Long stay visa: Cabinet decision today on "premium" visitors who will have "freedom" of Thailand

[NorthernRyland]

1 hour ago, CorpusChristie said:

You are not a tourist though, you are a digital nomad , nomad means not staying in the same place for any length of time .

  Visas were available , why didnt you get one ?

Who cares what is or isn't a tourist? If they allow me to stay they're importing foreign currency. The reason they're mulling over crazy plans to stimulate tourism is because they want $$$.

 

There's never been a visa for my category. All I can do is play the tourist visa game (which is basically over at this point), get married or wait until I'm 50.

[vinny41]

1 hour ago, ronaldo0 said:

So you can quarantine in your own home for two weeks instead of wasting money in a government associated hotel ? Insurance and pre tests still required ?

I think that is incorrect as the meeting minutes bullet point 20 clearly states

1.2 Accepting the compliance with the public health measures announced in Thailand And agree to quarantine in the room for 14 days (ALSQ

https://www.thaigov.go.th/news/contents/details/35110

[JackThompson]

4 hours ago, GeorgeCross said:

 

i think you'll find a hell of a lot of long stay tourists are coming here to "work and making more money than they could back home" as well - thats why remote working is so popular - no global tax (*cough), flexible hours, nice views..

 

agree with the last bit though

 

Those doing remote-work earn foreign-currency, which is imported/spent into Thailand - same-same.  Those from the USA have to pay tax there.  Thailand could collect tax here, too, if they would just provide a visa for such folks, which stipulates paying it (they pay VAT, anyway).

People from high-wage countries do not come here to take jobs that flood labor-sectors and make Thais poorer.  People from lower-wage countries do that quite a bit, of course, but they receive special types of visas to help them force Thais out of their own job-market.

[JackThompson]

6 hours ago, androokery said:

What bank? Tourists don't have Thai bank accounts...

Many do.  I did - made xferring funds here to spend easy.  But irrelevant for Visa applications, as the MFA counts foreign-accounts as "real money" - unlike Immigration in Thailand.
 

6 hours ago, androokery said:

As a comparison, isn't neighbouring Cambodia currently saying that tourists can enter if they deposit USD 3000?

Not tourists, currently. 

 

4 hours ago, newnative said:

   Way over-thinking this.  Just let anyone in who agrees to a 14 day quarantine and testing.  Give them all a 1 year free visa and the thanks of a grateful nation. 

Would have to amend the Immigration Act to do that, if I am not mistaken.  Or, they would have to enter on a Non-Imm type entry (similar to Non-OA).

[NorthernRyland]

2 minutes ago, JackThompson said:

Those doing remote-work earn foreign-currency, which is imported/spent into Thailand

It feels like the elites have become terminally arrogant and they can't imagine how some lowlife farang could manage to live in The Kingdom for extended pervious of time while not working.

 

It's like they don't know Thailand is a cheap country which teeters on full blown 3rd world, or if they know they can't admit it and lose face.

[charmonman]

11 hours ago, ezzra said:

What dose it mean "long term tourists" in months or years? and at what point a "tourist" ceases to be a tourist and become a resident?... or is it more visa confusion being brought up on us?...

People will have to stay for at least 90 days but no more than 270. According to another article, you will have to show proof of paid accommodation for 90 days.

[elliss]

7 hours ago, androokery said:

What bank? Tourists don't have Thai bank accounts...

 My wife has , @ least two i know off ..

[onebir]

6 minutes ago, charmonman said:

you will have to show proof of paid accommodation for 90 days.

This is a weird requirement... to stop people sleeping in the street??

[reallyaffiliated]

41 minutes ago, DaveCW said:

Interesting perspective (Reminds me of one I once shared at infant school during "playtime", also similar to: my dads bigger than your dad lol lol lol ) To be serious however. I personally don't think its the case that folk are 1, bitter or 2, cant afford it. Its more due to the fact that in this instance, they have decided not to allow themselves to be fleeced. I hope you will agree that "We all have choices" and should be able to make them. 

