New Thai tourist tax is not free insurance for international visitors
By Barry Kenyon
February 16, 2023
The newest date for the introduction of an international tourist entry fee is now set for around June 1, or three months from publication in the Royal Gazette. Tourism minister Phipat Ratchakitprakan told the media 300 baht (US$9) would be added to the cost of inbound flight tickets, whereas those arriving by land and sea would be charged half that amount, presumably in cash at the point of entry. The Cabinet has endorsed the principle with some details still up in the air.
Air ticket refunds, if anyone actually bothers, will be available for Thai citizens, diplomats, children under two, transit passengers and foreign work permit holders. The minister has asked the immigration bureau to examine how these bread-and-butter issues might be addressed. One suggestion is that people entitled to a refund might be given a discount on their next re-entry permit. The difficulty is that the companies and airlines issuing tickets cannot readily distinguish between the target payers and groups who are notionally exempt.
Some press reports maintain that “expats” in general will be exempt. In reality, long stay retirees, married foreigners, Elite card holders and students have not been given an opt-out. The term “expat” in this context means “those paying Thai income tax on earnings” and rules out any foreigners without a blue book issued by the Department of Employment – with the exception of diplomatic passport holders and infants.
With tourism again booming in Thailand, up to 4 million baht may be gathered for the Thai treasury in under a year. The money will spent mainly on improving tourist infrastructure, according to previous remarks by the Tourist Authority of Thailand, but around 10 percent will be available on a discretionary basis for public hospitals which have failed to get seriously ill or deceased foreign patients to pay their bills.
The policy does not mean that foreigners in any shape or form will be relieved of the need to buy medical insurance. The fund is not a welfare scheme and hospital compensation will be limited to special or notorious cases, such as major traffic accidents or environmental disasters with multiple loss of life, for which special permission from the government will need to be sought by the hospital in question. There will likely be further clarification of the detail once the policy is publicized in the Royal Gazette.
Worldwide, travel taxes are becoming more common. Bali already has such a tax added on to all flight tickets, whilst the Philippines wants to introduce one to develop “local culture”. The European Union will tax non-EU nationals by November 2023 but will exempt babies and those over 70. Many Caribbean destinations already charge an entry fee, ranging from US$12 to US$50.
https://www.pattayamail.com/latestnews/ ... ors-424440
By Barry Kenyon
-
Gaybutton
- Posts: 21590
- Joined: Sat Jul 31, 2010 11:21 am
- Location: Thailand
- Has thanked: 2 times
- Been thanked: 1322 times
-
Gaybutton
- Posts: 21590
- Joined: Sat Jul 31, 2010 11:21 am
- Location: Thailand
- Has thanked: 2 times
- Been thanked: 1322 times
Re: By Barry Kenyon
There has been plenty of publicity about the 100 or so immigration officers who were involved - how they are being arrested and punished. But what about the Chinese nationals who received these illegal visas. I haven't seen much about that. Have their visas been revoked? Does there have to be proof each individual holder of these visas knew they were receiving illegal visas? Are the visas going to be honored?recent scandal in Thailand where corrupt police and bureaucrats have been issuing longstay visas to Chinese nationals who did not qualify for them.
If there are consequences for any or all of the illegal visa holders, I don't know what they are.
__________________________________
Thailand’s 10-year visa needs a bail out
By Barry Kenyon
February 27, 2023
Less than 3,000 expats have shown any interest in Thailand’s golden visa and there are no figures on how many of those have dropped out. Data from 10-year schemes in Malaysia and Cambodia suggest many potential applicants fail to complete. The Thai LTR (Long Term Residence) visa was launched in September 2022, but the Board of Investment is now seeking foreign investment companies to encourage the laying of more golden eggs by wealthy foreigners. There are problems to overcome.
As Thailand is pushing its brand of LTR, other countries are cancelling their versions. Both Portugal and Ireland have very recently cancelled their 10-year options because foreigners, especially Chinese and Russians, have been using their residency permits to buy up choice properties, thus fuelling inflation and making it impossible for poorer citizens to get onto the housing ladder. The same sell-out complaints were heard in Thailand last year and forced the government in November to abort any plans to let rich expats buy freehold properties or land. Just condominium units are allowed.
