The Thai government plans to waive visas for more European countries and extend their visa validity to 90 days in a new "grand tourism strategy".
Prommin Lertsuridej, a top aide to Thai Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, said on November 19 that the country's leaders are taking "bold steps to boost the national economy" by extending visa exemptions to some European countries. The government is also discussing allowing visitors from some European countries to stay for 90 days, tripling the current period.
Some of the countries expected to benefit from the policy in the first phase include the UK, Germany and Scandinavian countries. European tourists are the second largest market for Thailand after Asia.
Foreign tourists vacation in Pattaya, Thailand. Photo: Pattaya Mail
The government previously temporarily exempted visas for visitors from Russia, China, Kazakhstan, India, and Taiwan during the peak year-end tourist season and required airlines to add more routes to reduce waiting time for tourists at airports.
Thailand plans to allow night entertainment venues in some areas of Bangkok, Phuket, Chiang Mai and Chonburi to operate until 4am starting in December, instead of midnight or 2am.
In addition, the government has licensed nearly 3,000 concerts, marathons and other cultural festivals in 2024 to attract tourists, encourage them to stay longer and spend more.
The government's latest move is seen as a new "grand strategy" to boost tourism and attract more international visitors. Since taking office in August, Prime Minister Thavisin has identified tourism as a key driver of the country's economic growth.
Thailand has lifted most of its Covid-19 restrictions, but the average spending per tourist is 12% lower than before the pandemic. In 2019, Thailand welcomed nearly 40 million international visitors and earned more than $53.2 billion. The Tourism Authority has set a target of earning $57 billion by 2024.
To kick off Thailand's ambitious "grand campaign", Prime Minister Srettha announced a Winter Festival program that includes popular events such as the Loi Krathong festival, the Bangkok Marathon and the 2024 New Year's Eve event.
Visa exemption or extension of stay is a policy applied by many Southeast Asian countries to attract tourists. Malaysia and Singapore exempt visas for 162 countries, the Philippines exempts 157 countries, Thailand exempts 65 countries, and Vietnam only exempts 24 countries. Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, and Cambodia all launched "golden visa" policies valid from 5 to 20 years to attract wealthy tourists from around the world to stay long and spend a lot. Vietnam increased the temporary stay from 15 to 45 days for citizens of 13 countries that were unilaterally exempted from visas from August 14.
Anh Minh (According to Bangkok Post, Thaiger, Nation )
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