Transcript of the above video:

As the title of this video suggests, we are discussing the possibility of a Thai Visa exemption. A recent comment on our channel asked: "Does the Thai Visa exemption still exist?" So what are we talking about here? Prior to March 2020, and the shutdown and quarantine of Thailand, it was possible for those from many countries including the US, the UK, many places in the EU , Australia, New Zealand for example to come to Thailand and receive what is called a Visa exemption stamp. This is basically again prior to March 2020, this was a stamp where anybody with that nationality would come to Thailand and literally at the airport they would be stamped in with a 30-day stamp mostly; some countries have different bilateral arrangements where they may get more, they may get less but they came in, they were Visa exempt, they did not need a visa to come. They just came into Thailand, boom stamped the passport. The question is, since COVID does this exist?  

Now we have done other videos on this topic. For a very long period of time after March of 2020 they did suspend Thai Visa exempt stamp and they were not allowing them. They are back. They have returned and not only are they back but they tacked on another 15 days. For example, if it was 30 days before now it is 45 days upon arrival, you just get your 45-day stamp. Here is where it is really not the same and where in my opinion, if you are going to come in on an exemption stamp you may just as well get a full Tourist Visa as it gives you more time. You still need to deal with what is called a Certificate of Entry and that process you still have to process that through a Thai Embassy or Consulate abroad before you can even make the arrangements to get on a plane to come into Thailand. 

Now as of the time of this video they are still requiring Alternative State Quarantine and everything associated with that so there is a whole logistical rigmarole if you will, you have to go through in order to gain access, in order to gain admission to Thailand.

The thing to take away from this video is “Yes Visa exemption stamps are back’ but as a practical matter I don't think it is really the optimal way of coming into Thailand at least in my opinion presently. If you have to go ahead and process the Certificate of Entry anyway you may as well go ahead and process a standard Tourist Visa at the very minimum, at least you get a 60-day stamp on arrival with the ability to convert and obtain another 90 days. So it is longer status and you are going through basically the same process. Yes it costs a little bit more to get a Tourist Visa but in my opinion, all things being equal under the current circumstances, it may be best to just go that route rather than using or utilizing a Visa Exemption Stamp.