Visa exempt for Chinese and Indian tourists proposed to boost tourism in Thailand

 

File photo

 

The Thai government is considering adding China and India to the list of countries eligible for visa exempt entry to Thailand.

 

Currently, both Chinese and Indian tourists are required to obtain a visa on arrival (VOA) before entering Thailand.

 

Last year, the Thai government waived the 2,000 baht fee for VOA for Chinese and Indians but are now considering going one step further by making them eligible for visa exemption.

 

In total, there are more than 60 countries already eligible for visa exempt entry into Thailand including the USA, Australia, United Kingdom, Canada, Germany, Singapore and Malaysia. 

 

The move was first mooted last week by tourism minister Pipat Ratchakitprakan as he seeks to address the sudden decline in Thailand’s tourism industry left decimated in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak in China.

 

Thailand’s tourism industry has been left reeling after China last month banned all outbound group travel.

 

Previous reports suggested that tourism has been reduced by almost 80 percent, while other reports claimed that an estimated 10,000 Thai tour guides are currently out of work due to the fact that no Chinese tour groups are currently in Thailand. 

 

As of yet, it is not known when China will lift its restrictions on outbound travel.

 

Another proposal being considered by the Thai government is adding two more holidays to the upcoming Songkran festival held in April.

 

Songkran is officially held between April 13 to 15.

 

But this year it is proposed the Songkran holidays, inclusive of a Saturday and Sunday, will be held from April 11 to 19.

 

The proposal to extend Songkran will benefit the tourism sector and economy, officials said.

 

If approved, it is not known when the new proposals would come into effect

 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2020-02-18

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What a Joke   

12 minutes ago, webfact said:

The Thai government is considering adding China and India to the list of countries eligible for visa exempt entry to Thailand.

is it NEW news or a re-post from last month with same proposal..... and TAT running out of steam

14 minutes ago, webfact said:

The proposal to extend Songkran will benefit the tourism sector and economy, officials said.

then..... I would like to know how

it would take more then visa exempt for tourists to come back, TAT created such a negative image of Thailand that people forced people into seeking alternative places

Fools are running out of ideas.

 

Free visas for people from a country which is rife with Corona Virus- classic!

Are they not aware that these proposals are actually killing tourism?

24 minutes ago, webfact said:

The proposal to extend Songkran will benefit the tourism sector and economy, officials said.

 

If approved, it is not known when the new proposals would come into effect

Probably August ???? ????

Maybe you could also provide visa exempts for North-Korea?

If they can get away from the labor camps they might come?

Meanwhile, the Baht....

8 days of danger now?

Groundhog Day

How about the airlines drop their pants and the hotels too, nothing like a good discount to bring in tourists.

 

From what I have seen, nothing has changed, airline prices remain high as do hotels, suffice to say, next two months during school holidays might as well stay in our own (home) hotel and save the $'s, after all there is no risk in our own hotel, airlines and hotels might have some kind of living Coronavirus on their surfaces, you just never know, call it risk for compensation ????

 

Edited February 18, 20206 yr by 4MyEgo

While I don't believe all the media hype surrounding this coronavirus outbreak, virtually no other country in the world is courting Chinese tourists in the middle of all this. Thailand is joined only by Cambodia in the way it's going out of it's way to bring Chinese tourists in, because it has decided to focus basically just on one tourism market.

 

This is really not the time to be doing a stunt like this. Better focus on other areas of the economy, or encouraging citizens of other countries to visit, at least until the situation improves.

55 minutes ago, Creasy said:

Fools are running out of ideas.

 

Oh? Did they ever have any?

Never mind visa's for free. Thailand should be closing it's boarders to China till the coronavirus is under control.

Thus I pass away the time, and this lulls me on to drudge on the end of the Chapter with this Dunderheaded Master of mine, who to my knowledge is more a Madman than a Knight.
— Miguel de Cervantes, Don Quixote (anon. trans.), 1703

An amusement park without admission allows people to spend more on other things.   The government not competing with the average Thai would be refreshing. 

Is it just me or is the impression getting stronger by the day, that the patients are running the asylum?

In most countries, the primary duty of a government is to protect its citizens. In Thailand the TAT is proposing to put Thailand's citizens at risk for a possible short term gain of attacting a few extra Chinese tourists. Already tourists from outside China are reconsidering visiting Thailand precisely because the government is encouraging China inbound tourists, is not informative about exactly what is going on vis a vis Covid19, and is not overtly attempting to stop the spread of Covid19. Has the government seriously thought this initiative through? 

Edited February 18, 20206 yr by happyinthailand

Tourism minister Pipat Ratchakitprakan is getting desperate.????

1 hour ago, Psimbo said:

Free visas for people from a country which is rife with Corona Virus- classic!

news report didn't indicate what particular kind of tourism they wanted to stimulate.  in this case..........medical tourism.

 

why be locked down in wuhan during the zombie apocalypse when you can  come spend your terminal months in thailand?  fill out a questionnaire at airport immigration declaring you have no symptoms and you're free to go.

2 hours ago, webfact said:

Another proposal being considered by the Thai government is adding two more holidays to the upcoming Songkran festival held in April.

What a great proposal, another 2 more days to the water splashing mayhem in a country who already is lacking rain and water supply most of the year.

Thai government need more educated people and less morons if they want tourists to visit. 

It's only a proposal. Maybe the powers that be will see sense.

 

 

 

 

 

But they probably won't!

1 hour ago, ChipButty said:

8 days of danger now?

Only way to stop the increasing of population, more roadrage and killings.

Got a better idea: vise exempt entry for the residents of Wuhan! 11 million wealthy Chinese literally dying to recuperate on the golden beaches of the LOS.

1 hour ago, drbeach said:

While I don't believe all the media hype surrounding this coronavirus outbreak,

What hype do you speak of? China now has 750 million people locked down. This is unprecedented.

This is an Id 10T matter.

Just wait for tomorrow's TAT bulletin:

 

Chinese and Indian tourist bookings up 22% year on year, credit given to brilliant visa exempt scheme.