Answered6 years ago
What are the latest updates on the Thai visa process in light of COVID-19 restrictions?
Latest reply from Thai Embassy London ππ©
Answer summary
The discussion revolves around the current visa situation related to Thailand amidst COVID-19 restrictions. Expatriates express confusion and frustration about the Special Tourist Visa (STV) and the quarantine measures in place for travelers from low-risk countries. Several comments share personal experiences about the visa application process, including the need for work permits and the challenges of receiving timely responses from the Thai Embassy. There are concerns about the effectiveness of the STV program and its future, with some commenters suggesting that it may be canceled due to low uptake.
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Naufal ********
I'm from Indonesia and have been waiting for STV visa until I almost go crazy :(
Naufal ********
I really don't understand this policy, even though if we are let in we also have to quarantine the same as low-risk countries
Dava ********
Peter **********
I don't wish to go to Thailand. Thanks a bunch.
Debbie ********
Wait till Trump wins the election and borders will start to open ππ
Peter *******
OP@Debbie *******
will we all have to drink bleach first ππDebbie ********
@Peter ******
no just the lefties think that π
Vincent ********
The STV visa will be certainly cancelled soon see under, really too expansive and nobody will come
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%3A%2F%2Fforum.thaivisa.com%2Ftopic%2F*****
24-stv-not-a-single-chinese-person-actually-applied-for-a-special-visa-tat-supplied-list-of-names%2F%3Ffbclid%3DIwAR1N3LRlqj28PuifWoX7NKFKjsf31S9AAb1MGpRe2uo0ZK4aXuAyfQsl0h8&h=AT3wO-MhO5YoWIbUOxVacDceusygxzSV0EGgTsbrMe4WNpgtjWhjqH9RepE763lYHkatccDF9pPb1DImOWeKd3_rdM9czLqQcA7v4rB0q0oNm3mp8CmhQqK4fBsysvU&s=1
Shane **********
There are many people other than Chinese that will use the STV
Harvey *****
@Shane *********
Maybe 10,000 . Thailand had 39,000,000 tourists in 2019. Vincent ********
@Shane *********
only for countries without local cases covid for the moment
Andrew ********
You are privileged, you actually got a reply!
Ahkim ********
the STV scheme is a hoax, they'll open up through normal tourist visa very soon
Peter ***************
Peoples
Terry ********
So whats the point of 3 tests and 2 weeks quarantine then?
Shane **********
$$$
ΰΉΰΈΰΉ ******
Exactly. It's all joke.
Terry ********
Its OK! Only one people wants to go...thats me!
David ***********
@Brendan *******
will this affect you m8
Brendan ********
@David **********
no mate totally different visa. Mine is a repatriation flight for my family. I'm all booked up and fly in novemberDavid ***********
@Brendan *******
π
ΰΉΰΈ‘ΰΈΰΈΰΈ΄ΰΈ§ **************
Seems odd as you would still have to go through the same Covid checks either way
Adnan *******
Chulala **********
If you can apply non b and get letter for work
Do you have friends who have company and work here?
If you have the letter you can come
Translate the Letter + company documents and TM.3 and then mailing the original one to your address and you go to thai Embassy to approve non be 3m visa then you can come
Do you have friends who have company and work here?
If you have the letter you can come
Translate the Letter + company documents and TM.3 and then mailing the original one to your address and you go to thai Embassy to approve non be 3m visa then you can come
Frank-Steven ***********
Also, for every foreigner a Thai company would like to hire, in almost all cases an additional capital stock if THB 2 million would be needed - so not sure how many people have "friends" with respective businesses.
Frank-Steven ***********
I think you would need to have a "Pre Work Authorization WP3" from the Thai Ministry of Labor. A simple invitation letter does not suffice during this times, or does it? And what do you mean by "translate the letter" - I didn't quite get that part.
Chulala **********
@Frank-Steven **********
I send the request ti my friend from my company letter that why telling youChulala **********
@Frank-Steven **********
yes he living in Japan apply at thai EmbassyFrank-Steven ***********
@Chulala *********
Good luck to your friend. Did he succeed in getting a visa from his local embassy by showing your letter?
Ellen *******
Somebody I know just went to Thailand from UK (with workpermit). What's the difference you would think π I mean, high risk is the same...
Andy *********
Some hotels in Thailand aren't accepting foreigners as guests only Thai nationals.
How's that for logical thinking ?
How's that for logical thinking ?
