Thailand now open to long-stay tourists

[webfact]

Thailand now open to long-stay tourists

By The Nation

 

 

The Government Gazette website announced that long-stay tourists would now be allowed to enter Thailand, after the Cabinet approved the measure on September 15.

 

According to the gazette announcement, foreigners who intend to apply for a Special Tourist Visa (STV) should:

 

> Be a foreigner from a low-risk country wishing to stay for months in the kingdom under Public Health Ministry regulations.

 

> Accept compliance of preventive measures as prescribed by the government, including submitting to alternative state quarantine in appointed hospitals/hotels for not less than 14 days.

 

> Provide evidence of a place to stay during the long visit.

 

> Show proof of payment for hotel accommodation or admittance to hospitals chosen as alternative state quarantine facilities.

 

> Provide one of the following as evidence:

 

* Proof of payment for hotel or accommodation to be used after discharge from quarantine.

 

* Copy of a condominium title deed owned by the visitor or a family member.

 

* Evidence of renting accommodation – condominium or house.

 

* Evidence of payment for the purchase or lease of a condominium-type residence that foreigners can legally buy or lease.

 

> Proof of health and accident insurance policy, which should cover the entire period of stay in Thailand, with insurance for medical expenses in case of outpatient treatment of not less than Bt40,000 and in case of inpatient treatment of not less than Bt400,000.

 

Foreigners with the evidence needed above will be eligible to apply for a one-time STV from Thai embassies or consulates in selected countries. Eligible visitors will be charged a visa fee of Bt2,000 to stay in the kingdom for 90 days.

 

After this period expires, immigration officers will have the power to permit the visitor to renew his/her visa twice, each for another 90 days. Foreigners must submit an application and pay a fee in accordance with the rules.

 

With the gazette announcement, the STV policy takes effect from October 1 until September 30, 2021.

 

Source: https://www.nationthailand.com/news/30395428

 

-- © Copyright The Nation Thailand 2020-10-01

 

- Whatever you're going through, the Samaritans are here for you

- Follow Thaivisa on LINE for breaking COVID-19 updates

[Bkk Brian]

When will this list of low risk countries be revealed? Aside from the paymaster generals China.

 

Strange how in China aside from Public holidays the minimum annual leave entitlement is only 5 days, so how and why are these Chinese coming here? Nothing to do with tourism thats a fact.

[HiSoLowSoNoSo]

> Proof of health and accident insurance policy, which should cover the entire period of stay in Thailand, with insurance for medical expenses in case of outpatient treatment of not less than Bt40,000 and in case of inpatient treatment of not less than Bt400,000.

 

So no 100.000 USD special Corona insurance needed now? New rules every day in this country!

[cerox]

I am curious which countries will be able to apply or only China.

[aussiexpat]

31 minutes ago, HiSoLowSoNoSo said:

So no 100.000 USD special Corona insurance needed now? New rules every day in this country!

Covid insurance and Covid test pre-flight are COE requirements required additional to any Visa so would still be needed

Edited October 1, 2020 by aussiexpat

[AbeNormal]

27 minutes ago, aussiexpat said:

Covid insurance and Covid test pre-flight are COE requirements required additional to any Visa so would still be needed

so 2x insurance policies are now required

 

one for covid and the other the same as OA visa plus all the requirements like bookings, bank deposits, tests, GPS tracking and all the quarantine requirements

 

are they mad

[Justgrazing]

1 hour ago, webfact said:

Thailand now open to long-stay tourists

Bit underwhelming really .. 

Was hoping for a fanfare then big drum roll alongside the announcement .. 

[sammieuk1]

The noise of the stampede is deafening as the clown show begins at the circus ???? 

[donnacha]

Just hang tight. All these requirements will be dropped by January.

[CRUNCHER]

Just now, donnacha said:

Just hang tight. All these requirements will be dropped by January.

Which year?

[donnacha]

1 minute ago, CRUNCHER said:

Which year?

1999

[OnTheRun]

1 hour ago, aussiexpat said:

Covid insurance and Covid test pre-flight are COE requirements required additional to any Visa so would still be needed

Thats as far as you need to read in this thread to know this generous offer by the govt will entice people in the hundreds.

