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VISA AMNESTY TO END


tommy dee

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4 hours ago, fforest said:

Actually I believe the Thais had no intention of giving so much as one day of free visa time......They were about the last country to cancel visa requirements... 

They were ordered to get with the visa holiday program for stranded tourist and compiled reluctantly....

Watch what is happening in other countries....It might also very well happen here...

 

2 hours ago, dcfc2007 said:

Who ordered them? Thailand told tourists for at least 2 weeks that they should start heading home, they didn't.

They then granted tourists a 3 month amnesty, but they were told to make their way home, there has been repatriation flights the whole time.

I'm sorry, but I just don't get how anyone is 'stuck' there. They are enjoying a 5 month holiday, who could blame them, if I was in Thailand I would have done the same. 

I was gonna ask that as well. 

But i knew the answer would no doubt be some mad tinfoil hat shite!

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1 hour ago, Murchie said:

Got an email from my work today and they have said I'll be flying back to Kuwait early morning of the 8th August. Can check in late evening of the 7th so I'm hoping I'll be OK with a one week overstay.

Get in touch with immigration now, show the documentation and offer to pay the standard fee for a thirty day extension on a normal tourist visa. With a bit of luck, they are going to be reasonable about it.

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8 hours ago, dcfc2007 said:

You say that like its a bad thing. 

It's not a bad thing. Just has a familiar ring to it.

Doesn't do much to help tourism come back in a country that depends on it for a sizable portion of their GDP, though.

North Korea for North Koreans, etc. But they don't depend on tourism.

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2 minutes ago, lazarus said:

It's not a bad thing. Just has a familiar ring to it.

Doesn't do much to help tourism come back in a country that depends on it for a sizable portion of their GDP, though.

North Korea for North Koreans, etc. But they don't depend on tourism.

Thailand doesn't depend on tourism either. It's a significant part the economy, I don't see what the decision to end a visa amnesty has to do with tourism per se. 

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2 minutes ago, dcfc2007 said:

Thailand doesn't depend on tourism either. It's a significant part the economy, I don't see what the decision to end a visa amnesty has to do with tourism per se. 

It doesn't. 

But the country is basically closed now to anyone but returning Thais and a few "approved" non-Thais.

There's been a continued effort in the last few years to control who can visit Thailand - preferably "quality" tourist$.

Seems now's their chance.

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Just now, lazarus said:

It doesn't. 

But the country is basically closed now to anyone but returning Thais and a few "approved" non-Thais.

There's been a continued effort in the last few years to control who can visit Thailand - preferably "quality" tourist$.

Seems now's their chance.

I've been hearing about these 'quality tourists' for the best part of a decade. The only thing that's ever materialised are bus loads of Chinese stinking the place out. 

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Just now, dcfc2007 said:

I've been hearing about these 'quality tourists' for the best part of a decade. The only thing that's ever materialised are bus loads of Chinese stinking the place out. 

Me, too.

Except now the country is essentially closed -- even to the Chinese -- to the chagrin of many Thais who make money off them.

Not to worry. The (real) folks who control the country will open it up when they see fit.

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2 hours ago, Freee!! said:

Get in touch with immigration now, show the documentation and offer to pay the standard fee for a thirty day extension on a normal tourist visa. With a bit of luck, they are going to be reasonable about it.

Good advice. May even want to try via an agent to "arrange" it for you @Murchie

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3 hours ago, Murchie said:

Got an email from my work today and they have said I'll be flying back to Kuwait early morning of the 8th August. Can check in late evening of the 7th so I'm hoping I'll be OK with a one week overstay.

Personally I would still check with your local Imm. centre soon.......

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7 hours ago, dcfc2007 said:

Who ordered them? Thailand told tourists for at least 2 weeks that they should start heading home, they didn't.

They then granted tourists a 3 month amnesty, but they were told to make their way home, there has been repatriation flights the whole time.

I'm sorry, but I just don't get how anyone is 'stuck' there. They are enjoying a 5 month holiday, who could blame them, if I was in Thailand I would have done the same. 

It was the same in the Philippines, the UK Embassy was sending out advisories indicating that flights were available and where from. These advisories were put up on the many forums for foreigners to read about. There were even special domestic flights available for connection and even when Manila was closed down there were travel corridors allowing foreigners to travel into Manila to leave from the airport. Prices of flights were given.

If there was a need to leave the country there was a way to do it and not on just a single occasion but on various flights laid on solely to get nationals out of the country.  Some just didn't want to put the effort in to leave, to get to the airport but were happy to complain that nobody was helping them.

I am sure there were some exceptional reasons for some but the majority of those 'stuck' were able to leave if they desired.

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8 minutes ago, Horizondave said:

It was the same in the Philippines, the UK Embassy was sending out advisories indicating that flights were available and where from. These advisories were put up on the many forums for foreigners to read about. There were even special domestic flights available for connection and even when Manila was closed down there were travel corridors allowing foreigners to travel into Manila to leave from the airport. Prices of flights were given.