Alarm bells have been ringing in Britain too where the 2 million pounds cash-LTR was cancelled last year after fears that Russian oligarchs and investment exiles were buying up parts of London. Security minister Tom Tugendhat now says that countries in the Caribbean and Central America are selling citizenship and second passports to foreign nationals who are then landing in the UK for nefarious purposes. This concern mirrors the recent scandal in Thailand where corrupt police and bureaucrats have been issuing longstay visas to Chinese nationals who did not qualify for them.
The Thai LTR is aimed at global citizens, wealthy retirees, digital nomads and highly skilled professionals. The detailed regulations are complex vary according to category, but the eligibility criteria are unduly conservative. Digital nomads, for example, are expected to work for a public company listed on the stock market or for an established private company with a combined revenue of at least US$150 million over the last three years. Many work-from-anywhere professionals in Thailand aren’t impressed by such restrictions and just rely on tourist visas. They are customarily left untouched by the immigration police unless they openly and directly compete with Thai nationals for income.
Retirees are another coveted group as long as their annual income is at least US$80,000, or they have very substantial financial assets in Thailand. But these expats already have multiple (and much cheaper) visa choices, such as the 5-20 year Elite visa or yearly extensions of stay based on retirement or marriage. In other words, it’s a saturated market before LTR makes an appearance. Supposed advantages of LTR, such as reporting your address once a year instead of three-monthly, are pointless now that such reporting can easily be made online to immigration bureaux. Unlike some other LTR schemes elsewhere, the Thai version does not hold the promise of a second passport down the line, although the 10 years are extendable and families are welcome.
The Thai LTR program should be on stronger ground in attracting highly skilled professionals. High earners will receive income tax benefits and will automatically receive a digital work permit which allows them to work independently without Thai subordinates if they so wish. There is also the hint in the regulations that income earned abroad could be free of Thai tax. But even here the LTR is a bit late on the scene. In 2018, the Board of Investment introduced a four-year Smart visa for technological specialists and entrepreneurs, especially in the economic zones which are sprouting up all over the country. This visa was the first one not to require a separate work permit or three-monthly address reporting.
Thailand’s aim is to attract mega-cash on the one hand and to tap into the transformation of work and travel practices in the post-covid world. The challenge is to attract high-value foreigners against the truism that many other countries worldwide are trying to do precisely the same. While the Thai LTR certainly has strengths, particularly the new form of work permit and income tax concessions, the visa competes with other options available to the expat pool in Thailand. The detail requires cool reexamination, especially the current refusal to consider potentially awarding citizenship to cream-of-the-crop LTR holders after the first 10 years. That would certainly cause a stir.
https://www.pattayamail.com/latestnews/ ... out-425421
-
Gaybutton
- Posts: 21590
- Joined: Sat Jul 31, 2010 11:21 am
- Location: Thailand
- Has thanked: 2 times
- Been thanked: 1322 times
Re: By Barry Kenyon
Visa extensions for sick foreigners are now tougher to obtain
By Barry Kenyon
February 27, 2023
There are numerous reports, from Pattaya and Phuket in particular, of foreigners being refused a visa extension on medical grounds unless they have copious proof of being a hospital inpatient as opposed to a casual outpatient. The crackdown appears to relate to a working party set up by immigration police commander Lt Gn Pakpoompipat Sajjapan last November to close loopholes which had facilitated fraudulent visa extension applications based on voluntary work for foundations, being an adult language student or claiming to be ill.
Police regulations do allow for visa extensions based on “inability to travel” to be issued on a discretionary basis. In the past, outpatients who collected a letter from a hospital doctor or consultant specifying the medical issue, outlining the treatment and giving clear time lines were often successful in receiving an extra 30 days, a repeatable procedure. In theory, a 90 days extension was possible though rarely granted. But medical visa extensions were – and are – only possible after other legitimate options have been exhausted.
British visitor Lawrence Dudley, who has obstructive emphysema, says he was refused a medical extension even though he carried a letter from a private sector hospital supporting his claim to be too ill to travel. He was told to take a same-day minibus trip to the Cambodian border to receive a 45 days visa exempt stamp. According to reports on Facebook, this policy of “inpatients only” is now common in many immigration offices. Mr Dudley said he had approached the hospital to see how much inpatient care would cost and was told about 27,000 baht (about 650 pounds) a night. He explained he had travel insurance but it did not cover pre-existing health issues.
