Thailand waives Tourist Visa fee for ALL nationalities

[Jonathan Fairfield]

Thailand waives Tourist Visa fee for ALL nationalities

file photo

 

BANGKOK:-- Thailand is waiving the 1,000 baht fee for a single entry tourist visa for all nationalities from Dec 1st 2016 to 28 February 2017.

 

Earlier this month Thailand’s Ministry of Interior had announced it was waiving visa fees for applicants from 19 countries.

 

However, notices posted outside the Royal Thai Embassies in Vientiane and Washington DC and at the Royal Thai Consulate in Penang suggests that ALL applicants will now be exempt from paying the 1,000 baht fee.

 

The notice also states that during the same period, the Visa on Arrival (VoA) fee will be decreased from 2,000 baht to 1,000 baht for those who are entitled to apply for the VoA.

 

A report from Vientiane that the single entry tourist visa fee was being waived was first posted on Thaivisa on Thursday, with further reports from other Thai embassies and consulates around the world seemed to confirm that Thailand had extended its offer of waiving the tourist visa fee from 19 nations to all applicants.

 

It will be hoped that by offering free single entry tourist visas will help to boost tourism during the high season.

 

Earlier this week, the Tourism Authority of Thailand revealed a sudden drop in arrivals from China, following the recent crackdown on ‘zero dollar tours’.

 

Figures released on Wednesday from Thailand’s Central Bank said that Thailand saw a 10 percent drop in tourist arrivals in the month of October.

 

 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2016-12-02

 

 

[Thailand]

Does make one wonder if the tourist figures may have been exaggerated a little?

[Luckysilk]

Great more Cheap Charlie's arriving soon.

 

If 1000 measly baht is an inticement I can't wait to see these quality tourists.

[Micbozy]

No wonder Thai taxi drivers ask for double rate when at crowded tourist sights, and going for normal meter rate when less tourists.

[Brer Fox]

This initiative speaks for itself and confirms the numbers are not what they are claimed to be. 

Next move could be 1000 baht down to zero baht and as desperation creeps in they may even pay Chinese "quality" tourists 1000 baht to come to Thailand. 

Nothing would surprise with TAT.

[helloagain]

39 minutes ago, Thailand said:

Does make one wonder if the tourist figures may have been exaggerated a little?

Yes i think so. Not so many coming here. Fed up with getting beaten up. Scammed. Etc etc etc

[fish monger]

If one can't afford the 30 bucks for a visa, maybe they shouldn't be traveling in the first place......

[poohy]

Aha seems the Tourist figures  decimal point was in wrong place 

[PattayaBoy]

Wonder why Romania Cyprus Bulgaria Cyprus Malta as they are EU countries. All other EU are visa exempt for 30 days.

[AdamRich]

I wonder if Thai Air will be refunding me that visa fee for a ticket that I have already purchased. 

[captainhornblower]

Apart from all the above comments, this comes way to late in the day to attract tourists. if you want to attract a market segment it requires a minimum of 6 months notice before the first date of it going into effect.

[ezzra]

One thing is for sure, who's ever is in charge on those visa fees sure is having hard

time deciding, tossing and turning and moving the goal posts every couple of

days when it comes to those fees, yes, no, some yes, some no, cheaper and

dearer fees... make your head spin already....

[LALes]

Desperation time.  December is here and the crowds are not-except in Jomtien, which moves to its own yearly rhythms.

[siam2007]

I believe you all got that wrong. This is rather to wipe out all honorary consulates worldwide, as they cannot survive without those fees

[mmail2you]

Doesn't make any difference to Aussies

[madmitch]

A little panic in the Tourism Ministry, methinks.

 

It'll make little difference to Western tourists, most of whom enter on the 30 day stamp on arrival.

 

If they really want to increase tourism they should extend this stamp on arrival option as many people still have to travel to an embassy or consulate to get a tourist visa, or offer a proper visa on arrival service to more nationalities.

 

 

[rexall]

58 minutes ago, Luckysilk said:

Great more Cheap Charlie's arriving soon.

 

If 1000 measly baht is an inticement I can't wait to see these quality tourists.

 

It couldn't hurt, suppose. But I agree, who is going to plan their vacation to one place or another based on B1,000?  "Oh, Honey, let's not go to Indonesia [or wherever] this year because if we change our plans, we can go to Thailand instead and save 1,000 baht.!" 

[bark]

1 hour ago, Luckysilk said:

Great more Cheap Charlie's arriving soon.

