News Forum - Phuket “Sandbox” to allow visitors from overseas to apply for “Visa on Arrival”

[Thaiger]

While there has not been an official announcement, travellers entering Thailand through the Phuket “Sandbox” might soon be able to apply for a “Visa on Arrival,” or VOA. A graphic was posted by Phuket officials on Facebook outlining the requirements for a “Visa on Arrival.” According to the post, travellers will need to have a Certificate of Entry, or COE, approved and printed out before departure. The visa  application is 2,000 baht and travellers need to show proof that they have 10,000 baht in their bank account. Travellers will also need to pre-book a stay at a certified SHA+ Hotel. […]

The post Phuket “Sandbox” to allow visitors from overseas to apply for “Visa on Arrival” appeared first on Thaiger News.

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[Stonker]

9 minutes ago, Thaiger said:

travellers need to show proof that they have 10,000 baht in their bank account.

Actually it clearly says "show you are carrying 10,000 baht (20,000 baht for a family)".

Evidently they're expecting some big spenders ...

[David297]

It also says the visa will be valid for 15 days.  What happened to the UK's visa exemption status?  Or does this new scheme only apply to visitors who are outside the normal exemption?  -  Me no understand !

[EdwardV]

If you still need to get a COE from the local embassy, how does a visa upon arrival improve anything? Who is this program targeting? I thought there was already many counties that didn’t need a visa? 

[JackIsAGoodBoy]

Seven days in quarantine, seven days in jail for being a bad Covid spreading dirty farang and one day holiday!

[Dan]

What is this nonsense? Visa is automatically issued on arrival unless you come from Africa? 

This article is really bad for attracting tourists, all fud. 

[Jason]

The situation is changing rapidly. The sooner Thailand gets vaccinated and back to the provisions prior to the pandemic, the sooner the numbers will increase. Foreign tourists are expected to be tested and vaccinated....Thais need to do the same to be in any position to dictate terms of arrival.

[Poolie]

8 minutes ago, Jason said:

.Thais need to do the same to be in any position to dictate terms of arrival.

Not in Thailand they don't.

[BIGGLES]

What is the point of this, just to put another 2000 baht in some Ting Tongs pocket?

Pathetic!

[Malc-Thai]

2 hours ago, Stonker said:

Actually it clearly says "show you are carrying 10,000 baht (20,000 baht for a family)".

Evidently they're expecting some big spenders ...

Clearly not the 1 million high end tourists going to spend 60 billion baht ! 

[PhayakPeter]

Looks like an excuse to charge ฿2000 for a voa that was normally issued free on arrival. Big drop in tourists so scam more baht out of the tourists that are going. 

[Stonker]

2 hours ago, EdwardV said:

If you still need to get a COE from the local embassy, how does a visa upon arrival improve anything?

I'm not really following the constant changes as all that really interests me about tourists is their impact, but isn't the CoE now just an on-line application?

[Stonker]

2 hours ago, Jason said:

The situation is changing rapidly. The sooner Thailand gets vaccinated and back to the provisions prior to the pandemic, the sooner the numbers will increase. Foreign tourists are expected to be tested and vaccinated....Thais need to do the same to be in any position to dictate terms of arrival.

2 hours ago, Poolie said:

Not in Thailand they don't.

Do the locals in your countries have to be "tested and vaccinated the same to be in any position to dictate terms of arrival to foreign tourists"?

Do they in any other country?

It may be something to aspire to as an example to attract tourists, but I can't think of any country in the world where that applies.

But let's not let that get in the way of demanding that Thailand lets the tourists dictate what the country does .....

[EdwardV]

10 minutes ago, Stonker said:

I'm not really following the constant changes as all that really interests me about tourists is their impact, but isn't the CoE now just an on-line application?

In reading the website in DC it appears so yes. I didn’t know that before. However it also says you can’t leave Phuket for 14 days, I thought that had changed to 7. Maybe that was just proposed at this point. Still not sure which countries this particular visa applies? What is up with the 15 day limit on it? That’s not going to work well?!?

[KoilStorp]

PLEASE UPDATE THE ARTICLE !!!!!

Visas on arrivals for 15 days are for a list of countries that don't benefit from the 30 days (currently 45) visa exemption like China for exemple. It existed before COVID and was suspended and now they plan to open it back to attract chinese tourists who do not want to bother with tourist visa applications. It does not affect traveller who are eligible for visa exemption.

[Manu]

6 minutes ago, KoilStorp said:

PLEASE UPDATE THE ARTICLE !!!!!

Visas on arrivals for 15 days are for a list of countries that don't benefit from the 30 days (currently 45) visa exemption like China for exemple. It existed before COVID and was suspended and now they plan to open it back to attract chinese tourists who do not want to bother with tourist visa applications. It does not affect traveller who are eligible for visa exemption.

Indeed the article needs to be updated, it got me VERY confused until I saw your post, and I bet I am not the only one

[mic]

nice picture 1/2/3....

but nothing about covid insurance??

[vlad]

When will the Monkeys be put back in there cage's instead of arsing around in an office.

[JamesE]

2 hours ago, KoilStorp said:

PLEASE UPDATE THE ARTICLE !!!!!

Visas on arrivals for 15 days are for a list of countries that don't benefit from the 30 days (currently 45) visa exemption like China for exemple. It existed before COVID and was suspended and now they plan to open it back to attract chinese tourists who do not want to bother with tourist visa applications. It does not affect traveller who are eligible for visa exemption.

Apparently The Thaiger is unaware of the three ways to enter Thailand: by Visa, by Visa on Arrival (for some countries) and by Visa Exemption (for some other countries). For some reason VoA has come to mean the same as VE in common usage even though they are completely different things.

[Alavan]

2 hours ago, KoilStorp said:

PLEASE UPDATE THE ARTICLE !!!!!

Visas on arrivals for 15 days are for a list of countries that don't benefit from the 30 days (currently 45) visa exemption like China for exemple. It existed before COVID and was suspended and now they plan to open it back to attract chinese tourists who do not want to bother with tourist visa applications. It does not affect traveller who are eligible for visa exemption.

I think the 45 days visa exemption has ended 30 september. I found no news that it was prolonged, so it must be 30 days again.
I sent a mail to the Thai Embassy and hope to receive news soon.

[satpete]

there is no visa excemption anymore,

visa on arrival may be ok for Indian foreigners,

but Europeans will not travel 13 to 20 hours by flights

to have 15 days holidays in Thailand,

3 weeks may ordinary besides of longer stays,

to get a visa about 60 or 90 days you have to wait about 4 to 6 weeks

to get the visa in Germany, then COE, so all about 2 months,

who will do this for a long holiday ?

Edited October 5, 2021 by satpete

[Lawyers_Guns_and_Money]

Maybe Thaiger should hold off on publishing articles if the first sentence says "no official announcement" and "might soon". Or at least put a question mark at the end of the headline? I guess this is what happens when you can't copy and paste from bkpost.

Edited October 5, 2021 by Lawyers_Guns_and_Money

[Faz]

1 hour ago, JamesE said:

Apparently The Thaiger is unaware of the three ways to enter Thailand: by Visa, by Visa on Arrival (for some countries) and by Visa Exemption (for some other countries). For some reason VoA has come to mean the same as VE in common usage even though they are completely different things.

4 ways, you missed by bilateral agreements. 

[Faz]

16 minutes ago, satpete said:

there is no visa excemption anymore,

Yes there is.

[Faz]

8 minutes ago, Lawyers_Guns_and_Money said:

I guess this is what happens when you can't copy and paste from bkpost.

You can put a link to and quote the Bangkok Post - who said you couldn't.