[DrTuner]

Sure, all seven of the CCP cadres coming in the attack jet to buy off the remnants.

[DrTuner]

1 hour ago, Justgrazing said:

Bit underwhelming really .. 

Was hoping for a fanfare then big drum roll alongside the announcement .. 

 

 

And then... crickets.

Edited October 1, 2020 by DrTuner

[DrTuner]

1 hour ago, AbeNormal said:

so 2x insurance policies are now required

 

one for covid and the other the same as OA visa plus all the requirements like bookings, bank deposits, tests, GPS tracking and all the quarantine requirements

 

are they mad

Don't forget to leave a five star review ... or else.

[anchadian]

And no wristbands?

[rupert the bear]

what is the problem?we need to know how much the insurance costs and what is the actual coverage ,we have 2 stories.what of flights too and the cost and what of which countries,thats the most important,scandinavia the swedes have high nos even denmark goes higher than indonesia which is highest in SE asia.it makes no sense or its an idea about how much money you have?i think so.what is going on?i have a fiancee in philippines she will stay at the condo i own so.....does that fullfill the requirement as i think it does.its all very weird and down to the person who decides allowing bigotry and bias into the equation.how do u expect people to swallow this.the non information and then the bias country wise ,its called racism simple as that.safer countries ha ha .who they think has the money,swedes nos are huge

[Deli]

Why low risk countries only, if everybody has to do time in the monkey house upon arrival ?

Logic ?

[wombat]

Under current coronavirus travel restrictions, Australians are only allowed to leave the country for official business or compassionate personal reasons.

[tukadadoll]

52 minutes ago, OnTheRun said:

Thats as far as you need to read in this thread to know this generous offer by the govt will entice people in the hundreds.

Millions no doubt!

[condo62]

Er......no thanks...done getting ripped off for 2020. 

[yellowboat]

3 hours ago, webfact said:

With the gazette announcement, the STV policy takes effect from October 1 until September 30, 2021.

Ah, still fine tuning or mucking around with the whole visa experience, while Malaysia and Vietnam  forge ahead.  Lots of big fish in Thailand ruining their little pond.       

[Misterwhisper]

[misterphil]

Someone been on the Lao Khao again. ????????????

[bodga]

3 hours ago, webfact said:

with insurance for medical expenses in case of outpatient treatment of not less than Bt40,000 and in case of inpatient treatment of not less than Bt400,000.

 

the  old  nonsense  has  resurfaced  again

[brain150]

One the economic crisis really hits I am not sure if anybody will still think about making holidays !!!

We ain't seen nothing yet !!!

 

... when the financial system goes down people will have different problems than going on holidays.

[madmen]

18 minutes ago, bodga said:

the  old  nonsense  has  resurfaced  again

Yep they snuck in the 400k OA insurance in the last minute for everyone. 

Once the initial influx of desperate expats dies off you will hear a pin drop in The arrivals hall. Watch the entry requirement layers peel back mid January 

Edited October 1, 2020 by madmen

[ChouDoufu]

3 hours ago, Bkk Brian said:

When will this list of low risk countries be revealed? Aside from the paymaster generals China.

 

Strange how in China aside from Public holidays the minimum annual leave entitlement is only 5 days, so how and why are these Chinese coming here? Nothing to do with tourism thats a fact.

 

how is minimum statutory annual leave applicable?  the minimums apply to factory workers and the lowest-paid occupations.  employers are not restricted to the minimum daily allowance.  regardless, how many minumum-wage, minimum-vacation workers travel to thailand for vacation in normal times?

 

maybe factor in the 4.5 million millionaires in china, along with the tens of millions of store/shop/factory owners who can let their kids run the shop while they winter in pattaya.

 

we get lots of northern retirees that buy apartments in hainan to spend the cold winter.  as long as they can get their rmb's out of the country, no reason they wouldn't want to spend a winter in thailand where the condos are so much cheaper.

[agood1963]

3 hours ago, webfact said:

The Government Gazette website announced that long-stay tourists would now be allowed to enter Thailand, after the Cabinet approved the measure on September 15.

There will not be many of them under the present cost and requirements .

[marquis22]

1 hour ago, donnacha said:

1999

Oh yes, the year that the world last had a worrying uncertain future with a bug.