New visa rules hit tourism in Songkhla

By SOMCHAI SAMART
THE NATION

 

 

A NEW VISA requirement affecting visitors from Singapore, Indonesia and Brunei has dealt a blow to tourism in the bustling border town of Songkhla.

 

Visitors from the three Asean countries, and 46 other nations, now need to apply for a tourist visa if they make more than two trips to Thailand via land transport. However, tourists who arrive by air or boat can still enjoy the visa-free trips for up to 30 days at a time.

 

“This is a worrying inconvenience,” Songkhla Tourism Industry Council chairman Surapol Kampalanonwat said yesterday.

 

Full story: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/news/national/30305641

 

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2017-02-04

Is this news from the notorious disaster planning department of the immigration office?

The land crossing limitation rules should be impacting the Laos and Thai and Cambodia and Thai land border crossing areas also.  I am sure there are many people and tourists and expats that go back and forth a lot, at least used to.  Total numbers and dollar amounts I don't know 

they need to go back to the old rule and limit how many days you can stay in thailand each year using visa exempt entries. 

Mainly hit Malay tourists as loads use the land crossing.

 

 

Yep the Bar girls around Sadoa will be broke.  

 

And the tourism businesses in towns like Nong Khai and Nakon Phanom will be decimated.

Edited February 4, 20179 yr by Bulldozer Dawn

Maybe it is to control terrorists a little. I know when I did my one and only visa run many years a go by train, when I allighted on the Malasian side there was no return train coming soon so I crossed the bridge back into Thailand which locals used and had to take a taxi to Immigration to make my entry official.


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4 minutes ago, Bulldozer Dawn said:

Yep the Bar girls around Sadoa will be broke.  

 

And the tourism businesses in towns like Nong Khai and Nakon Phanom will be desecrated.

 

 

Decimated mai ?

12 minutes ago, nakhonandy said:

Mainly hit Malay tourists as loads use the land crossing.

 

 

Malaysians are exempt from the 2 entry rule.

Also Laotians, Cambodians and others that get their entries from a bilateral agreement. 

4 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

Malaysians are exempt from the 2 entry rule.

Also Laotians, Cambodians and others that get their entries from a bilateral agreement. 

 

Yes, but what about all the non Malay sex tourists that head up from KL, Penang, Langkowi?

6 minutes ago, Bulldozer Dawn said:

Yes, but what about all the non Malay sex tourists that head up from KL, Penang, Langkowi?

If they are not Malaysian citizens the 2 entry rule would apply.

This rule,like most regulations from the immigration department, is not going to last.In about half a year they will scrap it and try a new one.

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More & more I get the idea ultimately all these "crackdowns" on entries into Thailand will kill off a lot of tourists entering and will minimise the income from tourists.

Officially it is all about illegally working in Thailand by foreigners, but I really doubt if that problem is so big.

I think it is a huge overkill.

But, no problem, tourist numbers are on the rise.

2 minutes ago, thecyclist said:

This rule,like most regulations from the immigration department, is not going to last.In about half a year they will scrap it and try a new one.

It is not from immigration. It is a ministerial order from the interior ministry.  See Visa Exempt Rules Dec 2016.pdf

Or this topic. 

 

1 hour ago, tgeezer said:

Maybe it is to control terrorists a little. I know when I did my one and only visa run many years a go by train, when I allighted on the Malasian side there was no return train coming soon so I crossed the bridge back into Thailand which locals used and had to take a taxi to Immigration to make my entry official.


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Can't terrorists go 1 klm up the road and cross there.What makes you think a true terrorist would let a simple border crossing stop him,where they would have a record of him crossing.

2 hours ago, gk10002000 said:

The land crossing limitation rules should be impacting the Laos and Thai and Cambodia and Thai land border crossing areas also.  I am sure there are many people and tourists and expats that go back and forth a lot, at least used to.  Total numbers and dollar amounts I don't know 

Many of my mates living in Laos are concerned about this.

49 minutes ago, hansnl said:

More & more I get the idea ultimately all these "crackdowns" on entries into Thailand will kill off a lot of tourists entering and will minimise the income from tourists.

Officially it is all about illegally working in Thailand by foreigners, but I really doubt if that problem is so big.

I think it is a huge overkill.

But, no problem, tourist numbers are on the rise.

I would think most genuine tourists from Brunei, Indonesia and Singapore would fly into Thailand.

 

I suspect the people from these 3 countries doing frequent land crossings are just doing visa runs, for purposes known only to them.

2 hours ago, Bulldozer Dawn said:

Yep the Bar girls around Sadoa will be broke

 

 

moreover, beer consumption and appetite for any sort of pork servings will go down the drain once the muslims dont come anymore

4 hours ago, Lupatria said:

Is this news from the notorious disaster planning department of the immigration office?

 

No. The news article linked to in the OP is based on an interview with the chairman of the Songkhla Tourism Industry Council.

2 hours ago, catinthehat said:

Many of my mates living in Laos are concerned about this.

Is it possible to retire in Laos?

A off topic post has been removed.

On 04/02/2017 at 9:39 AM, nakhonandy said:

Mainly hit Malay tourists as loads use the land crossing.

 

 

Malaysian are excluded, 

On 04/02/2017 at 11:50 AM, trogers said:

I would think most genuine tourists from Brunei, Indonesia and Singapore would fly into Thailand.

 

I suspect the people from these 3 countries doing frequent land crossings are just doing visa runs, for purposes known only to them.

why people are so limited in their thinking.

These nationals (most likely living in Malaysia)like and enjoy  the easy going lifestyle on the Thai side of the border,

but they can come only twice a year.

 

.

On 04/02/2017 at 1:29 PM, Maestro said:

 

No. The news article linked to in the OP is based on an interview with the chairman of the Songkhla Tourism Industry Council.

I hope the higher up get to read that too. This rule is the biggest nonsense and it affect a lot of people.

Without anyone benefiting.

Presumably, the Thai govt. didn't issue this rule to give Songkhla a hard time, but rather, to limit the visa-exempt entries (land border visa runs) from all kinds of nationalities living in Thailand.

Edited February 5, 20179 yr by TallGuyJohninBKK

1 hour ago, visarunner said:

why people are so limited in their thinking.

These nationals (most likely living in Malaysia)like and enjoy  the easy going lifestyle on the Thai side of the border,

but they can come only twice a year.

 

.

I know of very few foreigners holding long-term Malaysian visa residing in Penang or other northern malay states.

 

Most would be residing in KL, and they would fly to Haadyai if so desire...

2 hours ago, visarunner said:

why people are so limited in their thinking.

These nationals (most likely living in Malaysia)like and enjoy  the easy going lifestyle on the Thai side of the border,

but they can come only twice a year.

 

.

Santa only gets to come once a year.

18 hours ago, visarunner said:

Malaysian are excluded, 

Yeah, saw the reply from Ubon Joe.

 

My mistake.