Plan to grant multiple-entry visas to tourists from all nations

[PeteC]

".....Kobkarn said the new visa would allow holders to come into the country more than once, which is similar to what is applied by many other countries. The government plans to charge Bt5,000 for the six-month visa....."

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/nationa ... 66029.html

[Takiap]

In my opinion, this seems to be one of the most positive visa related measures any government has taken for many years here in LOS. I would be very surprised if this move fails to have major impact on tourism. Of course, this being Thailand, the new visa could come with a ton of clauses and twice as many loops and hoops. I guess we'll just have to wait and see.

[PeteC]

With this one it will be interesting to see what safeguards they put in to prevent people from using it as a retirement visa without the 800K deposit or 65K income. They don't say (yet) how many 6 month stays you can get back to back. They're also talking about making it 12 months rather than 6 in some news articles. That would really tempt people to use it for retirement, and unfortunately simply come here until funds run out then become a burden without money to get home. I think "stay tuned" for more details is appropriate. Pete

[benmo]

12 month multi entry visas are already available from the UK and other countries although they have to be approved by the Embassy and are not achievable for everyone.

[Pleng]

Looks promising but it doesn't say how long you will get on each entry? If it's valid for 6 months but you have to border hop every 30 days then it wouldn't be any more preferable to a double-entry tourist visa with 60 (+30) days per entry. Let's hope they give a sensible amount of days permit to stay on each entry.

[JamesWest]

Looks promising but it doesn't say how long you will get on each entry? If it's valid for 6 months but you have to border hop every 30 days then it wouldn't be any more preferable to a double-entry tourist visa with 60 (+30) days per entry. Let's hope they give a sensible amount of days permit to stay on each entry.

why would you have to border hop? the visa is for six months, you can come and go as you like, or not at all. at the end of six months your visa expires.

[Pleng]

My tourist visa is valid for 6 months from date of issue.

It expires when used, and I am granted a permit to stay for 60 days. The article hints at a visa which will allow unlimited entries for a 6 month period. It makes no mention of what permit to stay will be granted upon each entry

[BOZ]

That is my question also... I would really love to see the 12 month multi entry with full 12 month stay if chosen... I will hope for some clarification of length of stay.... Hope to see something soon...

[dtaai-maai]

Looks promising but it doesn't say how long you will get on each entry? If it's valid for 6 months but you have to border hop every 30 days then it wouldn't be any more preferable to a double-entry tourist visa with 60 (+30) days per entry. Let's hope they give a sensible amount of days permit to stay on each entry.

why would you have to border hop? the visa is for six months, you can come and go as you like, or not at all. at the end of six months your visa expires.

Pleng has it right. This is the usual confusion between the visa and the entry stamp. The visa means you can travel to Thailand and will probably be allowed in as the embassy/consulate have done some basic pre-entry checks (supposedly). The visa is valid for 6 months, and for multiple entries, but if you only get 30 days entry stamp on arrival you will still have to do a border run once a month. If it's 90 days, you'll have to do one border run if you want to stay 6 months.

On the plus side, you could presumably do a border run the day before the visa expired and get another entry stamp for whatever period is decided on.

I very much doubt you'll be given leave to enter for 6 months in one go. Lots of detail to be revealed yet.

[Geko]

With a 30 days 'entry stamp on arrival' ('Visa Exempt' stamp) you can apply for an additional 30 day extension to stay at immigration giving you a 60 day stay if extension application is approved.

[Pleng]

Having thought more about this.... it looks from the article that the main focus is parity across nationals of different countries for issuing tourist visas, rather than making it easier for people to stay longer.

As has been eluded to, there's still a lot to be learned about hese proposals but, if we make the assumption that nothing will change in relation to how long you're allowed each time you enter the country, then each entry will be valid for 60 days, extend-able by 30 at immigration. For those wanting to use tourist visas to stay here long term, it wouldn't seem to be a particularly good deal.

The visa lasts 6 months, meaning that if you time it right you could get 9 months stay (3 lots of 60 + 30) so in effectively becomes as good as a triple-entry tourist visa. A triple entry visa (if you can get one...) is normally 3000bt. This one is 5000bt.

Of course, if the stays were for some reason increased to 90 days, then it becomes a much better deal. You could work in the same three entries and extend your final entry for 30 days giving you 10 months stay for the same 5000, but you save yourself 2 *1,900bt by not having to extend your first two stays at immigration.

[Pleng]

Has anybody heard anything now on this? Or have recent events meant that this is now on the back burner?