Latest news on Thailand Digital Arrival Card
By Barry Kenyon
May 2, 2025
Same day border hoppers – those obtaining extra time in Thailand by crossing briefly into Cambodia or another neighbouring country – do have to fill in the online TDAC form whilst waiting an hour or two before returning here. Those travelling with an agency may find the TDAC form is filled in by accompanying staff, but those travelling alone will need to deal alone with the new bureaucracy.
Most of those undertaking border runs are Destination Thailand Visa holders seeking another six months’ sojourn, visa-exempt foreigners looking for a further 60 days and some multiple entry non-immigrant visa holders who must leave Thailand after three months stay. Immigration officers at land entry points say that the rules and regulations for border hops are under review by a governmental working party examining visa exempt regulations and their many repercussions. For now, there are no national changes.
In other developments, foreign visitors at Thai airports who have not filled in the TDAC in advance may find computer desks and helpful officers on duty to assist the forgetful and the computer illiterate. The foreign affairs ministry has stated again that the TDAC has to be filled in 72 hours or less (not more) prior to arrival in Thailand. In general, inauguration day on May 1 went smoothly at airports and land and sea entry points, although some passengers believed they must print the confirmatory email to give to the immigration officer on arrival. In fact, it is OK simply to show him or her the email on your mobile phone.
Foreign visitors are reminded by the Thai cyber police about fake websites which charge a processing fee for completing TDAC before absconding with people’s biometric information and credit or debit card details. Investigations are underway and at least one fake site has been blocked already. The legitimate TDAC service is presently free but must be repeated before every entry to Thailand. It’s http://tdac.immigration.go.th
https://www.pattayamail.com/latestnews/ ... ard-499551
By Barry Kenyon
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Re: By Barry Kenyon
Does Pattaya really lure Brits to a deadly paradise?
By Barry Kenyon
May 21, 2025
All human life is here as the News of the World used to say. Today, British popular newspapers still pour out the rhetoric that Pattaya is the Cosa del Crime fueled by cheap booze: drugs smuggling, nightclub fights, grisly murder and fatal boat trips amongst other gruesome experiences. In sharp contrast, Pattaya mayor Poramet Ngampichet reminds us that Pattaya has just earned the 9th spot on the list of the safest cities in the entire south east Asian region. That’s according to the latest rankings from the global data base Numbeo which measures quality of life issues.
There certainly appears to be a boom in British arrivals in the Land of Smiles. The Thai tourist ministry reports 121,529 UK passport holders in January 2025, more than any other European country or the United States. Since then, immigration statistics point to a continued rise in western tourists from traditional markets even as Chinese arrivals have slumped. When British Airways resumed direct flights to Thailand late last year, it looks like they knew what they were doing.
If Thailand – and Pattaya in particular – was attracting more tourists who were likely to get into trouble, you might expect government statistics to reveal that expansionist trend. Yet the data available suggests very little change. 15 years ago, the total number of Brits arrested in Thailand was just 201 according to British Behaviour Abroad, a figure close to that released by the British embassy in Bangkok for the year 2024. Not all those arrested in Thailand are necessarily jailed. Those on minor charges are sometimes fined and released within 48 hours.
The Thai Department of Corrections, in its most recent report, reported that the total number of foreigners in Thai jails was 7,388 or 2.8 percent of the entire prison population. British prisoners did not even figure in the top ten and comprised 13 individuals on the day the census was taken. On British deaths in Thailand, the total for 2023 was 374 (compared with 697 in Spain) and many of those were elderly expats dying from natural causes. The total for annual British deaths in Thailand (350-400) has held remarkably steady for the past 20 years.
As regards murders and violent deaths, Hansard reported in May 2025 that the biggest number of Brits meeting a grisly fate was in Pakistan, followed by Tunisia, France and the United States. Thailand has certainly hosted murderous cases over the years and Koh Tao has been labelled by the British media as Death Island. But official statistics are usually soft data and, if read in isolation, can often give a very jaundiced view of what’s going on worldwide. Maybe Pattaya is a deadly paradise, or maybe we are the victims of shock-horror clickbait. As a former chief of Pattaya police put it, “I have to report that well over 99 percent of foreigners here never see the inside of a cell, a court room or a mortuary.”
https://www.pattayamail.com/latestnews/ ... ise-501749
By Barry Kenyon
May 21, 2025
All human life is here as the News of the World used to say. Today, British popular newspapers still pour out the rhetoric that Pattaya is the Cosa del Crime fueled by cheap booze: drugs smuggling, nightclub fights, grisly murder and fatal boat trips amongst other gruesome experiences. In sharp contrast, Pattaya mayor Poramet Ngampichet reminds us that Pattaya has just earned the 9th spot on the list of the safest cities in the entire south east Asian region. That’s according to the latest rankings from the global data base Numbeo which measures quality of life issues.
