

[Christie Paul]

Retail sales are in the toilet, along with tax receipts and tea money. Exports are tanking.

The economy is mid way into a swan dive into a swimming pool without water.

The time to adjust to new economic realities and to encourage more people to participate in the economy was about the same time as thousands of people were being turfed out.

Now they want them back. But this latest gambit is probably too little too late.

More Chinese tourists? Sure. But the problem is that 500,000 Chinese have as much spending power as 8 backpackers. Time to eat your slide rules.

Expect the 65,000 rules and regulations that make being here unnecessarily difficult and complicated to go onto the chopping block. But not quickly enough to make a difference.

Watch and learn Cambodia.

[spidermike007]

The Cabinet on Tuesday gave the nod to the Tourism Ministry's three-year tourism development master plan aimed at boosting quality tourists and promoting sustainable development.

Where are they going to get the quality tourists from? Most of these quality tourists are tired of not being able to travel in thailand with health insurance coverage. And they are concerned about the recent unsolved tourist murders, the lack of traffic safety, and the general lack of law and order. Not to mention the inability to get real five star service, at five star resorts. Could you please explain to me the difference between the Mclaren Vale Shiraz for 2800 baht, and the Clare Valley Grenache for 4200 baht? Oh, one is a light red, and the other is a heavy red, sir.

It would also relax travel conditions and increase cooperation with other countries, particularly Thailand's neighbours.

​If Thailand cooperated with its neighbors, and stopped behaving like the neighborhood giant it once was, but no longer is, there might be some real progress made. It could start by treating its Burmese guest workers like royalty. They deserve that, when you consider how hard they work, how much they sacrifice to be here, and how low their wages are. And when you add in the lack of complaining about work conditions, compared to their Thai counterparts, they should be given awards and bonuses, for working here.

Last week, Thailand and Myanmar agreed to waive entry visas at major airports for the citizens of the two nations journeying between the two countries by plane. They can stay up to 14 days.

This is a good thing. I had to jump over some hoops to take my Thai wife to Burma two months ago. Does ASEAN not really mean that much?

[jacko45k]

So a year after forcing thousands of expats out of Thailand - expats who did border runs but who still no doubt spent lots of money in Thailand, they come back with this.

This isn't about thousands of Expats, but millions of tourists.

To them, we are the same. There is NO 'Expat' status here. You are a perpetual tourist. having to renew your 'Extension to Stay' and report to Immigration every ninety days should give you a clue.

Rubbish, I do not have a tourist visa or waiver, but a Non-O with an extension based on retirement.

I have retired here.

[lkv]

My bet is that the tourist will be required to exit at the 60 day mark otherwise he'll be on overstay. Like it's always been.

The only way the tourist will exit at the 90 day mark is with an additional 30 day paid extension (THB 1,900)

But the tourist will most certainly exit after a maximum 90 days, there isn't going to be a tourist that will stay 91 consecutive days in Thailand, then you need notification of residence. Would the tourists do the 90 day address notification report? Very unlikely.

Yeah, they could limit let's say the issuance of the multiple to 3 in a row like they seem to do for the doubles at the moment in some places although I have more than 3 but from different places and not really consecutive. I travel a lot but spend a lot of time here as well.

Yes, it could become a more attractive options for people that are looking for 1 year Retirement extensions but cannot meet the THB 800,000 and they get "helped" by the lawyer for a fee that some people were saying ranges between 20-25K. The ones that meet the requirement, they would only pay THB 1,900 and get a full 12 months extension. But don't forget it's not only the cost. If I was old and living on a retirement visa, I really would not want to extend after 2 months, do visa run at 3 months, come back for 2 months, extend for another month, apply for another multiple and then restart the process. In my opinion it's a big headache for someone that just wants peace and quiet in retirement.

Waiting for more details on this. Like can one stay the whole 6 months without leaving? Can you leave and get another one after 6 months.

If yes to both, that will kill the Elite visa and what is left of the education visa. 10k a year to stay is a bargin and about the same as what Cambodia offers ( $300 for a 1 year).

Who knows if there will be an allowance for Two Back to Back 6 month visas... may be restricted to one... No way to know yet. And my bet is at the 90 day mark the Tourist will be required to Exit and Reenter. But again we do not know for sure.

IF Immigration allowed Continual back to back issuance of this 6 month visa (even with one exit and reentry requirement at the first 90 day mark and a Visa Run at the 180 day mark... it would make the hassle (sometimes / maybe / often a hassle) of the Extension of Stay based on Retirement or Marriage not very attractive. IF allowed to be done two times a year at a total of 10K baht - even with a border run plus a visa run ... Not a big deal depending on where one lives in Thailand (relative to a close border or nearby consulate).

Such a visa IF allowed back to back would also make the Non Immigrant Over Multi Entry Visa not so attractive especially since a Multi-Entry 'O' cannot be obtained in the region.

Edited August 7, 2015 by lkv