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Thailand announces huge changes to tourist visas in bid to boost tourism


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1st of all, too late. 2nd, if tourists are spending thousands of $ on plane ticket, accommodation, etc.,  who the hell cares about peanuts for visa fees.

Smoke and mirrors only. Cheap Charley long stayers don't safe the budget figures.

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With me living in Laos and the law passed a couple of years back allowing 2 land crossing per year, I am wondering how this will affect me? Is it going back to the old system whereby I had unlimited crossings with my multi-entry B2 visa for Laos? The article is not extremely clear on that point.

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1 hour ago, Jonathan Fairfield said:

The Interior Ministry regulation will be amended to allow foreigners who receive a visa waiver for 30 days and travel into Thailand via land immigration checkpoints or land border checkpoints to enter the country with an unlimited number of visa waivers per calendar year. 

Its clear that limiting visa waivers is hurting big time. I know of lots of people that just stopped coming because of the old rule

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Over the last 10 years it's just got harder and harder for people to live here on a TV. As of now, it's impossible. I agreed they should have made it harder for people living here on a TV, but they also made it harder for genuine tourists. Many genuine tourists couldn't be bothered with the worry or aggro. Mate of mine working in Singapore married to a Thai got stick for visiting every few months. He was a genuine tourist coming over for a weekend and spending big money. 

 

 

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Bad guys out,bad guys back in?

Good news for people who would have gotten into trouble because of the no longer avaiable income letter.

Also very good news for the old vans they are taking out of service.They will be busy everyday again.

Somehow it feels like ten years ago again.

Thailand never ceases to amaze me.

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1 hour ago, Jonathan Fairfield said:

Based on a database of the Tourism and Sports Ministry, nearly 5 million foreign tourists travelled through land-border checkpoints of Thailand in 2017, up 3 per cent from the previous year.

So the restriction of limiting to only 2 land crossings per calendar year doesn't seem to have changed the border crossing figures at all?

 

And yes, I know these border hops only affect a small number of visa runners in the overall picture, but considering you were getting roughly the same number of actual tourists (as well as the runners), for it to increase by 3% is amazing.

 

Either amazing or someone has either got the data wrong or snatching at the nearest numbers available to them.

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hardly seems like numbers are decreasing;

 

Quote

 

Thailand visitor arrivals in Jan-Jul 2018 up 11% to 22.6 million

Thailand welcomed visitor arrivals of 22,657,730 in January-July 2018, up by 11% over the same period of 2017, according to preliminary figures tabulated by the Ministry of Tourism and Sports.

 

http://www.thaitravelblogs.com/2018/08/thailand-visitor-arrivals-in-jan-jul-2018-up-11-to-22-6-million/

 

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1 hour ago, jackdd said:

Of course, what did you expect? ????

 

Everybody pay attention: These changes are only for the next two months, 15.11.2018 to 15.01.2019, this is not permanent!

And if it really starts tomorrow is not even sure

 

And I have to wonder if all IO's know about the change, as they do about the provision of funds for the Retirement Visa, such as haveing a monthly income of 65/40K per month in to your Thai Bank.  Don't hold your breath folks!

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Guys, please help a fella out because I really don't get it. 

 

Let's say I'm on a SE Tourist Visa and regurarly exists the country every 89 days (by plan) to secure a new SE TV in a neighbouring country, and then flying back in to stay another 89 days (60 + 30). Any changes to "me" ? ????

 

I'm sorry if its straight in my face and I can't see it. 

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Quote

I agreed they should have made it harder for people living here on a TV, but they also made it harder for genuine tourists

How so? for many countries you get a FREE 30 day visa exempt,

Not same for Laos, Cambodia or Myanmar where u pay for the same thing and u can extend at any immigration for another 30 for 1,900

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2 minutes ago, robertson468 said:

And I have to wonder if all IO's know about the change, as they do about the provision of funds for the Retirement Visa, such as haveing a monthly income of 65/40K per month in to your Thai Bank.  Don't hold your breath folks!

It does not change tomorrow - the period and details have not been decided yet

You missed my post on page 3.

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Do they realise that by introducing the 're-entry permit' for tourist visa holders, to enable them to return without the need for a new visa, that instead of having another 60 days in Thailand, they will only have whatever remains on their existing visa:

 

Say I enter 10/12, depart 20/12 to Laos. Arrive back Thailand 25/12, permitted to stay only 45 days... A new visa would give another 60.

 

Also, if a tourist visa is now a 'double entry' does that require people to leave the country once the initial 60 days is passed?

 

Finally, will they get rid of the dumb 30 day extension and the associated queues?

Edited by ParadiseLost
Poor maths...
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2 hours ago, Samui Bodoh said:

Wow!

 

Tourism numbers and revenues must be taking one hell of a hit to do this; it is a refutation of everything the Junta has been doing or saying for years.

 

There is a great deal more to this story; I am looking forward to finding it out.

 

 

 

I keep saying this, because my Thai gf works in tourism here, yet when I bring it up I get donks linking me to government online statistics that paint a picture that everything is hunky-dory 

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