Oh and no motorhomes will be allowed to enter at all. No motorcycles either. Only cars and pickup trucks weighing no more than 3.5 tons GVM.

Tom,

are you sure about that?

Last year i was in Sonkhla and there was a French family driving around with a, right hand driven, Unimog mobilhome look al like. A big square box on wheels. This was certain a truck and weighted over 3;5 ton with no Thai plate.

That was last year ,this is now .

Saw a French registered motorhome in Chiang Rai yesterday!

Interesting. Yes, they are still here. But not for much longer. June 27th is coming up very quickly so enter before your time is up. LOL.

I thought the Chinese had been bringing their SUVs into Thailand for some time.

They have been, but as of June 27th or so, they will be restricted.

The new law has been published in the Royal Gazette as of April 28 and 60 days after elapsing means June 27th will be the first date of the new rule being in effect.

I am not sure but i think they are already restricting them as the border in the north...

Agencies that specialized in Karavan from China have been completely out of a job since march.

I think the new law will allow them back but under certain conditions as opposed to near to total ban right now

The bulk of their caravan tours are seasonal and during certain holidays.

Car owners in China are wealthy. A new fee means nothing to them.

I thought the Chinese had been bringing their SUVs into Thailand for some time.

They have been, but as of June 27th or so, they will be restricted.

The new law has been published in the Royal Gazette as of April 28 and 60 days after elapsing means June 27th will be the first date of the new rule being in effect.

I am not sure but i think they are already restricting them as the border in the north...

Agencies that specialized in Karavan from China have been completely out of a job since march.

I think the new law will allow them back but under certain conditions as opposed to near to total ban right now

The bulk of their caravan tours are seasonal and during certain holidays.

Car owners in China are wealthy. A new fee means nothing to them.

Have you read the article at all? This isn't just about a new "fee" but these are some heavy restrictions that will deter all but the most determined Chinese from driving to Thailand. Some of them may be wealthy but many not so much. They have been driving here because it has been almost free to get in. Travel agents will apply their own fees which could be in the thousands of Baht or more to request the permission on behalf of the driver. Combined with the need to plan in advance and being restricted from driving outside the border province entered isn't going to be very attractive anymore.

Then again, what's with the obsession amongst Chinese wanting to drive here? If they're supposedly that rich why not fly business class and rent a car with driver once here? Stay in 5 star hotels? Instead I have seen Chinese drive what are apparently Chinese rental cars here abd then they end up staying in some 900 Baht dump full of tour groups. If they were rich they wouldn't be subjecting themselves to such conditions.