Thailand on Tuesday approved a second automatic visa extension for foreigners for three more months, i.e., 90 more days. This announcement aims at preventing long queues forming at immigration centres; thereby, taking all possible measures to stop the spread of COVID-19. Prior to this, as per reports, foreign nations were lining up at immigration centres to extend their stays, thereby raising alarm that they were endangering public health.
Reportedly, this means that foreigners whose visas had expired since March 26, will now be allowed to stay in the country till July 31, that too, without applying for an extension. This was stated by Narumon Pinyosinwat, who is the spokesperson for the Thai Government. The extension will also apply to foreign nationals holding border passes, mainly workers from neighbouring countries.
Earlier also, a similar extension was granted till April 30 for all the stranded foreigners. However, as the world reels under this pandemic, many countries have still not eased restrictions, thereby leaving the foreigners with no option to fly back to their country. As such, this latest move to provide a second automatic visa extension, comes as a big relief to all those who are stranded amid this crisis.
Further, on March 26, Thailand declared a ‘state of emergency’ until April 30. It also closed its borders to stop the spread of Coronavirus, and banned the entry of foreigners since March. On April 15, Thailand extended the ban to all international passenger flights till April 30. All these measures are taken in a bid to stop the transmission of the virus any further.