Matt ***********
@Andy ********
send us the link can you thanks Ivan ************
@Frank-******
I agree on the couples point, and I know there's nothing for them if not married. Ideally there would be, maybe some sort of fiance visa like many countries have. But that's a different issue from the STV which is purely discretionary tourism.Frank-Steven ***********
@Ivan ***********
I think we may have a very different definition of tourism. For me tourists are those, that would be coming to spending their vacation for a two to three weeks trip. Nobody would come for a "tourist" trip like that while needing to spend 15 nights in strict quarantine and jump through that many hoops. The STV was designed for long term visitors coming between 3 and 9 month. It would be a badly needed vehicle for those groups of people that have been neglected thus far. It should be provided on the very same conditions / terms like the other group allowed back in, i.e. from all countries, as long as tests and quarantine are adhered to. I even think that mere fact that they named this new scheme with the word tourist in it, is part of the problem now, that leads to discourse within politics. If they were to look at it as what it is, a visa for maybe 3-5 thousand people that fell through the grid so far, then there should not be any issue. A) Because quarantine resources are NOT an issue with these numbers, and B) none of the north of 100k people returned so far brought any infection into the country after they went through quarantine. So I remain with my initial assessment: They are being plain stupid, or at least letting irrational fear dictate over facts (which is also called stupid in the wider sense I guess).Frank-Steven ***********
@Ivan ***********
If that were the official government position, that would be valid to argue about. I don't think it is, however. They even started issuing regular 60-day Tourist Visa (TR) again (**********************************************************************************
albeit now with an 500k THB capital requirement. If they said essential travel only, that would be one thing. Selecting tourists based on low-risk countries would also make sense, if they were to let them in without tests or quaeantine and all those hoops. But making everybody bring a covid-free certificate + 15 days of quarantine AND then even having a selection (that is a informal one without providing an actual list or naming concrete objective criteria for such a list) based on infection rates in the country of origin is and remains nonsense. And lastly, yes, snowbirds my not all be the "love is not tourism" folk, but they are certainly all quite wealthy individuals (they have to be, given the strict capital requirements for the STV visa), and such visitors would not pose any risk but bring some badly needed relief to the local small business owners. Maybe we just have to agree to disagree on this one.Ivan ************
They were also talking about very small numbers, a few hundred a week. No sense in opening up discretionary tourist travel to high-risk Covid countries, why would you.
People with partners, I think should be dealt with differently, as a different category. And that could be done irrespective of origin.
People with partners, I think should be dealt with differently, as a different category. And that could be done irrespective of origin.
Ivan ************
@Frank-******
it was originally spun as "European snowbird" and rich Chinese tourist scheme, people who want to come and spend many months here. I know plenty of these type of people personally, that come to Thailand for six or even more months per year over the winter, but DON'T have a Thai significant other. Many are couples themselves. This is tourism, it's long-stay tourism but it's tourism. It is more discretionary than people who actually have a partner here, people with a partner here need to come here specifically. "Snowbird" long-stay tourist people, it's far more discretionary, they can pick somewhere else."Tourism" isn't just 2-3 weeks, and this thing was never about that.
Ivan ************
Workers are seen as essential travel. Tourists are not.
Frank-Steven ***********
@Ivan ***********
Again, there is no reason to make this an either / or decision. And keeping long time couples apart like this is simply plain cruel. But what to expect from a government like this. 
Spencer *******
@Ellen ******
but they had to quarantine at an expensive cost yes/no?Ellen *******
@Spencer ******
YesAdnan *******
@Ellen ******
yes, m sick of weird laws in 2020
Steve *******
Because Thailand.
If you're looking for logic, look west. Waaaay west.
If you're looking for logic, look west. Waaaay west.
Rudolph ***********
Frank-Steven ***********
Exactly. All the former groups permitted in (married, work visa, etc) were permitted in regardless of the country of origin. And why not, as long as everybody follows the same safety procedures (tests + quarantine). This is all sooo stupid!
Roy ***********
@Frank-Steven **********
They can never quarantine everybody who wants to come, so they have priorities. I don't think it is stupid, but of course you can debate on the priorities.
Ashley ********
@Roy **********
scrap the quarantine 
James **********
@Rudolph **********
Read my comment again. I donβt think the prices are high.Rudolph ***********
@James *********
the ASQ Hotels are 4-5β Hotels, thus the high price.
Ron ******************
@Frank-Steven **********
I think you need to do more research on the subject. The old foreigner narrative does not work in this case. There has not been one CV 19 leakage from an ASQ hotel which is more than what Australia can say. The Thais are very serious about this and tea money could be a "death sentence" in case of a CV 19 outbreak caused by corruption. At present many hotels do not have the money to convert and most cannot obtain finance. Ivan ************
@Frank-******
You are right on that. And I agree with you, it's not THAT complicated to make a hotel a quarantine hotel, it's pretty basic, just temperature checks and a periodic Covid test. Some of the early precautions (like "no carpets) are probably unnecssary. They could massively increase the quarantine hotel supply easily enough, the important thing is that people stay there in one place, not really the details of how the hotel is configured.******************************************************************************************
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20/pattaya-hoteliers-allege-40-kickbacksJames **********
@Frank-Steven **********
If you understood the difference between a normal hotel and an ASQ you would know why it cost moreFrank-Steven ***********
@Ron *****************
I am sure obtaining this certificates has a good portion of giving someone a brown envelope involved. But then again, look at the rates they are charging for ASQ packages - multiple times higher to what you would have paid in former times. Ron ******************
@Frank-Steven **********
it cost hotels plenty to convert to ASQ standards and they have no idea if they will get a return in their investment. In your simplified view every hotel just becomes an ASQ hotel but reality is different. Frank-Steven ***********
@Ralph ******
Yes. One nurse that takes the temperature two times a day. Big whoop.
Ralph ***********
@Frank-Steven **********
ASQ Hotels must take special security precautions and be connected to a nearby hospital. Not every hotel is capable of this.Actually hospital staff is present at the hotels to take care for the guests and for daily temperature measure and also Covid tests.
That's why the number of hotels is limited.
Frank-Steven ***********
@Roy **********
Also given all the hoops to be followed with the STV scheme, Iβd say they would hardly be facing more than a few thousand people. But those people have been neglected for months now - e.g. unmarried couples. Also the naming as Special TOURIST Visa is just misleading. Frank-Steven ***********
@Roy **********
In normal times Thailand has hotel capacities to host millions of tourists every year. Since we are talking about Alternative HOTEL Quarantine, that argument is void - especially, since a lot of hotels are empty and facing economic disaster and what be happy to receive customers. Activity
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