 

Money, Fool, Parted - you put them in order if you still can.

 

I'll happily keep my wealth and choose where and when to spend it, without the influence and rants of child's perspective..

Check some of the FB groups, you'll see what I mean.

[JackThompson]

1 hour ago, genericptr said:

Or they could just give us the new visa and take our dirty stinking money! They didn't even offer, at any price. It's not even about money, they jut want us gone.

It was/is available 'at a price' - it's just that 20x+ the official-fee goes in an envelope passed by an agent.  Immigration only want you 'gone' if you aren't stuffing pockets.

"Bad Guys" get the VIP treatment at immigration - every day.  It's only those who don't want to take part in crime, who may have issues.

[JackThompson]

3 hours ago, Mr Meeseeks said:

They have been very generous since end of March. 

We are the ones being generous - spending OUR money here - helping countless businesses stay afloat and support the Thais who work for them.

 

3 hours ago, Mr Meeseeks said:

Now it is time for the hangers on to leave on one of the many departing flights daily.  

Fortunately, we get to stay using embassy-letters, which some of us can get very easily.  Would you consider it a bad turn of events, if removed that obstacle, prior to the 26th? 

  

3 hours ago, worldfun said:

As they goto immigration to renew it would seem they need to document their next 90 day accomodation bookings but that could easily just be a condo purchase/lease etc & thus why not already resident visa struggling folks couldn't enter that scheme too? 2000B/pop visa fees.

Exactly.  I will happily pre-pay my landlord 3 months rent, as part of a 3-mo extension.

[hello55060]

1 hour ago, stuarty said:

I would if it was a decent hotel with beach and pool access

 

This guy paid $7,000 for himself and his Thai wife and daughter (even though they could get free quarantine) so they wouldn't be separated to get into Thailand from the US and stayed in a nice hotel with pool access although I'm not sure if they could even use it.

 

Not sure why it's so hard for many people on here to grasp that many people have lots of disposable income or savings that they don't mind spending on quarantine if it's means they can get back in the country faster.

 

 

[impulse]

1 hour ago, samsensam said:

they need to forget about the mandatory ASQ hotel idea, a friend recently returned to HK and is quarantining in his apartment, no problem, in my home country people quarantine at home or wherever is convenient, again, no problem.

 

Would you want to get arrested in HK nowadays for violating the quarantine?  And what do you figure are the odds that a million  CCTV's with facial recognition would be more effective than a tiny few smart BMWs at catching scofflaws?

 

[impulse]

16 minutes ago, JackThompson said:

We are the ones being generous - spending OUR money here - helping countless businesses stay afloat and support the Thais who work for them.

 

I've never understood the self important attitude of people spending 1/2 to 1/4 of what they'd be spending to live back home if Thailand didn't let them stay.  That's not generosity.  You're saving a ton compared to a guy like me stuck in the USA by Covid.  I'd just say "thanks".

 

[ronaldo0]

15 minutes ago, hello55060 said:

 

This guy paid $7,000 for himself and his Thai wife and daughter (even though they could get free quarantine) so they wouldn't be separated to get into Thailand from the US and stayed in a nice hotel with pool access although I'm not sure if they could even use it.

 

Not sure why it's so hard for many people on here to grasp that many people have lots of disposable income or savings that they don't mind spending on quarantine if it's means they can get back in the country faster.

16 minutes ago, hello55060 said:

 

This guy paid $7,000 for himself and his Thai wife and daughter (even though they could get free quarantine) so they wouldn't be separated to get into Thailand from the US and stayed in a nice hotel with pool access although I'm not sure if they could even use it.

 

Not sure why it's so hard for many people on here to grasp that many people have lots of disposable income or savings that they don't mind spending on quarantine if it's means they can get back in the country faster.

