What the article does not say is whether people already in Thailand on the visa amnesty and want to continue their stay in Thailand are eligible for this visa. If they have already been in Thailand for months, they certainly would not need to be quarantined. But are they eligible for this without having to first leave Thailand, obtain this visa, and then return? That would seem a strange procedural requirement, but strange procedures involving Thai immigration are nothing unusual.
It seems as if you can afford it and are willing to endure the quarantine, if you are coming from a country where "coronavirus disease had not been spreading in past months" you might be able to come as soon as October.
From my take on this, Thailand is going to welcome foreigners who have a lot of money to spend and do not come from a country where the virus is still a serious problem -
if they are willing to be quarantined for 14 days. The article says the target is 100 to 300 people per week. It doesn't say how they arrive at those numbers. For Thailand's sake I hope it works out that way, but I have a feeling they are vastly overestimating how many people are going to want to do this. I would think at first people who do have money and also have close friends and/or family in Thailand and have been separated for the last 6 months are going to jump at the chance. After they arrive, how many who are just plain wealthy tourists are going to want to do this?
It's a start, but in my opinion not really much of one. I like traveling and tourism as much as anyone, but if I would have to be quarantined for 14 days first, my response to this offer would be "Thanks, but include me out."
Apparently, due to the spread of the virus, you will
not be eligible for this visa, assuming you would even want it, if you come from the USA or the UK.
Is anyone reading this going to try to get this visa and go to Thailand?
___________________________________________________________
Cabinet approves long-term tourist visas
Quarantine compulsory, 90-day renewable stay
15 Sep 2020
The cabinet on Tuesday agreed to allow in foreign tourists who agree to 14-day quarantine and stay for at least 90 days, to help the flagging economy.
Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha said after the cabinet meeting that the government would issue special tourist visas for long-stay visitors. The most important condition would be a 14-day quarantine.
"Visitors can arrive for tourism or health services, and they can stay at alternative state quarantine facilities, specific areas or at hospitals that function as quarantine facilities," he said.
"Our public health system is amongst the best in the world and people can have confidence in it."
The prime minister said the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration would later elaborate on the matter.
Deputy government spokeswoman Traisulee Traisaranakul said long-stay visitors would have to present proof of payment for their long stay in the country. This could be payment for a hotel reservation, or the lease of a condominium room.
"The target is to welcome 100-300 visitors a week, or up to 1,200 people a month, and generate income of about 1 billion baht a month," she said.
The 90-day special tourist visa could be extended twice, for 90 days each time. Long-stay visitors could begin arriving next month, Ms Traisulee said.
Prasong Poontaneat, finance permanent secretary, said the country needed to generate income from visitors, especially those from the countries where coronavirus disease had not been spreading in past months - such as China, Taiwan and some countries in Europe.
Twenty Chinese provinces were free of Covid-19 and had a combined population of around 800 million. If only one percent of them, about 8 million people, visited Thailand they could support the tourism sector, he said.
https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/ge ... rist-visas