Thailand waives Tourist Visa fee for ALL nationalities

[nakhonandy]

If a 1000 baht fee would deter them I doubt they would spend much here anyhow.

[starfish]

19 minutes ago, Cuchulainn said:

 

£10 for what? For the embassy clerks to do their jobs? Give in one hand but take in the other. Typical of an embassy!!

 

Embassies are just another form of Tax. When you buy something, when you sell something, when you go somewhere, or when you come from somewhere.

Now i told them the "coming from somewhere tax". Sorry !

But it was coming anyway, sooner or later . . .

 

 

[hobobo]

On ‎02‎/‎12‎/‎2016 at 10:18 AM, 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.

As per "Good guys in, bad guys out" policy, all the Cheap Charlies will be good, without doubt!

[George Graham]

15 hours ago, George Graham said:

Oh god, please come to Thailand.

Oh god please please come to Thailand it's seven pages already.

[Scott]

Off-topic post and reply reported and removed.

 

[balo]

13 hours ago, rooster59 said:

This campaign goes in line with the government’s policy to increase the nation’s tourism-related revenue. It will help increase the number of tourists during high season,” he said.

 

 

Sorry I do not buy it, if you decide to spend a holiday in Thailand  , 1000 baht or $30 will not make you cancel your holiday. Maybe with the exception of India....

 

 

 

[harada]

I think that the trickle down effect of cancelling entertainment over New Years is starting to set in and pockets are starting to hurt, as most people book a couple of months in advance it was bound to happen.

[bobbymack]

hilarious! How is this waiver going to attract tourists last minute. People are either coming already or they are not. No one is suddenly going to say "you know what, lets all go to Thailand because we will save THB 1,000". It will take a lot more than THB 1,000 to bring the tourists back in numbers. Clowns in the government, the lot of them.

[Oziex1]

16 hours ago, Lupatria said:

Prices for farrangs will triple instead of double in restaurants, hotels and at tourist attractions and national parks. TIT which means- someone has to pay for the no show's.

 

This year is the first in 6 years I have not made it to Phuket, a lady I rented a room from got in touch to ask if I was coming over, no can do I said. Clearly she is concerned about the decrease in tourist numbers, will she offer flexibility in the rental rate of her rooms. I doubt, it as she would say this is high season and I can get Bt!!!

 

Poor business skills and greed abound.

[PattayaBoy]

On 2.12.2016 at 0:10 PM, bark said:

These countries are on the Thai no fly list for tourist.

Law #  AM5678-20

 

??

[alohame]

I was “deterred” in October when the cabinet doubled VOA fee to 2000 baht. I don't think I wanna spend an extra $60 US when all the western visitors don't have to pay a penny for visa, it is just not fair. So I was wondering how long it would take this military government to change its mind, well a bit sooner than I expected:)

 

Not everyone loves Thailand as much as I do, especially when there are lots of other visa free or visa fee free destinations in the area. Bali, for instance. 

[bark]

2 hours ago, PattayaBoy said:

 

??

You are confused ??

[aslimversgwm]

On 12/3/2016 at 9:52 AM, JB300 said:

Sorry OT I know, but I'm planning on taking my partner (she's Filipina not Thai) to UK & one of the things she's concerned about is being left on her own in the immigration queue (it's happened a couple of times in Bali & Singapore when I've had to join a different queue).

Do you stay with your partner while she goes through immigration or meet her on the other side?

Petty question I know but honestly my gf is more worried about that than anything else about the trip, though in her defence, if you had to more or less beg immigration every time you wanted to leave your home country you might feel the same.

As a British citizen I was allowed to have my Thai partner with me and go through a EU border gate rather than the non-EU ones, much to both our relieves! He's a chap by the way and now my legal husband as we were recently married in our embassy in Hanoi, since our UK trip.

[gk10002000]

Barring a very long time, which is barely possible with the standard SETV, just showing up with the visa exempt on arrival and then paying 1900 for the 30 day extension can probably suit most tourist's needs, at least those from the large visa exemption countries UK, USA etc.  And depending on where one lives it can be a bit awkward to get the SETV in advance.  I always liked Thailand because I could jet there anytime with little to no planning as often has happened with my engineering contracts that ended suddenly.  That is why I first went there in 2004 and returned another dozen times since.  They made it easy to visit.

[JB300]

As a British citizen I was allowed to have my Thai partner with me and go through a EU border gate rather than the non-EU ones, much to both our relieves! He's a chap by the way and now my legal husband as we were recently married in our embassy in Hanoi, since our UK trip.

Thanks for that, I had visions of me sitting for hours in that little room they have at the side for non EU citizens (or worse still, her sitting for hours there whilst I'm on the other side) so knowing I can just queue up with her in the UK/EU lane is a massive relief.

