Thread: Translation of new Extension of Stay rules

ok I have found something that offers some info on this

New visa drama : from 30 days stamps to 15 days at land borders

Published 5 December 2008 Economy , Tourism

Here we go again… The forum ThaiVisa is hot like lava… The reason ? A new “visa drama” of course !

From time to time, the thai authorities love to toy with visa regulations… To change the rules… If possible without warning (it’s much more sanuk).

This new police order was issued on november 25.

But the “news” (in english) came only wednesday… In a way it’s highly ironic to see the thai police playing with visa regulations during a full blown tourism crisis…

By the way :

The TAT is also preparing an advertising campaign called “Apologies Thailand”, aimed at redressing the damage by the political turmoil and the Suvarnabhumi and Don Mueang airport closures. The agency will use the campaign to send a positive message to tourists around the world, encouraging them to come back to Thailand. (Nation)

The TAT should talk to the police…

As usual, don’t try to understand. Because maybe there is nothing to understand. AKA : no conspiracy.

So what the new fuss is about ?

30-days border runs now only 15 days
In order to limit the amount of foreigners using “back-to-back” border runs, Thai Immigration has issued a new regulation regarding the 30 days tourist exemption.

Effective immediately, travellers without visa will get only 15 days of stay if they are arriving via a land border checkpoint from a neighboring country.

Passengers arriving via an international airport will obtain a 30 days stay, and for them there is no change.

This police order number 778/2551 is today confirmed by Royal Thai Police, Immigration Bureau, in Bangkok.

So if you’re a poor backpacker enjoying long trips and land borders, or a “visa runner”, you probably already found the link of the ThaiVisa forum.

Overall, there is without any doubt a political will to make it harder for foreigners who took for many years some liberties with laws…

The problem is : this will is often muddled, incoherent. And sometimes hypocrite too.

Anyway : times change.

UPDATE
Apparently, there are new regulations too for ” Extensions Of Non-immigrant Visas” (read here).

The clause 7.1 (5) seems to be deleted. Before, you had to show some profits and losses, audit, etc.

In case of visa for an investment, the Thai version was not mentionning 3 million baht. The English version was. Now, it's clearly an investment of not less than 3 million. That was 7.4 before.

For teachers, private and public school, it looks like it's the same. BUT BE CAREFUL. The previous police order was mentionning documents required...the new one DOES NOT MENTION DOCUMENTS REQUIRED...but only basis for consideration.

For family there are some modifications:

It looks like the 'support of a child visa' is still there, but there are financial requirements. 40,000 baht income per month for the mother or father, or 400,000 at the bank. But they added a paragraph mentionning that the immigration office has DISCRETION case by case to deliver this visa. No requirement about the age (before there was a requirement of 50 y-o, that was not always applied).

Married with a Thai spouse must show 40,000 baht income per month, or 400,000 baht at the bank 2 months in advance. Before, it was per couple. Now, it's for the foreign spouse (HUSBAND) not sure about a (WIFE). But on the third page of this document, there is a mention on page 3 that the immigration will have discretion to apply this clause or not. Same as the previous one. I do believe it's to protect people living here for a long time, with children or a wife, who don't have the requirements. Personal opinion too.

For retirement visa, it's now SPECIFIED that you need 800,000 baht in a local bank account for the FIRST YEAR. Some people were able to get a one year retirement visa abroad without showing money and the second year, for their extension, had to put 800,000 baht 3 months in advance. The rest seems to be as before.

The annex at the end, (this annex is the salarial requirement for foreigners having an extension based on business) The amounts the same with some specifications. For the first category, the put an exception on Europe about RUSSIA (not included). Russia was in the third category and Europe was in one. No more confusion!

Second is the same.

The fourth, the specified that South Africa is excluded and is in the third category. (Same as Russia). But it was also before in the third...

Originally Posted by lom

If the average tourist stays for 5 days,

I am questioning that figure.
If a malaysian drives across the border everyday of his life is he classed as a tourist.?
He may be arriving with a tankful of petrol and leaving with a bottle of LPG

^^
Sorry complete bollocks gjbkk

Nothing to do with VISA only affects EXTENSIONS

Originally Posted by gjbkk

Now, it's clearly an investment of not less than 3 million.

3 million if you are grandfathered
10 million for new applicants

Originally Posted by Thetyim

I am questioning that figure.

So am I because it doesn't match with the tourists I meet here.
Phuket, with charter flights from Europe, ought to have the same type of
tourists as Samui or maybe even more of the longer staying ones.

Originally Posted by lom

Will it have an impact on tourism? No, I don't think so.

