News Forum - Successes and failures in the Thailand Pass programme

[AussieBob]

2 hours ago, Soidog said:

Yes I agree there are those advantages over the TP system. However, compare the process I outlined to applying for a 60 day tourist visa at my local consulate back in December 2019. Filled out a form in under 5 minutes. Took it to the consulate with my passport. No need for proof of income. No need for proof of hotel booking. No need for proof of flights. All done in under 15 mins and good to go. 
I think the main concern is having to show paid for hotel booking for the duration of your entire 60 days. Who the hell books two months worth of hotels in advance and pays for them and then sticks to that plan. I can understand how they may ask for your first night but beyond that it’s getting silly. 
Best of luck with you TP application. I will start mine in a couple of weeks

Mate - that demand for full hotel payment for the entire trip is one of the 'deal breakers' for us to visit. Especially as there is no guarantee they will refund the costs if you test positive on arrival, and the travel insurance will not cover that either.  

[Dicko]

3 hours ago, Davefrombrisbane said:

here is my experience as 70 plus male in Australia.  Don't have luxury of computer,  scanner,  printer at home, so using local library.

 Using library pc was difficult with docs, and didn't have confidence they went through. Tried again using Ipad taking photos of docs.

Now third attempt after not understanding significant of "plus" with first night hotel booking.  I  booked SHA hotel. Now booked SHA +

So 3 attempts,  3 email addresses,  sit back and wait,  flight 2 weeks away.  

Dave, Assuming you're still in Brisbane, if you go down to the Thai Consulate at 19/344 Queen St. I've always found them very helpful. Just walk in , act dumb, and ask for help. I once got a 90 day visa given to me in one hour!

[Davefrombrisbane]

thanks, I tried to phone a week or so ago and the office appears to be closed.  " All enquires to Embassy Canberra " ?

I  should have considered a trip to climb Mt Everest,  it  might have been easier than getting to Thailand. 

[palooka]

5 hours ago, Soidog said:

If you think the TP is a minefield, anyone tried applying for a simple 60 day tourist visa using the e-visa website. My god!!
 

The amount of information they want including pre-booked and prepaid flights and hotels (before you even get a visa) is utterly crazy. Not to mention proof of income, proof of residency and even a picture of you holding up your picture page of your passport. Oh I also forgot the printing signing, scanning and uploading of a declaration form.
 

Oh and did I tell you they also want any pages from your passport scanned for the last 12 months if you have travelled. And if you are staying at a friends house they want a copy of their Thai ID card and an invitation letter from them. All for a 60-day tourist visa. Can’t imagine what the application for a Non-O must be like these days. 

Some people just will not take a hint. 55555555

[farang]

palooka,i understand  how you feel.i to am disgusted with this crap and have now gave up.many someday the thai people will get pissed enough with this crap govt killing their jobs.good luck to all.im done!!

[Soidog]

6 hours ago, AussieBob said:

Mate - that demand for full hotel payment for the entire trip is one of the 'deal breakers' for us to visit. Especially as there is no guarantee they will refund the costs if you test positive on arrival, and the travel insurance will not cover that either.  

Well I can hardly believe even the Thai logic really means what it says. Who the hell makes a 2 month trip and plans it all out for a whole potential 59 nights in a various hotels and pays up front? 
 

It’s also a problem that if you are looking to stay with friends as I am for some of my trip, they want ID or passport. I’m looking to drop in and spend a few nights with three mates I have. One in Rayong, one in Udon and possibly one in Bangkok.   I would need to start getting invitation letters and copies of passports for all three to do it as they request.  I also have no firm plans as to where I will be on what dates. It just becomes a classic bureaucratic exercise. 
 

I was talking last night to a  guy I know that heads out there most years for a couple of months over Christmas and New year with his wife. They were going to apply for a 60 day tourist visa as they have always done but decided against it due to the e-visa requirements. I did say get use to it, as the e-visa issues have nothing to do with Covid requirements. These are all the normal way to apply going forward. I guess they want to kill 60 day visas and this will certainly do that   
 

I guess no one can say the “e” in e-visa stands for “easy”! 