 

If 1000 measly baht is an inticement I can't wait to see these quality tourists.

Thank you Big Spender.

Take me for a ride in your Rolls.

[gilo]

For places like Vientiane, Savannakhet and Penang the issuing of Tourist Visas has provided an extremely lucrative income stream that has been temporarily closed. I wonder given that it is only Tourist Visa fes that have been waived whether they will now scrutinise applications more thoroughly and determine that in fact more people do not qualify for a TR but instead should apply for a Non-Imm for which a fee is still payable. To deny them the cash cow that they have enjoyed may have adverse affects on applications. It will be interesting to see whether more tourist visa applications are now suddenly harder to come by at what were known as "friendly" consulates.

[bark]

10 minutes ago, mmail2you said:

Doesn't make any difference to Aussies

Yes true.

Cannot travel while in Prison :)

Relax, only joking.

[JustNo]

lol they're getting desperate. This could lead to both good and bad things though, if they still do not get the numbers they want, they may start addressing visas for digital nomads and making it easier for people to work here. In fact there are many issues with the visa system here, and troubled times might pressure them into addressing said issues. But taking into account which nation we are talking about here I doubt this will happen and instead will have more haphazard decisions and actions taken 

[bark]

I heard they will also shower tourists in 4 year old. Write off as Business Expense.

Good thinking.

[spidermike007]

The real solution is about encouraging tourists, and ex-pats, from countries that spend real money, to come here and visit. That message seems to have gotten lost, in the fervor to court the Chinese tourists, many of whom do not spend much money at all here. 

 

Perhaps at University, 20 years from now, in the hospitality programs, they will discuss how Thailand lost the golden egg of Western tourism too. Those tourists, unlike most Chinese tourists, spent anywhere from $100 a day, to over $1,000 a day. They brought real money into the country, and in exchange, were treated with utter and complete disregard, scammed, disrespected, and abused. Eventually, most said no more. Thailand thought the country was something very special, and that nobody would ever say no, or find alternative places to visit. The fact is that there are countless other spots, that offer better service, more expertise in food and beverage (especially wine), reasonable import duties to sustain a luxury goods market, better training, and far better english skills. Thailand simply lost sight of the big picture, and had very little vision, with regard to big spending tourists, who need to be catered to, instead of scorned. I am not sure if that market can ever be recovered. Policy is just too off the mark, and there is little that is being done to either address their issues, or attract them back. The decline continues. 

 

So, what happened? The Western tourists started to decline in number, and the genius minds at the TAT decided it was time to "lure" the Chinese. They came. But, they did not spend much money. Hotels, restaurants, gift shops, jewelers, galleries, spas, massage shops, bars, and countless other businesses suffered, and will continue to suffer from this extreme myopia, on the part of the officials in charge of tourism. Oh well. Can't say they were not warned. 

 

It is a real shame, as I find most Thai people to be quite lovely, friendly, warm, helpful and fun to be around. I am sure many feel the same way.

 

 

[goferman]

With the economic situation getting shakier by the day ...

next steps should be easing long term visa restraints

and a devaluation of the baht but don't hold your breath.

if those fail, next might be helicopter money ...

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helicopter_money

 

[bobmac10]

Another glaring example of the incompetents in charge atm

[hawker9000]

1 hour ago, Thailand said:

Does make one wonder if the tourist figures may have been exaggerated a little?

THAT's what it takes to finally make "one wonder"?  Most of us were way past contemplating, considering, wondering and pretty sure and all the way to had-no-doubt...

 

...years ago.

 

 

[silent]

1 hour ago, Luckysilk said:

Great more Cheap Charlie's arriving soon.

 

If 1000 measly baht is an inticement I can't wait to see these quality tourists.

So around $30.00 US, give or take a few pesos, seems like an incentive on top of the flight does it?  

[TPI]

23 minutes ago, bark said:

Yes true.

Cannot travel while in Prison :)

Relax, only joking.

At least we don't have the ball on the chain anymore!

[neeray]

Big <deleted> deal ! 

Like others have said, what difference does 1,000 baht make anyway ?

I for one will not save anything because all my trips are under 28 days, no visa required. 

But even if I did have to acquire a visa, the savings is only a fraction of 1% of my overall cost. 

[williamgeorgeallen]

1 hour ago, Thailand said:

Does make one wonder if the tourist figures may have been exaggerated a little?

wonder why/if they are telling the truth now. also wonder what they though was going to happen when they stopped all those cheap chinese tourists from coming.