New rule for visa on arrival tourists

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Gaybutton
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New rule for visa on arrival tourists

Post by Gaybutton »

Ready for this? As of April 1, tourists arriving as visa on arrival passengers will now be required to report to local police stations after 2 weeks to be tested for sobriety and mental health assessment. Failure to report and/or failing the checks will result in revoking of permission to remain in Thailand and possible deportation procedures.

This also applies to those making visa runs.

It is not clear whether this is a one-time requirement or tourists will have to report every 2 weeks.

I'm wondering how long this requirement will last and how rigidly it will be enforced.

See also "Headline News" April 1: viewtopic.php?p=121016#p121016
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Re: New rule for visa on arrival tourists

Post by Jun »

Gaybutton wrote: Wed Apr 01, 2026 7:03 pmAs of April 1.................
;)
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Re: New rule for visa on arrival tourists

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Jun wrote: Wed Apr 01, 2026 7:09 pm
Gaybutton wrote: Wed Apr 01, 2026 7:03 pmAs of April 1.................
;)
Maybe it is an April Fools joke, but that doesn't seem like something Pattaya News would do, and neither would I, especially without saying so later. If they are joking, it fooled me. What the hell kind of joke is that supposed to be?

I hope it's a joke or maybe someone else's joke and they fell for it too. If it isn't, then it's yet another absurd rule - and those rules are no joke.
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Re: New rule for visa on arrival tourists

Post by Gaybutton »

Now I'm starting to think that this IS some sort of bizarre April Fool's joke or maybe a misunderstanding of some kind. I have seen nothing about this on any other news sources. It also doesn't make much sense to me - thousands of tourists having to flock to police stations and rather than doing the job they are supposed to do, the police would be dealing with this?

I am removing this from "Announcements". If it turns out to be true, I will place the topic back on "Announcements". If nothing corroborating this appears on any other news sources within the next few days, I will delete the topic entirely.

I am also removing the item on "Headline News" that announces this.

If this really is someone's idea of a joke, I have to wonder what they were thinking. And if they were joking, I'd like someone to explain to me the part we are supposed to laugh at.
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