Visa Information
How to change your visa to a Business visa in Thailand
Thailand is full of business opportunities and whether you're an entrepreneur looking to start a business, an employee being transferred to a Thai branch, or a freelancer seeking to operate within Thailand, obtaining a business visa is essential. This article will guide you through the...
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Finance Ministry challenges tax cut proposal for holders of new long-stay visa
A proposal to introduce a long-stay visa for 4 target groups of foreigners has already hit a hitch, with the Finance Ministry pushing back against a suggested tax rate of 17% on local earnings. The ministry argues that the reduced rate will affect government revenue. Under the proposal, wealthy foreign nationals could apply for a …
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UPDATE: Phuket Sandbox – Changes to travelling back to Thailand
Yes, there are some more details, about the Phuket ‘sandbox’ and there will certainly be some more changes in the next few weeks as we lead up to July 1. Getting back to Thailand, via Phuket, is now much easier from the start of July but there are still a few conditions and restrictions you …
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60-day “Covid” visa extension now allows stays until late September
Foreigners who are stuck in Thailand, either by choice or because they cannot return to their home country due to the pandemic, can now stay in the “Land of Smiles” until late September. The Thai Immigration Bureau recently announced that the deadline to apply for the 60-day “Covid” visa extension has been pushed from May …
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Deadline to apply for the 60-day “Covid” visa extension now July 29
The deadline to apply for a 60-day visa “Covid” extension has been pushed to July 29, now allowing stays up until late-September. The extensions are intended for foreigners who are unable to leave Thailand and return to their home country due to the ongoing Covid-19 situation. The deadline to apply has been extended by the …
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Many Thailand Elite Card members cancel travel plans as Covid-19 cases rise
The new wave of Covid-19, infecting more than 30,000 people over the past month, set back travel plans for Thailand Elite Card members. The company that operates the card services, Thailand Privilege Card, is now banking on the Phuket sandbox model to draw in cardholders. The travel scheme, which is planned to start in July …
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New and improved Smart Visa to make life easier for digital nomads in Thailand
The government is considering proposals to reform the Smart Visa to make it easier for digital nomads to legally work from the Kingdom. According to a Pattaya Mail report, the Tourism Authority of Thailand says the Board of Investment and the government’s Covid-19 task force have already agreed on the detail of the proposal. Digital …
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International Living magazine ranks Koh Samui among 15 best islands to retire
Thailand’s popular Gulf island of Koh Samui is basking in glory as it is listed as one of the best islands to retire by International Living magazine. The island is ranked number 10 out of 15 islands listed by the magazine, and is said to be affordable for retirees. Peace, privacy, a simpler way of …
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Thai Immigration says online system for 90 day reports is back up and running
The Thai Immigration’s online system for 90 day checks for foreigners living in Thailand is back up and running. So we’re told anyway. Expats should now be able to report their address every 3 months online rather than in person or by mail. The announcement was made on the immigration bureau’s Facebook page and was …
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Foreigners advised to do 90 day reports by mail while Thai Immigration system is down
While the Thai Immigration’s online system for 90 day reporting is down (it’s been down for many of our readers who have been trying to do their 90 day reports for over 3 months), foreigners living in Thailand still need to report their address every 3 months. Deputy spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs …
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2 emergency decrees provide businesses financial help
Thailand enacted 2 new emergency decrees today aimed at providing assistance to businesses and reducing default interest rates to help people affected by Covid-19. A deputy government spokeswoman confirmed the needed action was critical to protect and aid entrepreneurs and small and medium-sized enterprises during the time of pandemic-driven economic crisis. The goal was to …
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Proposals to get rid of 90 day reporting and ease investment rules in Thailand
In amongst a sea of bad new over the past week, a glimmer of hope for expats and long-stay travellers. You better sit down… The Thai government are looking into changing the long standing 90 day reporting for people staying in Thailand longer than 90 days on a long-stay visa. But don’t get out the …
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Latest guidelines for all non-tourist visitors to Thailand, through Phuket
Phuket’s provincial government has issued a 48 page order for non-tourists entering Thailand, via Phuket. The order covers everyone from repatriating Thais, foreigners who are permanent residents or on long-term visas, students, workers passing through and consular visits. In real terms, as it says, anyone who isn’t visiting, or travelling through, Phuket as a tourist. …
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The challenges for the digital nomad in Thailand | VIDEO
Ah yes, the challenges of being a digital nomad in Thailand. What is a digital nomad? People who can do their job anywhere in the world with just a laptop, tablet and wi fi (preferably free wi fi). Thailand has the scenery, wi fi access, speed and lots and lots of coffee shops (with excellent …
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Thailand visa extension explained, April 2021 | VIDEO
Some clarification about the 60 day extensions to visas that had been extended in the past as part of the Covid visa amnesty for foreign travellers in Thailand who were ‘stuck’ in the country or wished to stay for whatever reason. Caitlin Ashworth from The Thaiger explains the details. For the latest details on everything …
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60-day “Covid-19” visa extension deadline to apply now May 29
In a typical last minute decision, Thai immigration announced that foreigners stuck in Thailand due to the Covid-19 situation will be able to extend their visas for another 60 days, with the new deadline to apply for the extension set to May 29, allowing a stay in Thailand up until July 27. The initial deadline …
