new Tourist Visa for Thailand

[christianpfc]

There is a new Tourist Visa for Thailand (conditions of the pre-Covid Single Entry Tourist Visa plus some - a lot! - of new requirements due to Covid), details see here: https://thaiembdc.org/2020/11/05/trsingle_entry/
(duration is missing: 60 days + 30 days extension)

(and similar conditions in Germany 15,000 EUR bank balance or UK 12,000 GBP bank balance).

my comment here: https://forum.thaivisa.com/topic/1191084-new-60-day-tourist-visa/

Similar in Germany (already a few days ago as I just found out), here 15k EURO.

It's not clear if current account balance is meant or sum of assets. I have more than 15k EURO sum of assets (stocks and current account), but keep my current account balance just above 5k EURO (previous requirement for METV).

Anyway, it's a poor deal (all the hassle to get there, two weeks quarantine, and then just 60+30 days), and I have made other arrangements for the winter. I'm out!



and someone else's comment:
https://forum.thaivisa.com/topic/1190850-what-is-this-new-visa-for-american/
"If I had a wife there I wouldn't jump through the hoops either. But since I'm single I'm considering it."
ROFL!

[goji]

Thank you Christian.

I've already e-mailed the Thai embassy in London regarding this. If I could get 60~90 days in Thailand, even with 14 days quarantine and a few hoops to jump through, it seems like the best option to escape the winter.
Meanwhile, countries like China are moving the other way and stopping all visitors arriving from a number of European countries, due to increased incidence of the plague.

[gerefan2]

Goji I’m interested too!
How would one get around the UK Covid Lockdown restriction which says No travel or holidays abroad?

[Manforallseasons]

Goji I’m interested too!
How would one get around the UK Covid Lockdown restriction which says No travel or holidays abroad?

Don’t hold your breath it is meant for a few countries with no Covid threat.....China is one...Lol

[gerefan2]

Well according to the link in the first post it is on the US Embassy website. Are they one of the countries with no covid threat? I don’t think so!

[goji]

In addition to the US, with high covid incidence, there is a mention of this on the London Thai embassy facebook page.

The way to get around the UK travel restrictions is to wait until 2 December, when the stupid rules expire.
[The UK government and the idiot advisers on SAGE have locked the country down for 4 whole weeks at a point where previous measures were working.]

[goji]

THE ASQ booking appears to be the fly in the ointment with this visa scheme.

For a start, compared with normal hotel booking, their cancellation terms are typically unfavourable. So, for example, if your flight is cancelled, then you are still on the hook for the full 70,000 baht, or whatever it is at your chosen hotel. Compared with 0~1 nights charge typical under normal circumstances.
If we cancel a booking at the Ibis, within 7 days of arrival, we are liable for the entire cost of the stay.

This is compounded by the need to book ASQ before applying for a visa (as I understand it). So it follows that we need to identify flights, book hotels and so on BEFORE applying. Then hope we get the visa, so that we can use the hotel booking. Pick the wrong hotel and if you suffer any form of cancellation, you can kiss goodbye to your 70,000 baht.

[gerefan2]

There are some hotels charging 10% deposit and remainder on arrival. So a loss of about 6000 baht only.

On one website I saw that the guy said he didn’t have to pay the balance until he checked out.

I can’t see anyone in their right mind paying the whole lot up front.

[goji]

I agree that no one in their right mind would pay the whole sum up front, but that is what some hotels are demanding.

I've now checked the details quite a number of hotels and most either have unreasonable cancellation terms (full liability), or they do not declare them.
So I've e-mailed 14 hotels (so far), asking about cancellation terms and the menu.

The first to reply said any cancellation OR CHANGE within 5 days of arrival means you get charged the whole sum. They also said there's no menu. You get what the chef cooks.

"Cancellation/ change and no show fee
Cancellation or change more than 7 days prior to arrival. 10% cancellation/change fee will be charged from the total amount.
Cancellation or change less than 7 days but more than 5 days prior to arrival. 50% cancellation/change fee will be charged from the total amount.
Cancellation or change less than 5 days prior to arrival. No refund."

[goji]

1 We can apply for a Tourist Visa from the UK.
2 We also need a COE. Tourism does not appear as a reason for issuing a COE.

Additionally, I find it rather strange that we need to book ASQ before applying for a visa, when they could easily move that check to the COE application, or even have it as an immigration check.

Finally, all of the documents refer to 14 day quarantine. The ASQ packages are all 15 night.

[christianpfc]

Cancellation or change less than 5 days prior to arrival. No refund."
That's of little use, as all possible problems likely will occur within that timeframe.

A bit of statistics:
according to http://german.thaiembassy.de/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/List-of-ASQALQ-Hotels-27102020.pdf
there were 101hotels / resorts total 13,337rooms / villas on 27oct2020 in Bangkok and 21 hotels / resorts total 1,466rooms / villas elsewhere.
Based on two weeks quarantine, that allows a throughput of 30,000 people per month, or 360,000 per year, which is 0.9% of the number of tourists (40m) Thailand had in 2019.

[gerefan2]

Based on two weeks quarantine, that allows a throughput of 30,000 people per month, or 360,000 per year, which is 0.9% of the number of tourists (40m) Thailand had in 2019.

Not quite Christian!
The majority of those using the ASQ hotels are work permit holders, Thai nationals and families stuck outside Thailand, farangs with Thai families/ houses, business men, medical tourists, students etc.

I bet there are virtually No tourists in them!