Thailand waives Tourist Visa fee for ALL nationalities

[tonyphinn]

think this a great idea and fair play to Thailand but would be better if i did not have to go to Laos every 3 months and give Thai immigration the fee

[crocken]

5 hours ago, fish monger said:

If one can't afford the 30 bucks for a visa, maybe they shouldn't be traveling in the first place......

So ....nasty..

[tonyphinn]

Sorry what I meant was prefer to give Thai immigration the fee

[ukrules]

It's been like a ghost town in the area of Hua Hin where I live for the last few weeks. It's nothing like last year which was also quieter then the previous year.

 

Normally the places where tourists congregate in the evening (bars, restaurants, etc) are pretty busy at this time of the year.

[tonyphinn]

Croken sorry if you misunderstood

I love Thailand

[sirmud63]

desperation, right there .

[dick dasterdly]

5 minutes ago, JemJem said:

I agree with the majority here on this; it won't make much difference regarding the no. of tourist arrivals.

Personally, I would prefer, for instance, if the immigration-upon-arrival situation is made more efficient. Every time I arrive, it is a dreaded walk from the airplane to the immigration section, wondering and worrying about how crowded of a scene I will see. Once, I waited about 45 minutes in the queue there.

The dreaded walk applies to pretty much every country!

[geisha]

Spidermike007 is right. Too much outside competition and a huge lack in skills/education has left Thailand in the dark ages. One only has to look at closed shops, failed businesses and once thriving restaurants to see that the "good" tourist numbers have fallen drastically over the last few years. Personally, seeing the state on the once clean pristine beaches, the crumbling infrastructure and the tragic  bus/ car / scooter accidents happening every week, Not to mention the taxi/ jet ski scams, I think it's too late for Thailand to do a turn around . 

[tonyphinn]

Sirud63 what desperation I just dont like Laos and would rather pay here with the correct paperwork I have family visa

[tonyphinn]

This web site is supposed to be friendly and help expats so if you have nothing to offer in the way of advice suggest you use facebook

 

[Mousehound]

6 hours ago, Luckysilk said:

Great more Cheap Charlie's arriving soon.

 

If 1000 measly baht is an inticement I can't wait to see these quality tourists.

I'm not looking a gift horse in the mouth.  Better than the $95A I am being asked for to  get a visa in OZ for a lousy fifteen days for my upcoming trip to Vietnam.  A week in Saigon then on to LOS - not having to fork out for a 60Day visa is really rather nice.

[Eligius]

I am sure that a certain Event and its aftermath - with all the oppressive rules and regulations and restrictions on freedom - have not exactly been a huge and attractive incentive for tourists to come here at this time.

[tonyphinn]

Mousehound it is 30 days on arrival which you can extend another 30 days at immigration in the Thai city/town you live in for THB 2,000

[Psychic]

I'm not going to go through all the posts here, so sorry if this a repeat.

There will be some sort of awakening soon.

With a strong Thai baht, Thailand is no longer a cheap destination.

The government may hope and pray for high income tourists. But that was never what Thailand was about,

High income people have multiple options.

It used to represent a good, cheap vacation for lower to middle income groups.

I think there are far more options opening up.

I live here, but I wait to play golf in Canada because a decent course is half the price it is here.

I know most Europeans and Americans think alcohol is expensive here.

Yes,there are some decent deals with food and accommodation. But they are not ultra-cheap as they used to be.

8 years ago I used to try and dissuade my friends from going to all-inclusive resorts in other countries, saying they could have a far better time here for less money.

I don't think that's the case anymore. 

The Thai government should be terrified by that. When foreigners no longer recommend Thailand as a tourist/retirement destination it will have disastrous consequences.

 

Edited December 2, 2016 by Psychic

[Arandora]

28 minutes ago, tonyphinn said:

Mousehound it is 30 days on arrival which you can extend another 30 days at immigration in the Thai city/town you live in for THB 2,000

Before you start correcting others you should know the difference between Visa Exempt entry which is not a visa and is already FREE and which you can extend for 1900 baht at an Immigration Office and a Single Entry Tourist Visa which costs £25 in UK 45AUD in Australia and different fee in other countries and which is valid for up to 60 days and which will now be FREE. Both are different from Visa On Arrival which apply to only certain defined countries and which will now be FREE.

