Cabinet waives visa fee for tourists from 19 countries

[Jonathan Fairfield]

Cabinet waives visa fee for tourists from 19 countries

 

 

In order to promote tourism during the tourism high season, the cabinet agreed on Tuesday to waive visa fees for tourists from 19 countries as of December 1 until February 28.

 

Tourists from 19 countries which include Andora, Bulgaria, Bhutan, China, Cyprus, Ethiopia, India, Kazakhstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Maldives, Malta, Mauritius, Romania, San Mario, Saudi Arabia, Taiwan, Ukraine and Uzbekistan need not have to pay the 1,000 baht visa fee when they apply for a visa at Thai embassies or consular offices.

 

In the meantime, the cabinet agreed to reduce fee for visa on arrival at immigration checkpoints for tourists from the 19 countries above mentioned.

 

The two measures are expected to increase tourist arrivals by over 357,000 during the three-month festive season, generating revenue amounting to 28,703 million baht. They will help create over 62,000 temporary jobs and increase the government’s tax revenue by about 1,200 million baht.

 

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/cabinet-waives-visa-fee-for-tourists-from-19-countries/

 

 

-- © Copyright Thai PBS 2016-11-22

 

RELATED: Govt approves 10 year visas for foreigners over 50

 

[Lingba]

I thought tourist numbers were skyrocketing....funny ..desperate times call for desperate measures

[LazySlipper]

Chances are, if any, that people from these countries don't bother coming here much in the first place... I guess good guy in bad guy out and the countries advertised are certainly 'la creme de la creme'!

[Mickmouse1]

What a collection ! !!????

[acid thunder]

46 minutes ago, Jonathan Fairfield said:

San Mario

 

Where's San Mario?

[ginjag]

Greenland---outer Mongolia---Falklands----Malta

[fstarbkk]

Gee, why not Lichtenstein and Monte Carlo?

 

Or how about including a few nationalities that spend some real money on vacation?

[ginjag]

3 minutes ago, acid thunder said:

 

Where's San Mario?

He has a holiday home in Tonga   lol

[acid thunder]

Just now, ginjag said:

He has a holiday home in Tonga   lol

 

He won't want to come to LOS then.

[TechnikaIII]

So happy for the stinking rich tourists from Saudi Arabia.

[Sydebolle]

So TAT and the Tourism Minister were not consulted it seems as the visa issue is within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Beware of overflowing tourism this upcoming high season; apart from the sky rocketing arrivals we're seeing all those Bulgarian and Bhutanese now coming in on all those B747 services, operating every hour to the hour 

[anon467848]

I didn't see the Moon or Mars on the list... I wish some aliens would come and reclaim these clowns, and take them back to planet cuckoo land..

[sabaii69]

I though Saudi's were banned for some problem. Could someone clear that up?

[Krungbin]

1 hour ago, acid thunder said:

 

Where's San Mario?

 

1 hour ago, acid thunder said:

 

Where's San Mario?

San Marino I guess...

[Anthony5]

1 hour ago, acid thunder said:

 

Where's San Mario?

 

1 hour ago, ginjag said:

He has a holiday home in Tonga   lol

 

 

You are confused, that is Mario San, and he lives in Tokyo.

[KhunBENQ]

1 hour ago, fstarbkk said:

Gee, why not Lichtenstein and Monte Carlo?

 

Or how about including a few nationalities that spend some real money on vacation?

Liechtenstein is visa exempt since a while.

But really they were on the 15 day visa on arrival for long. Quite a joke.

And the one and only I ever met in Thailand IS a spender.

They are one the richest people of the world.

 

[KhunBENQ]

2 hours ago, Jonathan Fairfield said:

The two measures are expected to increase tourist arrivals by over 357,000 during the three-month festive season, generating revenue amounting to 28,703 million baht. They will help create over 62,000 temporary jobs and increase the government’s tax revenue by about 1,200 million baht.

 

I love this exact science

[lvr181]

2 hours ago, Lingba said:

I thought tourist numbers were skyrocketing....funny ..desperate times call for desperate measures

 

"skyrocketing"? Sounds like an announcement from la la land. 

[hougourou]

Since all the other 18 countires on the list have inconsequential numbers of tourists  coming to Thailand, another way to have put this is:

 

Free Visas For Chinese Tourists 

[GAZZPA]

Deary me what a crock... Its all disguised as a way to just give China free visas,, I mean look at the list.

 

Firstly 1000 baht saving means absolutely nothing to a long haul traveller and will play no part on the decision on whether they travel to Thailand or not.

 

And the list,,, who do they think they are kidding,, Mauritius is on that list, how many people from Mauritius come to Thailand each year? It's only got a population of about 1 million people, most of which are terribly poor. And those rich people on Mauritius already have paradise on their doorstep,, I cannot imagine that some rich person in Mauritius is going to fancy a change from the perfect white sand, crystal clear sea and stunning weather and say "i know lets go to Pattaya",,,

 

Anyway, I am sure this obvious nonsense fools some.. Don't know why they can't just be straight and say "no visa charge for Chinese tourists"..

[hobobo]

3 hours ago, acid thunder said:

 

Where's San Mario?

I've been there twice, but dumb people mis-spelled it both times, so apparently I've been to San Marino instead!

[3NUMBAS]

Nightlife in tailspin causes panic at higher levels ??are there any flights from these minions of tourism ?

[Honthy]

How many tourists come from Andora, Bhutan, Ethiopia, Maldives, Malta, Mauritius, San Mario all together in a year?

Now, I am quite positive their munber will be multiplied....

[BuckBee]

62,000 jobs ! how ?

TAT keep coming up with record breaking figures and yet they seem keen diversify on low quality sector when it all supposedly about quality tourists oozing money temple spotting :-S

Tourism looks well down to me and retail taking massive hits with shop changes monthly .

[lust]

Went from "good guys in, bad guys out" to "if you have a pulse please come" real quick.

[NCC1701A]

"... Andora, Bulgaria, Bhutan, China, Cyprus, Ethiopia, India, Kazakhstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Maldives, Malta, Mauritius, Romania, San Mario, Saudi Arabia, Taiwan, Ukraine and Uzbekistan need not have to pay the 1,000 baht visa fee..."

 

[paddlinsteve]

Yes, there's an obstacle for Saudis who'd like to visit Thailand. It's called a travel ban. There were some unpleasant incidents involving nationals of both nations some years back that resulted in a cutting of relations. Actually both countries would like to normalize relations, but some folks can be so stubborn. Saudis with influence back home can visit safely; others face having their passport confiscated for five years upon their return to KSA.

[off road pat]

5 hours ago, sabaii69 said:

I though Saudi's were banned for some problem. Could someone clear that up?

That was my impression to, after the Saudi diamond affair !!!! and the killing of a Saudi businessman and a couple Saudi diplomats by corrupt police !!!....business as usual....the only thing that counts in this world is Money, money, money, and more money !!!!

[starky]

7 hours ago, LazySlipper said:

Chances are, if any, that people from these countries don't bother coming here much in the first place... I guess good guy in bad guy out and the countries advertised are certainly 'la creme de 

 

[starky]

7 hours ago, LazySlipper said:

Chances are, if any, that people from these countries don't bother coming here much in the first place... I guess good guy in bad guy out and the countries advertised are certainly 'la creme de la creme'!

Yeah China and India not many coming from there