A Thailand-based BUPA spokesman said he believed the key problem was abuse of medical extensions by Russians who had paid cash to obtain illness certificates even though they were healthy. Russians entering Thailand without a prior visa receive 45 days visa exempt on arrival, but must then leave the country by land or air without any extension. Nationals of most other visa exempt countries (UK, EU, US for example) can obtain a 30 days extension after the 45 at local immigration. This would explain, if true, why visa-less Russians were seeking extra time by deception and why the immigration bureau decided to crackdown on all nationalities.
The advice to all patients seeking a current medical extension is to ensure they have a collection of dated photos showing their hospital care as well as detailed doctors’ reports and proof of payment of bills. If they are hospital-confined, the application can be made at immigration by a third party. The immigration police hotline confirmed that these extensions are handled on a case by case basis and recommended applicants produce as much evidence as possible and not just a single letter of recommendation from one doctor. The hotline also pointed out that foreign women who are pregnant at 7 months or more are eligible for a medical extension. But, once again, prove it.
https://www.pattayamail.com/latestnews/ ... ain-425502
By Barry Kenyon
February 27, 2023
There are numerous reports, from Pattaya and Phuket in particular, of foreigners being refused a visa extension on medical grounds unless they have copious proof of being a hospital inpatient as opposed to a casual outpatient. The crackdown appears to relate to a working party set up by immigration police commander Lt Gn Pakpoompipat Sajjapan last November to close loopholes which had facilitated fraudulent visa extension applications based on voluntary work for foundations, being an adult language student or claiming to be ill.
Police regulations do allow for visa extensions based on “inability to travel” to be issued on a discretionary basis. In the past, outpatients who collected a letter from a hospital doctor or consultant specifying the medical issue, outlining the treatment and giving clear time lines were often successful in receiving an extra 30 days, a repeatable procedure. In theory, a 90 days extension was possible though rarely granted. But medical visa extensions were – and are – only possible after other legitimate options have been exhausted.
British visitor Lawrence Dudley, who has obstructive emphysema, says he was refused a medical extension even though he carried a letter from a private sector hospital supporting his claim to be too ill to travel. He was told to take a same-day minibus trip to the Cambodian border to receive a 45 days visa exempt stamp. According to reports on Facebook, this policy of “inpatients only” is now common in many immigration offices. Mr Dudley said he had approached the hospital to see how much inpatient care would cost and was told about 27,000 baht (about 650 pounds) a night. He explained he had travel insurance but it did not cover pre-existing health issues.
A Thailand-based BUPA spokesman said he believed the key problem was abuse of medical extensions by Russians who had paid cash to obtain illness certificates even though they were healthy. Russians entering Thailand without a prior visa receive 45 days visa exempt on arrival, but must then leave the country by land or air without any extension. Nationals of most other visa exempt countries (UK, EU, US for example) can obtain a 30 days extension after the 45 at local immigration. This would explain, if true, why visa-less Russians were seeking extra time by deception and why the immigration bureau decided to crackdown on all nationalities.
The advice to all patients seeking a current medical extension is to ensure they have a collection of dated photos showing their hospital care as well as detailed doctors’ reports and proof of payment of bills. If they are hospital-confined, the application can be made at immigration by a third party. The immigration police hotline confirmed that these extensions are handled on a case by case basis and recommended applicants produce as much evidence as possible and not just a single letter of recommendation from one doctor. The hotline also pointed out that foreign women who are pregnant at 7 months or more are eligible for a medical extension. But, once again, prove it.
https://www.pattayamail.com/latestnews/ ... ain-425502
-
Gaybutton
- Posts: 21590
- Joined: Sat Jul 31, 2010 11:21 am
- Location: Thailand
- Has thanked: 2 times
- Been thanked: 1322 times
Re: By Barry Kenyon
Hasn't it occurred to them that what they really need is a much larger facility at a new location, with plenty of staff to accommodate all comers along with plenty of parking? I don't think people should have to wait longer than 10 minutes for service or just trust to luck that they'll find a place to park within reasonable walking distance. How about good, clean, adequate restroom facilities too, while they're at it?
And how about doing away with some of the more frivolous reasons why people have to personally go to immigration in the first place? They could start by getting rid of the 90-day address reports entirely and require reports only when people move from their current residence. Some types of visa extensions could be done online rather than having to trek to immigration. I see no reason why several items can't be modernized and also handled online.