There certainly appears to be a boom in British arrivals in the Land of Smiles. The Thai tourist ministry reports 121,529 UK passport holders in January 2025, more than any other European country or the United States. Since then, immigration statistics point to a continued rise in western tourists from traditional markets even as Chinese arrivals have slumped. When British Airways resumed direct flights to Thailand late last year, it looks like they knew what they were doing.
If Thailand – and Pattaya in particular – was attracting more tourists who were likely to get into trouble, you might expect government statistics to reveal that expansionist trend. Yet the data available suggests very little change. 15 years ago, the total number of Brits arrested in Thailand was just 201 according to British Behaviour Abroad, a figure close to that released by the British embassy in Bangkok for the year 2024. Not all those arrested in Thailand are necessarily jailed. Those on minor charges are sometimes fined and released within 48 hours.
The Thai Department of Corrections, in its most recent report, reported that the total number of foreigners in Thai jails was 7,388 or 2.8 percent of the entire prison population. British prisoners did not even figure in the top ten and comprised 13 individuals on the day the census was taken. On British deaths in Thailand, the total for 2023 was 374 (compared with 697 in Spain) and many of those were elderly expats dying from natural causes. The total for annual British deaths in Thailand (350-400) has held remarkably steady for the past 20 years.
As regards murders and violent deaths, Hansard reported in May 2025 that the biggest number of Brits meeting a grisly fate was in Pakistan, followed by Tunisia, France and the United States. Thailand has certainly hosted murderous cases over the years and Koh Tao has been labelled by the British media as Death Island. But official statistics are usually soft data and, if read in isolation, can often give a very jaundiced view of what’s going on worldwide. Maybe Pattaya is a deadly paradise, or maybe we are the victims of shock-horror clickbait. As a former chief of Pattaya police put it, “I have to report that well over 99 percent of foreigners here never see the inside of a cell, a court room or a mortuary.”
https://www.pattayamail.com/latestnews/ ... ise-501749
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Gaybutton
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Re: By Barry Kenyon
No mention in the article about whether visa agencies can still get Thai bank accounts for people, but I notice that MOTS, for example, still advertises that they can. Of course, you would have to check with a visa service as to whether such an account can easily be closed by the bank and/or whether all banking services, including smartphone services, will be fully available.
If you need a Thai bank account, now or in the future, you can't say I didn't warn you to get it while the getting was good. For years I have been urging people to get their Thai bank account while they can. If you need one, act NOW and maybe you still can get it, emphasis on "maybe".
_______________________________________________________________
Russian news agency confirms ban on tourists opening Thai bank accounts
By Barry Kenyon
May 31, 2025
TASS, Russia’s principal international publicist, has now confirmed that Bangkok Bank has been operating under new anti-fraud procedures since the beginning of 2025. These apply to all countries, although semi-official leaks suggest that attention has been focused on Russian and Chinese nationals. But the ban now appears to be iron-clad, at any rate for now.
A bank spokesperson added that any foreigner (not just a Russian) holding a visa-exempt pass or a tourist visa could not open a Thai account and that some existing accounts had been blocked, at least until a face scan was done to confirm the holder’s biometric data. The tightened policy also restricts credit card services and mobile banking. Siam Commercial, Kasikorn and other major international banks have been operating a refusal policy with tourist applicants even more strictly and for longer.
How long the ban will remain is unclear, although nearby countries all have loopholes for non-residents to have banking facilities. In Cambodia, foreign applicants are advised to apply specifically at the National Bank of Cambodia, whereas in Laos a letter from a local police or army official may help with the paperwork. A heterosexual marriage license is a positive feature too. The problem for Thailand has been the sheer volume of international tourists admitted without any prior documentation or meaningful checks on arrival.
