Tourism minister talks up 5 year visas
Tourism minister talks up 5 year visas
A long-discussed plan to offer five-year visas for foreigners was floated again Tuesday by the nation’s top tourism official.
Visas to facilitate those staying for extended periods would make Thailand more competitive with neighbors such as Malaysia, where 10-year visas are available, according to Minister Kobkarn Wattanavrangkul, who said the issue would be raised with the relevant immigration and security agencies.
“If Thailand had a clear strategy and marketing plan, I believe we could attract long-stayers as much as Malaysia does,” she said.
Visas such as those offered in Malaysia are not valid for employment but hold appeal for retirees and students.
Kobkarn also singled out complaints about delays at the Chiang Mai immigration office, saying it needed to increase staff because it takes more than six times longer for expats to extend their visas there compared to offices in other provinces.
As the northern province is home to about 12,000 long-stay foreigners and a destination the government wants to promote as a medical hub, Kobkarn said her ministry would push the Immigration Bureau to loosen measures, such as dropping 90-day check-ins in favor of an annual system.
The population of long-staying residents is expected to grow 5 percent to 10 percent annually, she said.
Various efforts and calls for long-term visas have been brought up many times but none has yet been pushed toward implementation.
In March, an umbrella organization of trade groups called on the military government to issue a new type of five-year visa to attract highly skilled professionals. No progress was ever reported.
Source: http://www.khaosodenglish.com/news/2016 ... ear-visas/
Visas to facilitate those staying for extended periods would make Thailand more competitive with neighbors such as Malaysia, where 10-year visas are available, according to Minister Kobkarn Wattanavrangkul, who said the issue would be raised with the relevant immigration and security agencies.
“If Thailand had a clear strategy and marketing plan, I believe we could attract long-stayers as much as Malaysia does,” she said.
Visas such as those offered in Malaysia are not valid for employment but hold appeal for retirees and students.
Kobkarn also singled out complaints about delays at the Chiang Mai immigration office, saying it needed to increase staff because it takes more than six times longer for expats to extend their visas there compared to offices in other provinces.
As the northern province is home to about 12,000 long-stay foreigners and a destination the government wants to promote as a medical hub, Kobkarn said her ministry would push the Immigration Bureau to loosen measures, such as dropping 90-day check-ins in favor of an annual system.
The population of long-staying residents is expected to grow 5 percent to 10 percent annually, she said.
Various efforts and calls for long-term visas have been brought up many times but none has yet been pushed toward implementation.
In March, an umbrella organization of trade groups called on the military government to issue a new type of five-year visa to attract highly skilled professionals. No progress was ever reported.
Source: http://www.khaosodenglish.com/news/2016 ... ear-visas/
Who is the happier man, he who has braved the storm of life and lived or he who has stayed securely on shore and merely existed? - Hunter S Thompson
Re: Tourism minister talks up 5 year visas
Sounds good. Maybe they will let retired expats work so I can teach everyone to drive.
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Re: Tourism minister talks up 5 year visas
Yes and throw in the ability to buy land and we'll all be as happy as pigs in ****
Re: Tourism minister talks up 5 year visas
But they wouldn't let a Farang do a job a Thai could do .................................... wait a minute, driving???JamesWest wrote:Sounds good. Maybe they will let retired expats work so I can teach everyone to drive.
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Re: Tourism minister talks up 5 year visas
As much as I'd like to own land myself, I can see a real problem for Thais if we could own land.Dannie Boy wrote:Yes and throw in the ability to buy land and we'll all be as happy as pigs in ****
Basically all the good land would be owned by foreigners and they'd be left with the scraps.
Re: Tourism minister talks up 5 year visas
Yes the low the middle income Thais would be priced out.
I think they should keep over building condos and houses so rents remain dirt cheap.
Sort of self serving but it works for me.
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I think they should keep over building condos and houses so rents remain dirt cheap.
Sort of self serving but it works for me.
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Re: RE: Re: Tourism minister talks up 5 year visas
Didn't that already happen with Chinese immigrants of last century?RCer wrote:As much as I'd like to own land myself, I can see a real problem for Thais if we could own land.Dannie Boy wrote:Yes and throw in the ability to buy land and we'll all be as happy as pigs in ****
Basically all the good land would be owned by foreigners and they'd be left with the scraps.
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Re: Tourism minister talks up 5 year visas
I would bet that the whole system of visas and international travel will soon meet some improvements, if not drastic changes. Many regimes are seeing that the current scheme will just inhibit their own development. Take for example the ASEAN Business Card, which will grant you Schengen style freedom of movement, within the ASEAN community. However, that is only for ASEAN citizens, to my knowledge, at the moment. But these things tend to change quickly. The question with five year visa, permit, or whatever, seems quite unlikely, just because of the fact that five years is a long time. Nobody wants to grant anyone the freedom of 5 years, not even in their native country. Perhaps they should, but recall that even 10 year passports have been abandoned in many countries. Every country they want to keep contact and hear from their people more frequently. Personally I would vote and propose to some more progressive and gradual solution. The fact is that people are moving, me too, and that is a good thing, also something promoted by most of the governments. Introducing a gradual assimilation path, instead of 1, 5 or even ten years permit or visa might make more sense. Some people are even discussing today about "algorithmic citizenship", based on the fact that old ideas of citizenship are eroding, and most of us are actually citizens of many, at least a couple, countries. It does make only small good to still try to impose them an identity of one or the other, for life or for 5 years.
Re: Tourism minister talks up 5 year visas
I'll believe any of this when I see it. Makes all kinds of sense to expats but Thai's don't understand logic so what good is it. I guess we can all dream.
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Re: Tourism minister talks up 5 year visas
the shortening of passport limits is due to governments wanting more money. the sooner you have to renew your passport the sooner the govt. takes your money. no altruism here.
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Re: Tourism minister talks up 5 year visas
Pass ports are a remaining remnant in a culture tat has gone. Having a little book that you show to an officer who leafs through it and then stamps it has persisted for about 200 years. Many countries havea smart card that their citizens use rather like a paid card on the subway--I think Hk and Malaysia have these.
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Re: Tourism minister talks up 5 year visas
Thai bla..bla...bullshit.
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Re: Tourism minister talks up 5 year visas
To all of you, I remind that this female tourism minister declared following on 20th. July 2016: I promise to destroy the sex industry and reinvent the country. Fantastic, she is permanently reinventing something. Bullshit.
Re: Tourism minister talks up 5 year visas
Thai bla..bla...bullshit.
Dear euralwayspissed: why on earth do you stay in Thailand (if in fact, you do)? I was primarily extremely unhappy with only one aspect of the place, the climate, and that drove me to move out; yet you seem to hate literally everything about living there but continue to suffer and vent your feelings in every post you make. Move to a place that will make you happier. I did nearly two years ago and it was the best decision I've made in a couple of decades. Life's too short to live in misery... move!To all of you, I remind that this female tourism minister declared following on 20th. July 2016: I promise to destroy the sex industry and reinvent the country. Fantastic, she is permanently reinventing something. Bullshit.
My brain is like an Internet browser; 12 tabs are open and 5 of them are not responding, there's a GIF playing in an endless loop,... and where is that annoying music coming from?
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Re: Tourism minister talks up 5 year visas
hhfarang, be advised that my comments are not an expression of unhappiness, but pointing some stupid declarations. Since I live here, I heard so many stupidities that I don't care anymore, but I am surprised that some farang still believe those bla..bla.