Thailand to permanently waive visas for Chinese citizens from March and vice versa.
In announcing the permanent visa exemption on January 2, Thai Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin said the policy would "upgrade the relationship between the two countries".
Thailand is the second largest economy in Southeast Asia and is heavily dependent on tourism. Previously, in September 2023, the Thai government exempted short-term visas for Chinese visitors until February to attract more of this customer group.
Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin poses with traditional Thai puppets during a welcoming ceremony for the first batch of Chinese visitors under the five-month visa exemption program at the airport in Bangkok on September 25, 2023. Photo: Reuters
The Chinese Foreign Ministry said the two countries are increasing tourist exchanges by jointly exempting visas. "The competent authorities of both sides are in close communication on this issue. We look forward to implementing relevant agreements," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said.
In 2023, Thailand will welcome 28 million international visitors, with tourism revenue reaching nearly 35 billion USD. The largest market sending visitors to Thailand last year was Malaysia with 4.5 million, followed by China with 3.5 million. In 2019, Thailand welcomed 38.9 million visitors, the highest in the history of the country's tourism industry, and before the pandemic, China was the largest market sending visitors to Thailand, accounting for more than 30% of the market share.
Anh Minh (According to Reuters )
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