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Tourists in Thailand can apply for another 60 day extension, allowing a stay until July 27
Thailand’s Immigration Bureau is allowing visa extensions for tourists who have been in stuck in Thailand since 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The Royal Thai Immigration Bureau announced the news through an urgent public memo yesterday. The previous order allowed those foreigners to apply for an extension until the end of March, but now they …
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Russians in Pattaya arrested for allegedly selling fake bank statements for retirement visas
Police in Pattaya arrested a Russian man and woman for allegedly creating fake bank documents for retirement visas and selling the fraudulent paperwork to other foreigners. The suspects allegedly sold the fake documents to foreigners who did not have enough money in their bank account required under Thai law for a retirement visa, police say, …
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Thailand is re-opening. When can I travel there? | VIDEO
There are many moving parts in the Thailand travel situation right now – new visa options, changes to the quarantine, ASQs, area quarantines, golf quarantines. The road back to a healthy tourist industry in Thailand, even ANY tourism industry, will be a long slog. But Bill Barnett from c9hotelworks.com is optimistic that we’ve turned the …
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Thai Visa Centre accuses former employee of stealing from a family seeking to travel to Thailand
Thai Visa Centre sent out a warning about a former employee, saying they discovered that he not only stole money from the company and staff members, but he also stole 130,000 baht from a family overseas who were planning to travel to Thailand. The centre claims the former staff member, Asim Muhammad Mehran, has been …
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The all new ‘villa quarantine’ in Phuket, Thailand | VIDEO
Now you can do villa quarantine in Phuket. But it’s not you usual ASQ… this one has a view and a price to match. A select few VIP tourists arrived in Phuket to experience the new ‘swanky’ quarantine. It’s still 14 days (or is it 15?) but now with a view and nice linen. Tim …
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Government crackdown on foreigners teaching without work permits
Thailand’s Ministry of Labour is cracking down on foreign teachers who may be working in the Kingdom without valid work permits. The ministry has instructed the Department of Employment to apply stricter criteria when issuing work permits to foreign teachers. According to department figures, Thailand currently has 6,129 foreigners teaching in 922 private and public …
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Visa extensions in Thailand for stranded tourists, February 2021 | VIDEO
Stranded foreign tourists, either genuinely stuck in Thailand since April 2020, or stuck here by choice, are able to stay in Thailand until May 30. The order from the immigration department empowers local officers to grant a 60 day visa extensions from January 29 up to May 30. The order coincides with the world’s Covid-19 …
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“Yes, we want tourists back… but with quarantine” – Survey
Most Thai residents and tourism operators want Thailand to reopen its borders to international tourists, as long as a 14 day quarantine remains in place, according to the Tourism Council of Thailand survey. The TCT surveyed 785 operators in tourism-related business and 1,444 Thais from November 11 to December 10. 60% of surveyed locals and …
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Visa Emergency Extension extended to May 30 this year for stranded tourists
Stranded foreign tourists, either genuinely stuck in Thailand since April 2020, or stuck here by choice, are able to stay in Thailand until May 30, according to an order signed by the Immigration Bureau last week. The order empowers local officers to grant a 60 day visa extensions from January 29 up to May 30. …
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Koh Pha Ngan partygoers and organiser get a fine and suspended sentences
109 partygoers who attended a party at cliff-top bar on Koh Pha Ngan, including 89 foreigners and 22 Thais, have received suspended jail terms and fines for breaking Thailand’s emergency decree and Covid-19 restrictions. A judge sentenced each of the attendees to 1 month in jail, suspended if they have a good behaviour record for …
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The Koh Pha Ngan party kept rolling at the local police station
Police have arrested 89 foreigners on the Gulf island of Koh Pha Ngan, breaking any number of laws related to the emergency decree about crowds, mask wearing and current restrictions. They raided a party at the ThreeSixtyBar. 22 Thais were also detained in the raid on Tuesday night after the well-publicised event attracted plenty of local …
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Thailand Retirement and Digital Nomads – Missed visa opportunities | VIDEO
Two visas Thailand should be promoting right now! If there were two more groups, more perfect suited for the Thai lifestyle, I don’t know what they are. Thailand’s immigration laws for long-stays have always been a challenge, retirement is just one of those categories. It would seem like a perfect win win situation to invite …
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Make an appointment online for tourist visa extensions – Thai Immigration
For those who need to extend their tourist visa, the Thai Immigration Bureau asks that applicants make an appointment online to reserve their spot in line. The bureau says the online appointments are aimed at preventing the spread of Covid-19 by reducing overcrowding and making sure people abide by social distancing practices. Applicants who need …
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ASQ + Vaccine in Thailand proposal gets the thumbs down
OPINION A spokesperson from a Thai tourism association came up with the “cunning idea” yesterday to propose a ASQ + Vaccine package to travellers and tourists. So not only do you get your 14 day mandatory quarantine at an expensive hotel in Bangkok, the opportunity to submit copious amounts of paperwork and drill through the …
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Covid-19 test NOT required for visa extensions (at least not today)
No, you don’t, yes, you do… Expats are scratching their heads over the mixed messages circulating in relation to the latest Thailand immigration requirements, not to mention the announcements (and retractions) published in the nation’s English-language media outlets. It all began over the weekend, when the nation’s favourite part time travel blogger, Bangkok Post fanboy …