But all that changed on May 1 2025 when the online Thai Digital Arrival Card was introduced for all foreign arrivals by land, sea and air. Originally announced as a simple landing card or digital version of the old TM6 manual form, Thai police have now confirmed that it is in reality a de facto approval mechanism. Over 90 percent of tourist arrivals are visa-exempt for at least 60 days, but the Ministry of Digital Economy and Society has linked the TDAC data to other computerized records such as police and court files, embassy requests and Interpol.
Many immigration gurus believe that Thai bank rules on opening and maintaining bank accounts will soften once the new TDAC bureaucracy is embedded. A leading Thai visa agency in Bangkok told Pattaya Mail, “Letting in millions of tourists without initial checking led to all manner of abuses including illegal working, fake businesses and financial scams across the board. But the new computerized system is in fact a series of interlocking data bases no matter whether arrivals have a prior visa or not.”
Some tourists, currently denied a bank account, are relying on cash transfer agencies such as Western Union or Wise, whilst others are risking sending cash by courier mail. Wealthier individuals wishing to remain longterm are turning to the five year multiple-entry Bronze Privilege of Elite card which costs 650,000 baht (US$20,000) and does not require a Thai bank account prior to acceptance. Once granted, a Thai bank account would be available.
The five-year Digital Thailand Visa also can be obtained outside Thailand and requires proof of a bond of 500,000 baht in a foreign bank account. However, it’s classed as a tourist visa and holders report the near-impossibility of using it for a Thai bank application. Other possibilities are to apply for a non-immigrant visa in the tourist’s home country. These are available for a variety of functions including study, family and retirement. Holding such an initial non-immigrant visa is the key to opening a Thai bank account. For the time being anyway.
https://www.pattayamail.com/latestnews/ ... nts-503113
If you need a Thai bank account, now or in the future, you can't say I didn't warn you to get it while the getting was good. For years I have been urging people to get their Thai bank account while they can. If you need one, act NOW and maybe you still can get it, emphasis on "maybe".
_______________________________________________________________
Russian news agency confirms ban on tourists opening Thai bank accounts
By Barry Kenyon
May 31, 2025
TASS, Russia’s principal international publicist, has now confirmed that Bangkok Bank has been operating under new anti-fraud procedures since the beginning of 2025. These apply to all countries, although semi-official leaks suggest that attention has been focused on Russian and Chinese nationals. But the ban now appears to be iron-clad, at any rate for now.
A bank spokesperson added that any foreigner (not just a Russian) holding a visa-exempt pass or a tourist visa could not open a Thai account and that some existing accounts had been blocked, at least until a face scan was done to confirm the holder’s biometric data. The tightened policy also restricts credit card services and mobile banking. Siam Commercial, Kasikorn and other major international banks have been operating a refusal policy with tourist applicants even more strictly and for longer.
How long the ban will remain is unclear, although nearby countries all have loopholes for non-residents to have banking facilities. In Cambodia, foreign applicants are advised to apply specifically at the National Bank of Cambodia, whereas in Laos a letter from a local police or army official may help with the paperwork. A heterosexual marriage license is a positive feature too. The problem for Thailand has been the sheer volume of international tourists admitted without any prior documentation or meaningful checks on arrival.
But all that changed on May 1 2025 when the online Thai Digital Arrival Card was introduced for all foreign arrivals by land, sea and air. Originally announced as a simple landing card or digital version of the old TM6 manual form, Thai police have now confirmed that it is in reality a de facto approval mechanism. Over 90 percent of tourist arrivals are visa-exempt for at least 60 days, but the Ministry of Digital Economy and Society has linked the TDAC data to other computerized records such as police and court files, embassy requests and Interpol.
Many immigration gurus believe that Thai bank rules on opening and maintaining bank accounts will soften once the new TDAC bureaucracy is embedded. A leading Thai visa agency in Bangkok told Pattaya Mail, “Letting in millions of tourists without initial checking led to all manner of abuses including illegal working, fake businesses and financial scams across the board. But the new computerized system is in fact a series of interlocking data bases no matter whether arrivals have a prior visa or not.”
