The 45-day visa exemption proposal

[reader]

From Pattaya Mail

By Barry Kenyon

The Tourist Authority of Thailand is pressurizing the government to allow most vacationing foreigners to visit Thailand for up to three months without obtaining a visa from their local Thai embassy abroad. Visitors from 64 countries (including Brits, Russians, Australians, Americans and most mainland Europeans) are already visa-exempt. They obtain 30 days free-of-charge on arrival which can be extended for a further month at Thai immigration on payment of 1,900 baht. If the Thai Cabinet, as expected, accepts the proposal, these periods would become 45-plus-45 days for a total of three months.

A similar discretion would apply to those from 19 countries (including mega-markets China and India) whose citizens require a visa-on-arrival costing 1,900 baht (US$54) at Thai airports. Currently, they receive only 15 days but would now receive 45 days plus a further 45 days extension. TAT is also proposing abolition of the fee, but this is thought less likely for budgetary reasons. The movement towards 90 day entry without involving embassies in the home country is partly to end visa application delays, but more especially to encourage longer stays and higher spending.

Thai authorities seem determined right now to ease entry for foreigners. Pre-flight and online registration, anti-Covid insurance and even the TM6 address card have all been suspended. Arriving passengers no longer have to fill in any forms, although Ministry of Health officials may conduct random health checks on anyone looking ill. The experience compares favorably with Cambodia, for instance, where all foreigners must fill in a visa application, a health questionnaire and a customs declaration all collected at different desks. Yuthasak Supasorn, the TAT governor, this week also announced that the 300 baht tourist fee, to be levied on foreigners, would not now be implemented for “one or two years” as the imperative is get tourist numbers up from the doldrums. The tax had been heavily criticized as not worth the hassle. Security expert Colin Ross said Thai authorities had finally realized that form-filling was a poor way of monitoring foreigners. “Computerization of records and tracking people’s GPS location via mobile phones makes a lot more sense,” he said. He added that once virtual passports replace the documentary version, travellers’ identity and biometrics would be stored in a cloud. No need to carry the passport or fear it being stolen. But that’s a few years away yet.

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From Pattaya News

Propose end of hospitels and hotel isolation in September

The Department of Health Service Support of the Ministry of Public Health is planning to propose the cancellation of hospitel and hotel isolation on September 1st.

Director-General Dr. Thares Krasanaiyarawiwong revealed on Wednesday, August 10th, that the Department will propose the cancellation to the Public Health Ministry after the resolving situation of the Covid-19 outbreak in Thailand.

The proposal will be introduced to Minister Anutin Charnvirakul before being issued as a Public Health announcement in the following step. It is initially planned to be implemented in September, if approved.

 

[vinapu]

4 hours ago, reader said:

Security expert Colin Ross said Thai authorities had finally realized that form-filling was a poor way of monitoring foreigners.... and tracking people’s GPS location via mobile phones makes a lot more sense,”

 

I wonder to whom it makes that sense, for autocrats for sure

[reader]

From Thai Enquirer

The Thai government said it is considering the lifting of the nationwide emergency decree that has been in place since 2020. It also decided to extend the visa exemption for up to 45 days along with visa on arrival for up to 30 days for a period of six months to help boost tourism.

The Center for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA), a body set up by the government to handle the Covid-19 related issues, said that it has approved a proposal to extend the visa exemption and the visa on arrival for 15 days over a period of six months.

“The extensions for tourists would increase tourism income and encourage tourists to travel around the country,” said Dr Taweesin Visanuyothin, CCSA’s spokesman.

The proposals that were approved include:

• Extending the visa exemption for nationalities from 56 selected countries from no more than 30 days to 45 days

• Extending the visa on arrival for nationalities that could not get the visa exemption from no more than 15 days to 30 days

The government said that was considering the lifting of the nationwide state of emergency decree for Covid-19 in October.

Prime Minister Prayut said after the CCSA meeting which he chaired on Friday that the government is considering the lifting of the nationwide state of emergency decree that was put in place to prevent the spread of Covid.

