More foreigners to be allowed entry into Thailand

[FarFlungFalang]

9 minutes ago, baansgr said:

Are they now allowed to leave Australia...?

No our government is protecting them from that nasty world out there or is it the other way around?

[Flying Saucage]

50 minutes ago, DrTuner said:

 

Yes, because having half a million baht locked up in a Thai bank account makes you immune to covid.

Slight correction: It's more the way that YOUR money makes THEM immune to YOUR Covid.

[Justgrazing]

2 hours ago, webfact said:

150 verified foreigners

as opposed to fake one's ..

Do they check your chassis number to verify if your a err' verified .. 

[bluesofa]

1 minute ago, Justgrazing said:

as opposed to fake one's ..

Do they check your chassis number to verify if your a err' verified .. 

Ah no, not strip searching on entry now?

[Mavideol]

2 hours ago, webfact said:

Non-immigrant visa holders, such as business people who do not have any type of work permit, are now allowed entry, but they must have savings of at least Bt500,000 in the past six months.

there is always a catch-22 with their proposals... but or if or may or must  555

[herfiehandbag]

1 hour ago, Mr Meeseeks said:

Retirees are generally older and thus higher risk and may require medical care. 

 

No surprise that they may still not yet be included. 

 

Still, a reminder that proper due diligence must be done thoroughly before choosing to retire somewhere and not based on availability of bars and short times.

Smug...

 

For those who are not grammar or punctuation pedants an "ellipsis" - the series of three dots seen above - can be used to replace a following word or phrase, when that word or phrase is already clearly understood in the context of the preceding word or phrase.

Edited September 28, 2020 by herfiehandbag

[Jackcwba]

500k in bank statements for the last 6 months for non B holders without work permit ?

 

what about those who apply for a non b outside of Thailand that have a work permit Acceptance letter ( which is needed in order To get a non B for a BOI company)

 

do we need 500K in the bank for 6 Months if we have WP acceptance letter ? @ubonjoe

[howerde]

The Thai embassy in London shows Passengers travelling to Thailand must have valid non-immigrant visa or re-entry permit, as tourist visa and 30-day visa exemption are currently suspended.

 

https://london.thaiembassy.org/en/publicservice/application-for-certificate-of-entry-to-thailand-for-non-thai-nationa?page=5d6636cd15e39c3bd00072dd&menu=5f4b6eb3f6ae4b236972c562

[GeorgeCross]

https://www.thaienquirer.com/18982/ccsa-welcomes-six-groups-of-foreign-travellers-hoping-to-stimulate-thai-economy/

Quote

The six groups are as follows:

1. Foreign athletes who participate in the Chalerm Prakiat International Cycling Race from Samut Songkhram to Suratthani on October 6-16. The group will be under 14 days of state quarantine at the local hotel. 

2. A group of 340 Thai Airways pilots and cabin crew on the repatriation flight to Thailand. The group will be under state quarantine as they operated in the US.

3. Holders of non-immigrant types of visa, who are businesspeople without a work permit and are willing to enter Thailand for business purposes by providing a six-month bank statement, equivalent to at least 500,000 baht. 

4. Holders of Special Tourist Visa which the prime minister will discuss with the Ministry of Tourism and Sports and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and related agencies for the policy.

5. Approximately 100,000 of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Business Travel Cardholders from low-risk countries such as New Zealand, Australia, Singapore, Malaysia, South Korea, Japan, China, and Hong Kong.

6. Foreigners who wish to stay in Thailand for 60 days can extend the duration for an extra 30 days by providing a six-month bank statement, equivalent to at least 500,000 baht, to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for permission.

number 6 must surely be an error - 500K in a bank for 6 months to extend a tourist visa for 30 days!! are they out of their minds? 

 

[RickG16]

7 minutes ago, GeorgeCross said:

https://www.thaienquirer.com/18982/ccsa-welcomes-six-groups-of-foreign-travellers-hoping-to-stimulate-thai-economy/

number 6 must surely be an error - 500K in a bank for 6 months to extend a tourist visa for 30 days!! are they out of their minds? 