[hanssna]

Zero dollar tours changing to zero visa fee tours...

[SiSePuede419]

Thailand is trying to attract people who need a winter vacation off from work?

 

Because there's nothing like coming back from a hot, tropical place before Winter is over.

 

That part really sucks ?

 

 

[JustNo]

2 hours ago, MaxiMaxi said:

Many tourists coming first time by self made trip often don't even know thaty there is a visa fee knowing just they can get it on arrival and people don't base on this discount for traveling.

The main problem is the ticket and accomodation cost and general economic situation. If there is an income and money people come if not then any visa discount can change the situation.

Better to give a good treatment to those "good guys" living here to avoid they escape to other countries nearby actualy more welcoming instead of making so difficult everything.

Bank garanties, 90 days, many different forms to fill each step, announcements etc etc that everyone here knows well.....

Great post and speaks a lot of sense too! The thing is we both know this will not happen, they don't have a clue what they are doing to be fair. I think Thailand is a bit like Apple at the moment; Apple is relying on it's name and brand to sell products, yet they are not really coming up with anything new and in fact have less regard and care for their customers i.e. no earphone jack in the new iPhone. Thailand is relying on the fact it is a destination many people want to flock to, and think because this is the case that they can treat the people who stay here for a long time like idiots. Well times are changing and unless they come up with well thought out and clever solutions, I feel the tourism industry here is going to sink further as the costs rise 

Edited December 2, 2016 by JustNo

[darren84310]

Surely using this money to improve services would be more beneficial.... This just seems like a panic move.

[The manic]

It will give me further opportunity to observe how many cigarettes 5 Indians can smoke whilst consuming one bottle of beer and 4 waters in a Gogo on Walking St over a period of 3 hours! 

Edited December 2, 2016 by The manic

[Thechook]

8 hours ago, Thailand said:

Does make one wonder if the tourist figures may have been exaggerated a little?

Tourist numbers are at an all time high.  The numbers are through the roof according to TAT

[rodney earl]

desperate maybe. !!

[wvavin]

The tourism authority still thinking Thailand is can attract loads of tourists like the 1980s or 1990s! Sorry, their tme is over now.

[jaiyen]

9 hours ago, Luckysilk said:

Great more Cheap Charlie's arriving soon.

 

If 1000 measly baht is an inticement I can't wait to see these quality tourists.

But this is only for the holiday period when tickets are about 40% more. So where is the saving. Better to come in February when all the tourists are back at work and kids back in school. Best time of the year. Cant wait to see the figures forFfebruary

 

[aslimversgwm]

4 hours ago, dick dasterdly said:

The dreaded walk applies to pretty much every country!

Agreed! Anyone ever tried getting in to the UK with a Thai partner and a valid visa? Talk about queues - Geese!!

[starfish]

11 hours ago, Thailand said:

Does make one wonder if the tourist figures may have been exaggerated a little?

Its simple, up, down, tourist numbers are just a game, like skrews, thighten a bit or loosen them a bit, ridiculous.

Edited December 2, 2016 by starfish

[nunoyabiznez]

TLDR thread.

So I'm probably the nth person to suggest maybe they could drop the annual renewal of the Non-immigrant class of visas, or halve the THB 800,000 retirement requirement to the THB 400,000 required of married guys, which makes little sense. 

Or OMG! Actually allow filthy job-stealing IMMIGRANTS to settle here under marriage, or retirement, or skills visas.

In Australia, they've even imported top cops to be Police Chiefs, and CEOs of iconic Australian Companies such as Qantas Airways, and BHP Billiton, could you even imagine that ever happening?

Edited December 2, 2016 by nunoyabiznez

[nunoyabiznez]

5 hours ago, sirmud63 said:

desperation, right there .

 

Not at all. According to the Minster, life goes on.

 

Just er, somewhat desperately.

[starfish]

Now i come to Thailand, because theres no fee. Where do i queu ?

[metisdead]

Off topic posts about the mourning colors have been removed.