special tourist visa

  • Tourism News

    Medical chief in favour of re-opening borders, calls zero cases target unrealistic

    A senior Thai medical professional has confirmed he’s in favour of Thailand re-opening its borders, saying attempting to maintain zero cases of Covid-19 is “unrealistic”. Somsak Akksilp, from the Department of Medical Services, insists the country is adequately prepared in the event of a resurgence of the virus and, with no date set for vaccine availability, the country must move…

  • Thailand video news

    Thailand News Today | Tourist arrivals postponed, Will Boss return?, deadly centipede | October 8

    To get all the latest news and information about Thailand, go to thethaiger.com. Like and subscribe our YouTube channel too. Go on, right now 🙂 You can also LIKE our Facebook page facebook.com/thethaigernews to get even more information about Thailand. Anti-corruption commission to re-investigate handling of “Boss” hit-and-run case The “Boss” hit-and-run saga drags on, now with the National Anti-Corruption…

  • Visa Information

    Special Tourist Visa flight postponed, National Security Council confirms

    After much confusion about when the group of Chinese tourists will arrive in Phuket, the secretary general of Thailand’s National Security Council confirmed that today’s flight has been deferred to October 25. Officials decided to postpone the flight and reschedule it after Phuket’s Vegetarian Festival is finished. The annual spectacle is known to draw large crowds. The council’s secretary general…

  • Visa Information

    First batch of Special Tourist Visa arrivals for Phuket ‘postponed’, no refunds

    If you were a traveller, trying to get accurate information about how and when you could return to Thailand, you’d be rightfully confused. So are we. Now it emerges that the arrival of the first Special Tourist Visa travellers, headed for Phuket, has been postponed at least until the end of the month. Scheduled charter flights for Scandinavian and Chinese travellers…

  • Visa Information

    Special Tourist Visa flight to Phuket delayed, tourists to arrive after the Vegetarian Festival

    The country’s first tourists to arrive since April’s border closures are not arriving tomorrow as originally expected. Phuket ‘s governor now says they’ll be arriving after the island’s annual Vegetarian Festival which runs from October 17 to 25. He hasn’t clarified when he requested the delay for foreign tourists to start coming back to Phuket, and he hasn’t confirm exactly…

  • Tourism News

    Poll finds many disagree with reopening borders, lack confidence in Covid-19 prevention measures

    A number of people in a recent survey say they disagree with reopening Thailand’s borders to foreign tourists. Many say they lack confidence in the government’s ability to prevent the spread of Covid-19 and that the move could cause a second wave of the virus. The National Institute of Development Administration, or Nida Poll, conducted a random survey last week…

  • Phuket News

    Possible delay of foreign tourists arriving to Phuket

    Thailand is lifting its 6 month ban on international tourists, allowing only those who are on a Special Tourist Visa to arrive on select charter flights, but there are conflicting reports on when exactly they will arrive. Many reports say the tourists should arrive on Thursday, but a recent report from a respected Thai media outlet claims the plans are…

  • Phuket News

    Phuket luxury resorts become quarantine facilities for travellers on the Special Tourist Visa

    Thailand is opening its doors this week after a 6 month ban on international tourists, catering to those on the new Special Tourist Visa who have time on their hands and money to spend. The first group will arrive to Phuket from China on Thursday, but they all have to go through a mandatory 14 day quarantine and it isn’t…

  • Visa Information

    Special Tourist Visa program leaves out those from high-risk Covid countries

    Thailand’s Foreign Ministry is clarifying that the new Special Tourist Visa program will omit potential high-spend tourists from high-risk Covid countries from consideration. Tourism and Sports minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn says prospective tourists need to check with the Public Health Ministry (via their Thai embassies) to see if their home countries are permitted to visit Thailand under the program. Phiphat also…

  • Tourism News

    Despite delay, Tourism ministry says travellers are coming this month

    Despite a delay in the first group of long-stay travellers arriving under the newly-formed Special Tourist Visa, the Tourism and Sports Ministry says it is vowing to bring in 1,200 tourists this month. The Minister, Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn says the slight delay was due to some entry processes being muddled. “The first two groups from China had a prospective schedule of…

  • Covid-19 News

    Opening borders could cause a second Covid-19 outbreak, epidemiologist says

    Opening Thailand’s borders to foreign tourists may open a “Pandora’s box” of Covid-19 infections, according to leading epidemiologist on the Chulalongkorn University Faculty of Medicine Thira Woratanarat. After a 6 month ban on international tourists, the first group of travellers on the new Special Tourist Visa are set to fly from China to Phuket on October 8. Thira says the…

  • Visa Information

    The Special Tourist Visa is now official and allows tourists in from October 1

    The Thai Government Gazette has officially recorded that long-stay tourists would now be allowed to come back to Thailand. The Cabinet approved the measure based on CCSA recommendation on September 15. Some people have already made early enquiries for the new Special Tourist Visa, or STV, which can be officially processed. Whilst the official announcement is the start of Thailand’s…

