News Forum - Thailand’s tourist entry fee to generate 3.9 billion baht this year

[JamesR]

3 minutes ago, Faz said:

Your Visa has a limited validity in which to enter Thailand.
When you entered Thailand on your Non O visa, it was 'used'.
It's only purpose thereafter is to denote you entered as a Non Immigrant and have that status as such, as opposed to being classed as entering as a Tourist.

You cannot extend a visa.
On entry, the Immigration officer stamped your passport, permitting you a stay of 90 days.
It is that 'permit' of stay you extended for 365 days yesterday at your local Immigration office, not your visa, which was issued by the Thai Embassy in your Country of residence.

If you read the TM7 form you submit and the declaration you sign acknowledging the terms and conditions of your 'permit' application, it's abundantly clear you are applying for a 'permit' of temporary stay in the kingdom of Thailand.

Regardless of whether the status of a tourist or a Non Immigrant is irrelevant, as this fee is applicable to all 'foreigners' and 'Thais' entering Thailand through airline charges.
Only Thai nationals, foreigners with PR status, or Non Immigrant status with a work permit will be permitted to reclaim this additional entry fee.

Just semantics, the effect is the same, my main point was to state we are temporary wotsits whatever we call ourselves, and we can not say we 'live' here as our status is no different to a tourist's status in effect.

On a different note, the application process for the extended stay is a bit hit and miss here in Phuket, I was sent from ''pillar to post'' by three different immigration officers telling me completely different information about what I had to produce, which in turn was completely different to the two sheets of instruction given to me by an immigration officer at the same immigration office two months ago.

I likened it to the expression, "........piss up in a brewery".

It took all day, but I got there in the end, at least it is only once a year, I understand we can do the three-month reporting online just like the TM30 is done online.

 

[Faz]

19 minutes ago, JamesR said:

Just semantics

Leave the Country, then renter on your extended 'Non O visa', then tell me it's semantics.

[JamesR]

3 hours ago, Faz said:

Leave the Country, then renter on your extended 'Non O visa', then tell me it's semantics.

According to the stamp on my passport, the permit will remain valid if I get a re-entry permit before leaving.

Originally I called it a visa extension, and you corrected that and said it was a permit, it is just semantics, my original point is we are just here on extended whatever we like to call it, it is not permanent, we are just visitors except for a longer time than tourists and we do not 'live' here in the true sense of the word as suggested by the person in the original comment. 

 

[Faz]

9 minutes ago, JamesR said:

Originally I called it a visa extension, and you corrected that and said it was a permit, it is just semantics,

The word semantics is often used by those who are ignorant of the differences.

[JamesR]

19 minutes ago, Faz said:

The word semantics is often used by those who are ignorant of the differences.

And often used by those who see the terminology does not form the main part of the discussion, they see the issues are the main points and not the labels.

My point was in answer to the original guy's claim which states he 'lives' here, my point was we can stay here for an extended period of time on a temporary basis as long as we jump through the hoops on a yearly basis (for example), and those hoops could change shape or size at any time, thus we can not claim to 'live' here in the real meaning of the word in this context. 

 

[HiuMak]

20 hours ago, Faz said:

Because you're an 'alien' and only have temporary permission of stay.

and you don't pay tax in Thailand.

[Faz]

51 minutes ago, HiuMak said:

and you don't pay tax in Thailand.

I pay 7% VAT the same as everyone else and tax on interest earned from funds in the bank.

[JamesR]

5 hours ago, Faz said:

I pay 7% VAT the same as everyone else and tax on interest earned from funds in the bank.

@Faz and @HiuMak

Please do not mention the word txx as it causes me to go into a deep cold sweat and hide under the bed for an hour or two. 

[Faz]

17 minutes ago, JamesR said:

@Faz and @HiuMak

Please do not mention the word txx as it causes me to go into a deep cold sweat and hide under the bed for an hour or two. 

Look on the bright side, in Thailand VAT is 7%, whilst in the UK it's 20%.

[JamesR]

4 hours ago, Faz said:

Look on the bright side, in Thailand VAT is 7%, whilst in the UK it's 20%.

Yes, there are many advantages to being in Thailand.