The Thai Government has officially approved a wide variety of measures to help foreigners who are stuck in Thailand due to the coronavirus.
The plan, created by the Immigration Bureau (IB), was signed earlier today by Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha. However, in Thailand, a new law must be published in the Royal Gazette before it becomes official.
The order was officially published on Wednesday night, meaning that automatic visa extensions for tourists, among other measures are now in place.
According to the new order, anyone whose stay in the country expired on or after March 26th can now remain in Thailand until April 30th.
If the emergency decree is extended past the end of April, the visa amnesty will automatically extend stays until the end of May. This applies to all visa holders.
People who fit into this category will not be liable for any overstay fines.
For people who have a visa that expired before March 26th, they must go to their local immigration office and pay the overstay fine.
Once the fine is paid, they will become part of the category above and be able to stay until the end of April or the end of the emergency decree without further penalties.
People who need to do 90-day reporting are also included in the new order. 90-day reporting is now suspended until April 30th.
The order also provides relief for foreigners who have resident visas. They can now surpass the compulsory deadline to reenter the country until the end of the emergency decree.
Similarly, people from neighboring countries who came to Thailand on a temporary border pass can stay in the country until borders reopen.
The news will come as a huge relief to the many foreigners who have been navigating packed immigration offices to try and extend their stay in Thailand.
Source: Royal Gazzette | Photo: Pinoy Thaiyo