  • Thailand News

    Thailand beaches may limit visitors until Covid-19 vaccine is available

    Beaches and national parks might not fully open to international tourists until a Covid-19 vaccine is available. Around 120 to 150 tourists departing from China are set to arrive in Phuket on October 8 after a 6 month ban on international tourists. They’ll have to go through a 14 day state quarantine, but after that, they may not be able…

  • Thailand video news

    Thailand News Today | Phuket re-opens, TripAdvisor review saga, Samut Prakhan chem spill | Sept 30

    Daily TV news about Thailand. Updates and all the latest information from thethaiger.com. Phuket prepares to welcome first Chinese tourists in over 6 months The first group of tourists to arrive under Thailand’s new Special Tourist Visa scheme will land in Phuket on October 8. The flight from Guangzhou in southern China will carry 120 tourists, who will spend their…

  • Thailand video news

    Thailand News Today | Visa amnesty extended, first STV tourists, teacher sacked | September 29

    Daily TV news on thethaiger.com, Thailand News Today. Get your visa figured out by October 31 In a surprise decision that arrived late yesterday afternoon, following a week of denials and threats to prosecute foreigners on overstay, the Thai government has granted another stay of grace to foreigners up to the end of October. Foreigners stuck in Thailand will now be…

  • Visa Information

    The first tourists to arrive next week on the Special Tourist Visa

    The first group of foreigners under the new Special Tourist Visa will be arriving to Thailand next week after a 6 month travel ban on international tourists. About 120 people are set to fly from Guangzhou, China and land in Phuket on October 8. As some would say, at least it’s a start! The new tourist visa scheme comes after…

  • Visa Information

    Special Tourist Visa to visit Thailand approved Monday

    The much-debated Special Tourist Visa is set to be approved tomorrow during a meeting chaired by PM Prayut with the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration. The approval comes as government spokeswoman Traisuree Taisaranakul says the country expects around 1,200 tourists per month to come in on the new category of visa after the country reopens, but the visa is not…

  • Tourism News

    Phuket airport ready for tourists after finishing Covid screening labs

    Phuket Airport is officially ready for tourists as authorities say they have finished installing Covid screening labs in an effort to welcome international travellers. The 5T Model for Covid-19 is being used at the airport with the goal of screening large groups of people in a quick and efficient manner. The Phuket health chief says the 5T’s stand for Target,…

  • Visa Information

    Thailand’s Special Tourist Visa to be approved tomorrow

    The Special Tourist Visa will be ticked off and added to the Immigration department’s list of available visas on Monday. The Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration meeting at the start of the business week will pass the much-discussed STV which is hoped to be the first step of a wider re-opening to general tourism in Thailand. CCSA spokeswoman Traisuree Taisaranakul…

  • Tourism News

    Phuket’s governor calls for help in restoring island’s economy

    The governor of Phuket has likened the southern province to a “patient in a coma”, as he pleads for help to restore its devastated economy. According to a report in the Bangkok Post, Phuket Governor Narong Woonciew was addressing a Public Health Association forum, where he highlighted the economic crisis caused by the ongoing ban on international tourists. The island’s…

  • Visa Information

    Special Tourist Visa 2.0 – This is what should happen on September 26

    OPINION So here’s an idea. If Thailand truly wants to attract tourists why not offer FREE QUARANTINE for the first 10,000 people who contact their Royal Thai Embassy and register to come as tourists under the new Special Tourist Visa. The Thai government or TAT could pay the hotels directly (I bet it will be a lot less than the…

  • Thailand video news

    Heavy rain, big protest tomorrow, special tourist visa | Thailand News Today | September 18

    Daily TV news from around Thailand. Police catch inmate who escaped prison dressed as a guard He was smart enough to get hold of a prison guard uniform and escape, but was wasn’t smart enough to not get caught. The inmate who walked out of Phetchabun Provincial Prison yesterday, disguised as a guard, has now been recaptured. Police were able…

  • Visa Information

    Tourists on the new Special Tourist Visa will have to arrive on charter flights

    After months of pondering when some tourists might actually come back through the turnstiles, the Thai Immigration Bureau says they’re dusting off the finger-print ID and cameras at arrival booths in Bangkok in preparation for the first wave of ‘general’ tourism back to Thailand. But the projected flow of around 1,200 incoming passengers under the new Special Tourist Visa will…

  • Visa Information

    Long stay tourist visa approved

    A long stay tourist visa has been approved by the Cabinet for those entering Thailand. Those issued the visa would be allowed to enter Thailand and stay up to 9 months. Visitors will be issued a Special Tourist Visa, known as STV starting next month, according to “Thai Enquirer”, but no exact date has been announced. Each visa will cost 2,000…