India to Benefit from Cheaper Thailand Tourist Visa For Indian Nationals
The Tourism Ministry in Thailand has just announced that they are reducing the cost of Thailand Tourist Visa For Indian Nationals on arrival by half, for Indian tourists as well as visitors from 18 other countries. This move is to increase the number of tourists visiting Thailand, with the tourism market being one of the major sources of income for the Thai economy. The fees for a visa upon arrival will now be 1000 baht, which equates to Rs 2000. This move of reducing the cost of Thailand Tourist Visa For Indian Nationals comes just two months after the fees for this type of visa were increased to 2000 baht. The new fee will appeal to budget-conscious tourists from India.
Other countries that can benefit from this cut-price visa are China, Bhutan, Ethiopia, Saudi Arabia, Andorra, Ukraine, Malta, Cyprus, Bulgaria, Kazakhstan, the Maldives, Romania, Mauritius, San Marino, Taiwan, Uzbekistan, Lithuania and Latvia in addition to India. People aged over fifty years old can also apply for a ten year, long-stay Thai visa, but they are legally bound to check in with immigration police every 90 days. This special Thailand Tourist Visa For Indian Nationals is initially for the first five years but it can be extended for a further five years. The fee for this long-stay visa is 10,000 baht which is equivalent to 20,000 rupees, and applicants must be able to evidence that they earn a minimum of 100,000 baht per month or have 3 million baht or over in their bank account for a year after receiving their visa. In addition applicants must have health insurance for inpatient care that is worth $10,000 and $1,000 for outpatient care each year. Countries that are being targeted for the long-stay visa are Canada, the UK, Germany, Italy, France, China, Australia, Norway, the Nederlands, Sweden, Japan, Taiwan, Switzerland, the United States and India. Many people of retirement age from these countries are choosing to retire or spend large amounts of time in Thailand, attracted by its warm weather, friendly people and relaxed way of life.