International tourists already trapped by the Covid-19 pandemic in the kingdom will be permitted to apply for an extended short stay after their visas expire on Jul 31, the head of the Immigration Bureau said Friday.
Foreign tourists and residents staying in Thailand would be given a grace period from Aug 1 to Sept 26 to apply for stay for a specified period, the commissioner of the office, Pol Lt Gen Sompong Chingduang, said. Unless they don't receive exemptions, however, and are already in the nation after Sept 26, they 'd risk court prosecution and be blacklisted.
He encouraged visitors to notify the office as early as possible to arrange for their next move to stop crowding as the deadline for Sept 26 approached.
To extend short-term visas, which would be issued for 30 days, international tourists have to state their reasons and send the required paperwork, he added.
"When they are unable to return because flights do not operate or because of lockout steps in their nations, they will request evidence. A short-stay visa would be issued on a personal basis," Pol Lt Gen Sompong said during a visit to Phuket, a province with a large number of stranded foreigners.
He said the office had informed the State Council regarding the planned short stay and had told that the Interior Ministry should release a statement.
He said the visa waiver initiatives for international tourists would be forwarded to the cabinet next Tuesday for approval by the Interior Ministry. Earlier, the office will provide instructions about how to apply for a visa extension.
He said anyone who wanted to travel to their home country had no need to approach the office but needed to depart Thailand by Sept 26 as well.
He predicted the lockout to strand between 300,000 and 400,000 foreigners in the country.
Earlier the government immediately expanded their visas to Jul 31, but they do have to notify the authorities where they are living.
Source: Bangkok Post
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