While I am glad to see them trying to improve what they've got, the improvements are ad hoc, with no plans that I have seen for the future, and the needs and numbers of foreigners have vastly outgrown the current facility's ability to cope, no matter how many improvements they come up with.
Some of us who have been here long enough remember immigration's facility in the city. When the foreigner numbers outgrew that facility they opened the current facility in Jomtien. It was a godsend at the time, but now perhaps it is again time to consider opening yet a new facility. And who says there has to be just one? They could open a new facility while keeping the current facility open too. Then they can consider who is supposed to use which facility.
Don't hold your breath . . .
_________________________________________
Improvements underway at Pattaya Immigration
By Barry Kenyon
March 2, 2023
The new head of Chonburi Immigration, with headquarters at Jomtien, has made a quick start to his promise to improve services to the public. Police colonel Parinya Klinkesorn said that a principal aim in his new command was to reduce queuing and inconvenience to those renewing visas, requesting extensions, reporting their address or requiring other documentary services.
The Jomtien carpark has now been wholly reserved for “outside” services with a newly signposted office for reporting of 90 days residence, address notification for newly arrived tourists (form TM30) and one year visas for retirees over 50 years. The waiting area has been expanded and, for the first time, chairs provided for those queuing for a service ticket.
Meanwhile, immigration officers have been posted outside the main building to answer general questions and to point customers in the right direction. A further development under consideration is to provide a permanent roof for the temporary cover in the car park area which currently leaves some areas directly in sunlight. Further streamlining will occur if the current pilot scheme in Bangkok to register online for some visa extensions or renewals goes nationwide.
https://www.pattayamail.com/news/improv ... ion-425642
And how about doing away with some of the more frivolous reasons why people have to personally go to immigration in the first place? They could start by getting rid of the 90-day address reports entirely and require reports only when people move from their current residence. Some types of visa extensions could be done online rather than having to trek to immigration. I see no reason why several items can't be modernized and also handled online.
While I am glad to see them trying to improve what they've got, the improvements are ad hoc, with no plans that I have seen for the future, and the needs and numbers of foreigners have vastly outgrown the current facility's ability to cope, no matter how many improvements they come up with.
Some of us who have been here long enough remember immigration's facility in the city. When the foreigner numbers outgrew that facility they opened the current facility in Jomtien. It was a godsend at the time, but now perhaps it is again time to consider opening yet a new facility. And who says there has to be just one? They could open a new facility while keeping the current facility open too. Then they can consider who is supposed to use which facility.
Don't hold your breath . . .
_________________________________________
Improvements underway at Pattaya Immigration
By Barry Kenyon
March 2, 2023
The new head of Chonburi Immigration, with headquarters at Jomtien, has made a quick start to his promise to improve services to the public. Police colonel Parinya Klinkesorn said that a principal aim in his new command was to reduce queuing and inconvenience to those renewing visas, requesting extensions, reporting their address or requiring other documentary services.
The Jomtien carpark has now been wholly reserved for “outside” services with a newly signposted office for reporting of 90 days residence, address notification for newly arrived tourists (form TM30) and one year visas for retirees over 50 years. The waiting area has been expanded and, for the first time, chairs provided for those queuing for a service ticket.
Meanwhile, immigration officers have been posted outside the main building to answer general questions and to point customers in the right direction. A further development under consideration is to provide a permanent roof for the temporary cover in the car park area which currently leaves some areas directly in sunlight. Further streamlining will occur if the current pilot scheme in Bangkok to register online for some visa extensions or renewals goes nationwide.
https://www.pattayamail.com/news/improv ... ion-425642
-
Jun
Re: By Barry Kenyon
Agreed.Gaybutton wrote: ↑Thu Mar 02, 2023 2:03 pm And how about doing away with some of the more frivolous reasons why people have to personally go to immigration in the first place? They could start by getting rid of the 90-day address reports entirely and require reports only when people move from their current residence. Some types of visa extensions could be done online rather than having to trek to immigration. I see no reason why several items can't be modernized and also handled online.
Move ALL of the routine stuff online.
These people already have multiple copies of my photo, fingerprints and passport. Plus they can find a flawless record of me leaving on time.
Checking where I stay is pointless, as I can move the day after.