 

Yeah I think more clarification is needed on this bit. 

[thaitero]

Number six maby "normal" touristvisa with 500 k bank account balance requirment  ?

[bodga]

38 minutes ago, GeorgeCross said:

are they out of their minds? 

always

[oompie69]

1 hour ago, GeorgeCross said:

https://www.thaienquirer.com/18982/ccsa-welcomes-six-groups-of-foreign-travellers-hoping-to-stimulate-thai-economy/

number 6 must surely be an error - 500K in a bank for 6 months to extend a tourist visa for 30 days!! are they out of their minds? 

 

I am trying to get my head around this one: 

1. Foreign athletes who participate in the Chalerm Prakiat International Cycling Race from Samut Songkhram to Suratthani on October 6-16. The group will be under 14 days of state quarantine at the local hotel. 

Today is the 28th September where I am. How are you going to fit 14 days quarantine into the available time so that foreign athletes are at the start by the 6th October? Never mind the fact that the visa and COE process can take a week or more.

Or, was this idea gathering dust in some bottom drawer and got hauled out to show that whoever thought this up was actually thinking of novel ideas to lure selected groups to travel to Thailand? 

[alyx]

5 hours ago, Bonobojt said:

So basically if your Rich you can come in. 

500,000 Baht in one's account would not "make" its holder rich.

Also some people, who have a negative balance although earning quite a lot, are considered as rich.

That being said, no amount in the bank should be required. As long as there is an insurance and a return ticket.

[sammieuk1]

This is all to get some interest back in LOS and will all fall apart like the Phuket model and STV when the million and one caveats get added ????

[connda]

6 hours ago, EricTh said:

Both O and OA are under non-immigrant visa holder.

 

Yes, this include retirees and business owners who have at least 500k in their bank account.

 

Tough luck for retirees who use the monthly transfer option with bank balance below that amount.

 

Ahhh, that makes sense.  So the 65K a month crowd is now personae non grata.  Wonder if changes in Immigration orders are now at hand, like you need 500K to enter the country on a retirement visa.  I wonder how many retirees will final say, "Enough" in the next year? Lordy how confusing. 

150,000 stranded tourist according to immigration estimates now set to be fined ฿500/day and possibly jailed and now as well retirees unable to return if they got caught outside of Thailand after March unless they have 500k in the bank?  This looks to have the potential to generate a lot of bad-will. 

[connda]

4 hours ago, GeorgeCross said:

https://www.thaienquirer.com/18982/ccsa-welcomes-six-groups-of-foreign-travellers-hoping-to-stimulate-thai-economy/

number 6 must surely be an error - 500K in a bank for 6 months to extend a tourist visa for 30 days!! are they out of their minds? 

 

Cambodia's starting to look pretty good.  Only $3000 in escrow to get you into the country.

[Paiman]

7 hours ago, webfact said:

around 150 verified foreigners

 

Strange wording???    Too many fake foreigners around??  

 

 

 

[Flying Saucage]

8 hours ago, webfact said:

around 150 verified foreigners would start arriving at Suvarnabhumi Airport or Phuket airport

In another thread it was mentioned that these first 150 verified foreigners are Chinese. I wonder when they eventually will start to call the Chinese "verified nationals" instead of "foreigners", and Thailand a province of China.

 

No joke now: Some Chinese companies do this with the Philippines already. No problem for Duterte, he said. When will Prayut follow courteously?

 

Edited September 28, 2020 by Flying Saucage

[G950]

Permitted Countries: New Zealand, Australia, Singapore, Malaysia, South Korea, Japan, China, and Hong Kong

 

Most of these countries require permision for their citizens to leave their country. 

 

[GigsGigs]

41 minutes ago, connda said:

Cambodia's starting to look pretty good.  Only $3000 in escrow to get you into the country.

Cambodia indeed looks good, but in my case; Laos looks even better! Wife is from a village on the border of the mekong, she has relatives on both sides of the river, my chances at getting a visa for Thailand are slim to none, my chances at getting a visa for Laos is as high as 50%. If we really would re-unite we could easily do so on the Laos side of the mekong river.

