The Ministry of Tourism and Sports have asked the government to extend the tourism stimulus measures for another year and yesterday deputy government spokesman Watchara Kannika confirmed that the the measures will be extended from April 1, 2010 and go through to March 31, 2011.
The free tourist visa measure was set to expire on March 5, 2010 and it looks like it still will and there will be a period of 3 weeks where the tourist visa will again be charged for before the April 1st stimulus measures start.The good news is that coupled with the free tourist visa initiative each foreign tourist will also be granted $10,000 of free riot insurance which will cover their trip in the event that things get dicey on the political front. The insurance policy provides for payments of up to $10,000 in the event of death, injury, and/or trip inconvenience, and will only cover people in possession of a 60-day tourist visa.
The Riot insurance was first instituted last year between the months of May and October when many foreign tourists complained that they couldn’t buy trip insurance due to Thailand’s ongoing political instability. The trip insurance will cost the Thai government $1.00 per tourist or about 15 million dollars over the next year.
Full measures cited in this stimulus package include:
- Visa fee exemption for foreign tourists.
- Helping state agencies hold seminars and field trips in the country to boost domestic spending.
- Cutting the electricity consumption guarantee fund for hotel operators.
- Reduced aircraft landing and parking fees.
- Providing free-of-charge riot protection insurance worth US$10,000 for each foreign tourist.
- Allowing business operators who organize domestic seminars, training courses and tourist destination trips for employees to deduct the cost for tax purposes.
The Ministry of Tourism and Sports noted that tourism was down by 3% from 2008-2009 and they feel that continuing the stimulus measures will help bring tourism numbers back up to where they are expected to be for 2010. It’s estimated by the Ministry that 15.3 to 15.5 million foreign tourists will visit Thailand in 2010.
All in all some very good news to anyone visiting the Kingdom of Thailand this year for an extended stay.
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Talen any news of a freebie is always most welcome although I won’t have the luxury of taking up an extended stay.
Thailand must now be fearing political unrest and the strong and still strengthening Thai baht is going to reverse earlier optimistic tourist figure forecasts and have decided to offer bait.
Many will take up the free visa offer and have no fears about the current unrest in Thailand but newer and potential recruits may view the free-of-charge riot protection insurance as a signal to holiday somewhere a little safer. Interesting .
.-= Martyn´s last blog ..Tick Tock =-.
Martyn, so very true. This could and probably will put off new visitors to Thailand…but we will have to wait and see.
I remember my mom calling me 1 week before my first trip to Thailand saying she felt bad that I wouldn’t be going because of the coup. My response was…I’ll be on that plane in one week tanks or not.
Talen I remember being at work here in the UK when the coup happened and workmates saying to me that I must be glad I’m not in Thailand right now. My response.
“Give me the holiday and I’ll jump on the plane right now.”
.-= Martyn´s last blog ..Tick Tock =-.
Martyn, right there with you. My mother thought I was nuts and I was going to be killed for sure.
When I booked my next trip for 6 months later it was for 2 months. My mother looked at me sternly and said ” You are going to lose your job” my reply ” good, more time for Thailand then”.
Talen – This is the first I heard about free riot insurance. Of course, hardly any tourists get hurt in Thailand’s political battles so the insurance companies can rest easy on payouts.
.-= Catherine´s last blog ..Vern’s 22 Day Meditation Course =-.
Cat, it sounds like the insurance is just a measure to reassure tourists that there is still good reason to come to Thailand.
Definitely a step in the right direction especially if travel insurance is being declined for Thailand trips.
I agree that it is a smart move on Thailand’s part. But it’s a Band-Aid to cover a gaping wound.
And what a selling point!
‘Come to Thailand. Get free riot insurance’.
.-= Catherine´s last blog ..Vern’s 22 Day Meditation Course =-.
I have to admit Cat, when you put it like that all I can think is…”free riot insurance…I am so there.”
The crazy thing is… something like that WOULD attract me.
I mean, a holiday is all about having new experiences, yes?
And who wants to just lay around on a beach all day? Boring.
.-= Catherine´s last blog ..Learn Thai with Benjawan Poomsan Becker =-.
Talen, when my family and friends ask me about all the riots and unrest and dangers of living in the LOS , I say “WHAT”. here in our little piece of paradise we have never and I repeat never had a problem with political stuff riots are even a visit from any political leaders , and we wear what ever color shirts we chose, WE LIVE IN KANCHANABURI , in a little village called WHANG PHO , a where peace and quite and brotherly love prevail all the time (at least for the 5 1/2 years I have lived here).
I tell all our visitors that come to Thailand , fly so you arrive at night and at first light get out of BKK and really enjoy the LOS, maybe some of the complainers and worried need to rethink where they live in Thailand . I did .
Anything free is good. Malcolm
.-= malcolm´s last blog ..ONE MAN (I MEAN WOMEN) ENTERPRISE =-.
Malcomn, I live in Bangkok, and I don’t run into problems. And the only time I came across protests was when I purposely went looking.
.-= Catherine´s last blog ..Learn Thai with Benjawan Poomsan Becker =-.
Catherine, thanks for the assurance, I guess when we hear soooo much on the news , that it puts a little fear in the best of us , thanks again and glad you enjoy BKK , just to many folks and to busy for me , I guess I am really getting old . Malcolm
.-= malcolm´s last blog ..ONE MAN (I MEAN WOMEN) ENTERPRISE =-.
Malcolm, Bangkok is loaded down with suburbs.
And where I live is veeeeeeeeery quiet.
(the noisiest things around are the birds)
The next time you come to the city, take off into the side streets. Get off the main roads and poke around the small communities. Each has a special feeling all its own.
I am told that they are quieter than living in the countryside.
.-= Catherine´s last blog ..Learn Thai with Benjawan Poomsan Becker =-.
Cat, there might be some truth to that statement. I’ve walked through a lot of neighborhoods in Bangkok on the outskirts and they are indeed a world away from the Bangkok hustle and bustle…
And spending a fair amount of time up country I can say for a fact between the frogs and the crickets some nights they are definitely louder than Bangkok.
but I’m still with Malcolm…Love Bangkok but only for a few days at a clip.
Talen, When I moved to BKK, I was only here for a short time. I’m a country gal, so the plan was to head to Chiang mai.
Several months after arrival I realised that the energy of the city called to me.
My day-to-day living is spent in the quiet of the suburbs (I’ve lived in three). When needed, I’m out and about.
Everyone who knows me are shocked that I defend a city.
Me too.
I had grand plans of ‘getting’ property, putting in a mini-community of old-fashioned teak housing, luxuriating in tropical gardening (sigh), gathering in visiting creatives… yeah…
So you see, I gave up my dreams to stay in a city. Strong stuff.
Anyway, I’m not trying to convince anyone to move to BKK. We have enough people as is…
.-= Catherine´s last blog ..Learn Thai with Benjawan Poomsan Becker =-.
[...] Update: Thailand’s tourist visa’s free again until 2011 [...]
Tourism is a big industry in Thailand and visa fees are counterproductive, encouraging tourists to go elsewhere, Bali for example. Would love to return to Bangkok for a visit, but that will have to wait it seems. Ho hum.
.-= tempo dulu´s last blog ..The Jakarta riots: 13 May 1998 revisited =-.