ATTA says visa fee waiver is a timely measure

[webfact]

ATTA  says visa fee waiver is a timely measure

 

 

BANGKOK: -- The Association of Thai Travel Agents (ATTA) is hopeful that the temperary waiver of visa fees for tourists from 19 countries as of December 1 until February 28 will attract more tourists into the country, particularly from China and India.

 

ATTA president Mr Charoen Wangananont said the measure endorsed by the cabinet will benefit tourists, particularly Chinese and Indians who are considered the significant groups.

 

The measure is efficient and came at the appropriate time as the country is now approaching the high season for tourism, he said.

 

December will be the country’s peak season for tourists, the visa waiver for tourists from 19 countries will surely attract more to come.

 

He said Thailand’s neighbouring countries have all waived fees for visa services.

 

The visa waiver announced by the government is timely and will boost more tourists under the current comoetition from its neighbours, he said.

 

He also said the visa waiver would get good respond from tourists from Europe and Russia.

 

For Russia, he said more Russian tourists are returning to Thailand as its economy is improving after declining for a certain period.

Commenting on the clampdown of zero tour business by the government and an estimated 30% drop in Chinese tourist arrivals recently, the ATTA president said now they are returning in higher number respectively.

 

Under the interim 3-month waiving period, 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.

 

Full story: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/atta-says-visa-fee-waiver-is-a-timely-measure/

 

-- © Copyright Thai PBS 2016-11-24

[SoFarAndNear]

A round-trip ticket to most of these countries cost something like 20k - 25k THB. Does this make really any difference if you have to pay 1000THB more or less to come here? I think, NOT.

[brucec64]

This is most likely aimed at the chinese markets. The zero dollar tours have been set to a minimum of 1000 bht a day, so the low end target market will probably be influenced by the visa waiver.

Sent from my SM-J710F using Thaivisa Connect mobile app

[The Old Bull]

I wonder if Laos will ever do the same .I live near the border and would enjoy going over for the odd supper if I didn't get clipped 35 bucks each time.

[Enoon]

According to another source the VOA fee was raised from 1000 to 2000baht, for those 19 countries in the scheme, on 27th September 2016, and is now being reduced back to 1000baht. 

 

It is the 1000baht that they would have ordinarily paid for a Tourist Visa in an Embassy/Consulate that is being waived.

 

Which puts a rather different angle on their "promotion".  If it is correct.

 

Edited November 24, 2016 by Enoon

[Thechook]

I thought tourist numbers were at an all time record and the country was bursting at the seams with tourists.  how on earth can they sqeeze more in

[oldgent]

I am all for it if it brings in stunning looking girls like the two in the photo

[bark]

11 minutes ago, oldgent said:

I am all for it if it brings in stunning looking girls like the two in the photo

Increase will come from India and China. If they don't shower, or yell when they are talking.

I don't care how hot the girls are; it isn't worth it !

[freebyrd]

28 minutes ago, oldgent said:

I am all for it if it brings in stunning looking girls like the two in the photo

 

Stunning?!

[Thechook]

34 minutes ago, oldgent said:

I am all for it if it brings in stunning looking girls like the two in the photo

But these girls arent comming to thailand for retired farangs

[mrfaroukh]

If the 1000 Baht visa fee is of so much importance to these people and now they will be attracted to come to Thailand just because of waiver of 1000 Baht fees, then I really don't understand what kind of tourist are we going to get. They must be really on low budget holiday.

 

Thailand need to keep those expats that are living here , spending lots of money, marry Thai girls and make families. They should make their life easier , make it easy to buy land and house in their own name, make them feel they are secure, do not hastel them with 90 days report ( at least make it possible online report), giving them 10 years visa is a good idea but then force them to spend 25000 a year for faulty medical insurance to get that visa is not a good idea.

[Arandora]

Chinese and Indian mass tourists spend less than any other tourist group so this will not benefit the local economy. The other nations are in the lowest number of visitors and would take an incredible and unlikely increase in their number attracted by a huge 1000 baht saving to have any economic impact whatsoever.

This is just an attempt to increase headline visitor numbers to offset the reduction in visitor numbers from the countries not entitled to this waiver and whose income loss will far outweigh the "gain" from the "new" free visa visitors.

[dcsw53]

Reading the whole story, each tourist will spend AVERAGE THB 80,400.

 

In ATTA's dreams. 

