Thailand plans to grant multiple-entry visas to tourists from all nations

[mngmn]

I work overseas (not in Thailand) and in the past visited Thailand at every opportunity between work gigs. I now seem to be a desirable source of $$$$s in contrast with last year when, like may others, I was hassled by immigrationat at Don Muang for too many 30 day exemption entries.

From the perspective of the Thai economy, 5000 baht is insignificant compared to what I spend here in 6 months.

[DavisH]

I seriously doubt a 6 month multi entry tourist visa is going to help. Most genuine tourists have a set time here & certainly do not plan to go in & out of the country over a period of 6 months. There is so much they could do with changing visa rules, especially long term ones for people who live here, support families & spend money all year round. Money which feeds into the grass roots economy, unlike all the Chinese tourists who's money only benefits a select few.

Long term expats are a drop in the ocean, both in numbers and economically, so I would not expect anything this government to do would benefit us. This is all about increasing tourist dollars, regardless of who benefits from those dollars.

400,000 ex-pats spending let's say 800,000 baht a year..3.2 billion baht. Big drop.

Got a link for those figures? Most foreigners living here would be teachers and they sure as heck don't spend that much money! Thais wan't FOREIGN income. They don't care how much you make IN Thailand.

[DaveinAsia]

Why would they need to do this when just the other day TAT,

reported a massive increase in tourists,

regards Worgeordie

The TAT got decrease mixed up with increase one thinks

[lostinisaan]

Duhh and i just had to jump all the hoops to get my multiple while i 'm married with a Thai. They even refused my application because the photograph i used was the same as last year.

So all these new quality tourists also don't have to show money on the bank?

So you are actualy telling the forum, that you produced the same photo that is already in your last application, sorry but i am laghing so hard.PHOTOS have to be withing 6 months of taking them hahahahahhahaha

Don't we all lagh from time too time? hahahahahahahahahahahha

[mango66]

great news for those wishing to spend their cold european winters here and for backpackers looking to reclaim thailand as the hub of their asian travels again.

just a shame that even in 2015 some still don't consider these two groups as "genuine tourists".

i look forward to the added diversity and local income income both groups will bring.

great news and a solid step forward

5.000,- for this genious tourists from China and Malaysia will be ok,

to select this ones, which have 5.000,- to spend too !!

[TechnikaIII]

So a year after forcing thousands of expats out of Thailand - expats who did border runs but who still no doubt spent lots of money in Thailand, they come back with this.

Look forward. Stop moaning about the past.

Or perhaps they could save all the improvements until you are dead and gone.

[mango66]

I seriously doubt a 6 month multi entry tourist visa is going to help. Most genuine tourists have a set time here & certainly do not plan to go in & out of the country over a period of 6 months. There is so much they could do with changing visa rules, especially long term ones for people who live here, support families & spend money all year round. Money which feeds into the grass roots economy, unlike all the Chinese tourists who's money only benefits a select few.

I have met allot of tourists that travel all around Laos, Cambodia, Burma etc over a period of 2-3 months. So I agree the 6 month is not a big deal but the multi entry is good.

Who this will help are the guys that are under 50, not working and not married.

As for your statement of guys living here and supporting families there is already a visa for this a NON-O. I lived and worked in Thailand for almost 20 years and never had an issue with a visa. However I worked so always had a visa and work permit. The people that have a problem are the ones working in Thailand illegally or under 50 not married to a Thai or have a Thai child and not working living off of investments.

Current rules mostly hurts only illegal workers here !!

and that is ok !!

If one is so reach to live from his investments -

500.000,- - 5 years Elitecard Bing o !!

Or he have 1.000,- bht per month from his great investment in a night bar ??

[Valentine]

I seriously doubt a 6 month multi entry tourist visa is going to help. Most genuine tourists have a set time here & certainly do not plan to go in & out of the country over a period of 6 months. There is so much they could do with changing visa rules, especially long term ones for people who live here, support families & spend money all year round. Money which feeds into the grass roots economy, unlike all the Chinese tourists who's money only benefits a select few.

Long term expats are a drop in the ocean, both in numbers and economically, so I would not expect anything this government to do would benefit us. This is all about increasing tourist dollars, regardless of who benefits from those dollars.

400,000 ex-pats spending let's say 800,000 baht a year..3.2 billion baht. Big drop.

Got a link for those figures? Most foreigners living here would be teachers and they sure as heck don't spend that much money! Thais wan't FOREIGN income. They don't care how much you make IN Thailand.

Got a link for most foreigners living here would be teachers. The average Thai wants to make a living, they don't care where the money comes from but right now the majority of average Thais involved in earning a living off tourism through a small business are not benefiting from the Chinese.

[mango66]

I seriously doubt a 6 month multi entry tourist visa is going to help. Most genuine tourists have a set time here & certainly do not plan to go in & out of the country over a period of 6 months. There is so much they could do with changing visa rules, especially long term ones for people who live here, support families & spend money all year round. Money which feeds into the grass roots economy, unlike all the Chinese tourists who's money only benefits a select few.

Long term expats are a drop in the ocean, both in numbers and economically, so I would not expect anything this government to do would benefit us. This is all about increasing tourist dollars, regardless of who benefits from those dollars.

