THAILAND’S new visa regulations aimed at curbing border runs are unlikely to significantly affect tourist arrivals and multi-country tours incorporating the kingdom, said travel specialists.
Thai immigration authorities had on May 10 implemented new rules for travellers entering the country overland, restricting entry permits and visas on arrival granted at the country’s land borders to a single 15-30 day stay, depending on the visitor’s nationality. A full tourist visa obtained from a Thai embassy or consulate will be needed to return to the country.
The move effectively closed a loophole whereby people wanting to stay or work in the country without having a long-term visa could simply leave and re-enter the country via a land border with Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia or Malaysia every 30 days.
A statement issued on the Immigration Bureau’s website said the regulations will be enforced at Thai airports from August 12.
Andre van der Marck, general manager Khiri Travel Thailand, said while the new rules could potentially affect the travel plans of tourists wanting to travel overland to more than one of Thailand’s neighbouring countries without having to obtain a multiple-entry visa from a Thai embassy or consulate before arriving in the kingdom, he does not expect business to be affected significantly.
“As a hub for regional travel, some of our programmes are designed along the relaxed entry regulations for Thailand and have a few short entries in between travels to neighbouring countries – including overland travel,” he said. “Even with this stricter enforcement, we don’t think clients will have to apply for multiple-entry visa in advance.”
Visa regulations in other ASEAN countries are a far greater impediment to multi-destination travel than the new Thai regulations, he added.
Exotissimo Travel Thailand also expects to see little impact. Its general manager, Michael Lynden-Bell, said: “Most of our regional overland tours start in Thailand and go outbound. We have a few that come inbound, but a 15-day visa is still going to be enough time for our clients visiting Thailand.”
