The Travel Agent Association of Taiwan yesterday urged the Thailand Trade and Economic Office to cancel the implementation of a new visa application system, saying that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Consumer Protection Committee should issue complaints about the new requirements.
The office was closed yesterday in observance of the birthday of late Thai king Bhumibol Adulyadej, but it posted a notice on Facebook to alert people to the change and give them adequate time to learn how to file a visa application through the new system.
From Monday, travelers can file their visa applications following the old procedures, the office said, adding that the new system would be postponed until March 1.
Photo: AFP
Today, the office would only be processing visa applications completed online, it said.
“Before the system is reactivated on March 1, we will offer training sessions to travel agents who are authorized by us to handle visa applications. Announcements will be made regarding the training schedule. In the future, all visa applications will only be processed by qualified agents,” the office said in the notice.
Thailand’s new visa application procedure, which took effect on Sunday before being suspended yesterday, requires travelers to file an application online, including a financial statement covering the three months prior to visiting the nation.
The policy sparked a backlash from travel agents and travelers, who found the financial statement requirement to be disrespectful to Taiwanese.
Many also complained of trouble accessing the new system.
The office has only temporarily halted implementation of the new system to save face, association chairman Hsiao Po-jen (蕭博仁) said, adding that it must have been a unilateral decision of the office, rather than the Thai government.
“Both countries would benefit if Taiwan and Thailand could streamline their application procedures. Taiwan has waived visa requirements for Thai tourists, but the Thai government is imposing additional and stricter restrictions on Taiwanese tourists, which I think is unreasonable,” Hsiao said. “We call for stronger intervention from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in this matter. It should consider canceling the visa-waiver program for Thai tourists if Thailand insists on enforcing the new policy.”
While the NT$1,200 application fee is non-refundable, the office does not give an explanation when an application is rejected, Hsiao said.
“Who pays the fee if a traveler needs to refile their application? The traveler or the travel agent? This will cause arguments,” he said.
The association plans to contact the office today to see if there is any possibility it could scrap the new system, Hsiao said.
Twins Tour general manager Wu De-lun (吳德倫) said that the company was “overjoyed beyond belief” to hear the office’s announcement of the suspension, because only those who have to access the new system understand the trouble it causes on a daily basis.
“We collated all the problems that travel agents have encountered and presented them to the office. If we tell the office the problems day by day, it just ignores us,” Wu said.
The office’s announcement was a show of goodwill, but the foreign ministry should be held accountable for not immediately intervening, Taiwan International Tourist Aid Rescue Association chairman Roget Hsu (許高慶) said.
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