 

 

What was their hurry to get back ? He talks like he doesn’t have much of a clue about what visas etc he is getting in future like his wife knows all the details . Plus they paid $7000 for two weeks in a hotel but only upgraded to premium economy flights ? Who pays a fortune for a hotel but flys in economy.

[JackThompson]

11 minutes ago, impulse said:

 

I've never understood the self important attitude of people spending 1/2 to 1/4 of what they'd be spending to live back home if Thailand didn't let them stay.  That's not generosity.  You're saving a ton compared to a guy like me stuck in the USA by Covid.  I'd just say "thanks".

 

It's not about self-importance - it is about reality.  You would have a better idea if you met Thais who work in the businesses where we spend our money. 

 

Yes, it is a good deal for us - as it is for Thais - that's what made it work so well, until immigration's greed began breaking this arrangement.  Their greed-driven "crackdowns" - to route folks into the agent-moeny pipeline - only served to separate businesses (and their employees) from customers - us - had no other purpose or result, what so ever. 

 

And if you have a Thai family to support, Immigration is even more difficult to deal with - directly hurting the Thais who benefit the most, because they have more emotional "leverage" to use on us.  I cannot use the words (on this forum) which describe them.

Edited September 15, 2020 by JackThompson

[bodga]

12 hours ago, Matzzon said:

What do you people know about that yet?

but  of  course,  Thailand the land of  clarity,   shiiiiiiiiiiite  sums  it  up perfectly

[bodga]

1 hour ago, Matzzon said:

It seems like you are obsessed with me

pot  kettle

[NorthernRyland]

14 minutes ago, impulse said:

I've never understood the self important attitude of people spending 1/2 to 1/4 of what they'd be spending to live back home if Thailand didn't let them stay.  That's not generosity.  You're saving a ton compared to a guy like me stuck in the USA by Covid.  I'd just say "thanks".

 

honestly, this is all just emotional nonsense and irrelevant in the scheme of things. We want to be in thailand and thailand wants money. That should be basis of the transaction. Not, some notion of perceived fairness and who really needs who blah blah blah.

[Mr Meeseeks]

27 minutes ago, JackThompson said:

It's not about self-importance - it is about reality.  You would have a better idea if you met Thais who work in the businesses where we spend our money. 

 

Yes, it is a good deal for us - as it is for Thais - that's what made it work so well, until immigration's greed began breaking this arrangement.  Their greed-driven "crackdowns" - to route folks into the agent-moeny pipeline - only served to separate businesses (and their employees) from customers - us - had no other purpose or result, what so ever. 

 

And if you have a Thai family to support, Immigration is even more difficult to deal with - directly hurting the Thais who benefit the most, because they have more emotional "leverage" to use on us.  I cannot use the words (on this forum) which describe them.

Further evidence that they do not want us here. 

 

Hints must be taken. 

[geisha]

Maybe they are thinking to use Thai airlines to get the chosen hundreds into Thailand. They would have to have a world wide online visa system , not the silly * apply online then travel hundreds of Kms*  to pick the visa up . Once in Thailand ,locked in their rooms, how much of this cost is going to the hoteliers ( which hotels?) once the TAT and other generals get their share ? This projet is completely unviable . 

[Mr Meeseeks]

1 hour ago, genericptr said:

It feels like the elites have become terminally arrogant and they can't imagine how some lowlife farang could manage to live in The Kingdom for extended pervious of time while not working.

 

It's like they don't know Thailand is a cheap country which teeters on full blown 3rd world, or if they know they can't admit it and lose face.

Post of the thread and bang on. 

[impulse]

43 minutes ago, JackThompson said:

It's not about self-importance - it is about reality.  You would have a better idea if you met Thais who work in the businesses where we spend our money. 

 

Yes, it is a good deal for us - as it is for Thais - that's what made it work so well, until immigration's greed began breaking this arrangement.  Their greed-driven "crackdowns" - to route folks into the agent-moeny pipeline - only served to separate businesses (and their employees) from customers - us - had no other purpose or result, what so ever. 