Long term expats are what keeps this place ticking over for many parts of the year, they also have a lot of friends who visit here on a regular basis for holidays so don't be so quick to write them off

Big amount of Expats in Isaan, with not more income then a few hundreds bugs are keeping up the economy in Thailand , !!

5555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555

[DanceAllNight]

Fantastic idea!Yo

u can get this visa in Thai consulates or at the airport on arrival?

I would like mutli-entry because I want to travel, but if i travel and leave Thailand I lose my visa or have to use my last entry on a tourist visa.

If this is the case, I can travel to Laos, Myanmar, etc... and still come back to Thailand on the same visa. Awesome!

Hope it happens soon.

[mango66]

I stopped off in Singapore to try to get a multiple entry one-year visa (I have a Thai wife and child) for Thailand back in April but it was shut for Songkraan - "my bad" as they say.

I then stopped off in KL last month and went through the whole process and they only gave me a single entry 3 month visa saying that that's all they could give me and I could 'upgrade' it in Thailand.

I had to leave for work so I got a re-entry permit. The guy said that when I go back next time in a few weeks I can then change it to a one-year retirement visa. So I'll do that.

dont forget the 400.000,- bank deposit !!!

[DLang]

Isn't this just a Double-Entry Tourist Visa, but the difference is it will be available to all nationalities now?

[Shawn0001]

great news for those wishing to spend their cold european winters here and for backpackers looking to reclaim thailand as the hub of their asian travels again.

just a shame that even in 2015 some still don't consider these two groups as "genuine tourists".

i look forward to the added diversity and local income income both groups will bring.

great news and a solid step forward

The "non genuine tourists" are the ones who live & work here illegally. No mention of backpackers being included in this group. Many view backpackers as being tourists who come & stay on the cheap but I reckon they would spend more than the Chinese & the money gets spread around much more. Also they can become rich big spenders in the future.

As for the long term expats why not give them a 5 year visa if they have already been here for a long time either on retirement or Non Imm B visa which is needed for working. Immigration office here in Phuket is overloaded at the best of times.

Double post, deleted!

[Shawn0001]

great news for those wishing to spend their cold european winters here and for backpackers looking to reclaim thailand as the hub of their asian travels again.

just a shame that even in 2015 some still don't consider these two groups as "genuine tourists".

i look forward to the added diversity and local income income both groups will bring.

great news and a solid step forward

The "non genuine tourists" are the ones who live & work here illegally. No mention of backpackers being included in this group. Many view backpackers as being tourists who come & stay on the cheap but I reckon they would spend more than the Chinese & the money gets spread around much more. Also they can become rich big spenders in the future.

As for the long term expats why not give them a 5 year visa if they have already been here for a long time either on retirement or Non Imm B visa which is needed for working. Immigration office here in Phuket is overloaded at the best of times.

Quite the generalization regarding the Chinese. There would be no difference to generalize the same about all American tourists, and neglect that some stay in 5 star hotels after seeing some camping on the beach on Koh Similan! The truth is, some Chinese tourists are actually the biggest spenders, and some Chinese who have chosen to live in Thailand have become the biggest business men in Thailand. Anyway, if you have ever been to a resort where lower class Chinese are staying, I think it is clear that they are not watching ever Baht like the majority of backpackers, they are there to holiday in the traditional sense and seem to always have a table permanently full of food and drinks, take trips everyday and generally like to indulge in all that is on offer.

As for Visas, I agree on the retirement visa, there is no reason not to offer longer visas for them, but the Type B for working is more complicated. It makes sense for some sectors, where the immigrant is employed full time on a permanent contract, but for the likes of most teachers, it doesn't as they are almost always employed for 10 or 11 month contracts. This is done to purposefully prevent them from gaining any employment rights, if they were given a longer visa it would be worthless to them as they would need a new visa to go with their new contract the following year anyway. It would however, make sense to tackle that issue and prevent the schools from treating foreign teachers with such low respect by forcing them to offer permanent contracts. Saying that, there are probably far more immigrants employed in permanent jobs than there will ever be TEFL teachers so perhaps it does make sense!

[Jonmarleesco]

They can't seem to make up their mind whether they want repeat tourists, or not. But 5,000 is expensive for a 6-month multi-entry visa.

[speedtripler]

They can't seem to make up their mind whether they want repeat tourists, or not. But 5,000 is expensive for a 6-month multi-entry visa.

It isn't for a lot of people I know

I have friends too young to retire, don't have or want a Thai wife etc and would happily pay 5000 twice a year to avoid jumping through all the hoops

The ed visas sales are going to suffer bigtime if this "news" is true

Nobody will need to give money to fake schools anymore

[MartinBangkok]

I seriously doubt a 6 month multi entry tourist visa is going to help. Most genuine tourists have a set time here & certainly do not plan to go in & out of the country over a period of 6 months. There is so much they could do with changing visa rules, especially long term ones for people who live here, support families & spend money all year round. Money which feeds into the grass roots economy, unlike all the Chinese tourists who's money only benefits a select few.