 

TL;DR: !@#$ Thailand for the time being. Laos and Cambodia are the way to go.

[Mark Frank V]

The requirements seem to be 500K THB on a Thai Bank account... would an equivalent of 500K on a foreign bankaccount be accepted too ?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[EricTh]

1 hour ago, connda said:

Ahhh, that makes sense.  So the 65K a month crowd is now personae non grata.  Wonder if changes in Immigration orders are now at hand, like you need 500K to enter the country on a retirement visa.  I wonder how many retirees will final say, "Enough" in the next year? Lordy how confusing. 

150,000 stranded tourist according to immigration estimates now set to be fined ฿500/day and possibly jailed and now as well retirees unable to return if they got caught outside of Thailand after March unless they have 500k in the bank?  This looks to have the potential to generate a lot of bad-will. 

 

The wording is different in different news article.

 

https://www.thaienquirer.com/18982/ccsa-welcomes-six-groups-of-foreign-travellers-hoping-to-stimulate-thai-economy/

 

One said Holders of non-immigrant types of visa, who are businesspeople

 

The other said Holders of non-immigrant types of visa, such as businesspeople

 

These two have completely different meanings. If it means only B class visa, then retirees are also out.

 

That's why wrong translation can mean different things.

Edited September 28, 2020 by EricTh

[EricTh]

26 minutes ago, GigsGigs said:

Cambodia indeed looks good, but in my case; Laos looks even better! Wife is from a village on the border of the mekong, she has relatives on both sides of the river, my chances at getting a visa for Thailand are slim to none, my chances at getting a visa for Laos is as high as 50%. If we really would re-unite we could easily do so on the Laos side of the mekong river.

 

TL;DR: !@#$ Thailand for the time being. Laos and Cambodia are the way to go.

 

Don't know why Thailand is still heaven to many people.

 

[uncle_tom]

They are still talking such incredibly tiny numbers - ordinary people, be they holidaymakers or retirees are clearly not in their sights.

 

They are clearly only making some provisions for the super rich, and friends of those in senior government.

 

Meanwhile, I got a text from a bar owner and good friend of nearly twenty years standing yesterday - really worried now that the regular tourists will go elsewhere and then not come back..

 

 

[galt1967]

How many people(?) are going to ON TOP of the quarantine, charter flight, insurance, etc, ALSO pay: 

 

Application Service Fee and Payment Terms & Conditions:

10,000 THB excluding 7% VAT per applicant

The applicant will also have to pay the 2,000 THB visa fee at the Embassy/Consulate

Source: http://www.thailongstay.co.th/stv_visa.html

 

I, for one, despite wanting to return am NOT going through these logistical and financial hoops.

 

[cjinchiangrai]

6 hours ago, GeorgeCross said:

https://www.thaienquirer.com/18982/ccsa-welcomes-six-groups-of-foreign-travellers-hoping-to-stimulate-thai-economy/

number 6 must surely be an error - 500K in a bank for 6 months to extend a tourist visa for 30 days!! are they out of their minds? 

 

That supports the 30 day entries given to APEC holders, much like the visa wavier program.

[Jesse123]

9 hours ago, SEtonal said:

Retirees will be allowed back into Thailand when mass international tourism to Thailand resumes.  A Non-O or Non-OA holder is nothing more than a long-stay tourist age 50 and older.  It makes no sense for Thailand to welcome retirees earlier since their demographic is very susceptible to Covid-19.

Idiot. 14 day quarantine is adequate protection. I am in a country 120 days covid free but would like to get back to my Partner and my home in Thailand.

[uncle_tom]

Quote

It makes no sense for Thailand to welcome retirees earlier since their demographic is very susceptible to Covid-19.

 

Older people are more likely to get a bad case of Covid, but they are no more likely to catch it or spread it than a young person.

[Don Chance]

Do people have to wear masks in Thailand these days?