Thanks again & congratulations on your marriage [emoji4]

[The manic]

On 02/12/2016 at 7:44 PM, jaiyen said:

But this is only for the holiday period when tickets are about 40% more. So where is the saving. Better to come in February when all the tourists are back at work and kids back in school. Best time of the year. Cant wait to see the figures forFfebruary

 

My friend just booked 2 return tickets London to Bangkok for 950BPS for the two.  January. 

[Arandora]

On 12/3/2016 at 9:25 AM, Tilacme said:

I collected a single entry tourist visa in UK on the 1st and was told that the £25 visa fee has been waived, however there is a £10 admin charge - not quiet waived then.  I am glad they are at least thinking about visas as it is way to complicated and all this regular reporting is a bind, especially if you live in the boonies.

If that was from a Consulate it is right for them to continue to charge an Admin Fee. That is not part of the Visa cost. Consulates rely on income from visa fees for their very existence. Nothing from the Thai Government or Thai Embassy. Has anyone seen anywhere that they are going to be compensated for the loss of income from the SETVs? Don't all shout at once! 

[pfiffi]

"the Tourism Authority of Thailand revealed a sudden drop in arrivals from China"

Is anybody sad about that?

[Thomas Hannah]

16 hours ago, Arandora said:

If that was from a Consulate it is right for them to continue to charge an Admin Fee. That is not part of the Visa cost. Consulates rely on income from visa fees for their very existence. Nothing from the Thai Government or Thai Embassy. Has anyone seen anywhere that they are going to be compensated for the loss of income from the SETVs? Don't all shout at once! 

You dont need a single entry.You get 30 days anyway.do you mean a double entry.So as you can stay 2 months.

[KneeDeep]

Useful to me, as their elimination of double and triple entry tourist visas was an annoyance. The new Multiple Entry visa an annoyance and overly expensive.

So waiving the fee makes me feel better and I will likely stay longer in between holidays in surrounding countries and spend more.

What a few 'not so smart' people don't realise is that when you make your customer feel good, they often spend more than they first intended.

Whereas when you 'nickle and dime' them, they prefer to spend nothing at all or as little as possible..

 

[KneeDeep]

On 02/12/2016 at 4:03 AM, captainhornblower said:

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.

 

Are you assuming that they are trying to stimulate high season arrivals? 

Application at the beginning of December can arrive as late as the beginning of March. Application at the end of February can arrive late in May. 

 

 

 

[Arandora]

3 hours ago, Thomas Hannah said:

You dont need a single entry.You get 30 days anyway.do you mean a double entry.So as you can stay 2 months.

A Single Entry Tourist Visa gives you 60 days and is now free until the end of February 2017 and can be extended for up to another 30 days for 1900 baht at Thai Immigration, There are no Two or Three entry Tourist Visas anymore. They were replaced by the Multi Entry Tourist Visa (METV) a year ago. 

[boatguy]

On 12/1/2016 at 11:19 PM, madmitch said:

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.

 

 

I married a Thai lady, and we live part time there and part time USA. I originally consider moving there full time, but the 'retirement visa' was a little too restrictive for my liking to be able to come and go without so much hassle. And all of this deposit of monies into non-interest bearing Thai accts, etc, etc. I was willing to spend my retirement funds there instead of USA, but.....

 

And now when I want to come visit for more than 30 days they want me to mail my passport off to their embassy here in the USA to obtain a 60 or 90 day visit visa, and staple a bunch of papers into it.. I DO NOT like to be putting my passport in the mail. I would much prefer a short interview at customs in Thailand when I arrive, then the issue of a 60 or 90 day visit visa. Seems so simple.......???

[brewsterbudgen]

I married a Thai lady, and we live part time there and part time USA. I originally consider moving there full time, but the 'retirement visa' was a little too restrictive for my liking to be able to come and go without so much hassle. And all of this deposit of monies into non-interest bearing Thai accts, etc, etc. I was willing to spend my retirement funds there instead of USA, but.....
 
And now when I want to come visit for more than 30 days they want me to mail my passport off to their embassy here in the USA to obtain a 60 or 90 day visit visa, and staple a bunch of papers into it.. I DO NOT like to be putting my passport in the mail. I would much prefer a short interview at customs in Thailand when I arrive, then the issue of a 60 or 90 day visit visa. Seems so simple.......???

If you enter under the visa exempt scheme you get 30 days which can easily be extended by 30 days at an Immigration office. It's very simple.

[bodymassagemyfriend]

On 03/12/2016 at 10:47 AM, JustNo said:

If things do not change within the next year, things will go downhill pretty damn fast for the Thais and their kingdom. A lot of them forget that without our tourism money their country will essentially die. They do not export enough products and or services to cover the loss of tourism that I can see on the horizon if things continue this way 

Especially when IT industry is moving to mobile. Given the pricey Samsung in Thailand i dont think the factory is in the country.

 

Also 10-15 years ago tourists  could rent 100sqm for what is now 25sqm.

Not sure expats want to retire in a shoebox. It all adds up.