Some tourists, currently denied a bank account, are relying on cash transfer agencies such as Western Union or Wise, whilst others are risking sending cash by courier mail. Wealthier individuals wishing to remain longterm are turning to the five year multiple-entry Bronze Privilege of Elite card which costs 650,000 baht (US$20,000) and does not require a Thai bank account prior to acceptance. Once granted, a Thai bank account would be available.
The five-year Digital Thailand Visa also can be obtained outside Thailand and requires proof of a bond of 500,000 baht in a foreign bank account. However, it’s classed as a tourist visa and holders report the near-impossibility of using it for a Thai bank application. Other possibilities are to apply for a non-immigrant visa in the tourist’s home country. These are available for a variety of functions including study, family and retirement. Holding such an initial non-immigrant visa is the key to opening a Thai bank account. For the time being anyway.
https://www.pattayamail.com/latestnews/ ... nts-503113
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Re: By Barry Kenyon
Thai drugs crackdown highlights postal deliveries and manipulated mules
By Barry Kenyon
June 2, 2025
Drugs syndicates in Thailand have lost confidence in sending drugs to UK by post after a bilateral agreement between British police and the Thai post authority. In the last five months, the operation has already led to a 90 percent drop in suspect parcels owing to more rigorous checks at Bangkok airports, according to the National Crime Agency. Thai customs department director general Theeraj Athanavanich recently visited UK with his senior team.
Thai police lieutenant colonel Arun Musikin said that the postal crackdown has led to a leap in the number of drug couriers recruited by syndicates amongst young British tourists. “Over 50 British nationals have been arrested here on suspicion in the past six months, plus more overseas at foreign airports,” he said. The latter group has included young British women at airports in Georgia, Sri Lanka and Ghana and men in Dubai, Spain and Chile.
Researcher Nathan Southern of the Eyewatch Project said that there were many reasons for young people to risk arrest by acting as drug mules. He said some were caught in a honey trap, others just wanted some excitement, a free trip or the chance to have some money. The fact that Thailand has decriminalized cannabis internally has led some tourists wrongly to believe the customs regulations are weak or that contraband will simply be confiscated – with the traveller allowed to depart without further consequences.
Experts say that Thailand in particular has become a chamber of commerce for organized crime as drugs bosses try to cash in on the boom in legally-grown cannabis. Dr James Windle, a criminologist, told Metro that there will often be a grooming process coupled with a hint of revenge if the potential mule tries to back out. None the less, the vast majority of south east Asia’s drug exports still rely on maritime routes dominated by narcotics from the Golden Triangle centered on Myanmar. Illegal dispatch by air can’t cope with the international demand.
Although arrested couriers invariably claim innocence and say their luggage was fixed by third parties, the punishments tend to be very harsh unless the case tried in UK. Lindsay Sandiford was sentenced to meet the firing squad in Indonesia in 2013 and all attempts to move her to UK to date have failed. An exception was Samantha Orobator, found guilty in Laos in 2008 and sentenced to life, but transferred to the UK and its more lenient justice system the year after because of her pregnancy. Both cases had connections to Thailand.
According to the UN Office for Drugs and Crime, advanced person-technology at airports has reduced the attractions of swallowing balloons or attempting to hide drugs on the person. It is preferred to use mules because they are dispensable if arrested, but also because passenger luggage checks at airports are not always thorough. Questions are now being asked why the huge quantity of drugs in the luggage of Bella May Culley and Charlotte May Lee were not discovered at Suvarnabhumi airport but only on landing in Tbilisi and Colombo respectively. Arresting immigration officers in both countries said the success was due to arriving passenger profiling.
https://www.pattayamail.com/latestnews/ ... les-503208
By Barry Kenyon
June 2, 2025
Drugs syndicates in Thailand have lost confidence in sending drugs to UK by post after a bilateral agreement between British police and the Thai post authority. In the last five months, the operation has already led to a 90 percent drop in suspect parcels owing to more rigorous checks at Bangkok airports, according to the National Crime Agency. Thai customs department director general Theeraj Athanavanich recently visited UK with his senior team.
Thai police lieutenant colonel Arun Musikin said that the postal crackdown has led to a leap in the number of drug couriers recruited by syndicates amongst young British tourists. “Over 50 British nationals have been arrested here on suspicion in the past six months, plus more overseas at foreign airports,” he said. The latter group has included young British women at airports in Georgia, Sri Lanka and Ghana and men in Dubai, Spain and Chile.