 

And if you have a Thai family to support, Immigration is even more difficult to deal with - directly hurting the Thais who benefit the most, because they have more emotional "leverage" to use on us.  I cannot use the words (on this forum) which describe them.

 

I have no problems with your justifications.  Nor do I doubt that some guys contribute greatly.  Just the idea that you're doing it out of some sense of altruism, and Thailand should be grateful. 

 

And my heart does go out to the dozens of guys I've met whose Thailand life was cut short by the ever tightening immigration rules.  I lost some good friends over the 7 years I lived in BKK when their path was blocked by the hurdles you're mentioning.

 

Edited September 15, 2020 by impulse

[paulikens]

a cple hundred a month...is it worth it? thats pretty much the same as having no flights 

[Stargeezr]

Thailand TAT and government need to get over their greedy need for their 1900 baht fix

every 90 days.  This  NEW idea is pretty lame.  A 6 month visa or 1 year visa without

any border runs would be a real new idea.  Come on government of Thailand you can do a

whole lot better, try it and be refreshed in actually doing something NEW.

Geezer

[paulikens]

3 hours ago, Peterw42 said:

The announcement didnt mention insurance either way, but did say can quarantine in own home for the 1st 2 weeks of 9 month stay.

 

@Peterw42 theres no mention of being able to quarantine in ya own home. its still as ASQ hotels

[Stargeezr]

I have a few old retired fellas who are in their 80's. They are not looking forward

to a cold Winter in Canada, but the insurance is very expensive for them, so they 

will not go to Thailand until conditions are much better. For King of the Mountain

and Matzzon, you 2 expats should feel lucky that you are in Thailand and only have

to follow their immigration rules.  My friends who go to Mexico and only need

their passports, think that Thailand and most of Asia are true 3rd world countries

that will take another lifetime to realise that tourists and travellers do not like

the present Asian visa rules. Time for a real change if Thailand and Asia want to

get long time tourists into their countries.

Geezer

[JackThompson]

2 hours ago, genericptr said:

honestly, this is all just emotional nonsense and irrelevant in the scheme of things. We want to be in thailand and thailand wants money. That should be basis of the transaction. Not, some notion of perceived fairness and who really needs who blah blah blah.

 

1 hour ago, impulse said:

I have no problems with your justifications.  Nor do I doubt that some guys contribute greatly.  Just the idea that you're doing it out of some sense of altruism, and Thailand should be grateful. 

  They should not be grateful "because we are altruistic."  That is irrlevant.  We have other options, is the point. 

If we move to Vietnam, Cambodia, Latin America, etc - not good for Thai people.  The govt should care about Thai people.  Take our well-being or motivations out of the equation entirely, and doesn't make their policies any less-bad.

 

1 hour ago, Mr Meeseeks said:

Further evidence that they do not want us here. 

 

Hints must be taken. 

You missed my point entirely.  It's about corruption with immigration - not whether "they want us here," in general.  They "want" those who pay them off, and punishing those who don't increases their payoffs. 

Lose 99 spenders and get 1 more paying-off via agents is a "win" to immigration.  They don't care about the harm done to Thais as a direct-result of their policy-shifts and "invented-to-block honest folks" rules.

Edited September 15, 2020 by JackThompson

[MRToMRT]

Where do I sign up, I have my bucket and spade packed already.

[Nout]

15 hours ago, ThailandRyan said:

It sounds promising for those that have residences here or those with family, however, the insistence of a 14 day ASQ hotel will be an expensive proposition for those who could just go to there homes here.  In saying expensive I mean it is obvious to me that these are VIP long term stay folks who have money.  My bet is that to obtain one of these types of Visa you will need to show plenty of money in the bank for them to grant it.  I also wonder what other conditions for approval might be, but any speculation on that by me would be just that speculation, so lets wait and see what they decide.  Many snowbirds want to return, while a few I know have now bought in Palm Springs California in the Del Web communities.

The 11 quarantine hotels here in Pattaya are not luxury 5 star hotels.