Transcript of the above video:

As the title of this video suggests, we are discussing the Special Tourist Visa and the possibility that the Special Tourist Visa may be coming to an end.

In a recent article from the Pattaya Mail, that is pattayamail.com, and by the way, we quote from a lot of publications, Pattaya News, Bangkok Post, Phuket News, different places. Pattaya Mail is one that we do quote from rather frequently. They have got a lot of good information in there and hats off to those folks.

A recent article from again pattayamail.com, the article is titled: Overseas Thai Embassies Update Visa Guidance for Foreigners. Quoting directly: "Many Thai Embassies, particularly those based in the EU and the UK, are revising their instructions to foreigners wishing to come to Thailand. The updates fall into two distinct time periods this year: May 1, to September 30th and October 1 onwards.” Quoting further: "The Special Tourist Visa (STV) is being completely withdrawn and the final end date for flyers is July 2. Extensions once here are possible up to September 30th, but not afterwards." So apparently, it looks like we are seeing an end to the Special Tourist Visa.

This has been kind of an interesting travel document. It was created "special"; truly its name I think pretty accurately described what it was. I think it was invented, it was a stopgap. It was an ad hoc measure. Everybody was trying to do the best that they could to encourage some tourism so they created the Special Tourist Visa. It hasn't been all that widely used. We have assisted a few people in getting it. My personal opinion is, especially for Americans, Europeans, folks from the UK, Australia, other places like that, there were other visas that in many ways had more benefits and there were different types of categories that could get folks somewhat of the same time in Thailand and status in Thailand. I mean the STV, it just was what it was. It was a temporary, exigent travel document that was created to spur tourism. I think maybe it might have caused some people to come to Thailand that maybe otherwise wouldn't have under the circumstances with the prospect being able to get nine months. As we have noted in other videos on this channel, it had what I call a "hard out" which means that after it expires, it is not possible to convert it into another type of visa. It just ends so you do have to leave. It is a long time, it is 9 months but you have to leave. Other visas, it is possible to convert. Even standard Tourist Visas, it may be possible to convert status in Thailand. The STV, it has been specifically bad from doing so in our experience. So again it was an interesting travel document and apparently after September 30, 2021 it looks like it is not going to be around anymore.