IETF Logo Mail Archive

Re: [102attendees] [103attendees] Visa problems - need a different invitation letter

"Jakob Heitz (jheitz)" <jheitz@cisco.com> Thu, 06 September 2018 05:57 UTC

Return-Path: <jheitz@cisco.com>
X-Original-To: 102attendees@ietfa.amsl.com
Delivered-To: 102attendees@ietfa.amsl.com
Received: from localhost (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by ietfa.amsl.com (Postfix) with ESMTP id EE7DB130EA2 for <102attendees@ietfa.amsl.com>; Wed, 5 Sep 2018 22:57:38 -0700 (PDT)
X-Virus-Scanned: amavisd-new at amsl.com
X-Spam-Flag: NO
X-Spam-Score: -14.51
X-Spam-Level:
X-Spam-Status: No, score=-14.51 tagged_above=-999 required=5 tests=[BAYES_00=-1.9, DKIM_SIGNED=0.1, DKIM_VALID=-0.1, DKIM_VALID_AU=-0.1, RCVD_IN_DNSWL_HI=-5, SPF_PASS=-0.001, T_DKIMWL_WL_MED=-0.01, URIBL_BLOCKED=0.001, USER_IN_DEF_DKIM_WL=-7.5] autolearn=ham autolearn_force=no
Authentication-Results: ietfa.amsl.com (amavisd-new); dkim=pass (1024-bit key) header.d=cisco.com
Received: from mail.ietf.org ([4.31.198.44]) by localhost (ietfa.amsl.com [127.0.0.1]) (amavisd-new, port 10024) with ESMTP id yBGTyN6sdhb0 for <102attendees@ietfa.amsl.com>; Wed, 5 Sep 2018 22:57:36 -0700 (PDT)
Received: from rcdn-iport-1.cisco.com (rcdn-iport-1.cisco.com [173.37.86.72]) (using TLSv1.2 with cipher DHE-RSA-SEED-SHA (128/128 bits)) (No client certificate requested) by ietfa.amsl.com (Postfix) with ESMTPS id 897FD130E9D for <102attendees@ietf.org>; Wed, 5 Sep 2018 22:57:36 -0700 (PDT)
DKIM-Signature: v=1; a=rsa-sha256; c=relaxed/simple; d=cisco.com; i=@cisco.com; l=2567; q=dns/txt; s=iport; t=1536213456; x=1537423056; h=from:to:subject:date:message-id:references:in-reply-to: content-transfer-encoding:mime-version; bh=sd4a4hbetokIXYKKn6FfjpndsnNNVBgxGjy7vsR6t2Y=; b=WmmNHSqDYamZLq85XPAOBHaBNtXYCww5pzI2nCQvgxXPd28K8skE8htf 7sMj2gKYTQrWShqn5Xu4hlLhxQMgWQ4C06VuWo6QKY2kAbEgjTBO1BAwB MNykDD8op3vkNqbr5o0JVJf8YzOHe9DsQM1Aw0vRxAw/UeT8jYD6qEEbF 0=;
X-IronPort-Anti-Spam-Filtered: true
X-IronPort-Anti-Spam-Result: A0C/BwB6wJBb/5FdJa1aGQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQcBAQEBAYMfBSplfygKmBGCJ4dAjm+BegsYDYQBRgJMAQSDASE2FgECAQECAQECbRwMgieDEAEBAQMBAQE4LgYHCQcEAgEIEQQBAQEeECcLHQgCBAESCAGCTUyBeQgPoxuBOIJ2AYVXijMmF4FBP4ESgmQugxsBAYFxhUgCiWCIDIlyCQKGM4lAH4IIjFqLMIgeAhEUgSQjATGBIx4MCHAVO4I4AQEyCYJEgzSFFIU9AW+LMCqBBIEdAQE
X-IronPort-AV: E=Sophos;i="5.53,334,1531785600"; d="scan'208";a="448372742"
Received: from rcdn-core-9.cisco.com ([173.37.93.145]) by rcdn-iport-1.cisco.com with ESMTP/TLS/DHE-RSA-AES256-GCM-SHA384; 06 Sep 2018 05:57:35 +0000
Received: from XCH-RCD-015.cisco.com (xch-rcd-015.cisco.com [173.37.102.25]) by rcdn-core-9.cisco.com (8.15.2/8.15.2) with ESMTPS id w865vZdu027515 (version=TLSv1.2 cipher=AES256-SHA bits=256 verify=FAIL); Thu, 6 Sep 2018 05:57:35 GMT
Received: from xch-aln-014.cisco.com (173.36.7.24) by XCH-RCD-015.cisco.com (173.37.102.25) with Microsoft SMTP Server (TLS) id 15.0.1367.3; Thu, 6 Sep 2018 00:57:34 -0500
Received: from xch-aln-014.cisco.com ([173.36.7.24]) by XCH-ALN-014.cisco.com ([173.36.7.24]) with mapi id 15.00.1367.000; Thu, 6 Sep 2018 00:57:34 -0500
From: "Jakob Heitz (jheitz)" <jheitz@cisco.com>
To: Michael StJohns <msj@nthpermutation.com>, "102attendees@ietf.org" <102attendees@ietf.org>
Thread-Topic: [102attendees] [103attendees] Visa problems - need a different invitation letter
Thread-Index: AQHURFgVjlxckS6f/EGvQ49kEkakCKTgugOAgAAFiICAABOOAIAAm7oAgACvIUCAAIJSgIAAH3MA
Date: Thu, 06 Sep 2018 05:57:34 +0000
Message-ID: <c27341e4f4cf4f0593a71f5d8a4cfe8b@XCH-ALN-014.cisco.com>
References: <alpine.OSX.2.01.1808291846180.5588@ole-pro-2.local> <163e477e-956b-c388-a062-115ad64629c2@gmail.com> <alpine.OSX.2.01.1808291954390.5588@ole-pro-2.local> <1762761125.28180.1535604751601@ichabod.co-bxl> <0DCD267A-8333-41D2-875B-F68051789BB8@gmail.com> <1725ef85-0763-85ca-7e31-bd251e4b4bac@ericsson.com> <20180904131753.wcqvts3d6nuyf56s@faui48f.informatik.uni-erlangen.de> <F5C76E02-3918-4525-9F5E-6EF95287D677@isoc.org> <C43F0F29-DB56-4723-976E-442177384EEC@nostrum.com> <AD352F893CC34984364088EE@PSB> <20180904191755.5gg56vmzkt7cbcxr@faui48f.informatik.uni-erlangen.de> <CY4PR22MB0983CC2A54C8CF7CF733AB84DA020@CY4PR22MB0983.namprd22.prod.outlook.com> <48c29065c1f6498c88f6ac30715ee75f@XCH-ALN-014.cisco.com> <55efde6f-39af-b7de-8676-612bea716e1d@nthpermutation.com>
In-Reply-To: <55efde6f-39af-b7de-8676-612bea716e1d@nthpermutation.com>
Accept-Language: en-US
Content-Language: en-US
X-MS-Has-Attach:
X-MS-TNEF-Correlator:
x-ms-exchange-transport-fromentityheader: Hosted
x-originating-ip: [10.24.46.120]
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
MIME-Version: 1.0
X-Outbound-SMTP-Client: 173.37.102.25, xch-rcd-015.cisco.com
X-Outbound-Node: rcdn-core-9.cisco.com
Archived-At: <https://mailarchive.ietf.org/arch/msg/102attendees/OBj6N5XcsG5hB7P7uxQtqVmKrBc>
Subject: Re: [102attendees] [103attendees] Visa problems - need a different invitation letter
X-BeenThere: 102attendees@ietf.org
X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.29
Precedence: list
List-Id: Mailing list of IETF 102 attendees that have opted in on this list <102attendees.ietf.org>
List-Unsubscribe: <https://www.ietf.org/mailman/options/102attendees>, <mailto:102attendees-request@ietf.org?subject=unsubscribe>
List-Archive: <https://mailarchive.ietf.org/arch/browse/102attendees/>
List-Post: <mailto:102attendees@ietf.org>
List-Help: <mailto:102attendees-request@ietf.org?subject=help>
List-Subscribe: <https://www.ietf.org/mailman/listinfo/102attendees>, <mailto:102attendees-request@ietf.org?subject=subscribe>
X-List-Received-Date: Thu, 06 Sep 2018 05:57:46 -0000