[Sidney]

22 hours ago, Jijo said:

The mofa Thailand telling u did not submit valid vaccination passport, that is really bad response, I have two vaccination certificate given by saudi arabia government, this is the vaccination given by the government. Then calling it unvalid, what wrong I have done it is what I got, detailed vaccine contains my resident identity number, while the other which contains both passport and identity number requires code to open with my registered phone number.

The code is not same the code comes everytime when you scan the qr code

Please ssnd the MOFA email to the Thai Embassy in Riyadh. They will assist with the problem.

thaivisariyadh@gmail.com

 

[Soidog]

5 hours ago, palooka said:

Some people just will not take a hint. 55555555

I think you are right mate. They certainly couldn’t have done a better job in putting people off if they had tried (which I believe they have tried).  I’ve said a few times now. The government don’t want to restart mass tourism. They simply want to make it look like they are. They know another serious wave of Covid (not that they are over this one) will hurt the economy more. This way they can curb tourism and hence lots of movement and at the same time say they tried but the world wasn’t ready to travel. They are not stupid, they just appear to be stupid. 
An old English word not used so much these days is that they are “Crafty”

Example of Crafty:

If people call you crafty, they probably mean you are sly and a little deceptive. ... The adjective crafty comes from the Old English word cræftig, which meant “strong” or “powerful,” but the meaning of crafty these days has to do with being skilled at getting what you want through manipulation or trickery.

[palooka]

1 hour ago, Soidog said:

 

I guess no one can say the “e” in e-visa stands for “easy”! 

"Exacting" is probably a better definition

[Soidog]

12 minutes ago, palooka said:

"Exacting" is probably a better definition

Or Excruciating 

[AussieBob]

3 hours ago, Soidog said:

Well I can hardly believe even the Thai logic really means what it says. Who the hell makes a 2 month trip and plans it all out for a whole potential 59 nights in a various hotels and pays up front? 
 

It’s also a problem that if you are looking to stay with friends as I am for some of my trip, they want ID or passport. I’m looking to drop in and spend a few nights with three mates I have. One in Rayong, one in Udon and possibly one in Bangkok.   I would need to start getting invitation letters and copies of passports for all three to do it as they request.  I also have no firm plans as to where I will be on what dates. It just becomes a classic bureaucratic exercise. 
 

I was talking last night to a  guy I know that heads out there most years for a couple of months over Christmas and New year with his wife. They were going to apply for a 60 day tourist visa as they have always done but decided against it due to the e-visa requirements. I did say get use to it, as the e-visa issues have nothing to do with Covid requirements. These are all the normal way to apply going forward. I guess they want to kill 60 day visas and this will certainly do that   
 

I guess no one can say the “e” in e-visa stands for “easy”! 

Ditto - we have friends and family all over Thailand we would visit - we only stay at hotels for about half of our trip. Absolutely ridiculous that no-one in the 'planning session' said " 'what about those that come and stay with family or friends?'  Did I say 'planning' session - it must be getting late. 

[Soidog]

15 minutes ago, AussieBob said:

Ditto - we have friends and family all over Thailand we would visit - we only stay at hotels for about half of our trip. Absolutely ridiculous that no-one in the 'planning session' said " 'what about those that come and stay with family or friends?'  Did I say 'planning' session - it must be getting late. 

Agreed mate. It’s also interesting how they phrase the evidence required. I can’t recall exactly, but it’s something along the lines of requiring their Thai ID. A strong suggestion that if you are staying “with a friend” it most likely a woman and must be Thai. I mean, who else owns property in Thailand right! . Well I can tell you, the guys I’m staying with are simply not my type.  

[Steve66]

 

Quick question...  I applied for TP yesterday, but did not get an email saying application received.  (Gmail not Hotmail)

Is this normal??

