For five glorious years, I’ve avoided the ravages of winter
by spending six months of the year in, and around, Thailand. By accident of
birth, a British Passport has allowed me to access reasonably priced
double-entry tourist visas with, thankfully, very few questions asked. However,
as of November 2015, the Thai visa system has changed.
Previously, I’d arrive in Thailand as a tourist under the 30
Day Visa Waiver Programme, a programme that remains unchanged. As that initial
30 days began to expire, I’d venture north into Laos, and at the Thai Embassy in
Vientiane, I’d apply for a double-entry 60 Day Tourist Visa. That particular
visa cost $60 and for a further $60 it could be extended for an additional 30
Days on two separate occasions. Under that system, with the exception of two
short trips to Laos or Cambodia, I could remain in Thailand for 210 Days.
However, as of November 2015, the double entry tourist visa
has been withdrawn. It has been replaced by a Multi-Entry 6 Month Tourist Visa,
which initially sounded like very good news indeed. However, in the words of
the original Night Owl ‘This is Thailand’,
a Kingdom where things are never quite as straight forward as they seem. To
obtain this new multiple-entry visa you must:
1: Apply in your home country
2: Provide six months of bank statements
with a balance that never for one day dips below
$6,000 (Some early applicants are
saying the minimum amount is actually $12,000)
3: Provide a letter from your
employer guaranteeing your continued and future employment.
Unfortunately, for me, I fail on all three of the new
criteria. So, when the 30 days on my initial visa waiver are about to expire, I’ll
head to Laos and apply for a 60 Day Single-Entry Tourist Visa at the Royal Thai
Embassy in Vientiane. Hopefully, I’ll be able to extend that 60 Day Visa for an
additional 30 Days at my local Immigration Office here in Bangkok. That should
allow me to remain in Thailand until February 2016, at which time I’ll have to
once again leave the country. Hopefully between now and then, the new system
will have settled into place and my options for extending my stay will have
become clearer.
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