That is an interpretation of
TOURISM AUTHORITY OF THAILAND ACT, B.E. 2522 (1979)
http://www.asianlii.org/th/legis/consol_act/taota1979337/
in which the definition of tourist is:

"tourist" means any person who freely travels from his normal place of residence to other place for temporary period with the objective other than to carry on his occupation or to earn income;

If your occupation is to develop IETF standards and your employer pays you to do that and that is what you do at the conference, then you might have difficulty in persuading a border guard that you are a tourist.

Maybe the guard is in a good mood and will overlook the detail, believing you will spend money in his country and all will be well.
Or not.

Regards,
Jakob.


-----Original Message-----
From: 102attendees <102attendees-bounces@ietf.org> On Behalf Of Michael StJohns
Sent: Wednesday, September 5, 2018 3:49 PM
To: 102attendees@ietf.org
Subject: Re: [102attendees] [103attendees] Visa problems - need a different invitation letter

This is the clearest web site I've seen with respect to which type of 
visa is needed:

https://www.businesseventsthailand.com/plan-your-events/general-travel-information/visa-requirements/

The above is a page from the Thailand Convention and Exhibits board 
which appears to be at least quasi-governmental having been established 
by royal decree.

AFAICT from reading this, all of the secretariat will need business 
visa's, all of the rest of us - unless we're doing things that make 
money from Thai sources - can get by on Tourist visas.

> Foreigners entering Thailand for MICE without the purposes of being 
> employed or working for income, but being event attendants will be 
> regarded as tourists under the definition of Tourism Authority of 
> Thailand Act of B.E. 2522 (1979).

I'm using the visa exemption program for US tourists.

http://thaiembdc.org/visa-exemption-and-visa-on-arrival/

Later, Mike


On 9/5/2018 4:08 PM, Jakob Heitz (jheitz) wrote:
> Here is the answer from the US Thai Embassy.
> Nicely dodged the question.
> I can just imagine trying to convince a border guard that no business is conducted at a conference.
> All they have to do is ask: "Are you attending the conference in that hotel you are staying at?"
> Say "no" and go to jail.
>
> Regards,
> Jakob.

_______________________________________________
102attendees mailing list
102attendees@ietf.org
https://www.ietf.org/mailman/listinfo/102attendees

v2.23.0 | Report a Bug | By Email