Thanks, Steve 

 

[Thommo]

52 minutes ago, Steve66 said:

Quick question...  I applied for TP yesterday, but did not get an email saying application received.  (Gmail not Hotmail)

Is this normal??

Thanks, Steve 

 

Edited November 10, 2021 by Thommo

[Thommo]

Just now, Thommo said:

yes

sorry  no  you should have recevied the email  i had for all 3 of my apllications

 

[Davefrombrisbane]

yes, I am up to 4 applications, all with confirming emails.

Thommo how long ago did you apply and have you got the TP ?

My first application was Friday 5th  so hoping something soon.

Has anyone heard,  if you don't get the QR can you still rock up to airport with all paperwork and fly ?

[Jeremy]

On 11/8/2021 at 1:17 PM, Soidog said:

Agreed mate. It’s also interesting how they phrase the evidence required. I can’t recall exactly, but it’s something along the lines of requiring their Thai ID. A strong suggestion that if you are staying “with a friend” it most likely a woman and must be Thai. I mean, who else owns property in Thailand right! . Well I can tell you, the guys I’m staying with are simply not my type.  

Hi Soidog, I totally agreed with you that the E-visa is a nightmare.

I work and live in the UK but I am still holding a China passport so I will need a visa to go to Thailand anyway. So I applied for one and yes they required all these bizzare things like the photo of me holding my passport, and as you said, they required me to upload the ID of a Thai National, which is ridiculous because this is not written anywhere in their requirement of TR visa, but they don't allow you to proceed if you don't upload anything there. So I just uploaded my accommodation booking again there.

Fortunately I got my visa approved in three working days. And honestly although the e-visa is not easy at all, I cannot complain about it too much because one, as a Chinese national I am so used to the pain of visa application , and two, I live in Plymouth and back then when E-visa was not introduced, Chinese nationals were not given the option of applying for a Thai visa in the UK by post, so when I wanted the visa I had to take two round-trips to London, one to submit the application, and another to fetch my passport. I did that a couple of times before and this time the E-visa at least saved me the hassle of travelling.

My real pain is the Thailand Pass. I submitted once on Nov.1, and then learned that I should use gmail instead of hotmail, so I submitted again on Nov. 2 using gmail. Got the confirmation but no QR code yet. I think there is once issue: in the introduction page of the Thailand Pass they say they will require the visa (if applicable), but then in the who process I was not prompted to upload the visa at all. I would like to know your updates of visa and TP application if you could share them. Thank you very much.

BTW I loved the soidogs in Bangkok, although I was once bitten by one.

[Davefrombrisbane]

just submitted another application,  and you would not believe , I got an access code so I guess I can follow the progress. That is first time , I always got the green tick, but now a reference number.

Other changes they give an example of required passport information page photo. Do not include both pages when opened, as I had done in past. 

Also example of vaccine QR code required, when submitting.  Only photo of QR code nothing else.

 

[farang]

qr code??where did you get a qr code for vaccine card?usa dont have a qr code on the card.

[Davefrombrisbane]

the Australian government has issued , if you apply, an " international civid 19 vaccination certificate " which includes a QR code.

 

 

[PBS]

On 11/8/2021 at 9:17 AM, Soidog said:

If you think the TP is a minefield, anyone tried applying for a simple 60 day tourist visa using the e-visa website. My god!!
 

The amount of information they want including pre-booked and prepaid flights and hotels (before you even get a visa) is utterly crazy. Not to mention proof of income, proof of residency and even a picture of you holding up your picture page of your passport. Oh I also forgot the printing signing, scanning and uploading of a declaration form.
 

Oh and did I tell you they also want any pages from your passport scanned for the last 12 months if you have travelled. And if you are staying at a friends house they want a copy of their Thai ID card and an invitation letter from them. All for a 60-day tourist visa. Can’t imagine what the application for a Non-O must be like these days. 

Why not use your local consulate / embassy? Current requirement for 60 day tourist visa in Oz...

https://sydney.thaiembassy.org/en/publicservice/tourist-visa

Edited November 11, 2021 by PBS

[Soidog]

16 minutes ago, PBS said:

https://sydney.thaiembassy.org/en/publicservice/tourist-visa

Hi @PBS and thanks for the link. 
 

