Thailand News Today | Thailand expands e-Visa service to 23 countries worldwide
Thailand just expanded its e-Visa service to nine additional Embassies and
Consulates worldwide. A Thai visa can now be obtained online in 23 countries.
Applications for all types of visas in Thailand can be done online through the e-
Visa official website for passport holders of 23 countries.
Instead of going to an embassy, simply create an account, fill in an application
form, upload your supporting documents, pay the visa fee, wait for the visa to be
processed and the approved visa will be sent by email.
Print the approved visa and take it with you on your flight to Thailand where it will
be processed by officials at immigration upon arrival.
The service is now available at 38 Embassies and Consulates in 23 countries
worldwide: Canada, US, UK, Sweden, Norway, Netherlands, Belgium, Denmark,
Hungary, Finland, Poland, Austria, Romania, Czech Republic, Germany, Italy,
Spain, Greece, France, Portugal, Switzerland, South Korea, and China (including
Hong Kong).
If you’re coming to Thailand as a tourist, you might not need to apply for a visa in
advance depending on how long you plan on staying in the kingdom. Thailand
recently extended tourist stays in Thailand for the High Season.
Passport holders from 64 countries that have bilateral agreements with Thailand
are eligible for Visa Exemption Upon Arrival and are not required to apply in
advance. Between October 1, 2022 – March 31, 2023, tourists eligible for Visa
Exemption on Arrival can stay in Thailand for up to 45 days.
Passport holders from 19 countries are eligible for Visa on Arrival and are not
required to apply in advance. Between October 1, 2022 – March 31, 2023, tourists
eligible for Visa on Arrival can stay in Thailand up to 30 days.
Tourist visas for stays of up to 60 days can be made in advance through the e-Visa
website or at a Thai Embassy or Consulate in your country.
Thailand’s Immigration Bureau recently unveiled its online visa extension (e-
extension) service. The service is expected to make visa extensions easier, less
costly, and less time-consuming for foreigners in Thailand.
With the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Summit getting underway, the
Immigration Bureau is increasing security at all international airports in Thailand.
The crackdown has already netted several foreign scammers hiding within the
kingdom. They are vowing increased scrutiny of those entering the country and a
closer watch over suspicious foreigners who are already here.
Immigration authorities have already blocked more than 2,000 people who were
attempting to come into the country. Many of those people had already previously
been blacklisted by immigration. The crackdown is looking for all suspicious
individuals but is focusing especially on those who may be aiming to disrupt or
damage the APEC Summit.
As part of the increase in security, the Immigration Bureau is adding additional
staff to immigration checkpoints in particular at Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport,
the main international hub to enter Thailand. They are also working closely with
immigration offices in other countries to make sure that they have up-to-date and
accurate information on wanted criminals who may attempt to hide out in the
kingdom.
Officials have already arrested 1,249 people for entering Thailand illegally. Of
those, 770 of those were from Laos, 349 came from Myanmar, and 108 were from
Cambodia. Another 22 were from other countries. Outside of the airport, 785
migrant workers from other countries were picked up on visa overstays.
The arrests weren’t all poor migrant workers though. The Phuket News reports
several high-profile criminals were flushed out due to the immigration crackdown.
The volatile Thai baht has made a fierce comeback against the weakening US
dollar, soaring all the way to 35.93 against the greenback over the weekend. Just a
few weeks ago, the baht depreciated to 38.35 against the dollar.
At the end of September, the Thai baht plunged to 38 against the US dollar for the
first time in 16 years amid aggressive interest rate hikes from the US Federal
Reserve intended to combat inflation in America. In the weeks to follow, the baht
plummeted even further against the dollar.
On October 19, one dollar was valued at 38.31 baht. By November 12, the dollar
equated to 35.93 baht. In just three weeks, the dollar fell 6.2% in value against the
baht.