Researcher Nathan Southern of the Eyewatch Project said that there were many reasons for young people to risk arrest by acting as drug mules. He said some were caught in a honey trap, others just wanted some excitement, a free trip or the chance to have some money. The fact that Thailand has decriminalized cannabis internally has led some tourists wrongly to believe the customs regulations are weak or that contraband will simply be confiscated – with the traveller allowed to depart without further consequences.
Experts say that Thailand in particular has become a chamber of commerce for organized crime as drugs bosses try to cash in on the boom in legally-grown cannabis. Dr James Windle, a criminologist, told Metro that there will often be a grooming process coupled with a hint of revenge if the potential mule tries to back out. None the less, the vast majority of south east Asia’s drug exports still rely on maritime routes dominated by narcotics from the Golden Triangle centered on Myanmar. Illegal dispatch by air can’t cope with the international demand.
Although arrested couriers invariably claim innocence and say their luggage was fixed by third parties, the punishments tend to be very harsh unless the case tried in UK. Lindsay Sandiford was sentenced to meet the firing squad in Indonesia in 2013 and all attempts to move her to UK to date have failed. An exception was Samantha Orobator, found guilty in Laos in 2008 and sentenced to life, but transferred to the UK and its more lenient justice system the year after because of her pregnancy. Both cases had connections to Thailand.
According to the UN Office for Drugs and Crime, advanced person-technology at airports has reduced the attractions of swallowing balloons or attempting to hide drugs on the person. It is preferred to use mules because they are dispensable if arrested, but also because passenger luggage checks at airports are not always thorough. Questions are now being asked why the huge quantity of drugs in the luggage of Bella May Culley and Charlotte May Lee were not discovered at Suvarnabhumi airport but only on landing in Tbilisi and Colombo respectively. Arresting immigration officers in both countries said the success was due to arriving passenger profiling.
https://www.pattayamail.com/latestnews/ ... les-503208
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Gaybutton
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Re: By Barry Kenyon
At least we're hearing something from the government. It is what Dodger and I have been saying from the beginning of the tax panic brouhaha - we're not going to be income taxed. I hope none of you are still apprehensive about it.
I've said it before and I'll say it again - a quote from my attorney friend in the USA: "Don't worry until there's something to worry about."
_________________________________________________
Expats in Thailand yawn at latest income tax concessions
By Barry Kenyon
June 5, 2025
The director general of the Thai Revenue Department has again shone his torch on the proposed tax changes to overseas income transferred to Thailand. In comments to Bangkok Post, Pinsai Suraswadi confirmed that forthcoming transfers in the calendar year 2025 would be tax free if transmitted here before the end of 2026 – that is in the current calendar year or the next one. But the general reaction of expats has been indifferent with 85 percent of comments in the newspaper article saying the whole business is a shambles, or words to that effect.
The changes, when formally announced, will apply to all native Thai tax residents and also to foreign expats who are physically in Thailand 180 days or more in the current calendar year. Clearly, the intention of the government is to stimulate the return of foreign capital to Thailand by allowing a tax-free window and to create a more flexible and investor-friendly approach to residency-based taxation. As regards foreigners, digital nomads, retirees and business owners earning income outside Thailand and remitting it here can rest easy.
Pinsai stressed that the change in regulations had not yet occurred. There will be a ministerial order – not a royal decree or new parliamentary law as some had speculated – which will be announced only after consideration by the Council of State and the Cabinet. Specifically, the order will not be retrospective and will take effect only following publication. For example, anyone who has already paid income tax on income transmitted here in the calendar year 2024 will not be able to claim a refund.
The director general was at pains to stress that Thailand has not abolished income tax on foreign-derived income sent here. Only foreign income remitted in the same year, or the following year, is tax-free. Income brought in after the two-year window will be taxed under the current system. Hypothetically then, income transferred anytime in 2026 will be tax-free in 2026 and 2027, but becomes taxable if transferred at any date in 2028 or beyond. Thai tax rates are progressive ranging from 5% to 35%.
