Push for single visa across South-East Asia

[Guest]

http://www.theage.com.au/news....66.html

[stogie bear]

This visa is for Asians only. It has no bearing on farangs.

[rxpharm]

Did you get that information from somewhere else? The article does not state the visa is for Asians only, but it is strictly going to be a tourist visa (Asians or Farangs from the wording) for the countries involved.

Push for single visa across South-East Asia

December 18, 2007

Thailand and Cambodia have agreed to allow foreign tourists to enter on a single visa.

"This means a tourist can get a visa either for Thailand or Cambodia and can visit the two nations," Cambodian Foreign Minister Hor Namhong said after signing the agreement with visiting Thai counterpart Nitya Pibulsonggram.

The deal was the first of a hoped for series also involving Burma, Laos and Vietnam, he said.

"We want to see the five countries become one tourist destination," Hor Namhong said.

Thailand is aiming to have 15 million foreign tourists this year while Cambodia had 1.7 million last year, most of whom visited the ancient Angkor temples.

Earlier this month, Air Finland began the first commercial direct flight between Europe and Cambodia, where the tourism industry is growing 25 per cent per year.

Reuters

This is good for those who want to visit more than Thailand on their vacation.

[James Taylor]

Don't hold your breath. While the Thais might be perfectly willing, Khmer immigration employees will be losing a large part of their, err, income....
I don't see Burma in on the deal at all.

[stogie bear]

(rxpharm @ Dec. 19 2007,07:55) Did you get that information from somewhere else?

Yes. This 'deal' is a long way from reality and is aimed at the new increasingly important tourists from places like Malaysia and China.

The idea of the ASEAN allowing a 'one visa for all' ifor Westerners is optimistic at best.

Sorry folks.

[Monkey]

(rxpharm @ Dec. 19 2007,00:55) Thailand is aiming to have 15 million foreign tourists this year while Cambodia had 1.7 million last year, most of whom visited the ancient Angkor temples.

hmmm, Thailand giving away a share of the tourist Dollar?

What's in it for them?

I wonder how many of the 1.7m visitors to Cambodia turned around and went straight back to LOS before the ink dried in their passport?

This is good for those who want to visit more than Thailand on their vacation.

This is terrible for visa runs.

[moe666]

More than likely have to apply in your home country as with the present tourist visa. Remember what you get on arrival is not really a visa as visas can only be given by a Embassy or Consulate in a foreign country.
When people go to immigration to extend their stay in Thailand they also confuse the extension of stay as a visa.
It will be intresting to see what happens since Thailand has been cracking down on multiply tourist visas issued in ajoining countries.

[Guest]

I do not see this being such a remote possibility as some seem to think it is. Anyway I guess only time will tell.

When people go to immigration to extend their stay in Thailand they also confuse the extension of stay as a visa

Yes correct it is called an entry permit.

This is terrible for visa runs.

Don't see how as when people cross the border into a neighbouring country they are getting an entry permit and not a visa. I would say that this combined visa would need to be applied for before arriving in one of the participating countries.

[Monkey]

ok, my bad

[stogie bear]

since Thailand has been cracking down on multiply tourist visas issued in ajoining countries...

Please tell me where you read this rubbish?

[James Taylor]

Moe actually has a point there, at least re Cambodia. Travel agents aren't offering to get Thai tourist visas anymore because they're too difficult to get. The embassy in Phnom Penh is doing everything it can to discourage casual tourism.

Book a tour and no problem at all.

[stogie bear]

Westerners will have no problems applying for and getting a tourist visa whereever they are in the world. Whether or not they can be procured by travel agents is another issue altogether. I doubt that they can - at least - not legally!

The Visas that are proving increasingly awkward to get are the non-immigrant 'O' and 'B' type visas that are required for extended stay visitors. There is also a clampdown on the re-issue of 'arrival' stamps which limit you to the amount of days you can spend in the Kingdom without a visa.

Tourist visas are easy to get. No Thai agency is 'clamping down' on the issue of these, multiple or not.

[Guest]

bane of my life since October last year, you're allowed 3x 1 month Visa on entry in a 6 month period, if you want to stay longer you need to go to a Thai embassy outside of Thailand to get the 60 day jobby (and it's never -touch wood- been a problem getting them, despite having a passport chock full of Thai/Malay/Myanmar stamps)