So why can't 30 day extensions be done on line ?
Then fire most of their staff. Removing zero value non-jobs is the first thing to do in a country with an alleged labour shortage.
Then downsize the building.
-
Gaybutton
- Posts: 21590
- Joined: Sat Jul 31, 2010 11:21 am
- Location: Thailand
- Has thanked: 2 times
- Been thanked: 1322 times
Re: By Barry Kenyon
Another example of pointless that's on my "I Don't Get It" list is the need to attach a photo to certain application forms when at the time of submitting them they take a digital photo of you anyway.
-
Gaybutton
- Posts: 21590
- Joined: Sat Jul 31, 2010 11:21 am
- Location: Thailand
- Has thanked: 2 times
- Been thanked: 1322 times
Re: By Barry Kenyon
Bottom line: If you're traveling to, or living in, Thailand, make sure you have adequate medical insurance.
__________________________________________________
Crowdfunding your medical bills seldom works in Thailand
By Barry Kenyon
March 2, 2023
The current case of 23-year old British tourist Kieran Martin, badly injured and totally immobile in Thailand after a fall from his hotel balcony is an unfolding tragedy. His family needs a small fortune for an air ambulance to UK for a complex operation on the advice of doctors, illustrating the growing problem of huge medical bills in the Land of Smiles. Medical insurance is optional for all tourists and most expats, but neither the Thai state nor foreign embassies will contribute a penny when ill fortune strikes. Understandably, public and private Thai hospitals customarily refuse to provide unfunded treatment. Their rules are insurance with a written commitment to pay or cash up front.
According to the monitoring portal Statista, there is a worldwide boom in charity crowdsourcing where friends, relatives and well-wishers are invited to make donations via the internet. But the average total donated is less than US$2,000, whilst the typical request via GoFundMe or Just Giving is for between US$30,000 and US$40,000. Moreover, the first 72 hours are critical as most donations are paid soon after the initial publicity. Kieran’s slot on Just Giving is already almost a week old and has raised just 20 percent of the 100,000 pounds requested on that particular website.
Because Thailand has more foreign tourists than neighboring countries, the problem is particularly acute here. International research on charity crowdfunding suggests there is one new advertisement every month for a Brit caught in the cash trap with no known example of complete success. In 2022 Jamie Stanley, who needed life-saving surgery, received 56 percent of the required sum, but managed to negotiate with the hospital. In 2016 Kathryn Williamson collapsed and died in Bangkok. Crowdsourcing brought in only eight percent, but was evidently enough for the hospital at last to release the body for hygienic disposal.
According to Forbes, the global media company, hospital bills are the most common reason for charity crowdfunding. The general advice is to provide full details of the accident or illness, provide updates and photographs and address frankly issues such as why the insurance company (if there is a policy) is not paying. Many keyboard contributors on Facebook comment that they won’t send cash to cases where there is a suspicion of alcohol or drugs playing a part in the injuries. Indeed, drink or substance abuse is a very common reason for insurers to reject a claim. But there are other cancellation clauses such as “faulty buildings” which could cover falls or pushes from balconies without safety rails.
The Thai government is introducing a new tourist tax in the summer and virtually all incoming airtickets will include a 300 baht surcharge. The fund will mainly update or repair tourist monuments and sites, but a very modest percentage will be for unpaid, tourist medical costs. However, the provision will not replace the need for hospital insurance as cash will only be paid in discretionary cases, for example a minibus crash or a boat sinking according to a Thai tourist authority spokesperson. With international hospital costs rising rapidly, faraway travel without comprehensive insurance is becoming a principal hazard of the global tourist business. Post-tragedy crowdfunding is not the answer.
https://www.pattayamail.com/latestnews/ ... and-425710
__________________________________________________
Crowdfunding your medical bills seldom works in Thailand
By Barry Kenyon
March 2, 2023
The current case of 23-year old British tourist Kieran Martin, badly injured and totally immobile in Thailand after a fall from his hotel balcony is an unfolding tragedy. His family needs a small fortune for an air ambulance to UK for a complex operation on the advice of doctors, illustrating the growing problem of huge medical bills in the Land of Smiles. Medical insurance is optional for all tourists and most expats, but neither the Thai state nor foreign embassies will contribute a penny when ill fortune strikes. Understandably, public and private Thai hospitals customarily refuse to provide unfunded treatment. Their rules are insurance with a written commitment to pay or cash up front.
