Expats
Thailand expat news, visas, work permits, property, and healthcare—stay informed with essential updates and insights for foreign residents. Get the latest from The Thaiger, your trusted source for expat news in Thailand.
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10 biggest challenges retirees face in Thailand (and how to overcome them)
Retiring in Thailand comes with many benefits, like warm weather, affordable living, and a rich culture. However, it also brings challenges. Retirees must deal with visa rules, healthcare costs, language barriers, and cultural differences. Rising medical expenses, required insurance, and...
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Emergency Decree, Phase 6 to be discussed in coming weeks: CCSA
Dr. Taweesin Visanuyothin, spokesperson of the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration, said in a press conference this morning that discussions on the Emergency Decree and a “Phase 6” of lifting Covid-19 restrictions and reopening the country are expected in the upcoming weeks. A meeting is expected of the committees, including the CCSA and the National Security Council, responsible for easing…
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Poll: vast majority fear second virus wave, support foreign arrival ban
A recent opinion poll by Suan Dusit Rajabhat University, or Suan Dusit Poll, showed well over 90% of respondents fear a second wave of Covid-19 and want a complete ban on foreign arrivals in Thailand. The poll, taken July 14-18, gauged the concerns of 1,459 Thai adults of various education levels and occupations, about the possibility of a second outbreak,…
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In reversal, Australian embassy will provide visa extension letters
A number of embassies in Bangkok are saying that they won’t issue any further visa extension letters for their citizens when Thailand’s visa amnesty expires on July 31. Both the US and British embassies announced that their citizens in Thailand will have to decide “whether to stay or go,” and that such letters will “no longer be possible.” But at…
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Transit passengers must have health certificate before buying ticket: CAAC
The Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand has ordered the implementation of new regulations for any international flights entering Thailand – All passengers must have a medical certificate showing that they are free of Covid-19 before booking their ticket. The move follows China’s decision to temporarily ban Thai Lion Air from flying the Bangkok-Guangzhou route and Thai AirAsia X from flying…
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Cabinet to decide on third visa extension for foreigners
The Foreign Affairs Ministry announced today that a third “automatic extension” of visas for foreigners is “in the works” and will be proposed to the Cabinet with the results announced “soon” by the Immigration Bureau. A decision was originally slated for July 15, then postponed to today. Spokesman Natapanu Nopakun’s remarks this afternoon indicate the decision hasn’t yet been made.…
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Proposal being ‘examined’ by authorities for a possible visa amnesty extension
Today the government’s Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration has briefly addressed the issue of the current visa amnesty, which is due to finish on July 31. The issue was mentioned today as part of the daily briefings. The visa amnesty was announced, then extended, in April to allow foreigners with lapsed visas, to stay in the country without having to…
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All transit passengers must now show Covid-19 certificate: CAAT
The Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand will enforce a new rule requiring all passengers, even on Thai-owned chartered flights or special flights transitioning through Thailand, to have a valid Covid-19 clearance certificate. CAAT has probibited all transit flights with Covid-19-infected passengers following China’s temporary ban of 2 Thai registered airlines after several passengers tested positive upon arrival in China. In…
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Foreign embassies stop issuing visa extension letters
A number of embassies in Bangkok are saying that they won’t issue any further visa extension letters for their citizens when Thailand’s visa amnesty expires on July 31. An announcement published last week by the US embassy said American citizens residing in Thailand will have to decide whether to stay or leave, as it will no longer provide extension of…
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Thailand’s domestic tourism provided 4 times the number of international travellers in 2019
Thailand has had plenty of interruptions to its tourism industry over the past two decades… There was that other coronavirus scare, ‘SARS’, in 2003, the Indian Ocean tsunami of 2004, the global recession and riots in Thailand in 2009, major flooding at the end of 2011, political demonstration in 2013 and 2014, the bloodless military coup of May, 2014, the bombing…
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“Let us stay – Why can’t Thai Immigration extend our visas?”
OPINION The current visa amnesty, and what will happen to foreigners after its conclusion (at this stage on July 31), is a constant source of confusion and stress for many foreigners. Some were truly stranded in the Kingdom when the borders were closed and flights become limited for a return to their home countries. Others decided to stay in the…
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Visa amnesty, looming July 31 deadline in Thailand
NOTE: This post is not designed to scare anyone, but simply prompt foreigners, currently in Thailand, about the situation with visas. There is a list of all embassies in Thailand at the end of this article. The Thai government has had a visa amnesty in force that has allowed foreigners to stay in Thailand during the Covid-19 outbreak. It automatically extended…
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Entertainment industry calls for 2am closing times
A leading representative of Thailand’s entertainment and nightlife industry is urging the Department of Disease Control to allow the country’s entertainment venues to close at 2 am instead of the current closing time of midnight. The meeting was held yesterday at the Chatuchak Newspaper building and called “Brainstorming to help save the economy and revive tourism.” Thanawat Srisuk, the industry…
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Quotas for returning Australians to be halved amid Melbourne outbreak
As Australia struggles with a new Covid-19 outbreak in Melbourne, Australian PM Scott Morrison has announced that from this Monday he’s cutting the number of Australians allowed to reenter the country by half – from 8,000 to only 4,000 daily. He says the move is needed to devote resources to countering the “very concerning” domestic virus surge. Authorities there have…
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Immigration official says visa amnesty extension “is unlikely”
As the deadline for the visa amnesty draws closer, conflicting whispers are emerging from Immigration offices around the country. The Thaiger is privy to a discussion with an Immigration officer this morning where an extension was said to be likely, for 1 month beyond July 31. But just this afternoon Khaosod English has published a contrary story saying that an…
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Facebook group names and shames “farang prices”
