90 days on arrival visas

[PepeLePew]

Apparently a decision made to 'help japan mitigate the effects of the earthquake' that as a fortunate by product will also help Thailand mitigate the projected loss of 15 - 20 Billion Japanese tourist baht.

 

 

Japanese Tourists Allowed to Stay Longer in Thailand (27/04/2011)

 

Japanese visitors will be granted a visa on arrival for 90 days, instead of 30 days, for a period of six months, starting from 1 May to 31 October 2011.

 

The decision was made by the Cabinet, during its meeting on April 26, when the Ministry of Tourism and Sports submitted the proposal for approval.

 

The proposal was prepared after a meeting of relevant agencies on April 12, in response to the Government’s intention to help Japan mitigate the effects of the recent massive earthquake and tsunami and the nuclear incident. Apart from the Ministry of Tourism and Sports, the agencies included the Royal Thai Police, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Interior, the Immigration Office, the Office of the National Security Council, the National Intelligence Agency, the Office of the Council of State, and the Office of the National Economic and Social Development Board.

 

According to the Ministry of Tourism and Sports, Japan needs both time and money to reconstruct the country, while psychological rehabilitation is also required to bring the situation to normality. As a result of the disasters, Japanese arrivals in Thailand in 2011 are likely to drop, and Thailand may lose about 15-20 billion baht in tourism income from the Japanese market this year.

 

More than one million Japanese travelers visit Thailand each year. After Malaysia and China, Japan accounts for the third largest group of international tourists in Thailand. It was projected earlier that about 1.2 million Japanese tourists would visit Thailand in 2011. Following the Japanese crisis in March, Japanese arrivals are likely to drop to 850,000, down by 12 per cent from last year.

 

Since Japan is one of Thailand’s largest tourism markets, the Ministry believes that the extension of the permitted length of stay for Japanese visitors without visa fees will help strengthen relations between the two countries. It will also encourage Japanese tourists to come back after Japan recovers from its current crisis.

 

Meanwhile, Mr. Takeaki Matsumoto, Foreign Minister of Japan, expressed his appreciation to the Thai government for dispatching medical teams consisting of one pediatrician and one nurse to assist Japan’s own medical teams upon the request of the Japanese government. A report from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Thailand said that the Thai-Japanese medical team would be assigned to provide medical check-ups and advice to evacuees, especially young children currently living in evacuation shelters around Fukushima province and nearby areas.

 

Each team is scheduled to work with Japanese medical teams for two weeks, with the first team starting its mission on 9 May 2011. Subsequently, the second team will replace the first team and remain in Japan for another two weeks. Soon after the aftermath of the earthquake and tsunami, Thailand informed the Japanese side of Thailand’s estimated 500 Japanese-speaking Thai doctors and nurses who stood ready to provide medical assistance to the victims in Japan upon request.

 

 

 

 

 

http://thailand.prd....ide.php?id=5642

[Scumbag]

I don't know how successful this will be. Elsewhere the Japanese tend to be short term tourists (1 or 2 weeks). Good news for the Japaneses mongers who want to come longer term!

[stevxpl]

Don't think I would be one to take extended holidays when the country I live in economy is struggling along due to a natural disaster.

 

But it is not unexpected for the Thai authorities to try and jump on any band wagon that they can see might make them a quick buck in lieu of actually putting together tourism packages that will work in the long term.

[PepeLePew]

I'm off to the Japanese Embassy tomorrow, see if I can convince them of my Japanese heritage!

[Edge]

I don't know how successful this will be. Elsewhere the Japanese tend to be short term tourists (1 or 2 weeks). Good news for the Japaneses mongers who want to come longer term!

 

If they stay too long they'll start to feel like expats = no more ping pong balls flying around Baccara.

 

 

 

[UNREALADDICT]

If they stay too long they'll start to feel like expats = no more ping pong balls flying around Baccara.

And thats a bad thing? LOL

 

I seriously doubt that the japanese working culture will allow anyone to take advantage of this new visa. Right now is golden week and Baccara is PACKED with japanese, with laundrybags of pingpong balls being thrown all over the place.

 

EDIT: for typos

Edited May 2, 2011 by islandboy666

[Edge]

And thats a bad thing? LOL

...................Right now is golden week and Baccara is PACKED with japanese, with laundrybags of pingpong balls being thrown all over the place.

 

I know, I had to keep my hand over my 59 Baht draft beer when I was in there a few nights ago.