It certainly will have an effect on tourists travelling overland throughout the SEA region.

Originally Posted by EmperorTud

It certainly will have an effect on tourists traveling overland throughout the SEA region.

Yes, they'll have to pop into a Thai embassy/consulate on their way and get a tourist visa if they want to stay more than 14 days.
That is the price that they have to pay because others have abused the system.

Originally Posted by EmperorTud

It certainly will have an effect on tourists travelling overland throughout the SEA region.

Yes it will, but how will they evaluate it because some tourists won't come and some will pass through twice?

Originally Posted by Thetyim

^^ Sorry complete bollocks gjbkk Nothing to do with VISA only affects EXTENSIONS

someone might need this extra information it is part of the This police order number 778/2551

778/2551 ?

So there have been two police orders 777 & 778
Got a link to the English translation ?

it is odd that it has not been on Thailand's English Language Law Resource

I cant find any English translation

Originally Posted by Thetyim

Got a link to the English translation ?

No official English translations available.
777 is about annual extensions and has been translated by Isaan Lawyers.
It was posted here on TD yesterday.

778 is about visa exemtions and has not been translated.

Originally Posted by lom

Yes, they'll have to pop into a Thai embassy/consulate on their way and get a tourist visa if they want to stay more than 14 days.

Can't do that in Cambodia so further inconvenience for overland travellers.

Originally Posted by EmperorTud

Can't do that in Cambodia so further inconvenience for overland travellers.

Do you know that for sure ET?
All the reports so far about consulates/embassies not issuing certain kinds of visa
comes from visa-runners.
It would be interesting to know how they treat a real backpacker who can show
from passport stamps that he is traveling the region.
His stamps will then not be pages and pages of Thai visa stamps..


Anyway, it ain't that difficult for backpackers to show a bit of foresight and get
a tourist visa in their home country.
Most will be able to get a double tourist visa there instead of a single during the
travel.

Originally Posted by EmperorTud

100% sure.

Beggars the question - why ?
It is hindering tourism
Are they waiting for tea money ?

Perhaps it is a question of resourcing?

If they were to issue visas then it would become a magnet for the visa runners who currently traipse elsewhere and the consulate would inevitably have to staff it accordingly. The fragility of Thai/Khmer relations is such that the Thai may not wish to raise their profile unnecessarily.

The tinkering of the land border visa issue, reducing the 30 days to 15, is quite logical and clearly aimed at the residual visa running class who are not inclined to seek clearance more in keeping with their closet de facto residence, whether that has been by choice or by necessity. One couldn't criticise them for that and I can't see how the bona fide tourist will be inconvenienced as a consequence.

Apologies if I offended you GJBkk but you were being a bit of an arse.

Originally Posted by thegent

I can't see how the bona fide tourist will be inconvenienced as a consequence.

The bona fide tourist that is spending several months in the region backpacking or just travelling overland will just need to plan ahead and possibly spend more time in Cambodia, Viet Nam and other surrounding countries.

Thailand's loss will be the others' gain, and as the central and most popular backpacking country in the region it has the most to lose.

It will still be the region's jumping off point, which is unfortunate with the current political climate and the risk of more protests closing the airports again.

Thailand seems to be forgetting it was the backpackers that sustained tourism and opened it up for everyone else.

Where all of these rich tourists who stay in spas and spend money with gay abandon are going to come from I certainly don't know. The global economic crisis has put the kibosh on that market.

Thailand's problem is it thinks its shit doesn't stink and is arrogant enough to assume tourists will come regardless of what is happening internationally and domestically.

I believe they are wrong and they will come to regret marginalising what used to be their bread and butter longer term travellers.

So what countries still get 30 days?

Richard from the wrong way cafe here in Ubon told me two nights ago that he drove back from Laos and they gave him 30 days but warned him that next time it would be 15.

So what countries still get 30 days?

wrong thread ,

now that aside the 30/15 day thing is dependent on whether you arrive at the airport V's land border crossing

^
Correct with the possible exception of Malaysia
Won't know for sure until we get a full translation

Am visiting Thailand 15th dec - 14th jan
I`ve got flight to Luang Prabang booked on the 19th,intend to travel to Vientiane via Vang Vienand cross back to Thailand there.
My problem is where do i stand if i`ve got more than 15 days left , intend to spend some time in Issan and maybe a beach somewhere else,if time permits, will have a 30 day visa from the 15th but the visa from the land crossing will be the valid one as far as i know.
Grateful if anybody can clear this up

^ Get a 60 day tourist visa while you are in Vientiane