Calls to publicise Thailand’s updated entry rules as the country tightens measures to curb multiple visa runs
Amid a rise in the number of cases of travellers being denied entry to Thailand, tourism operators are urging the government to regularly publicise updated rules and rely more on pre-screening methods, as the country tightens measures to curb multiple visa runs.
Last month, the Immigration Bureau introduced four measures aimed at preventing foreigners from entering as tourists while engaging in cybercrime, illicit businesses, money laundering, gang activities or forced labour.
One measure is to tighten restrictions on multiple 90-day visa-exempt entries often used by foreigners to carry out visa runs without returning to their home nation. Foreigners are now limited to two visa runs, and those exceeding this without valid reasons will be denied entry at airports and border checkpoints.
Thienprasit Chaiyapatranun, president of the Thai Hotels Association, said hotels recently encountered cases of guests being refused entry under visa-free privileges, along with social media posts made by foreigners facing a similar situation.
He said such cases could create unnecessary uncertainty among tourists who have not yet visited the country or who are planning to visit.
Relevant agencies should clarify the updated rules and ensure the information reaches all tourists entering under the visa-free scheme.
If possible, they should also explain why certain cases circulating on social media were denied entry.
“The situation now has undeniably led people to consider two possibilities behind these denials: tourists may unknowingly violate the rules, or some officials exploit loopholes to extort tourists,” he said.
Mr Thienprasit said leaving screening to officials’ discretion or randomly checking tourists at immigration is not an appropriate method.
He said that some countries use pre-screening procedures and automated immigration gates on arrival.
If travellers’ records show no issues, they can quickly pass through the gates, leaving only those who are flagged for concerns to undergo face-to-face interviews.
He said since Thailand already requires tourists to complete the Thailand Digital Arrival Card online three days before arrival, immigration already has their information.
As the government is considering the introduction of a pre-approval system for visa-free travellers, similar to South Korea’s Electronic Travel Authorization, he said the private sector supports this policy as it would improve entry screening and reassure tourists of seamless travel.
As of Dec 7, Thailand recorded 30.2 million foreign arrivals, down 7.19% year-on-year.
Malaysia, China and India remained the top three markets, with 4.23 million, 4.18 million and 2.28 million visitors, respectively.
Source: https://www.bangkokpost.com/business/general/3154333/calls-to-publicise-updated-entry-rules