According to the monitoring portal Statista, there is a worldwide boom in charity crowdsourcing where friends, relatives and well-wishers are invited to make donations via the internet. But the average total donated is less than US$2,000, whilst the typical request via GoFundMe or Just Giving is for between US$30,000 and US$40,000. Moreover, the first 72 hours are critical as most donations are paid soon after the initial publicity. Kieran’s slot on Just Giving is already almost a week old and has raised just 20 percent of the 100,000 pounds requested on that particular website.
Because Thailand has more foreign tourists than neighboring countries, the problem is particularly acute here. International research on charity crowdfunding suggests there is one new advertisement every month for a Brit caught in the cash trap with no known example of complete success. In 2022 Jamie Stanley, who needed life-saving surgery, received 56 percent of the required sum, but managed to negotiate with the hospital. In 2016 Kathryn Williamson collapsed and died in Bangkok. Crowdsourcing brought in only eight percent, but was evidently enough for the hospital at last to release the body for hygienic disposal.
According to Forbes, the global media company, hospital bills are the most common reason for charity crowdfunding. The general advice is to provide full details of the accident or illness, provide updates and photographs and address frankly issues such as why the insurance company (if there is a policy) is not paying. Many keyboard contributors on Facebook comment that they won’t send cash to cases where there is a suspicion of alcohol or drugs playing a part in the injuries. Indeed, drink or substance abuse is a very common reason for insurers to reject a claim. But there are other cancellation clauses such as “faulty buildings” which could cover falls or pushes from balconies without safety rails.
The Thai government is introducing a new tourist tax in the summer and virtually all incoming airtickets will include a 300 baht surcharge. The fund will mainly update or repair tourist monuments and sites, but a very modest percentage will be for unpaid, tourist medical costs. However, the provision will not replace the need for hospital insurance as cash will only be paid in discretionary cases, for example a minibus crash or a boat sinking according to a Thai tourist authority spokesperson. With international hospital costs rising rapidly, faraway travel without comprehensive insurance is becoming a principal hazard of the global tourist business. Post-tragedy crowdfunding is not the answer.
https://www.pattayamail.com/latestnews/ ... and-425710
-
Gaybutton
- Posts: 21590
- Joined: Sat Jul 31, 2010 11:21 am
- Location: Thailand
- Has thanked: 2 times
- Been thanked: 1322 times
Re: By Barry Kenyon
Customers at Jomtien Immigration welcome extra help
By Barry Kenyon
March 9, 2023
Visitors to the headquarters of Chonburi Immigration say immigration officers now assisting the queuing public in the carpark is a welcome development. “Before, there was a lot of confusion about where to queue and what to do. But the presence of immigration staff outside in the carpark has made a lot of difference,” said Mark Freesome who was renewing his annual extension of stay.
The move is part of a package of user-friendly measures introduced by police colonel Parina Klinkesorn, the new head of Chonburi Immigration. They also include signposting of “outside” services which do not require joining the regular queue as well as the provision of extra seating. A further tentative plan is to cover the whole of the carpark area with a permanent roof.
Pattaya Mail photo
Jomtien Immigration has become busier since U-tapao airport, near Rayong, began receiving multiple daily flights from the Middle East and Russia with many new arrivals wanting immigration services to help open a bank account or apply for a driving licence. Charter flights from China to U-tapao commenced last week, but seem currently restricted to passengers from Xian, a sub-provincial city.
Chonburi Immigration has three offices at Jomtien, Siracha and Koh Sichang. The first two offer comprehensive services for foreigners, but Koh Sichang is a small island which has an immigration presence to check freight-carrying vessels and port arrivals.
https://www.pattayamail.com/latestnews/ ... elp-426281
By Barry Kenyon
March 9, 2023
Visitors to the headquarters of Chonburi Immigration say immigration officers now assisting the queuing public in the carpark is a welcome development. “Before, there was a lot of confusion about where to queue and what to do. But the presence of immigration staff outside in the carpark has made a lot of difference,” said Mark Freesome who was renewing his annual extension of stay.
The move is part of a package of user-friendly measures introduced by police colonel Parina Klinkesorn, the new head of Chonburi Immigration. They also include signposting of “outside” services which do not require joining the regular queue as well as the provision of extra seating. A further tentative plan is to cover the whole of the carpark area with a permanent roof.
