Transcript of the above video:

As the title of this video suggests, we are discussing the confusion surrounding Visa Exemptions, Tourist Visas and Visas-on-arrival. I have done videos on this in the past but it has kind of percolated back up to the surface as I have seen a lot of conflation of these terms throughout the ether of the internet including in some major publications here where they are getting these terms kind of confused, so let's be clear.

A Visa Exemption which we have talked about, for example Russians now get a 90-day Visa exemption at least until March; apparently the Chinese have just been allowed into Thailand's Visa exemption status or program if you will. As we have discussed at length, for example Americans and British passport holders, those arriving in Thailand on either of those passports can receive a 30-day Exemption Stamp. Understand, this is not a Tourist Visa and this is not a Visa-on-arrival, this is an exemption from needing a Visa that still provides lawful status in the Kingdom. It still allows folks who are in Thailand to be here legally but they don't actually have a Visa, they have been exempted from a Visa. 

Now that is a different thing from a Thai Tourist Visa that you are going to seek at an Embassy or Consulate outside of Thailand, then use that visa to travel into Thailand and be in Thailand in Tourist Visas status. So again that's the big difference between those two things, not to be confused with the "Visa-on-arrival". Visa-on-arrival is a different thing. Visa-on-arrival, for example Cambodia I believe still utilizes this at least it always has since I've been going over there since 2009 where you can get on a plane, you go in, you arrive in Cambodia and then you have got to wait in line at another Immigration kiosk where they will go over some stuff and issue you a Visa right there and then you pass through Immigration; that is Visa-on-arrival. Thailand has that as well. I'm not sure exactly who all are still using that in terms of nationality because many nationalities have now been upgraded if you will into Thailand's Visa Exemption category but in the past we saw a lot of Visa-on-arrivals being issued in connection with Indian arrivals here in Thailand because Indians were allowed to utilize the Visa-on-arrival facility. But Visa-on-arrival is not the same as Visa exemption. Again, Visa Exemption is the authority to issue a stamp to provide Visa Exempt status, lawful status but it is Visa exempt, you are not in a Visa. That's a different thing from being issued a Visa-on-arrival and then admitted in that Visa status shortly thereafter and usually it's moments later, by Thai Immigration. 

So I thought of making this video because I have seen a lot of conflation and confusion surrounding these terms; I hope this provides some clarity.