The Royal Thai Embassy in Rangoon has made it more difficult for Burmese nationals to visit Thailand, say recent visa seekers.
“It is difficult for first-time applicants,” said one Burmese man who recently applied for a visa. “They have to submit information about everything they own—their homes, their cars, even their phones.”
In the past, applicants only had to show that they had US $600; now, he said, “If you want a Thai tourist visa, you have to show that you have assets valued at 1.8 million kyat ($1,525) or more.”
A Burmese national who recently arrived in Thailand confirmed that the embassy was not readily accepting visa applications, and was penalizing those who used fake documents by making them wait several months before they could reapply.
“Nowadays very few people are applying for Thai visas—far fewer than before Nargis,” she said, referring to the devastating cyclone that hit Burma on May 2-3. “When I went the Thai embassy, I saw just two people waiting for visas.”
According to other recent applicants, there have been long delays in the visa-issuing process for new applicants since the first week of May.
Rangoon travel agencies said that it was unclear if the problems reflected a shift in Thai foreign policy or were simply the result of a decision by embassy officials.
Monsak Jangariyawong, the first secretary of the Royal Thai Embassy in Rangoon, told The Irrawaddy on Monday that there has been no change in tourist-visa policy for new applicants.
“We haven’t changed any practice since Nargis,” he said. “When new applicants apply for Thai tourist visas, they are required to submit financial documents as before. We have been doing this for the past few years.”
Some Burmese observers have suggested that the Thai government may be worried about a possible influx of Burmese seeking employment due to the economic impact of Cyclone Nargis.
Meanwhile, the Bangkok Post reported last week that of the 298,847 Burmese nationals who had entered Thailand over the Friendship Bridge in Mae Sot on one-day border passes in the first half of this year, 86,517 had not returned to Burma.
The paper said that there are an estimated one million Burmese nationals working in Thailand, which offers a limited number of work permits to migrant laborers from neighboring countries.
“It is difficult for first-time applicants,” said one Burmese man who recently applied for a visa. “They have to submit information about everything they own—their homes, their cars, even their phones.”
In the past, applicants only had to show that they had US $600; now, he said, “If you want a Thai tourist visa, you have to show that you have assets valued at 1.8 million kyat ($1,525) or more.”
A Burmese national who recently arrived in Thailand confirmed that the embassy was not readily accepting visa applications, and was penalizing those who used fake documents by making them wait several months before they could reapply.
“Nowadays very few people are applying for Thai visas—far fewer than before Nargis,” she said, referring to the devastating cyclone that hit Burma on May 2-3. “When I went the Thai embassy, I saw just two people waiting for visas.”
According to other recent applicants, there have been long delays in the visa-issuing process for new applicants since the first week of May.
Rangoon travel agencies said that it was unclear if the problems reflected a shift in Thai foreign policy or were simply the result of a decision by embassy officials.
Monsak Jangariyawong, the first secretary of the Royal Thai Embassy in Rangoon, told The Irrawaddy on Monday that there has been no change in tourist-visa policy for new applicants.
“We haven’t changed any practice since Nargis,” he said. “When new applicants apply for Thai tourist visas, they are required to submit financial documents as before. We have been doing this for the past few years.”
Some Burmese observers have suggested that the Thai government may be worried about a possible influx of Burmese seeking employment due to the economic impact of Cyclone Nargis.
Meanwhile, the Bangkok Post reported last week that of the 298,847 Burmese nationals who had entered Thailand over the Friendship Bridge in Mae Sot on one-day border passes in the first half of this year, 86,517 had not returned to Burma.
The paper said that there are an estimated one million Burmese nationals working in Thailand, which offers a limited number of work permits to migrant laborers from neighboring countries.