[macaroni21]

Any idea where to find the list of 56 countries, for which visa exemption is extended from 30 to 45 days?

If it includes Cambodia Laos, Vietnam and Myanmar, it would help our boys. These chaps currently have to do visa runs every 30 days. A real pain in the ass (and cost).

[reader]

From Visaguide.world

If you have an ordinary passport issued by one of the following countries, you can travel to Thailand without a visa for up to 90 days:

• Argentina
• Brazil
• Chile
• South Korea
• Peru

If you have an ordinary passport issued by one of the following countries, you can travel to Thailand without a visa for up to 30 days:

• Andorra
• Australia
• Austria
• Bahrain
• Belgium
• Brunei
• Canada
• Czech Republic
• Denmark
• Estonia
• Finland
• France
• Germany
• Greece
• Hong Kong
• Hungary
• Iceland
• Indonesia
• Ireland
• Israel
• Italy
• Japan
• Kuwait
• Laos
• Latvia
• Liechtenstein
• Lithuania
• Luxembourg
• Macao
• Malaysia
• Maldives
• Mauritius
• Monaco
• Mongolia
• Netherlands
• New Zealand
• Norway
• Oman
• Philippines
• Poland
• Portugal
• Qatar
• Russia
• San Marino
• Singapore
• Slovakia
• Slovenia
• South Africa
• Spain
• Sweden
• Switzerland
• Turkey
• Ukraine
• United Arab Emirates
• United Kingdom
• United States
• Vietnam

If you have an ordinary passport issued by one of the following countries, you can travel to Thailand without a visa for up to 14 days:

• Cambodia
• Myanmar

[macaroni21]

Thanks. It confirms what a Cambodian boy told me recently. He has to bus to the border every 2weeks. I thought I misheard, but evidently it's official. I wonder why the Cambodians and Burmese have the shortest periods....

[reader]

From Pattaya Mail

Brits say they are confused by latest Thai visa news

By Barry Kenyon

The news that from October 1 British tourists will be visa-exempt and able to obtain for free 45 days on arrival without any paperwork is causing some scratching of heads. At present they can obtain 30 days free on arrival, but can extend at local Thai immigration offices a further 30 days (total 60) on payment of 1,900 baht or five pounds. The new regulations don’t specify how many days can be added to the 45 for longer stayers.

The latest revision applies to almost 60 countries in addition to UK, including the United States, most of mainland Europe and Australia. A spokesman for Thai immigration, answering a hotline enquiry, said that no clarification was yet available on the extension to 45 days. However, she thought it likely the matter would be addressed on publication in the Royal Gazette in coming days. “The issue is important,” according to the UK-based Expat Explore, “because if the extension is a further 45 days, there will be no need for our clients to obtain prior visas at Thai embassies.”

A further area of ambiguity is whether those arriving without a prior visa must show evidence of an airticket to the next destination. Thai immigration has an old standing rule that these tourists should show proof of their exit, although it is rarely enforced these days. However, some airlines have been known to refuse boarding to travellers without a visa or to require them to purchase a new and separate ticket out of Thailand. Reports in Thai social media suggest that “what’s your next destination?” rules have collapsed as the pressure grows to maximize the number of visitors after the Covid pandemic. It’s a classic bums-on-seats scenario.

The Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration, the top committee headed by the Thai prime minister, has also improved the tourist lot of other 19 countries – including India and China – who are not visa exempt but currently receive 15 days at the airport by filling in paperwork and paying a fee. From October 1, they will receive 30 days but their extension will be limited to a further seven days on payment of 1,900 baht and is a warning they must now leave. Although Chinese tour groups are still banned by Beijing for health reasons, Indians now constitute the largest number of arrivals at Bangkok airports on a daily basis. Their favorite destination is Pattaya as the number of Indian restaurants in the resort is now once again approaching 70.