In days gone by, a foreigner visiting a national park or tourist site could often expect to be charged several times the price charged to a local. Now, thanks to a Facebook community naming and shaming venues that apply “farang prices” to foreign visitors, those days are, well, numbered. Members of the 2PriceThailand Facebook group are warning each other about…
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UK’s Kew Green Hotels launches 7 properties in Bangkok
Despite a quickly changing business environment for the world hospitality industry, some companies are accelerating expansion plans in anticipation of the eventual recovery. Kew Green Hotels, one of the UK’s leading hotel management companies with over 55 hotels in its portfolio, has now announced plans to expand into the south east Asian market through a joint venture with Siamese Asset.…
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Alcohol bans tomorrow and Monday in Thailand
2 Buddhist holidays, Asahna Bucha Day, and the start of Buddhist Lent, fall on this weekend. As a result the government has added Monday, July 6, as a national holiday. There will be an alcohol ban tomorrow, Sunday (July 5) and Monday (July 6). No alcohol will be sold or served on these days. The dates of these important Buddhist…
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Thailand growing more expensive for expats
According to Employment Conditions Abroad, Bangkok and Chiang Mai are among the 30 most expensive cities for expats in Asia. The capital of Turkmenistan might not spring to mind when with considering the priciest cities, but according to ECA International it ranks first on both the global and Asian tables, a 5 point rise up the rankings due to an…
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90 minute Covid-19 test at BKK being tested
A Covid-19 test that takes about 90 minutes. This is a new ‘outside the box’ way at bringing people back into Thailand and checking them before they go through Immigration. The new ‘rapid’ tests were unveiled today at Suvarnabhumi International Airport. The new tests would be offered for overseas arrivals as the Thai government wrestles with the desire to reboot…
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Visa amnesty extension for foreigners “being considered”
Thailand’s Immigration Bureau is considering extending the current visa amnesty for foreigners stranded in Thailand. The Foreign Ministry’s deputy spokesperson made the announcement at this morning’s daily Covid-19 briefing by the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration. The Cabinet’s last resolution was to grant an automatic visa extension for foreigners stranded here to stay until July 30. The deputy spokesperson asked…
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Bangkok Skytrain cancels seat spacing measures
Bangkok’s BTS Skytrain network has cancelled its seat spacing measures in order to increase passenger numbers after schools and colleges reopened today. Bangkok Mass Transit System’s CEO says social distancing measures have been relaxed to boost convenience for passengers. All BTS carriages had crosses on seating to separate seated passengers but had done nothing to keep standing passengers apart. Stations…
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Thailand re-opens its international borders today
Thailand is lifting its ban on international flights on July 1. But before you dust off the suitcase and book your flight, there are still many restrictions on the return of foreigners into the country. The Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand says the ban on international flights is being lifted from July 1 but “conditions for re-entry apply”. “People entering Thailand…
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Phase 5 rules to be announced Monday
On Monday the Center for Covid-19 Situation Administration will hold a significant meeting, led by PM Prayut Chan-o-cha, to decide several major issues of importance to Thailand as well as foreigners hoping to come into the country. The issues to be discussed and expected to be resolved are: An official decision on “Phase 5” relief measures and the date of…
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Bangkok buses to ease social distancing requirements in Phase 5 as schools reopen
In the fifth stage of Thailand’s easing of Emergency Decree lockdown measures, the Bangkok Mass Transit Authority plans to ease social distancing measures public buses to accommodate the increase in commuters after schools reopen on July 1. “In the fifth phase of the easing of Covid-19 lockdown, which will start on July 1, the government will allow schools and many…
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Open letter to Thai government “We want to come back to Thailand”
There are many foreigners who are desperately trying to get back into Thailand to attend to urgent matters, or simply get back together with their Thai families. Many others have simply made Thailand their home for an extended time and have gone through all the legal hoops required by Thai Immigration only to find themselves locked out. The Thaiger is…
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Baby elephants abused to “break” them for tourism- VIDEO
The plight of Thailand’s many elephants has made plenty of headlines since the beginning of the Covid-19 outbreak in January, especially in the North, where the many elephant camps and “sanctuaries” were the a major draw for tourist revenue until the Emergency Decree and travel ban forced many to close. To avoid starvation, thousands made the long journey back to…
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Potential low-risk countries to reboot Thailand inbound travel
Thailand’s borders could be opened to New Zealand, Australia, Japan, Taiwan and certain cities in China. Those areas are now deemed to have a low-risk for spreading the coronavirus and being looked into as potential countries for the ‘travel bubble’ scheme. In an tourism agreement with the low-risk countries, foreigners would be allowed to enter the country, but with restrictions.…
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Open for business. Just about all business restrictions in Thailand lifted from July 1.
Thailand has now gone over a month without a locally transmitted case of Covid-19, and July 1, approaching quickly, will see the resumption of all businesses and activities originally suspended under the Emergency Decree, including bars, pubs and “soapy” massage parlours. Spokesman of the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration Dr Taweesilp Visanuyothin made the announcement yesterday. He told the media…
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Arrival ban to end on July 1… some foreigners will be allowed in
“Dr. Taweesilp says about 50,000 foreigners are expected to visit the country under the new rules.” Thailand will begin allowing foreigners to enter the country from July 1, easing the months-long arrival ban. But foreign tourists will still be banned. Dr Taweesilp Visanuyothin, spokesperson of the government’s Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration, says that the first group will comprise businessmen…
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Massage parlours will be allowed to reopen, must track and report customers to government
Post-Covid nightlife in Thailand is likely to be a bit duller than before, but at least “soapie massage” is back on the menu. The Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration announced today that massage parlours of every description will be allowed to reopen along with bars, pubs and other venues in the next phase of easing restrictions. But, there will be…
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