Pattaya Mail photo
Jomtien Immigration has become busier since U-tapao airport, near Rayong, began receiving multiple daily flights from the Middle East and Russia with many new arrivals wanting immigration services to help open a bank account or apply for a driving licence. Charter flights from China to U-tapao commenced last week, but seem currently restricted to passengers from Xian, a sub-provincial city.
Chonburi Immigration has three offices at Jomtien, Siracha and Koh Sichang. The first two offer comprehensive services for foreigners, but Koh Sichang is a small island which has an immigration presence to check freight-carrying vessels and port arrivals.
https://www.pattayamail.com/latestnews/ ... elp-426281
-
Gaybutton
- Posts: 21590
- Joined: Sat Jul 31, 2010 11:21 am
- Location: Thailand
- Has thanked: 2 times
- Been thanked: 1322 times
Re: By Barry Kenyon
Why am I not surprised?
____________________
Rayong to Bangkok bullet train project still on hold
By Barry Kenyon
March 13, 2023
In spite of many predictions and promises, there is still no final Cabinet approval for the long-anticipated high-speed train network linking the two Bangkok airports with the now-expanded U-tapao airport near Rayong. According to the Eastern Economic Corridor, which sponsors Thai and foreign mega-projects, a final sign-off will be left to the government incoming after the general election expected in May. There still needs to be negotiation about construction and expropriation of property details.
The 220-billion baht project will allow super-fast, express trains to travel at speeds up to 250 km per hour. Supporters of the project envision a Chinese model in which sleek trains will pinball around the country, reducing road traffic logjams and enabling tourists, business people and freight to reach their destinations fast. Critics say that China is a much bigger country and that the high cost over relatively-short distances in Thailand poses quite different issues, including anticipated fare costs to the general public.
Although some property gurus say that the rising price of property in the eastern provinces (which include Pattaya and Rayong) is dependent on a fast-train future, others deny the claim. Colliers International, for instance, points out that the property market is being driven by real demand and good roads between cities to transport goods and people. The consensus view is that the rail project will go ahead but that the first trains are unlikely to run before 2028 at the earliest.
https://www.pattayamail.com/latestnews/ ... old-426617
____________________
Rayong to Bangkok bullet train project still on hold
By Barry Kenyon
March 13, 2023
In spite of many predictions and promises, there is still no final Cabinet approval for the long-anticipated high-speed train network linking the two Bangkok airports with the now-expanded U-tapao airport near Rayong. According to the Eastern Economic Corridor, which sponsors Thai and foreign mega-projects, a final sign-off will be left to the government incoming after the general election expected in May. There still needs to be negotiation about construction and expropriation of property details.
The 220-billion baht project will allow super-fast, express trains to travel at speeds up to 250 km per hour. Supporters of the project envision a Chinese model in which sleek trains will pinball around the country, reducing road traffic logjams and enabling tourists, business people and freight to reach their destinations fast. Critics say that China is a much bigger country and that the high cost over relatively-short distances in Thailand poses quite different issues, including anticipated fare costs to the general public.
Although some property gurus say that the rising price of property in the eastern provinces (which include Pattaya and Rayong) is dependent on a fast-train future, others deny the claim. Colliers International, for instance, points out that the property market is being driven by real demand and good roads between cities to transport goods and people. The consensus view is that the rail project will go ahead but that the first trains are unlikely to run before 2028 at the earliest.
https://www.pattayamail.com/latestnews/ ... old-426617
-
Jun
Re: By Barry Kenyon
Where are the detailed route plans for this line ? Google doesn't seem to find any.
This route map shows the line being even further out of town than the current line. "High speed" ought to consider the total journey time door to door, as that's what matters to customers.
If the bus drops customers off somewhere convenient and the train requires a significant taxi journey, the train will not win that many customers.
At least it's not like the Lao China railway, where some stations are not even on the edge of town, but a long way out into the countryside.
This route map shows the line being even further out of town than the current line. "High speed" ought to consider the total journey time door to door, as that's what matters to customers.
If the bus drops customers off somewhere convenient and the train requires a significant taxi journey, the train will not win that many customers.
At least it's not like the Lao China railway, where some stations are not even on the edge of town, but a long way out into the countryside.