Long term expats are a drop in the ocean, both in numbers and economically, so I would not expect anything this government to do would benefit us. This is all about increasing tourist dollars, regardless of who benefits from those dollars.

400,000 ex-pats spending let's say 800,000 baht a year..3.2 billion baht. Big drop.

320 billion Baht actually.

[Mudcrab]

a big step forward but i think 5 thousand is a bit on the top side and i think this 5 year visa should also be applied to long term expats .

What 5 year visa are you referring to?

Are saying there is a 5 year visa available for 5000 baht??

That would make a lot of people very,very happy.

[empireboy]

The specifics will be all-important!

[MyFriend You]

It will help business people - a lot of Vietnamese Vendors fly to Tailand, purchase relatively cheap clothes by the bundles and sell them in Vietnam - we just outfitted a dozen kids for school here and I would say 70% of the clothes were made in Thailand, and we are down in the Mekong Delta. I will say the clothes are good quality, but cheaper in Thailand.

[Jimlove]

Why would they need to do this when just the other day TAT,

reported a massive increase in tourists,

regards Worgeordie

Agree ... TAT is a bunch of liers but TiT, its normal to lie here ...

[gemguy]

So what are they planning, a multiple entry 6 month VOA for 5000 baht?

I believe, from what the headline says, you will receive 6 months worth of Multiple Entry Visa status if you apply for that particular Visa status at any Thai embassy...if you qualify that is ....and or they do not see a large number of exit and entry stamps already existing in your passport or a over stay stamp in your passport...... or several of them for that matter

More than likely you will be issued 2 multiple entry visas, good for 90 days each ...so you still have to leave the country at the end of the 90 days...but during the 90 day period you can come and go as you please...but when the 90 days is up and the visa ends then you also have to leave or you will be considered over stay.

Just to get some more money out of you having to come and go to activate the 2nd 90 day visa....and all the travel related services and costs involved to exit and then come back in to start your 2nd multiple entry visa.

Cheers

[Laughing Gravy]

Fantastic, at last a visionary move. . well done and not before time.

So what has been all the recent stories about Thailand has more visitors than ever and doesn't need more Tourism. Evereyone (Sorry 90%) people are happy with things. Seems like a bit of a U turn from the article.

[chinostar]

IT'S NOT ALL ABOUT MONEY. QUALITY TOURIST CARE FOR SAFETY AND LAW ENFORCEMENT. NOW YOU ONLY ATRACT THE CHEAPIES.

[aTomsLife]

Sounds promising, but will wait for the fine print to get excited.

Many countries grant six month tourist visas, but also limit the number of days one can stay in-country to 180 per year.

If there's no limit on the days one can stay per year, then this will make a lot of people's lives a lot easier. Presuming one gets at least a 90 day stay per entry, then it would be possible to stretch nine months out of one visa.

[englishoak]

I'll believe it when I see it, possibly just a simple pre purchased 30 day visa extendible 5 times at the border.... big deal.

[Felt 35]

Oh no....

[Mister Fixit]

I seriously doubt a 6 month multi entry tourist visa is going to help. Most genuine tourists have a set time here & certainly do not plan to go in & out of the country over a period of 6 months. There is so much they could do with changing visa rules, especially long term ones for people who live here, support families & spend money all year round. Money which feeds into the grass roots economy, unlike all the Chinese tourists who's money only benefits a select few.

Long term expats are a drop in the ocean, both in numbers and economically, so I would not expect anything this government to do would benefit us. This is all about increasing tourist dollars, regardless of who benefits from those dollars.

Long term expats are what keeps this place ticking over for many parts of the year, they also have a lot of friends who visit here on a regular basis for holidays so don't be so quick to write them off

really??? You know that Thailand exports allot of products. which is much more than what tourism even brings in. I would say just in auto exports that is much more than what long term expats spend in Thailand.

Anyway most long term expats have the correct visas, a small majority of expats fall into the category of not qualifying for a visa (under 50, not married, not working and no child to support).

the rest are working illegally. Which is what immigration has been trying to stop all this time.

Ericthai, you are bwpage3 who bragged about his amazing return a while back and I claim my five pounds ...

Clue - you can't spell 'a lot' and always spell it 'allot'. Gotcha - sussed!

[Mister Fixit]

This article is very confusing. Currently a tourist visa is 1000 baht per entry, 5000 baht for 6 months visa is much more expensive, especially as a triple entry tourist visa (admittedly not issued in some consulates) costs only 3,000 baht and is good for 9 months or more with extensions.

They must mean VOA, which is currently unavailable to British, American, Australian, Canadian, German or Scandinavian tourists... i.e. its not available to most of us.

Nah, we lot just get a visa exemption instead ... Do you know ANYTHING about visas etc?

[lujanit]

There is no way this new visa will allow anyone to stay 6 months without leaving the country at least once maybe twice (maximum stay 90 days or 60 days). Otherwise Immigration would have to organise themselves to be able to handle 90 day reporting for a tourist visa and that will never happen. Just think of the mess trying to prove your address.

What would be really good is if Immigration abandoned 90 day reporting for people on Non-O and Non-B visas.

As others have said the devil will be in the detail.