Confirmed: New multiple entry tourist visa for Thailand available from November

[Gringogazzer]

Amazing all the comments, and mainly they are coming NOT from genuine tourists, but from long stay individuals

Immigration needs to define tourist, and exclude long stays from using it

There are retirement and marriage visa extensions

There are working visa for school teachers etc

There is the Investment visa

There is the elite card

You can choose from quite a generous list but long stay should not be using tourist

That's for the government to decide & tailor their laws to suit.

It would be simple for them to add a caveat where using tourist visas you had to leave the country for a set amount of time, 1 month/2 month, yearly/half yearly as the UK etc do.

That message ain't in the law. Quite the opposite.

[Thaidream]

It sounds good. However, will there be any problem on getting another one back to back from the nearest Thai Embassy or Consulate? This maybe the Thai way of giving with one hand and taking away with the other. Only time will tell.

[Amras]

This probably require an amendment to the Immigration Act, and should that be the case, the new form of tourist visa would only take affect once the amendment has duly been advertised in the Government Gazette.

hmm..did you even read the article? Or just the headlines?

"but was officially confirmed earlier this week following its publication in the Government Gazette."

People....

[Ling Kae]

This visa would have been a lot better if it was a multiple entry tourist visa for 6 Months WITHOUT the need for border runs every 60 days.

What the point of the border runs for someone like me who come here 5 Months a year?

A double entry tourist visa is what I get not now for half the price and I still have to make border runs every 60 days, nothing has changed for me and the new system will cost more. (I really am a 5 Month a year tourist)

[cumgranosalum]

Does this mean that every time I enter on this visa, I will get 60 days up to 6 months regardless pof how many entries?

[cumgranosalum]

This visa would have been a lot better if it was a multiple entry tourist visa for 6 Months WITHOUT the need for border runs every 60 days.

What the point of the border runs for someone like me who come here 5 Months a year?

A double entry tourist visa is what I get not now for half the price and I still have to make border runs every 60 days, nothing has changed for me and the new system will cost more. (I really am a 5 Month a year tourist)

Except if you had to leave the country BEFORE 60 days, you'd lose your visa, as I see it with this visa, you get UP TO 60 days every time you enter for 6 months on this new visa

[cumgranosalum]

This visa would have been a lot better if it was a multiple entry tourist visa for 6 Months WITHOUT the need for border runs every 60 days.

What the point of the border runs for someone like me who come here 5 Months a year?

A double entry tourist visa is what I get not now for half the price and I still have to make border runs every 60 days, nothing has changed for me and the new system will cost more. (I really am a 5 Month a year tourist)

[addison562]

This new visa appears to have only one advantage, 3 entries in 6 months vs. 2. But it's a lot more expensive. It seems like a very minor aka petty improvement. One wonders whether two of these can be used back-to-back, then once again. Or if this one visa establishes a 6 month-per-year limit on stays.

[Namplik]

It sounds good. However, will there be any problem on getting another one back to back from the nearest Thai Embassy or Consulate? This maybe the Thai way of giving with one hand and taking away with the other. Only time will tell.

I hope it only will be able to apply for this visa in your home country. This new visa should not be for long stayers....

[cumgranosalum]

This new visa appears to have only one advantage, 3 entries in 6 months vs. 2. But it's a lot more expensive. It seems like a very minor aka petty improvement. One wonders whether two of these can be used back-to-back, then once again. Or if this one visa establishes a 6 month-per-year limit on stays.

No it means MULTIPLE entries in 6 months....so you don't have to stay for 60 days to get the full value - you can come and go as you please for up to 60 days at a time over a 6 month period.

[Michael8511]

Sounds great to me, it may be easier to come and go in a 6 months period, I can't get a multi entry tourist visa in NY just the regular 60 day plus 30 day extension do with this one I can enter 3 times in a 6 months period. Have to go home every 5-6 weeks and the cost will be lower since I only need 1 visa instead of 2 or 3. I'm one of the suckers that always enter on a visa since I stay 5 weeks each time.

[BKResort]

It is good news for a tourist, not at all for people working illegally here. If you do a border run like now, when this visa is available, will be indication to the border officers that you are not a tourist..and....

Edited September 22, 2015 by BKResort

[Amras]

Moan Moan Moan fxxxxxx Moan. You all sound like a Thai wife in the middel of her menstrual cycle.

I think its great news and will solve many problems people are,and have been facing

Agreed. Never understood why things change for the better and people still sit in their armchair and complain like whinning little entitled b****s.

The the other posts....

Is it more expensive? Yes. Seriously it's 3000 baht more per 6 months (6000 baht per year) than getting 2 X double entry tourist visas (not counting extensions, flying etc).

You get a multi entry, can come and go as you please (no needing re-entry permits) for 6 months (stay likely 8 if you enter within the last week of the visa validity).

