jaynewcastle wrote: ↑Fri Sep 23, 2022 12:34 am

Jones wrote: ↑Thu Sep 22, 2022 1:51 pm

Jamie_Lambo wrote: ↑Wed Sep 21, 2022 1:12 am so have all entry requirements been dropped now other than the usual proof of "onward travel" for people entering on the visa exempt stamp?

I didn’t have to provide proof of onward travel, only show vaccination status when checking in…

Which airline let you board without checking whether you had a visa or flight already booked out of Thailand ?

Hit or miss i am reading, one thing you can do is buy a cheap fake ticket
OR ask for the supervisor and sign a waiver so the airline is not responsible to return you

Many times flights in and around SE asia they dont ask for the onward ticket cause they are familiar with the ease of land borders. While flight originating from Europe/the states ask more often

phuketrichard wrote: ↑Fri Sep 23, 2022 7:58 am

jaynewcastle wrote: ↑Fri Sep 23, 2022 12:34 am

Jones wrote: ↑Thu Sep 22, 2022 1:51 pm

Jamie_Lambo wrote: ↑Wed Sep 21, 2022 1:12 am so have all entry requirements been dropped now other than the usual proof of "onward travel" for people entering on the visa exempt stamp?

I didn’t have to provide proof of onward travel, only show vaccination status when checking in…

Which airline let you board without checking whether you had a visa or flight already booked out of Thailand ?

Hit or miss i am reading, one thing you can do is buy a cheap fake ticket
OR ask for the supervisor and sign a waiver so the airline is not responsible to return you

Many times flights in and around SE asia they dont ask for the onward ticket cause they are familiar with the ease of land borders. While flight originating from Europe/the states ask more often

Yes, it is a hit or miss. Flew the same airline twice last month, one time they checked, one time they didn't care. The time they didn't care I traveled with my kid, the time they checked I traveled alone.

Jones wrote: ↑Fri Sep 23, 2022 10:58 am ^^ less than 2 weeks ago. Guess I was a bit lucky. I was flying from Amsterdam as well

thanks
when someone posts travel into Thailand it would be very helpful if they posted;
1. where they flew from
2. when they flew
3. if they had a tourist visa or were expecting to get a visa exempt
4. were they asked at check in or / and at immigration

something that took place pre covid is not relevant

Connecting the dots I think we see why they have relaxed/extended the length of tourist visas from October 1st.

its the visa exempts that have been extended form 30 days to 45 days, not a 60 day tourist visa
and VOA's increased from 15 to 30 days

BUT ur right in the reason why its being done> got to get tourism kick started!!
hear from friends , noticeable increase of Russians in Phuket nowadays

Cowshed Cowboy wrote: ↑Mon Sep 26, 2022 2:03 pm

Cowshed Cowboy wrote: ↑Fri Sep 16, 2022 9:59 am

phuketrichard wrote: ↑Thu Sep 15, 2022 2:18 pm Over 5 million foreign tourists arrived in Thailand in 9 months
not sure of 10 but 9 + for sure
everyone i speak to in Phuket & Samui says its still dead with only Indians and Arabs being about

A Thai government spokesperson has announced yesterday that over five million foreign tourists have arrived in the ‘land of smiles’ between January 1 and September 8. The total number of foreign visitors was 5,018,172, said spokesman Thanakorn Wangboonkongchana.

The Tourism Authority of Thailand says the biggest group of tourists came from Malaysia, with 751,397 arrivals. Up next was India, with 480,825 arrivals. In third place was Laos, with 310,464 arrivals. Cambodia sent the fourth most tourists to Thailand, with a total of 249,084 arrivals.

TAT estimated that the number of tourists would reach 10 million, based on advanced flights and hotel bookings for the next three months.

https://thethaiger.com/news/national/ov ... nment-says

For that figure to be correct is means 1.8 million came here from August 1st to September 8th which is another big increase month on month from July. I'm a bit surprised it is that high and there is a tendency for the final confirmed figure to be lower, I suspect in their final analysis of the data they strip out people not on tourist visas. Even so I've said all along their forecast of 10 million was realistic and these numbers back it up. They have oversight on future flight schedules, bookings etc.

Further to my comment above about being surprised at the increase re the govt spokesman's figure for August in relation to July.

August confirmed figure just released : 1,174,743 which is just 50k higher than the 1,124,227 reported in July !!! Something clearly doesn't add up to the govt spokesman's comment as that makes year to date August 4.4m. This is the first month this year where the monthly % compared to 2019 has not increased. It has been reported revenue per tourist has dropped significantly since reopening compared to 2019 which is likely due to theshorter-term near markets being the main visitors.

Connecting the dots I think we see why they have relaxed/extended the length of tourist visas from October 1st.

It has been reported revenue per tourist has dropped significantly since reopening compared to 2019

That'll be the Indians. Outside a go go bar in Nana Plaza, 8 of them rocked up. The Mamasam wouldn't let them in until all 8 had bought, and paid in advance for, a beer each. This took at least 5 minutes of discussion and peeking in the door to have a look first. The girl told us they get 45 minutes to drink it and either buy more or leave. It seems they have been going in and buying 1 beer between 2 or more and staying for hours. The locals don't like them and don't care who knows about it.

Phuket if full of them, all walking around but very few in the bars actually spending money. We saw a couple in a bar and they were buying lots of lady drinks. We got chatting - these guys looked Indian but came from Stanmore, NW London!

So much for Thailand chasing high value tourists, they have got Gupta and the gang and they don't spend a rub unless they absolutely have to.