Tourism minister finally recognises that "virus free" expats can play important role in tourism recovery

[Percy P]

4 hours ago, Surelynot said:

There are "virus free" expats?

I would like to think all expatriates are free of the so called pandemic of CV who are living here in Thailand. In comparison to most countries in the world people have kept the deceased at bay . Keep wearing a mask and keep your distances. Good luck.

[Surasak]

4 hours ago, Thaiwrath said:

I bet that was hard to admit, and he thought for a long time about actually deciding to announce it !

It must have cost a great deal of concentration. And don't forget the sleepless nights.

[Ireland32]

Well How about that , We are Now Wanted 5555555

[Ireland32]

4 hours ago, Captain Monday said:

How about color coded wristbands, could be combined a rFID tag with passport and visa info?

Start with red for ASQ detainees, arrest onsight if found outside Hotel.

 

 

Counterfeit Wrist bands being made in China as we speak , lol

[Surasak]

4 hours ago, Phuketshrew said:

A good start would be to either extend the amnesty until the end of the year or make it easier for expats to renew long term visas.

Now, Now!! That would mean having to lift the lid of the box.

[Surasak]

4 hours ago, Bluetongue said:

Golf's pretty expensive, even at my up country 4 star place it runs to several thousand by the time you tip the caddy etc. I told them I would pay the 25000 annual fee but they said no, farang can not.

You're not going to tell us you were expecting a different answer, surely?

[321 BOOM]

And what ? This will not change my desire to leave LOS as soon direct flights to my next destination becoming available again.

[warcy]

4 hours ago, rkidlad said:

Good to know that those of us who stayed in the country the whole time are covid-free. I was worried for a while that viruses discriminate based off nationality. 

There are many people on internet who do discriminate against Chinese and think that only Chinese get infected. Now we know the truth...it affects everyone.

[321 BOOM]

Wow! TAT says they’ll give expats 500 baht to boost tourism

just was reading this in THE THAIGER, looks like expats are really important to the Thai Tourism Industry if the receive such generous discount... LOL. 500THB... what a joke.

[Khun Yaaai]

4 hours ago, Grumpy John said:

Those of us having been here 5 years or longer could be given an easy pathway to permanent residency forgoing all the immigration hoopla we go through 12 monthly and in doing so he will avoid gagging every time he has to say ex-pats are useful and an aid to the economy.

 

But then he was talking "foreign workers living in Thailand and foreign students studying " not retirees. ????

Yes, it's a bit of b**ch working here for almost a decade, paying millions yearly to the Thai tax coffers just to be left out after retiring. Guess this is too hard for some ppl to realize.

[Guderian]

5 hours ago, webfact said:

Daily News said that there are two million foreign workers and students who could boost Thai tourism. 

And how many of these two million are of the wealthy, walking-ATM farang type, and how many are migrant workers in very low wage jobs?

[Percy P]

4 hours ago, keith101 said:

So the TM30 reports are a thing of the past and no longer need to be done ? I might consider travelling if its true .

Yes these unnecessary regulation are holding a lot of expatriates from traveling. I'm not court up in it as I don't stay longer then 90 days. 90 day is long enough.

Penang an island of the coast of Malaysia completely isolated from the rest of Malaysia . I can't see any reason why tourists can not go their.

Entry to the island by flight only. Tested at the airport. No ferry crossing . Leave by flight only.

Perhaps the Tourist Authority of Malaysia can give it some consideration.

[MadMac]

1 hour ago, perconrad said:

No you do not have to do TM30 again, at least not i Sisaket. This Immigration office must be among the most friendly and helpsom in Thailand.

You only can skip it if you are not registered elsewhere. The re-registration by a hotel or guesthouse invalidates any previous TM30.

[Percy P]

21 minutes ago, Surasak said:

Now, Now!! That would mean having to lift the lid of the box.

Well yes, I'm on Amnesty visa until 26th Sept. I'm quiet content of paying to stay here but these no way of paying to stay.It's

[Sydebolle]

Pipat and his cronies are, like the rest of the flock, only interested in the money. This very same government has done too much damage, calling honest, hard working and tax paying non-Thais everything from "alien" to "dirty farang". 

In addition, the very same group of "non-Thai friends of Thailand" is being creamed literally anywhere with double, triple and tenfold the price of the locals; another esteemed clown-in-chief had decided for a certain period of time, that the dirty farang cannot use buses etc. 

So, Mr Pipat, make up your mind and talk to your colleagues first. This farang bashing has shown results which are here to last and I would never support anything dual-priced without complaining though. I just vote with my feet and keep things to myself - including my money! 

[Zikomat]

1 hour ago, ajarnmarc said:

Took my Girlfriend to the dentist, to clean her teeth.

They did a good job, so I asked her to ask them if they could do mine as well?

They said they had time, so I received the cleaning. 

Then proceeded to charge me 1,000 bht more than the receptionist collected from my friend. 

I asked her to ask them why the difference in rate? 

I have no cavities and I have my teeth cleaned every six months, 

normally at the government hospital, where they have dentist as well.

The receptionist calls out the dentist, and she tells me Farang teeth not the same as Thai, 

so have to charge more...

Those 6 additional teeth are a lot of work...