If 6000 baht a year is killing you for a visa with increased flexibility (as a tourist), you really shouldn't be here. Completely different story if you are working, a teacher etc. But this is a tourist/visitor visa.

[Dogmatix]

I actually think this is pretty good news. Especially for the profile of folks that I know, including me. :-)

I work for a US based company that has an office in BKK (Ratchprasong area) so I've had the Non-B and all the other requisite stuff for being here for the past 5 years or so. For my company I'm usually conducting business in most other countries in Asia except for Thailand. Especially after the coup because business for us has gone cold here after the coup. Few companies are spending infrastructure-sized amounts of dough on projects when there is this uncertainty. I'm here on the weekends and the odd week or two each month that I'm not conducting business somewhere else in Asia.

I'm considering staying in Thailand after I retire in a few years. I could get a retirement visa or get a Thailand Elite visa, or try for permanent resident, but this METV gives me another option when I'm finished working and can't take advantage of the non-B I have through my company. And for 10k baht a year plus travel, not a bad deal if you like to travel the region anyway.

Where I see this working for someone like me at retirement:

- MIght not want to put the money into the Thai Elite Visa. Although this might have been the option for me over the Retirement Visa.

- Might want to keep big money in home country and bring over only what is needed every couple of months. So won't have to bring 800k baht into Thai bank for Retirement Visa.

- Might want to travel in-and-out of the region and not want to worry about reentry permits and such as you would with a retirement visa. Maybe no big deal, but Hey.

- If I do travel around the region then no big deal to get another METV when visiting another country (I hope this would be the case)

- If I don't travel that much, this would be the fire lit under my butt to go do some traveling if only to get another METV when it expires.

While it might not benefit everyone, or other options suit other people, I can see the METV being a positive for many people. I don't need it now but think the key here is that it gives me another viable option after I'm done working.

If you're eligible for PR and don't mind the cost, that's the best security of tenure you can get for your retirement. Once you've got it you're done and dusted. No rules can be changed on you. You still need to get the annual endorsements if you want to leave the country but it just takes a few minutes at CW and you can send a messenger to pick it up.

[digitalchromakey]

This is the second time in a month where an important news story concerning Thai Visas has had an effectively exclusive posting in the news section.

Surely for such significant issues there should be an immediately locked news item with a link to the same article in the Thai Visas section?

This way any discussion of an important Thai Visa issue would, in my opinion, be in the correct place.

[Artisi]

Thanks but that mean every 60 days need to make border run ?

So, are you a tourist or one of the dodgy in and out fake tourists?

[mcfish]

Wonder why they are not releasing info on where to apply for it, November is just around the corner. If its from your home country then it truly will be just for tourists.

[peergin]

Am wondering if my retired parents can now come and spend the very cold Scandinavian winter months in Thailand. It would be very nice to have them in this warm climate for 6 months every year. The only problem is that they would have to leave the country every 60 days. That is not convenient for the old folks! Need to think about that.

[stoneyboy]

Am wondering if my retired parents can now come and spend the very cold Scandinavian winter months in Thailand. It would be very nice to have them in this warm climate for 6 months every year. The only problem is that they would have to leave the country every 60 days. That is not convenient for the old folks! Need to think about that.

If they are over 50 years of age which I suspect they are then they could have stayed for 6 months long before the advent of this new visa.

[paz]

Amazing all the comments, and mainly they are coming NOT from genuine tourists, but from long stay individuals

...

You can choose from quite a generous list but long stay should not be using tourist

And you can choose to stay silent on a matter about which you evidently have a self-centered view

Because not anyone is older, married, employed or rich. And that doesn't mean they are undesirable.

[paz]

well, at least with this visa, i can travel to myanmar and philippines etc... and won't lose an entry on my visa.

With this visa you can travel to Thailand.

DanceAllNight means: I can travel to these countries, and come back to Thailand without loosing entry count. Which is doable with this type of visa or event the current types of tourist visa, buying a re-entry permit for a total cost virtually the same.

Edited September 22, 2015 by paz

[paz]

My opinion:

The reason for this type of visa visa is to give a way for people that doesn't qualify for other visa to enter without visa exempt entry anymore

Which is a strategy that has begin with the computer flagging more that 6 visa exempt entries.

In other words the Gov.t wants all repeated visitors to be paying and be cursorily screened at a their consulates and not come and go as they please.

Edited September 22, 2015 by paz

[stoneyboy]

My opinion:

The reason for this type of visa visa is to give a way for people that doesn't qualify for other visa to enter without visa exempt entry anymore

Which is a strategy that has begin with the computer flagging more that 6 visa exempt entries.

In other words the Gov.t wants all repeated visitors to be paying and be cursorily screened at a their consulates and not come and go as they please.

I would have to agree to some extent.

Will each entry be extendable at immigration also I'm sure it will be for another 1900 baht in the coffers.

[paz]

This probably require an amendment to the Immigration Act, and should that be the case, the new form of tourist visa would only take affect once the amendment has duly been advertised in the Government Gazette.

