"Pattaya, Thailand will be hosting a week-long celebration to bring in the New Year that aims to attract a million visitors, generate 500 million baht in revenue and will be telecast across the world.

 

“The event is part of [an extended] message sent overseas, saying Thailand is a good place to visit,” said the mayor of the tourist resort, Vittaya Khunpluem. “It will be the country’s biggest countdown celebration this year.”

 

The popular Thai beach resort east of Bangkok is hoping to make this the beginning of an annual world-class event that attracts foreign visitors to the country"............Carrental.co.uk

 

It seems a bit late to be just putting out this promotion. Of course at the same time we read about bar raids and closures, more restrictions on alcohol sales (stores being fined for doing any promotion to sell alcohol), 15 day visas instead of 30 days.

 

A Belgium friend told me that he had a group of friends who were going to visit for a month. They had all their hotels pre- paid as well as some tours. When the airports closed, they were flown to Singapore then Malaysia and bused to Thailand. Of course since they were coming across a land border they were only given a 15 day visa instead of the expected 30 day.

 

Where is the coordination? TIT

A Belgium friend told me that he had a group of friends who were going to visit for a month. They had all their hotels pre- paid as well as some tours. When the airports closed, they were flown to Singapore then Malaysia and bused to Thailand. Of course since they were coming across a land border they were only given a 15 day visa instead of the expected 30 day.

 

Where is the coordination? TIT

 

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If I am not wrong, I think they can go to the immigration office and get present their case, respectfully, and get the 30 day visa

 

If I am not wrong, I think they can go to the immigration office and get present their case, respectfully, and get the 30 day visa

 

You may be correct but consider they already had a hassle and it seems insulting to have to go to immigration. I would not even know where to begin to find immigration in Bangkok and doubt that it would be fun to stand in line for hours to get this solved.

 

The other point is that if I go to Malaysia I simply get a stamp giving me 90 days in that country.

 

Thailand NEEDS tourists and investors. The laws being passed are not helpful to this goal.

 

It would be great if a new government with "younger" ideas realize this and acts.

My suggestion was in order to get a 30 day visa, not to debate the pros and cons of Thailand vs other countries.

My suggestion was in order to get a 30 day visa, not to debate the pros and cons of Thailand vs other countries.

 

A good suggestion, but put yourself in the shoes of these poor tourists. I have to agree that, given all the hassle they had to get here, the fact that they had pre-paid hotel reservations and return air tickets, it is ridiculous nonsense that they were only given 15 days. I suggest it is not so much a matter of the laws in Thailand but very poor crisis management by the Tourism Association of Thailand. Persuading the Immigration Department to make temporary arrangements for longer stay visitors coming by land from Singapore and Malaysia is one of the first things they should have done. After all, they very quickly got agreement from Immigration to waive overstay charges.

At this point there isn't much good to come of complaining about the past. They should just go to immigration and ask for an extension. If they are respectful they should have no problem.