Thailand eyes extending visa on arrival to 45 days

Tourists might soon be granted a visa on arrival/visa exemption which allows them to stay in Thailand for up to 45 days, reports Thaiger. Currently, passport holders of certain countries are granted 30-day visa exemptions on arrival, including Denmark, Finland, Norway, Sweden, Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore.

The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) will propose the idea to the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) at the next CCSA meeting on August 19, according to TAT governor Yuthasak Supasorn.

The proposed extension would extend both visa exemptions on arrival and visas on arrival (VOA) to 45 days. The new policy would be effective from the date of approval until December 31, 2022, said TAT.

If the CCSA accepts the proposal, the TAT expects the average tourist to stay for an extra five days, spending 4,000–5,000 baht per person every day, pumping a potential 20,000 baht extra per person into Thailand’s economy.

TAT examined data from visa applicants at Thai embassies around the world and found that most tourists wanted to stay in Thailand longer than one month.

Yuthasak explained that the TAT also wants to get the tourist visa fee waived. At a meeting on July 18, Thailand’s Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha said the idea needs more consideration and input from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Immigration Office.

About Anna Stensdotter

Anna hails from Sweden, but has found her home throughout southeast Asia, via the USA.

View all posts by Anna Stensdotter

One Comment on “Thailand eyes extending visa on arrival to 45 days”

  1. Will the 45 day on arrival happen…as return flight date is required by the airline,if you change your flight you have to pay a penalty on most airlines.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *