Just days after announcing a new requirement that foreign travelers to Thailand must present proof of Covid vaccination, the country has backtracked and withdrawn the rule. The vaccine certificate requirement, which was set to take effect on Monday, was scrapped due to concerns that it would deter tourists. The change comes as Thailand prepares for a wave of tourist arrivals from China, which has recently reopened its borders to the world and eliminated the need for quarantine upon arrival. According to Deputy Prime Minister and Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, the decision to waive the vaccine certificate requirement was made in order to avoid “inconvenience” to travelers, as most Thais and tourists from China and other countries have already been fully vaccinated and possess some immunity to the virus. Despite the chaos surrounding the vaccine rule, Thailand is still expecting to see 7 to 10 million Chinese travelers visit by air…
Posts published in “Immigration”
As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to affect travel around the world, Thailand has recently made a significant change to its requirements for travelers entering the country. According to the latest Notice to Airmen (Notam), unvaccinated travelers are now allowed to enter Thailand, provided they are willing to undergo a COVID-19 test upon arrival. This marks a significant change from previous requirements, which prohibited unvaccinated travelers from entering the country altogether. Despite this change, there are still a number of requirements that travelers to Thailand must meet in order to enter the country. One of the main requirements is proof of vaccination or recovery from COVID-19. All passengers 18 years of age or older must provide evidence that they have received a full course of vaccination or that they have recovered from COVID-19 within the past 180 days (six months). Passengers who are unable to provide proof of vaccination must have…
Thailand has recently implemented new measures for passengers arriving in the country by air. These measures are in place to help prevent the spread of COVID-19 and protect public health. If you are planning to travel to Thailand by air, it is important to familiarize yourself with these requirements to ensure that you are able to smoothly enter the country. As of January 9th, passengers 18 years, and above are required to present a vaccination certificate or a letter from a doctor indicating that they have recovered from COVID-19 within the past 6 months (180 days). The vaccination certificate should indicate that the passenger has received a full course of a vaccine that is approved by the Thai Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The letter from a doctor should indicate that the passenger has tested negative for COVID-19 within the past 6 months and has fully recovered from the illness.…
When former member of parliament Chuwit Kamolvisit said that three former immigration police officers helped Chinese triad members set up foundations in Thailand, the Immigration Bureau did something about it. The commissioner said that Chinese criminal cases were handled by Pol Gen Surachate Hakparn, who was the deputy national police commander. The Immigration Bureau and 26 branches of the Immigration Police looked into how Chinese citizens got visas. Yesterday, Koh Samui Immigration Police arrested a Polish man Interpol was looking for because he was violent and had guns he wasn’t supposed to have. The Immigration and Customs Enforcement department will change its rules to make it harder for foreign criminals to get their visas extended through “studies or foundations.” The head of the Immigration Bureau said that a working group would change the rules about visa extensions for foreigners who work for charities, go to school, or get medical care.…
On Friday, Transport Minister Saksayam Chidchob announced that as a first step, the waiting time for passport checks has been lowered from 30 minutes to 15, with immigration authorities spending no more than 1 minute per passport. The previous waiting time was 30 minutes. In the past, airport personnel was employed to fill in for immigration inspectors, but Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha has ordered that police officers be trained and placed on standby in order to find a more permanent solution to the problem. While this is going on, a representative for the government named Traisuree Traisaranakul stated that even if the issue of travelers having to wait a long time for their arrival stamps has been resolved, travelers still have to wait a long time for their bags. According to her, this has been an issue for a long time because business owners cut back on the number of…
This was the number of the 436,326 foreign visitors who landed in Phuket at that time. According to experts of the tourism industry, Phuket’s “Old Town” in the center of the city is currently extremely popular with visitors from India. According to reports, Indian tourists enjoy taking pictures of the Old Town’s beautiful buildings. The countries that have sent the most tourists to Thailand include Australia, Singapore, the United Kingdom, Malaysia, Germany, the United States, and Russia. The top five nations by number of travelers coming in Thailand were Malaysia, India, Laos, Singapore, and the United Kingdom. In addition to enjoying the architecture and outdoor activities, Indian tourists adore nothing more than to meander through Old Town and shop there. In an effort to reassure travelers, many establishments have recently started to educate themselves about Indian food, music, and culture. An official spokeswoman for the government stated last week that…
55 Thai visitors were reported missing this month on Jeju Island. Thai travellers refused entry to South Korea request refunds. Some travelers are still waiting for a 10,000-baht payment to assure they won’t work illegally in South Korea. The Thai Tourism Department acknowledged 67 passengers’ claims between August 5 and 17 that tour companies owed them 1.4 million baht. Providers must repay customers after deducting expenses. If flights are altered or tour companies must arrange new return flights after being denied entry at immigration, operators can deduct the airfare before refunding consumers. Thai Travel Agents Association head Charoen Wangananont claimed South Korea travel has dropped dramatically. 417 Thais arriving on Jeju Airlines from Bangkok between August 2 and 5 were denied entry. South Korea legally employs 18,000 Thais. In South Korea, 140,000 Thais work illegally. Next week, the department will discuss refunding tour costs. Charoen said many tourists fear being…
One thing to note is that this is the first time they have reduced the order of the extension to only 1 month instead of 2 months. For the past two years the covid extensions have been following the emergency decree extensions, and this divergence may be signaling that this could be the last opportunity to obtain this type of extension. (note the actual visa extension remains 60 days) Those who are unable to return home because of the continuing Covid-19 crisis are eligible for a visa extension. Required Documents for Extension āļŋ1,900 extension fee TM.7 Application TM.30 Notification (signed) Passport Formal passport photo of yourself 4×6 cm A copy of your passport info page, and any pages pertaining to your current visa A embassy letter from home country’s embassy in Thailand depending on reason of extension Under Consideration Stamp Will it be extended again?
The bordering nation has started a “My 2nd Home” program to promote foreign investment there. The program offers a “Golden Visa” with unlimited entry and exit, as well as additional perks, for ten years. The new 10-year visa from Cambodia seeks to rival that of Thailand. In 7 days, applicants will obtain their CM2H membership number; the visa application process takes 14 days. You Thai government officials had best pay attention! The Golden Visa is intended for foreign professionals, but wealthy retirees will also be taken into consideration if they match the necessary investment requirements, according to a Cambodian official. The “My 2nd Home” Golden Visa requires applicants to be foreign investors with a minimum investment of $100,000 in Cambodia, possess a “real estate project” in Cambodia, and be citizens of a nation recognized by the government of Cambodia. Both academic credentials and language ability are not necessary. A foreigner…
Thailand will start to offer a 10 year Long Term Resident Visa (LTR) starting September 1st which will be targeting the following categories: Wealthy Global Citizen Wealthy individuals holding at least USD 1 million in assets Wealthy Pensioner Retirees aged 50 years and older who have an annual pension or stable income Work From Thailand Professional / Nomad Remote workers working for well-established overseas companies Highly Skilled Professional Professionals or experts in targeted industries working for business entities or higher education institutes or research centers or specialized training institutions in Thailand or Thai government agencies Dependents Spouse and children under 20 years old of LTR visa holders (Maximum 4 dependents in total per one LTR visa holder) Long Term Resident Visa Privileges There will be many privileges for LTR visa holders that will make living in Thailand long term easier and less bureaucratic. These privileges include: discounted personal income tax…