[alvnv]

1,900 baht or five pounds?! 🤔

[vinapu]

6 hours ago, macaroni21 said:

Thanks. It confirms what a Cambodian boy told me recently. He has to bus to the border every 2weeks. I thought I misheard, but evidently it's official. I wonder why the Cambodians and Burmese have the shortest periods....

Thai government thinks that people from those poor countries can't afford travel for more than 2 weeks ?

[Ruthrieston]

No, alvnv, that would be 45 pounds (UK).

[pong2]

Just read in a general Thai forum/blog in a special language that this proposal now seems official and published in -thats a need for any law in TH- the ´Royal Gazette´. Lasting from 1/11/22 till 31/3/23, anyone qualifying for otherwise a 30-day visa-free enrty now will get 45 days stamped in passp. Still unclear of any extension being done in that term will also be for 45 or still only for 30 days (this is a common way for many to do extended stay without the hassle of getting visa advance).

Now lets hope that the check-in witches at airports will also accept this and not refuse boarding as you do not have the ticket OUT in 30 days..........

(in case it does happen: easily sold by booking on the spot-thats todays advantage-the cheapest AirAsia or whatever out in 30 days-but thats unnneeded expense and airtickets to TH are already much more expensive as used to be. The relatively cheapest tend to be fixed without any chance to change.

[fedssocr]

On 8/20/2022 at 6:30 AM, macaroni21 said:

Thanks. It confirms what a Cambodian boy told me recently. He has to bus to the border every 2weeks. I thought I misheard, but evidently it's official. I wonder why the Cambodians and Burmese have the shortest periods....

probably an attempt to keep them from working in Thailand

[reader]

Government approves extended stays from Oct. 1

From the Thaiger

Tourists arriving in Thailand will soon be permitted to stay in the kingdom for longer. Today, Government Spokesperson Traisulee Traisornkul announced that Thailand’s Cabinet had approved the temporary extension of both visa on arrival stays and visa exemption stays.

Tourists arriving in Thailand will soon be permitted to stay in the kingdom for longer. Today, Government Spokesperson Traisulee Traisornkul announced that Thailand’s Cabinet had approved the temporary extension of both visa on arrival stays and visa exemption stays.

The government hopes the extensions will stimulate tourism and the economy, which is still recovering from the Covid-19 pandemic.Between October 1, 2022 – March 31, 2022, foreign tourists arriving in Thailand are eligible to stay in the kingdom as follows…

• Visa on Arrival stays will be extended from 15 days to 30 days. Passport holders from 19 countries are eligible for Visa on Arrival.
• Visa Exemption stays for passport holders from 64 countries which have bilateral agreements with Thailand will be extended from 30 days to 45 days.

The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) expects that the average tourist will stay in the kingdom for an extra five days thanks to the extensions. If each tourist spends 4000 – 5000 baht per day on average, they will pump an extra 20,000 baht into the economy than they normally would, says the TAT.

Thailand’s Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration agreed to the extension of visa on arrival and visa exemptions at their meeting with the Thai government yesterday, said the spokesperson.

[macaroni21]

27 minutes ago, reader said:

The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) expects that the average tourist will stay in the kingdom for an extra five days thanks to the extensions.

Pie in the sky.... again.

It so happens that only about a month ago, I researched the average length of stay of tourists in Thailand. There is a graph in my blogpost Will Pattaya revive? that shows that in 2018, tourists from Europe averaged about 17 days in Thailand. Now, these tourists are mostly from the UK, Germany, France, Russia, Sweden, Netherlands, Italy.... All of these countries had visa exemption and 30 days, and yet they did not stay (on average) close to 30 days.  Just because Thailand now extends the max stay to 45 days, does not mean the visitors will stay longer.

The majority of tourists to Thailand are from East and Southeast Asia. Thai statistics group these two regions together, and in 2018, their average stay was just 7 days. Chinese and Taiwanese tourists were Visa on arrival which meant they could get 15 days. Other major Asian markets were Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Singapore, and all these visitors could get 30 days with visa exemption. Yet, Asian tourists stayed only 7 days on average.