The local consulate is currently closed and all visa applications in the U.K. are now processed through the e-visa portal. The link above shows exactly the same requirements as posted on the London embassy website. However, as with the link you provided you are instructed to use the “online form” or in the case of the U.K. at least, the e-visa system which then demands much more. This includes prepaid flights, prepaid accommodation or letters of invitation along with Thai ID cards if staying with friends. You also have to upload a picture of you holding your passports picture page as well as pictures of you and the picture page separately. In addition, you must download a “declaration form”, sign and date, rescan and upload. A significant change to the list of requirements previously asked for and shown on your link. In summary, what’s listed on the embassy websites in Sydney and London (most likely many others?) is a sub-set of the requirements via the e-visa portal. The extra picture and declaration form is not such an issue, although laughable. The real issue is prepaid flights and hotels before you can even get a visa.

[Soidog]

4 hours ago, Jeremy said:

Hi Soidog, I totally agreed with you that the E-visa is a nightmare.

I work and live in the UK but I am still holding a China passport so I will need a visa to go to Thailand anyway. So I applied for one and yes they required all these bizzare things like the photo of me holding my passport, and as you said, they required me to upload the ID of a Thai National, which is ridiculous because this is not written anywhere in their requirement of TR visa, but they don't allow you to proceed if you don't upload anything there. So I just uploaded my accommodation booking again there.

Fortunately I got my visa approved in three working days. And honestly although the e-visa is not easy at all, I cannot complain about it too much because one, as a Chinese national I am so used to the pain of visa application , and two, I live in Plymouth and back then when E-visa was not introduced, Chinese nationals were not given the option of applying for a Thai visa in the UK by post, so when I wanted the visa I had to take two round-trips to London, one to submit the application, and another to fetch my passport. I did that a couple of times before and this time the E-visa at least saved me the hassle of travelling.

My real pain is the Thailand Pass. I submitted once on Nov.1, and then learned that I should use gmail instead of hotmail, so I submitted again on Nov. 2 using gmail. Got the confirmation but no QR code yet. I think there is once issue: in the introduction page of the Thailand Pass they say they will require the visa (if applicable), but then in the who process I was not prompted to upload the visa at all. I would like to know your updates of visa and TP application if you could share them. Thank you very much.

BTW I loved the soidogs in Bangkok, although I was once bitten by one.

Hi @Jeremy and thanks for confirming that’s it’s not just me who finds this e-visa requirements a problem.
 

Like all things in life, a change always offers some upside  and downside. For you and I suspect many others, the e-visa cuts down on travel to embassies etc. For me, my local consulate is just 20 mins easy car ride, small office where the people know me and any problems are sorted out there and then. I’m usually in and out inside of 20 mins with my visa in my passport. The real downside of the e-visa process is the requirements to book and pay for hotels and flights. I can’t imagine many people who go to Thailand for 60 days travel will know their exact travel plans so well as to commit 59 hotel nights bought and paid for. I have emailed the embassy to ask if they really mean that or will the first few days accommodation be sufficient. I’m awaiting the reply!
 

I can’t update you on the TP as I’ve yet to start that process. From the feedback to date, I’m looking forward to it like I do a trip to my dentist! 
 

My travel dates are not until early or mid January and so I have a few more weeks before I need to finalise flights etc and get the applications underway. 
 

Good luck with your application and travels. Apologies about the Soidog biting you. I’m from a more gentle breed and only bite Internet and forum trolls  

[Alavan]

2 hours ago, farang said:

qr code??where did you get a qr code for vaccine card?usa dont have a qr code on the card.

I guess qr code is not necessary , but they say it speeds up the process.

[Davefrombrisbane]

UNBELIEVABLE , my 5th application was approved within about 5 hours.

There seems to be significant changes , which help approval process.

Please forward money as I'm off to the pub.