The only real question is will that new visa be available in such places as Penang, Laos, and other Thai consulates in SEA for non residents also and if so with what restrictions?

Or is this the Thais feeble attempt for an all-ASEAN visa?

Edited October 18, 201510 yr by IMA_FARANG

so far it is NOT going to be available in Cambodia or Singapore unless you live there

i expect Laos/ Malaysia to follow suit.

Pretty simple... either single or multiple entry tourist visas. Makes it pretty some really, except the part of having to show two or more air entry tickets for the M visa. That's pretty whack.

Indeed, with such preconditions and the inflated price the whole thing will become a shelf warmer.

Travel plans with two tickets for half a year. What a nonsense.

In Germany they want to see:

proof of flight booking (return or onward)

proof of at least one onward travel (flight-, bus-, train-ticket or hotel booking or visa to/for other country)

hotel booking for at least one location

proof of 5000 Euro on the bank account

From the non working link :

http://thaiembassy.de/site/index.php/de/konsularwesen-visa-beglaubigungen/wie-man-ein-visum-beantragt

Edited October 18, 201510 yr by KhunBENQ

The only real question is will that new visa be available in such places as Penang, Laos, and other Thai consulates in SEA for non residents also and if so with what restrictions?

Or is this the Thais feeble attempt for an all-ASEAN visa?

Several press releases mentioned it to be aimed at ASEAN tourism.

Hotel booking and advance? If one goes to hi end hotels I can understand that. But in my 14 trips I stay in mid level hotels, that is all I need, I learned early on to see the room first before I pay. Non working or noisy air con, overlooking the parking lot with all the darn horn key chain beeps, motorcyles at 3 am, etc. Sorry, but this plus the other issues I brought up earlier, doesn't seem to make this at all attractive. It almost seems like it would work for in and out flights, i.e. somewhere not too far from Thailand. But a chinese tourist individual would't typically do that, so this is almost looking like an attempt at some sort of sneaky work visa, or semi frequent business traveler. I don't see how it is easier or convenient for a tourist, that now has to do all that booking and itinerary in and out proof in advance. Of course it is possible that the idea is to make people buy in advance and then 10 or 20 per cent would not complete their travels due to unforeseen changes? I am always leary of paying in advance

Hotel booking and advance? If one goes to hi end hotels I can understand that. But in my 14 trips I stay in mid level hotels, that is all I need, I learned early on to see the room first before I pay. Non working or noisy air con, overlooking the parking lot with all the darn horn key chain beeps, motorcyles at 3 am, etc. Sorry, but this plus the other issues I brought up earlier, doesn't seem to make this at all attractive. It almost seems like it would work for in and out flights, i.e. somewhere not too far from Thailand. But a chinese tourist individual would't typically do that, so this is almost looking like an attempt at some sort of sneaky work visa, or semi frequent business traveler. I don't see how it is easier or convenient for a tourist, that now has to do all that booking and itinerary in and out proof in advance. Of course it is possible that the idea is to make people buy in advance and then 10 or 20 per cent would not complete their travels due to unforeseen changes? I am always leary of paying in advance

That's why it's not meant for the typical farang, but for a Chinese who will splash out on high ends hotels for his 2 weeks holiday, and would never venture out of his country without hotel bookings.