Thailand makes transit visa mandatory for Pakistani passengers

[rooster59]

Thailand makes transit visa mandatory for Pakistani passengers

 

LAHORE–In a new series of events,Thailand has made transit visa mandatory for Pakistani passengers.

 

Prior to this, the visa was not relevant to passengers on transit basis. Thai Airways and other airline companies now no longer allow to provide boarding card to hundreds of Pakistanis. This has incurred passengers who were set to travel via Thailand to switched to other airlines.

 

Thailand government has stated that the Pakistanis have to visit the embassy in person to attain the visa, which was previously sent to them by post.

 

Full story: http://nation.com.pk/national/23-Jun-2017/thailand-has-made-transit-visa-mandatory-for-pakistani-passengers

 

The Nation: 2017-06-24

[jesimps]

Well good for the Thais, I never usually credit them with having common sense.

[Jasonron]

That's really some good news.

[BritTim]

I am not sure I share the joy with which some posters have greeted this news. Presumably, this is a security measure, and is thus reasonable. However, it may well make Bangkok less attractive as an airline hub.  I, for one, would not welcome a reduction in flights to and from Bangkok. One of my reasons for choosing Thailand as where I spend the bulk of my time is the ease of traveling most anywhere I want easily.

[Oxx]

Is there any evidence that this is actually true?

 

Transits of 12+ hours already require a transit visa for Pakistanis.

 

Apart from a couple of cut-and-paste newspaper reports, I see no proof of any new requirement.

[ubonjoe]

1 hour ago, Oxx said:

Apart from a couple of cut-and-paste newspaper reports, I see no proof of any new requirement.

Did you click the link in the topic. It leads is to a newspaper's website not just pasted in.

Perhaps you should do a little research yourself before questioning the veracity of the article.

 

[Oxx]

17 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

Did you click the link in the topic. It leads is to a newspaper's website not just pasted in.

Perhaps you should do a little research yourself before questioning the veracity of the article.

 

 

Cut and paste refers to several virtually identical articles on different Pakistani website.

 

The research I did provides no evidence of any Thai website (let alone Thai government website) stating there is a new requirement.

 

Until there is something a little more concrete, I would tend to treat this story as unsubstantiated.

[Oxx]

I checked with the IATA website, which I believe is 100% authoritative.  For Pakistani nationals transiting in Bangkok:

 

Quote

 

"Passengers transiting only are exempt from holding a visa when:

Holders of onward tickets for a max. transit time of 12 hours through Bangkok Suvarnabhumi (BKK). Passengers must have a connecting flight booked on the same ticket.

 

 

 

[ubonjoe]

5 minutes ago, Oxx said:

Passengers must have a connecting flight booked on the same ticket.

I think that is the reason for the transit visa being needed.

From the article.

On 6/24/2017 at 10:50 AM, rooster59 said:

This has incurred passengers who were set to travel via Thailand to switched to other airlines.

 

[geriatrickid]

11 hours ago, BritTim said:

I am not sure I share the joy with which some posters have greeted this news. Presumably, this is a security measure, and is thus reasonable. However, it may well make Bangkok less attractive as an airline hub.  I, for one, would not welcome a reduction in flights to and from Bangkok. One of my reasons for choosing Thailand as where I spend the bulk of my time is the ease of traveling most anywhere I want easily.

Bangkok has never been an airline hub for Pakistanis. The number of visitors from Pakistan is not  notable anyway. Pakistani connection traffic typically goes through the middle east carriers and not through  Thailand. There are only two direct flights from Pakistan now: One from Karachi and the other from Lahore, both with TG.  No one has said there would be a reduction in flights.  My understanding is that it's not a profitable route anyway.  India is the profitable  and growing market.  TG would be better off sending its planes to India.

 Thailand is allowed to apply appropriate measures  to a country long associated with the support of international terrorism and the sale of nuclear arms to North Korea and Iran despite international sanctions that were in place.

 

 

 

Edited June 25, 2017 by geriatrickid