[upena]

Wishful thinking. If all is so wonderful in TAT-land, why this during high season?

[Bangkok Barry]

Aren't Chinese arrivals down about 80 percent since the zero-baht tours were banned? And will this move reverse that? 

[ratcatcher]

This is how it works. Once a week Kobkarn Wattanavrankul, the Minister of Tourism and Sport and

Yuthasak Supasorn TATget together with ATTAboy, Charoen Wanganont and theyand  and arrive at the latest tourist numbers.

It's all very sophisticated and absolutely accurate.

 

[ThaiFelix]

4 hours ago, Enoon said:

According to another source the VOA fee was raised from 1000 to 2000baht, for those 19 countries in the scheme, on 27th September 2016, and is now being reduced back to 1000baht. 

 

It is the 1000baht that they would have ordinarily paid for a Tourist Visa in an Embassy/Consulate that is being waived.

 

Which puts a rather different angle on their "promotion".  If it is correct.

 

So it sounds more like they put the fee up but then realised their mistake so turned it all around and called it a "promotion" to save face.  Just like my old school, make a decision first and then consider the consequences later.

[lamyai3]

The list of power players set to fly in and save the tourist industry sounds a bit like Bush's coalition of the willing.

 

"You forgot Poland!"

[sead]

1 hour ago, ratcatcher said:

This is how it works. Once a week Kobkarn Wattanavrankul, the Minister of Tourism and Sport and

Yuthasak Supasorn TATget together with ATTAboy, Charoen Wanganont and theyand  and arrive at the latest tourist numbers.

It's all very sophisticated and absolutely accurate.

 

Finally i understand everything.

[jethro69]

6 hours ago, The Old Bull said:

I wonder if Laos will ever do the same .I live near the border and would enjoy going over for the odd supper if I didn't get clipped 35 bucks each time.

 

Well, get another passport. They do it already, I have to agree for very few (western) countries.

If my mind serves well it's S. Korea, Switzerland, Luxembourg. The whole list can be found on their immigration site. As Lao is communist I think quite a few communist countries get visa exemption as well. I'll get 15 days instead of 30 with a visa.

Sometimes it takes some time to convince them on their own rules, especially with a new passport, as I found out in Golden Triangle 10 days ago.

[Brer Fox]

6 hours ago, Thechook said:

I thought tourist numbers were at an all time record and the country was bursting at the seams with tourists.  how on earth can they sqeeze more in

Plenty of room for everyone because the Thai tourists goes to other nearby countries to spend their dollars.

[212Roger]

6 hours ago, freebyrd said:

 

Stunning?!

"Stunning!?  Not.  Girls, perhaps.

[smotherb]

Now. now boys, let's no argue over the stunningness of those women. Just remember, busting your knee with a sledge hammer is stunning to some.

[Honthy]

9 hours ago, webfact said:

ATTA  says visa fee waiver is a timely measure

Absolutely. The whole population of Andora and San Marino have opened champagne, including kids. Five in each country.

[louse1953]

11 hours ago, Enoon said:

According to another source the VOA fee was raised from 1000 to 2000baht, for those 19 countries in the scheme, on 27th September 2016, and is now being reduced back to 1000baht. 

 

It is the 1000baht that they would have ordinarily paid for a Tourist Visa in an Embassy/Consulate that is being waived.

 

Which puts a rather different angle on their "promotion".  If it is correct.

 

They have realized they were too greedy.Normal Thai logic says put it up to 4000 baht.

[Stargeezr]

Other than China or India,  the rest of these 19 countries, either have a small

number of their population who can afford a Thailand trip, or the whole country

is so small that it does not matter how many of them head to Thailand. So  much

for the rest of the world. LOS  is more like LOG.  the G is not Good or Great,

but the love of money, etc.

Geezer

[DSJPC]

yeah, a savings of 1000 baht for citizens of Bhutan, San Marino and Andorra is sure to make a HUGE increase in tourism here!!!...just another idiotic idea by those leading this country!

[elgenon]

Why do Americans still have to pay for visas? They provide support and security to Thailand.

[Stargeezr]

USA  Canada and  Australia  all  have to put  up  with  the Beautiful  Shiite  of  visas

because  there  is  only  a handful  of  tourists  from  these 3  countries  each year.

Or  am I  being too sarcastic?

Geezer

[LPCustom69]

20 hours ago, Thechook said:

But these girls arent comming to thailand for retired farangs

They may be.