[dick turpin]

Heading to the Avani Hotel Pattaya this weekend, special residents rate with Thai ID or WP three nights 

no breakfast B12,600. Checked out Agoda, same three nights include breakfast B8,400.....go figure. 

  

[maddermax]

Us expat retirees have been treated like S**t for years both in the Immigration Department and double charges when spending around Thailand. Now they have realised that we have money, ie, our pensions, etc, which can be spent here to save their tourism industry. Why would I want to do that when I know very well that when things return to some form of normalcy they will treat me badly again? I will reserve my spending for expat owned firms to help them out in these difficult times.

[George FmplesdaCosteedback]

Did anyone tell Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn about the TM30, or is this another case of speaking without thinking first?

 

This story was in The Nation on August 5 and posted in Thailand News on the 6 by Webfact:

Source: https://www.nationthailand.com/news/30392475

Edited September 1, 2020 by George FmplesdaCosteedback
New info

[alyx]

2 hours ago, MadMac said:

Any hotel will re-register you and you have to do a TM30 again when returning home. No way around it.

I beg to differ 

I am always cautious when I write something from memory.

After reading your answer I have asked and the reply is:

 

« Please be advised that if you relocate to another province or another part of your province for a short-time period, you are not required to register a TM30 again. 

 

The new immigration rules have been applied to all areas in Thailand on 30 June 2020.  

 

In case you have a valid reciept, the reciept still can be used to do all kinds of visa activities until you will be leaving Thailand.  »

 

I guess you were ill informed 

 

Have a great day 

[natway09]

Maybe he could have a chat  with Immigration to allow under 50's stay a bit longer

[VBF]

1 hour ago, vandeventer said:

Without us retirees where is the money coming from. My wife spends more than

10 normal Thai women.

There are normal Thai women?  Well, well...... ????

[aussienam]

1 hour ago, ajarnmarc said:

Took my Girlfriend to the dentist, to clean her teeth.

They did a good job, so I asked her to ask them if they could do mine as well?

They said they had time, so I received the cleaning. 

Then proceeded to charge me 1,000 bht more than the receptionist collected from my friend. 

I asked her to ask them why the difference in rate? 

I have no cavities and I have my teeth cleaned every six months, 

normally at the government hospital, where they have dentist as well.

The receptionist calls out the dentist, and she tells me Farang teeth not the same as Thai, 

so have to charge more...

Because farang have 'dirty' teeth! So need cleaning more.

[apetryxx]

5 hours ago, Captain Monday said:

How about color coded wristbands, could be combined a rFID tag with passport and visa info?

Start with red for ASQ detainees, arrest onsight if found outside Hotel.

 

 

Expats living here can get a pink card, that should be all one needs for Thai like discounts and promotions. Easily done at Tessabahn if you take a little time to do it. All we need to be treated with the same courtesies extended to Thais is for the government to say okay.

[George Aylesham]

5 hours ago, Pattaya Spotter said:

Foreigners with WPs could maybe be eligible for the We Travel Together promotion...as for retirees, hotels and attractions already have pretty promotional pricing so probably no more incentives to travel are needed.

Just back from five great days in Hua Hin (from Chiang Mai). However a word of advice as I booked through Hotel Travel com. and the hotel was shocked at how much we paid and said that had we been 'walk ins' or booked directly it would have been 50% cheaper.

[khunjeff]

44 minutes ago, Guderian said:

5 hours ago, webfact said:

Daily News said that there are two million foreign workers and students who could boost Thai tourism. 

And how many of these two million are of the wealthy, walking-ATM farang type, and how many are migrant workers in very low wage jobs?

The only way to get a figure as large as two million is by including all the laborers from neighboring countries, who I don't think are spending much time at the golf course. "Expats" from other nations (professional employees, retirees, diplomats, etc.) make up fewer than 20% of that number according to any reliable statistics that have been published.

Edited September 1, 2020 by khunjeff

[BillyBobzTeeth]

Wait....are they saying they are going to make it easier / cheaper for expats to stay here? 

Maybe jumping the gun just a little eh! 

[MadMac]

15 minutes ago, alyx said:

« Please be advised that if you relocate to another province or another part of your province for a short-time period, you are not required to register a TM30 again. 

That is only the case if you travel for yourself and stay with family or friends. Again, if a hotel or guesthouse re-registers you this automatically renders the previous TM30 invalid. You are from then on registered at the hotel, which most certainly will not be the same province and address your immigration requires when you want something from them next time. But you can always quote your text ????

[George FmplesdaCosteedback]

15 minutes ago, alyx said:

I beg to differ 

I am always cautious when I write something from memory.

After reading your answer I have asked and the reply is:

 

« Please be advised that if you relocate to another province or another part of your province for a short-time period, you are not required to register a TM30 again. 

 

The new immigration rules have been applied to all areas in Thailand on 30 June 2020.  

 

In case you have a valid reciept, the reciept still can be used to do all kinds of visa activities until you will be leaving Thailand.  »

 

I guess you were ill informed 

 

Have a great day 

Great news! I had never heard about this new rule. Trouble is I would bet my overspending Thai wife on the fact very few Immigration Officers have heard about it either.

[hotchilli]

6 hours ago, webfact said:

It has taken a while but Thailand's tourism minister has finally recognised the role that expatriates can play in spurring domestic tourism.

Only took 5 months... finger on the pulse!