Pending publication of the order, some matters are clearer. Pinsai’s wording is clearly meant to extend to tax-resident foreigners, as already confirmed by professional firms such as Hawryluk Legal and Siam Legal International. But the new regulations have not yet come into force, so it’s best to delay transmitting overseas income, especially large sums, until formal promulgation. The change is clearly meant very largely to encourage Thai investors to repatriate capital without a tax liability, but retirees will certainly breathe less heavily once the order becomes active within weeks. None the less, all tax residents here should keep their financial records available and in good order. This Is Thailand.
https://www.pattayamail.com/latestnews/ ... ons-503632
I've said it before and I'll say it again - a quote from my attorney friend in the USA: "Don't worry until there's something to worry about."
_________________________________________________
Expats in Thailand yawn at latest income tax concessions
By Barry Kenyon
June 5, 2025
The director general of the Thai Revenue Department has again shone his torch on the proposed tax changes to overseas income transferred to Thailand. In comments to Bangkok Post, Pinsai Suraswadi confirmed that forthcoming transfers in the calendar year 2025 would be tax free if transmitted here before the end of 2026 – that is in the current calendar year or the next one. But the general reaction of expats has been indifferent with 85 percent of comments in the newspaper article saying the whole business is a shambles, or words to that effect.
The changes, when formally announced, will apply to all native Thai tax residents and also to foreign expats who are physically in Thailand 180 days or more in the current calendar year. Clearly, the intention of the government is to stimulate the return of foreign capital to Thailand by allowing a tax-free window and to create a more flexible and investor-friendly approach to residency-based taxation. As regards foreigners, digital nomads, retirees and business owners earning income outside Thailand and remitting it here can rest easy.
Pinsai stressed that the change in regulations had not yet occurred. There will be a ministerial order – not a royal decree or new parliamentary law as some had speculated – which will be announced only after consideration by the Council of State and the Cabinet. Specifically, the order will not be retrospective and will take effect only following publication. For example, anyone who has already paid income tax on income transmitted here in the calendar year 2024 will not be able to claim a refund.
The director general was at pains to stress that Thailand has not abolished income tax on foreign-derived income sent here. Only foreign income remitted in the same year, or the following year, is tax-free. Income brought in after the two-year window will be taxed under the current system. Hypothetically then, income transferred anytime in 2026 will be tax-free in 2026 and 2027, but becomes taxable if transferred at any date in 2028 or beyond. Thai tax rates are progressive ranging from 5% to 35%.
Pending publication of the order, some matters are clearer. Pinsai’s wording is clearly meant to extend to tax-resident foreigners, as already confirmed by professional firms such as Hawryluk Legal and Siam Legal International. But the new regulations have not yet come into force, so it’s best to delay transmitting overseas income, especially large sums, until formal promulgation. The change is clearly meant very largely to encourage Thai investors to repatriate capital without a tax liability, but retirees will certainly breathe less heavily once the order becomes active within weeks. None the less, all tax residents here should keep their financial records available and in good order. This Is Thailand.
https://www.pattayamail.com/latestnews/ ... ons-503632
Re: By Barry Kenyon
What counts as income?
I'd presume earnings, dividends and interest. Possibly not capital gains ?
Also, I presume anyone plannning to send capital to Thailand to buy a property ought to do it in the year before becoming tax resident, unless of course they could prove it were recent income.
I'd presume earnings, dividends and interest. Possibly not capital gains ?
Also, I presume anyone plannning to send capital to Thailand to buy a property ought to do it in the year before becoming tax resident, unless of course they could prove it were recent income.
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Gaybutton
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Re: By Barry Kenyon
I'm wondering if any countries some would like to visit are going to reciprocate by banning Americans from entering and/or kicking out Americans already there, even expats who may have been living there for years.
My guess is few to none will ban Americans due to the perception that Americans have a lot of money and will spend it in heir country.
We'll see.
As for Trump approving these bans:
"He's going to do it. Believe me he's really going to do it."
- William Holden (Shears), 'The Bridge on the River Kwai'
______________________________________________________________
Trump considers banning all Cambodians from entering the United States
By Barry Kenyon
June 16, 2025
The US government has given a further 36 countries just two months to justify why they should be excluded from a widening travel ban. Cambodia is listed as a potential victim unless Phnom Penh authorities can convince Donald Trump and secretary of state Marco Rubio otherwise. There is no mention of Thailand in the official US statement.
