Singaporeans can now enter Thailand with a Special Tourist Visa

Thailand has opened to travelers for the first time since April, and for many travel-hungry Singaporeans, this piece of news could not be any better. Under the special Tourist Visa STV, Singaporeans can now travel to Thailand. 

But before all of your travel buddies start throwing their belongings into their dust-covered baggage, before anyone's permitted a foot into Thailand, there's a set of criteria to fulfill. A Special Tourist Visa (STV) is required as of October 7 for anyone who wants to enter the country.

According to the Royal Thai Embassy in Singapore, Singaporean residents (both citizens and permanent residents) have to meet several strict conditions to be eligible for STV.

First of all, as provided by the Immigration Act, they must stay in Thailand for a period of 90 days (yes, 90!) and must not have a criminal record in any country or have been barred from entering. They also must not carry disease is prohibited (such as tuberculosis).

The statement adds that "employment of any type is strictly prohibited," meaning that even on a visa, one would not be able to work in Thailand. 

Applications for STV and certificates of entry, if eligible, must be submitted to the Embassy's Online Visa Application at least 10 working days before the arrival date.

There are other requirements, even though you can take a long holiday of at least three months and fulfill the conditions above. For one, the validity of passports should be 12 months from the date of travel. And applicants will also have to book a flight with, specifically, Singapore Airlines.

Besides that, to ensure that they have a place of residence during their stay, they also have to provide one of the following:

• A financial statement that shows a 500,000 baht (S$21,700) monthly deposit for the past six months 
• A certificate of ownership of property in Thailand or a certificate of ownership of property in Thailand 
• A contract for the buying or rental of a property in Thailand, with confirmation of 25% of the value of the property already paid

There are more other requirements include:

• A copy of a 14-night booking in Thailand for quarantine at a government-approved hotel or hospital, payment made in full 
• At least $100,000 US medical and travel insurance (S$135, 600) 
• Additional Thai hospitalization and emergency medical insurance covering the entire time of stay, covering a minimum of 400,000 baht for inpatient treatment and 40,000 baht for outpatient treatment

More in-depth information would be needed on the embassy's website. 

All that is rendered to wait for approval (and to pack your bags) once that's all packed. 

However, it is important to remember that while the STV is technically valid until 30 Sept 2021, qualified applicants will still have their eligibility revised by the Ministry of Public Health of Thailand every 15 days.

Considering how long-awaited this trip might be, for a nominal fee of 2,000 baht, all looking to extend their stay in the country can remodel their STV in 90-day blocks. Only twice can extensions be made.

SOURCE: Chiang Rai Times