No, it doesn't require any amendment (which had never happened anyway) and does not require Gov. gazette publishing.

[stickylies]

This sounds to me very similar to the current triple-entry tourist visa, except it costs 2000 Baht more and has multiple entries not 3 entries.

The 3-entry tourist visa disappeared from many countries long ago. You're lucky ti still be able to get one.

I think this visa is for those who frequently travel between Thailand and other country(ies) and used to use the visa exemption way. They can now get a proper visa and no need of a re-entry-permit.

And no, it's not a solution for those who want live here as a "permanent tourist". For them, see post above

I get my triple-entry tourist visa from the Liverpool Thai consulate every six months. Believe me, it is still very much alive.

Same here. Since 2011. Triple entry.price 90 euro. NO questions asked but i gently provide state of affair of My savings account.

[juice777]

Amazing all the comments, and mainly they are coming NOT from genuine tourists, but from long stay individuals

Immigration needs to define tourist, and exclude long stays from using it

There are retirement and marriage visa extensions

There are working visa for school teachers etc

There is the Investment visa

There is the elite card

You can choose from quite a generous list but long stay should not be using tourist

Tourist definition - a person who is travelling or visiting a place for pleasure.

There is no mention of time in any definition of the word 'tourist'. If you are under 50, not working in Thailand and do not want to be involved in the 'elite' card scam then there are not too many alternatives.

Why can a person not be a tourist for 10/20 years??

It's not as if there are generous benefits from the welfare system to gorge on.

yes you are right and as long as we are not working illegally and spending our money here why do people moan, I just don't understand why they care, it's Thailand why don't they chill out, I keep applying for visas and if they keep giving them 2 me I will keep coming, sometimes I think they are jealous or something

[jspill]

yes you are right and as long as we are not working illegally and spending our money here why do people moan, I just don't understand why they care, it's Thailand why don't they chill out, I keep applying for visas and if they keep giving them 2 me I will keep coming, sometimes I think they are jealous or something

+1

There's no official limit on back to back stay with tourists visas, people stay here for many years on them. If they didn't want long-term stayers on tourist visas they'd enforce 6 months per year limits to our stay, like the US/UK does.

The 'moaning' is just consternation that Thailand doesn't streamline them more, allow them to be renewed within the country etc.

We'd be happy to pay more... instead we pay Laos and Cambodia for visas on arrival.

[Ling Kae]

Is it more expensive? Yes. Seriously it's 3000 baht more per 6 months (6000 baht per year) than getting 2 X double entry tourist visas (not counting extensions, flying etc).

That's just the point. With this visa you still have to leave the country every 60 days. So not only does this visa cost more you still have to get out every 60 days. What is he point of this for a tourist like me who comes here 5 Months a year? There is no point, it should have been a multiple entry visa for 6 Months without the need to leave every 60 days, yet another policy not well thought through.

Seeing I will still have to exit the country every 60 days (for no reason except to adhere to the visa conditions) there is no benefit to me of this new visa. It is double the price and with no added benefits.

[paz]

Is it more expensive? Yes. Seriously it's 3000 baht more per 6 months (6000 baht per year) than getting 2 X double entry tourist visas (not counting extensions, flying etc).

That's just the point. With this visa you still have to leave the country every 60 days. So not only does this visa cost more you still have to get out every 60 days. What is he point of this for a tourist like me who comes here 5 Months a year? There is no point, it should have been a multiple entry visa for 6 Months without the need to leave every 60 days, yet another policy not well thought through.

Seeing I will still have to exit the country every 60 days (for no reason except to adhere to the visa conditions) there is no benefit to me of this new visa. It is double the price and with no added benefits.

You can stay 90 days with one 30 days extensions costing Bt 1,900, that has always been possible.

It is not possible to issue a tourist visa allowing more than 90 days stay, because that would be against Thai immigration act sec 34(3). The act would need to be changed by Parliament.

[Ling Kae]

Is it more expensive? Yes. Seriously it's 3000 baht more per 6 months (6000 baht per year) than getting 2 X double entry tourist visas (not counting extensions, flying etc).

That's just the point. With this visa you still have to leave the country every 60 days. So not only does this visa cost more you still have to get out every 60 days. What is he point of this for a tourist like me who comes here 5 Months a year? There is no point, it should have been a multiple entry visa for 6 Months without the need to leave every 60 days, yet another policy not well thought through.

Seeing I will still have to exit the country every 60 days (for no reason except to adhere to the visa conditions) there is no benefit to me of this new visa. It is double the price and with no added benefits.

You can stay 90 days with one 30 days extensions costing Bt 1,900, that has always been possible.

It is not possible to issue a tourist visa allowing more than 90 days stay, because that would be against Thai immigration act sec 34(3). The act would need to be changed by Parliament.

In other words there is no benefit of this visa, thank you I know that.