tougher visa requirements
[QUOTE=Dinghy][url]http://www.bangkokpost.com/News/10Sep2006_news04.php[/url]
Thailand intends to stop the "permanent visa on arrival"[/QUOTE]
Personally, I think this is a good thing and too long in coming.
There are too many people doing this visa run thing and circumnavigating the law. Given the hoops those of us who are legit have to go through to get proper visas, work permits and pay taxes, these guys who are living here on the margins, essentially for free deserve to be sent packing, if they don't get a proper visa to stay here for whatever reason they are living here. I know of many Farang who are doing business in Pattaya or upcountry, teaching English illegally, running various online businesses, including doing online trading; all earning money while living in Thailand, but doing so on essentially a tourist visa and without paying taxes. The law is if you are a resident for more than 6 months, you are required to get a TIN tax number and pay taxes.
Given the huge amount of taxes I pay (at least compared to your average Thai), I want to see these guys either brought to account or thrown out of the country.
No Crosstalk Restrictions
[blue]Greetings Everyone,
As it has become increasingly obvious that a small number (one?) of Forum Members just can't observe the basic rules of civility that I have developed for everyone's benefit, I have decided to place the Thailand Forum under the "No Crosstalk" restrictions. Effective immediately, any report that directly addresses another Forum Member by name or reference will be deleted without comment.
If you feel that you need to exchange comments directly with another Forum Member, then do so in the designated Fight Club so that the rest of us can you and return to the purpose of this forum, which is:
"The purpose of this Forum is to provide for the exchange of information between Men on the subject of finding Women for Sex."
Thanks,
Jackson[/blue]
Penang halts issuance of double-entry tourist visas
I do not know whether anyone else had posted this in the forum, but I think this info is important and this is the only thread that I think is appropriate for such news.
PHUKET: -- The Royal Thai Consulate in neighboring Penang, Malaysia, has stopped issuing double-entry tourist visas for Thailand. The only tourist visa currently available there is a 60-day single-entry one.
An official at the consulate this afternoon told the Gazette that Consul Pramote Pramoonsab had issued an order to cease issuance of double-entry tourist visas.
Other visa categories are unaffected by the order, the official added.
The Royal Thai Consulate in Kota Bharu and the Royal Thai Embassy in Kuala Lumpur are, for the time being, still issuing double-entry tourist visas.
Fareeda Chewae of the Royal Thai Embassy in Kuala Lumpur warned that this may change in the near future, however.
The Gazette contacted the consulates following the news that from October 1 Thai Immigration will limit to three the number of visas on arrival it s officers will issue at Immigration checkpoints in Thailand.
To cope with the new policy, many long-stay “tourists” who currently do ‘visa runs’ every month are looking for alternative ways to spend more than three months with their families or friends in Thailand. As a possible short term solution to the problem, some foreigners had been contemplating short trips to Penang where they would obtain multiple-entry tourist visas that would not go against their limit of three visas “on arrival [in Thailand]”.
The chiefs of all Immigration offices will meet in Bangkok tomorrow to discuss the details of the new Immigration policy, after which they will make a much-awaited statement.
While intended as a crackdown measure on foreigners working illegally in the county, the policy has created widespread concern across broad segments of the foreign community in Phuket, particularly among the large numbers who do not work and have no interest in working.
Perceived correctly or incorrectly as a move to discourage foreigners from spending much time here, the new policy has alarmed local residents, both Thai and foreign, about the future of Thailand’s all-important tourism and property development industries.
--Phuket Gazette 2006-09-14
THAI Ready for first flight from Suvarnabhumi
BANGKOK: -- Thai Airways International (THAI) is ready to begin commercial operations at Suvarnabhumi Airport on Friday.
“Everything is now ready to serve passengers,” said Mano Sapayanon, Director of THAI’s Ground Services Support Department.
The first commercial flight out of the new airport will be TG 8860, a Boeing 737-400, from Bangkok to Phitsanulok at 6.30 AM.
On Saturday, some of THAI’s flights between the capital and Chiangmai and Ubon Ratchathani will also begin operating at Suvarnabhumi. Passengers are advised to check their tickets in advance and plan accordingly.
An “NBK” code on a ticket means that the flight is at Suvarnabhumi Airport, while “BKK” is at Bangkok International Airport (Don Muang).
When arriving at the new airport, Mano said passengers should go to island number 2 at the west end of the departure hall where the airline’s domestic check-in counters are located. After receiving a boarding pass, passengers will proceed to either concourse A or B where the domestic departure gates are situated.
THAI will begin servicing six daily flights between Suvarnabhumi Airport and Phitsanulok, while low cost carrier Jetstar will operate six of their own flights between Bangkok and Singapore from the new airport.
To provide the best service to both domestic and international passengers, Airports of Thailand Plc. will assign staff to provide information at the terminal.
Inquiries can also be made at the airport’s Call Centre at (02) 132 – 1888, which will have 24-hour service starting Friday.
--TNA 2006-09-14