Thailand - Free tourist visas between March 5 and June 4, 2009

THAILAND WAIVES VISA FEE AS PART OF DRIVE TO REVIVE TOURISM

February 24, 2009, Bangkok — Continuing its efforts to expedite the revival of the Thai travel and tourism industry, the Royal Thai government has agreed to exempt the fee for tourist visa applications for a three month period, effective 5 March, 2009 to 4 June, 2009.

Thailand presently gives Visa on Arrival for citizens of 20 countries for a stay not exceeding 15 days. Citizens of another 42 countries are allowed a visa-free stay in Thailand not over 30 days. Those who wish to stay longer than those periods have to apply for visas at the Thai embassies or diplomatic missions abroad before their arrival in Thailand.

http://www.tatnews.org/latest_update/detail.asp?id=4235

Please note that this is for Tourist Visa single entry only.

waiving airport fees may entice more people @:-)

BANGKOK (thaivisa.com): -- Continuing its efforts to expedite the revival of the Thai travel and tourism industry, the Royal Thai government has agreed to exempt the fee for tourist visa applications, effective 25 June 2009 to March 2010.

All foreigners who apply for Tourist Visa at the Royal Thai Embassies and the Royal Thai Consulates-General worldwide will be exempted from tourist visa fee from 25 June 2009 to March B.E.2553 (2010).

Such arrangement is for Tourist Visa single entry only.

-- Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Bangkok 2009-06-24

Cut & Paste from Thaivisa.com

Also applies to visas issued upon arrival. So, in a nutshell, single entry tourist visas issued by either Thai Embassy/Consulates or upon arrival, are free with immediate effect until March 04, 2010.

Source: Thai Consulate, Osaka (http://www.thaiconsulate.jp/th/PDF/Visafee24June09JP.pdf)

Free visas for 2010; Domestic tourism expected to grow up in 2010

BANGKOK, 15 January 2010 (NNT) – Tourism and Sports Minister Chumpol Silpa-archa has expressed his confidence in a 10% growth of Thailand's domestic tourism in 2010. The ministry has set a goal to attract tourists from the East Asia.

Mr Chumpol on Thursday reported that the number of tourists last year exceeded the target of 14 million people, thanks to good cooperation from the private sector. The minister added that the government's measures to assist tourism entrepreneurs affected by political turmoil would be continued this year, including admission fee reduction, free landing and parking fees, and free visas.

Mr Chumpol continued to say that the public sector would also implement measures more proactively with emphasis on tourists from countries like China, Japan, Korea and Taiwan.

The minister also expressed his belief that the number of Thai and foreign tourists traveling to the Kingdom throughout 2010 would likely increase by 7-10% year-on-year or about 15.5 million people.

Source: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/Free-Visas-2010-Tourism-Sports-M-t330035.html

kolboz,
Thanks for the update on free visa.