The Thai baht has surged amid a boom in Thailand’s economy with both consumer
and industry confidence on the rise. Thai consumer confidence rose for the fifth
month in a row in October, reaching a 10-month high.
The strengthening of Thailand’s baht is in line with regional currencies as investors
predict that the Fed will relax their interest rate hikes.
Inflation in Thailand is among the lowest in the world, ranking 107 of 130
countries – far ahead of “developed” economies like the UK, the US, and Germany
which are facing high levels of inflation in the current economy.
However, the baht’s strength against the dollar could be short-lived if the Fed
ramps up interest rates again, which they could. The baht could also quickly
depreciate if there is a drop in gold prices in Thailand.
Foreign funds have been flowing out of the Stock Exchange of Thailand as it
neared its resistance level last week while Thai bond yields fell last week,
according to Krungthai Bank Market Strategist.
Despite the baht’s promising upward trend, the Bank of Thailand warns the
country’s importers and exporters to adopt hedging measures in preparation for
more volatility in the currency market.
Thailand’s approach to getting the FIFA World Cup 2022 television broadcasting
license at a discounted price was met with a resounding no from FIFA.
Three private companies stepped up to the plate to chip in another 400 million baht
to add to the government’s 600 million baht subsidy to round up the pot to make 1
billion baht but it is still 600 million baht short of FIFA’s asking price. FIFA told
Thailand there will be no discount or retail sales, adding that if they wanted a
discount, they should have contacted FIFA two years ago.
At the beginning of this month, Justice Minister Somsak Thepsuthin insisted that
the Thai government would have the World Cup broadcasting license in time
adding that by stalling the process the license would be cheaper. It appears the
Justice Minister thinks he’s at a night market bartering for a set of towels.
He also insisted that the price would not be over one billion baht and no support
from the private sector would be needed.
The budget required for the whole broadcasting license was later announced at 1.6
billion baht (US$45 million). The National Broadcasting Commission (NBTC)
managed to find a 600 million baht budget and over the weekend it was revealed
True Corporation, Thai Beverage, and PTT chipped in 400 million baht.
Khaosod reported that on Friday the NBTC solicited help from two other private
companies, Major Cineplex, and PTT Exploration and Production, but they have
not replied yet.
FIFA also told Thailand they can not pick and choose what games they want to
watch. It is the whole package of 64 matches or nothing.
The Tourism and Sports Minister, Piphat Ratchakitprakarn, revealed today that the
government would seek more support from the private sector and hope to have a
conclusion by November 15.
Khaosod revealed that the purchase agreement must be made by November 18, and
the money must be transferred to FIFA with a 15% tax levy by November 19.
Raising water buffalo at the Thale Noi Waterfowl Park in the southern province of
Pattalung has been declared a Global Important Agricultural Heritage System
(GIAHS) by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).
The Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives proposed a water buffalo raising
system at the Thale Noi Waterfowl to the FAO in October last year. The place was
approved at the GIAHS on November 3.
The Agriculture and Cooperatives Minister Chalermchai Si-On explained that the
place passed the five requirements of the FAO including:
Food and livelihood security
Agro-biodiversity
Local and Traditional Knowledge systems
Cultures, Value systems and Social Organisations
Landscapes and Seascapes Features
The 457 million square metre area of Thale Noi is a water site that was announced
as a non-hunting area in 1975. Locals would bring their water buffaloes to the
lagoon and grasslands, and they have been doing this for more than 250 years.
Many visitors come to the spot to see the local wildlife and the water buffaloes.
Tourists and locals also visit to take advantage of the wonderful scenery and take
photographs while enjoying a trip in a longtail boat among the lagoon of pink
lilies.
Chhalermchai believes that the new heritage status would level up the locals’
living standards while also improving the economy and tourism industry in the
area.
Prime Minister, Prayut Chan-o-cha, made known to the public that he was happy
that the Thai culture and wisdom were being passed down through generations,
adding that it reflected how valuable Thai culture was.
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