If there was a need to leave the country there was a way to do it and not on just a single occasion but on various flights laid on solely to get nationals out of the country.  Some just didn't want to put the effort in to leave, to get to the airport but were happy to complain that nobody was helping them.

I am sure there were some exceptional reasons for some but the majority of those 'stuck' were able to leave if they desired.

Exactly. The decision to shut the borders was not made overnight. There was plenty of indication that it was going to happen, plenty of opportunities to get home.

I've nowt against people staying and enjoying a long holiday, I'd have done the same, but you can't then complain when the govt decides to close the 'loophole'.

The people I empathise with, are those with family in Thailand that haven't been able to enter the country, and others who live in the country but were outside when the shit hit the fan. 

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8 hours ago, Murchie said:

Got an email from my work today and they have said I'll be flying back to Kuwait early morning of the 8th August. Can check in late evening of the 7th so I'm hoping I'll be OK with a one week overstay.

you will be fine mate.  I dont known if you know a chap renoldson lives over here and works there too.  he did 2 wks Quarantine in Kuwait on arrival so take plenty of porn on your laptop.  did an elongated stasy there too, now working on getting back.  all the best for the trip

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3 hours ago, tommy dee said:

you will be fine mate.  I dont known if you know a chap renoldson lives over here and works there too.  he did 2 wks Quarantine in Kuwait on arrival so take plenty of porn on your laptop.  did an elongated stasy there too, now working on getting back.  all the best for the trip

Its home quarantine which isn't so bad.

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I drove past Immigration at about 2pm today and it looked very busy with the public car park opposite looking similarly busy.

I have decided to renew my Retirement extension myself tomorrow as theoretically all my ducks are in a row so I should have no problem this year.

Exactly what l thought last year which cost me 15K to put right.

So will be at my bank at 9.30 when it opens to get the confirmation letter. 

It will be 12K if I have to have it put right this year! :default_biggrin:

If wasn't  so stubborn I should just pay the 12K now and not have the hassle

 

 

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I was in an agent's this afternoon and a German couple came in looking for some way to stay here after the end of July. The agent has no idea, of course, if the amnesty will be extended, but his advice to them was to apply for a 90-day medical visa. He also said that they should do it ASAP, as Immigration is getting quite tense at the moment and changing the rules frequently.

Meanwhile, across the road my new neighbours who've been stuck here since March think that a volunteer visa is the way to go, though at 40K Baht it sounds like an expensive option. Anyway, it's good to see that there are numerous possibilities for people who need them.

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1 hour ago, Jambo said:

I drove past Immigration at about 2pm today and it looked very busy with the public car park opposite looking similarly busy.

I have decided to renew my Retirement extension myself tomorrow as theoretically all my ducks are in a row so I should have no problem this year.

Exactly what l thought last year which cost me 15K to put right.

So will be at my bank at 9.30 when it opens to get the confirmation letter. 

It will be 12K if I have to have it put right this year! :default_biggrin:

If wasn't  so stubborn I should just pay the 12K now and not have the hassle

 

 

I dare say that people are starting to panic the visa amnesty won't be extended. It's sensible to try and get your affairs in order beforehand, there's going to be a mad rush if the amnesty is ended. 

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5 hours ago, Toy Boy said:

I was in an agent's this afternoon and a German couple came in looking for some way to stay here after the end of July. The agent has no idea, of course, if the amnesty will be extended, but his advice to them was to apply for a 90-day medical visa. He also said that they should do it ASAP, as Immigration is getting quite tense at the moment and changing the rules frequently.

Meanwhile, across the road my new neighbours who've been stuck here since March think that a volunteer visa is the way to go, though at 40K Baht it sounds like an expensive option. Anyway, it's good to see that there are numerous possibilities for people who need them.

Yep, abusing, cheating the system .... which basically both solutions you mentioned are.

 

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17 hours ago, Thai Spice said:

Same situation here... 

https://thebalisun.com/thousands-of-visitors-must-leave-bali-as-emergency-visas-expire/

With some Aussie rags going frantic about "Aussies are being thrown out of Bali" ....

Right as the business reopen the farangs who could support those business get kicked out......A coincidence ?......I think not......

Why would the governments not want to do everything possible to keep as many Covid free tourist in Thailand and Bali as possible?

Because

It will be just too hilarious to let all these desperate business reopen (and take away more of the few farange left) and then watch these business fall on their ass and close forever....... Absolutely Hilarious says the 1% ers..... 

 

And returning tourist will not be saving the day because we have created endless hoops for them to jump through.....1%ers Grab your popcorn this is going to be a real knee slapper.....

Edited by fforest
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I've got a friend here at the minute and his education visa ends around the end of this month and apparently they're not being renewed ?. He's been quoted 25,000bt for a 90 day visa to stay. His return flight was with Qantas which isn't going to happen and he's told me he's looking at flights back to NZ and one way he's seeing 35,000bt.

Okay he should probably have planned to get out but I reckon any airlines now will start hiking the prices up and the immigration agents and immigration office themselves are getting ready to fill their boots with cash.

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