Thai-Cambodia single visa effective Thursday

[StrontiumDog]

Thai-Cambodia single visa effective Thursday | Bangkok Post: news

Thai-Cambodia single visa effective Thursday

• Published: 26/12/2012 at 05:05 PM
• Online news: Local News

Thailand and Cambodia agreed on Wednesday to implement a single visa agreement, which will enable tourists to obtain one visa to visit both countries from tomorrow, Dec 27.

The visa would allow visitors from 35 countries, listed below, to stay up to 60 days in Thailand and 60 days in Cambodia. Tourists would be able to apply for the visa at embassies of either country.

The agreement comes under the Ayeyawady-Chao Phraya-Mekong Economic Cooperation Strategy (Acmecs) framework.

Acmecs, which was initiated by Thailand and set up in 2003, is a joint development agreement olving Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam.

Foreign ministers of the five countries have discussed single visas several times, but Thailand and Cambodia were the first to sign an agreement, five years ago, and are the first countries to implement the scheme.


Foreign Minister Surapong Tovichakchaikul, right, and his Cambodian counterpart Hor Namhong (AFP file photo)

Foreign Minister Surapong Tovichakchaikul said this single visa will help promote tourism in the two countries, making it easier for visitors to obtain visitors and travel between Thailand and Cambodia.

The Acmecs Single Visa pact was signed by Mr Surapong and his Cambodian counterpart Hor Namhong at the 8th meeting of the Joint Commission for Bilateral Cooperation (JC) at a Bangkok hotel on Wednesday morning.

The 35 countries previously announced, but not confirmed today, are: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bahrain, Canada, China, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, India, Japan, Korea, Kuwait, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Oman, Portugal, Qatar, Spain, South Africa, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom and the United States.

Other issues discussed at the meeting included making a feasibility study to upgrade Highway 48 linking the region and a new border checkpoint at Baan Nong Ian in Sa Kaew province in Thailand and Stung Bot in Cambodia.

Mr Surapong said the State Railway of Thailand will build a railway between Klong Luek in Thailand and Poi Pet in Cambodia to facilitate the increasing trade and travel in the area.

A source said Bangkok and Phnom Penh also agreed to set up a joint working group to take care of the rosewood smuggling problem along the border. The Natural Resources and Environment Ministry of Thailand and Forestry Ministry of Cambodia will take the lead on this issue.

Cambodia has proposed patrolling the border. Thailand will ask related agencies for opinions, the same source said.

Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Hor Nam Hong said the successful discussions came from the new chapter of good relationships between the two countries, and from the two prime ministers' wish to see it succeed.

Trade volume increased more than last year and the two countries have agreed on a target of a 30% increse each year, said Mr Hor Nam Hong.

[Thetyim]

So do you automatically get a dual country visa with every tourist visa or is it an option.
How much does a visa cost now ?

[aging one]

So can I go on a non A permission to stay of 23 years? Just get a re entry permit, and then no visa for Cambodia? That would be nice.

[Thetyim]

I guess the visa must include two entries into Thailand as most tourists would fly in and out of the same airport so they would need to return.
Will the second entry be for 60 days or the balance of the "unused"days from your first time in Thailand ?

[Lorenzo]

Use to get the 90 day 1 year visa, think it was called AO. It was $40. When they raised the price and started the Thai scum hassling never bothered to get another visa. Always leave for Phils before day 30 then back to T in 30 to 50 days. As things worked out, Phills is a perfect compliment to Thailand. Not as convenient for sure but better beaches and nicer ladies.

[StrontiumDog]

Single-entry visa for Thailand, Cambodia - The Nation

Single-entry visa for Thailand, Cambodia

Supalak Ganjanakhundee
The Nation December 27, 2012 1:00 am


Citizens from 35 nations qualify; seen paving the way for single Asean visa

From today, tourists from 35 countries need only apply for one visa to visit both Thailand and Cambodia. This is part of Acmecs Single Visa - the first step toward an Asean version of the European Union's Schengen Visa scheme.

Visitors who want to visit both countries can apply for a visa at either country's embassy.

The Acmecs Single Visa should boost tourism in both countries as well as fulfil Thailand's objective to become a regional hub for tourism, said Foreign Minister Surapong Towichuk-chaikul, who jointly chaired a joint commission on bilateral cooperation with his Cambodian counterpart Hor Namhong yesterday.

Acmecs stands for the Ayeyawady-Chao Phraya-Mekong Economic Cooperation Strategy, which groups Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam. All Acmecs members are part of Asean, and the Acmecs Single Visa is expected to pave the way for an Asean Common Visa.

The original idea to have a Schengen-style tourist visa was introduced at a meeting in Bagan, Myanmar in 2003 between leaders of Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Thailand. At the meeting they launched the "four countries-one destination" scheme, which Vietnam joined later. Foreign ministers of Acmecs then agreed at a 2005 meeting in Siem Reap that Thailand and Cambodia would try to implement the single-visa strategy first. "If the initial project is successful, then the remaining Acmecs members will join the scheme," Surapong told the press.

Hor Namhong said the two nations would most certainly benefit from the single-visa scheme as it would make travel between the two countries more convenient.

As for concern that traffickers might exploit the scheme, both countries have a "pre-clearance" system.

For instance, if a visitor applies for a visa at a Thai embassy, the documents will be forwarded to its Cambodian counterpart for approval, which will have the authority to reject the application, and vice versa. Also, visa fees for both countries will have to be paid. For instance, the Thai embassy will charge Bt1,000 for entry into Thailand and the tourist will have to pay the Cambodian visa fee upon arrival in that country and vice versa.

As per details provided by the Thai Foreign Ministry, neither country will issue a "multiple-entry" visa.

Up to 21 million people have visited Thailand this year, while Cambodia has had 2.3 million visitors in the first eight months of 2012.

Piyamarn Tejapaiboon, president of the Tourism Council of Thailand, said the scheme will be slightly more beneficial for Cambodia, as tourists visiting Thailand will be able to extend their stay.

Sisdivachr Cheewarattanaporn, president of the Association of Thai Travel Agents, added that the scheme should help boost tourism in Thailand because travel agents will now be able to offer Cambodia as an additional destination.

Apart from the single visa, the two ministers also discussed several cooperation strategies at the meeting yesterday, including joint efforts in the security, economic, social and cultural spheres. They also agreed to set up a permanent border checkpoint between Ban Nong Aian in Sa Kaew province and Stung Bot in Cambodia's Banteay Meanchey province, as well as a temporary checkpoint at Sa Kaew's Ban Non Mak Moon and Banteay Meanchey's Ban Pray Chan.

Thailand will also do a feasibility study on upgrading a road linking the Stung Bot checkpoint to Cambodia's Highway No 5 to Phnom Penh. The State Railway of Thailand will also provide assistance in building a railway bridge connecting Sa Kaew's Kongluek village with Poi Pet in Cambodia to facilitate trade and tourism.

So far, the two countries' annual bilateral trade is worth about US$2 billion (Bt61 billion), Hor Namhong said. "Both countries have agreed to increase some 30 per cent of trade annually, but I expect more," he said.

Surapong also spoke to Hor Namhong about allowing jailed Thai activists Veera Somkwamkid and RatreePipattanapaiboon to return home. The two were imprisoned for trespassing and espionage two years ago. Ratree, who has served a third of her term, is qualified to return to Thailand as per a bilateral agreement, he said, adding that officials were working on the case.

[Lorenzo]

What is the point? 30 day entry to Thailand is free. Cambo is about 1000 baht.

Seems they are targeting sods