Myanmar (totally) and Laos (partially) have already been included in the travel bans announced on June 4, but they were not given the right of appeal or a second chance. The latest threat to ban 36 more countries does not include any newcomers in south east Asia apart from Cambodia, but does include Syria, Bhutan and Kyrgzstan in Asia. Most of the others are in Africa.
Marco Rubio gives several reasons why the latest batch of countries are under suspicion. They include no reliable passport issuance system, government fraud, monetary investment to buy citizenship and anti-American or anti-Jewish activity. Specific mention is also made of the numbers of nationals overstaying their visa in the United States.
However, the secretary of state goes on to stress that one way potentially to avoid the travel ban would be for suspect countries to agree to accept deportees of various nationalities from the United States. He hints that cooperation in the US campaign to deport illegal entrants and convicted criminals, probably from Latin America in particular, would result in a more sympathetic approach to avoiding the ban.
Cambodia’s inclusion on the list of newly-suspected countries probably reflects her strong links with China. Cambodia’s 10-year golden visa offers the chance to apply for a second passport provided an investment is made in purchasing certain properties. This offer has been taken up almost exclusively by Chinese nationals. There is separately a much-criticized option to buy Cambodian citizenship for a US$300,000 donation.
The Cambodian government has not yet responded formally to Trump’s threat to ban all visitors. Currently, fewer than two thousand visas are issued annually by the US embassy in Phnom Penh. Critics say that the latest threats are another example of xenophobia and racism in recent American foreign policy.
https://www.pattayamail.com/latestnews/ ... tes-505458
My guess is few to none will ban Americans due to the perception that Americans have a lot of money and will spend it in heir country.
We'll see.
As for Trump approving these bans:
"He's going to do it. Believe me he's really going to do it."
- William Holden (Shears), 'The Bridge on the River Kwai'
______________________________________________________________
Trump considers banning all Cambodians from entering the United States
By Barry Kenyon
June 16, 2025
The US government has given a further 36 countries just two months to justify why they should be excluded from a widening travel ban. Cambodia is listed as a potential victim unless Phnom Penh authorities can convince Donald Trump and secretary of state Marco Rubio otherwise. There is no mention of Thailand in the official US statement.
Myanmar (totally) and Laos (partially) have already been included in the travel bans announced on June 4, but they were not given the right of appeal or a second chance. The latest threat to ban 36 more countries does not include any newcomers in south east Asia apart from Cambodia, but does include Syria, Bhutan and Kyrgzstan in Asia. Most of the others are in Africa.
Marco Rubio gives several reasons why the latest batch of countries are under suspicion. They include no reliable passport issuance system, government fraud, monetary investment to buy citizenship and anti-American or anti-Jewish activity. Specific mention is also made of the numbers of nationals overstaying their visa in the United States.
However, the secretary of state goes on to stress that one way potentially to avoid the travel ban would be for suspect countries to agree to accept deportees of various nationalities from the United States. He hints that cooperation in the US campaign to deport illegal entrants and convicted criminals, probably from Latin America in particular, would result in a more sympathetic approach to avoiding the ban.
Cambodia’s inclusion on the list of newly-suspected countries probably reflects her strong links with China. Cambodia’s 10-year golden visa offers the chance to apply for a second passport provided an investment is made in purchasing certain properties. This offer has been taken up almost exclusively by Chinese nationals. There is separately a much-criticized option to buy Cambodian citizenship for a US$300,000 donation.
The Cambodian government has not yet responded formally to Trump’s threat to ban all visitors. Currently, fewer than two thousand visas are issued annually by the US embassy in Phnom Penh. Critics say that the latest threats are another example of xenophobia and racism in recent American foreign policy.
https://www.pattayamail.com/latestnews/ ... tes-505458
Re: By Barry Kenyon
If government corruption is a factor, I can think of at least one other country they might consider.Barry Kenyon wrote: ↑Tue Jun 17, 2025 5:08 pm Marco Rubio gives several reasons why the latest batch of countries are under suspicion. They include no reliable passport issuance system, government fraud, monetary investment to buy citizenship and anti-American or anti-Jewish activity. Specific mention is also made of the numbers of nationals overstaying their visa in the United States.
As for buying citizenship, couldn't you just screen that our in the visa application process? Just ask for evidence of being born as a citizen of that country. If you really want to stop such people.