Tourist Visa Scheme to be Extended

[Ivor Biggun]

Just posted in the Phuket Gazette, the issue of free (less admin fee of course) 60 day tourist visas is to be re-instigated from 01 Apr 2010 until 31 Mar 2011. http://www.phuketgazette.net/news/detail.asp?id=8405

If you can, hang on for 3 weeks to get your visa otherwise you'll be paying from 5-31 march

[Bumpa STIKKA]

Thanks for the update IB. I suspect that this option will continue to be 'extended' while the tourist currencies suffer the current beatings that they are doing at the moment!

Then again - knowing Thailand as I do they will probably start hiking visa prices at any time and make them available only to families!

Who the hell knows what is gonna happen here... or anywhere come to that!

[Ivor Biggun]

It will be interesting to see what the admin fees charged by the different embassies and consulates will be. A lot of them will be suffering from the loss of income as there's no recompense from Central Gov't to make up for their losses. Multi enty tourist visas still paid for as far as i'm aware- this scheme is only for ONE visa at a time.

[azza33]

Ok it's a nice gesture to 'encourage' tourists but if the Thai government really thinks the difference between travelling or not is a $45 visa then they have rocks in their heads

[Ivor Biggun]

Yep- it narks me off that I get stamped in to Malaysia for 90 days free whenever I fly in and have to pay for the privelige here Remember though Azza that the vast majority of visitors are here for 30 days or less so in the big pond it's a little ripple as far as the powers that be are concerned.

[kahuna]

(Ivor Biggun @ Mar. 03 2010,19:02) Multi enty tourist visas still paid for as far as i'm aware- this scheme is only for ONE visa at a time.

At the Los Angeles Consulate they will give you a double entry tourist visa for free...No admin costs are charged...

[JustSumGai]

My local consulate gave me TWO Tourist visas so I could travel to Cambodia and come back. This would not be needed had the buttheads in charge of things gone from month permission to stay to a TWO WEEK permission to stay, for land crossings.

[fleeing]

(kahuna @ Mar. 04 2010,13:50)

(Ivor Biggun @ Mar. 03 2010,19:02) Multi enty tourist visas still paid for as far as i'm aware- this scheme is only for ONE visa at a time.

At the Los Angeles Consulate they will give you a double entry tourist visa for free...No admin costs are charged...

Same same at the Thai embassy in Copenhagen, saving the princely sum of Baht 1300...whoops Baht 1245...no Baht 1180

Giving away visas is a nice gesture, but with the 'strong' baht rocketing away I don't think it's going to be much of a stimulus for farang tourism.

[Ivor Biggun]

Good to get updates from the different embassies and consulates- keep it up.