Thailand to boost tourism by easing visa rules for Chinese, Indian travellers

[webfact]

Thailand’s new government is looking to ease visa rules for, initially, Chinese and Indian tourists as PM Strettha Thavisin seeks to boost tourism revenue to 3.3 trillion baht in 2024. There are also plans to allow visitors from all countries to remain in the kingdom for longer.

 

Many tourists, particularly from western countries, are currently granted 30 day, visa exempt, stays in the Kingdom.

 

Prior to the Covid-19 pandemic, the Chinese were easily the largest group of international visitors to Thailand. However, they currently have to go through an expensive and paperwork-heavy visa application process, which Srettha says has affected arrival numbers this year. The visa for Chinese visitors is only for 15 days.

 

By Peter Roche

PHOTO: Chinese visitors arrive in Thailand

 

Full story: https://phuket-go.com/phuket-news/national-news/thailand-to-boost-tourism-by-easing-visa-rules-for-chinese-indian-travellers/

 

-- PhuketGO 2023-08-30

 

- Cigna offers a range of visa-compliant plans that meet the minimum requirement of medical treatment, including COVID-19, up to THB 3m. For more information on all expat health insurance plans click here.

 

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[Thailand]

Very fair!????

[John Drake]

Chinese real estate is in huge trouble, and Xi doesn't want people going in and out of the country the way they used to. Visa rules will not impact this. Don't know about India or Indians and their economic issues, but personally I prefer Chinese over Indians. Neither one, however, impacts my life where I live on the edge of Bangkok. Essentially, I don't care who comes here or who doesn't.

[bdenner]

All I can see is a suit case full of prepaid vouchers = the profits are not coming here.

Wake up TAT.

[Deserted]

Visa system in Thailand is very outdated and needs to be modernized. Why only 30 days for most countries. What actual harm does it do by allowing people to stay longer, which so many do anyway?

[hotchilli]

16 hours ago, webfact said:

There are also plans to allow visitors from all countries to remain in the kingdom for longer.

Well I never..... such logical thinking.

[Bim Smith]

2 hours ago, Deserted said:

Visa system in Thailand is very outdated and needs to be modernized. Why only 30 days for most countries. What actual harm does it do by allowing people to stay longer, which so many do anyway?

Cash cow for the Embassy's charging for 60 days visas. I bet even that's dried up now the rules are more stringent than they were before. I used to get a 6 month one no hassle. Now you have to provide bank information and all sorts of stuff

[Skipalongcassidy]

Let's make it easier for the scammers from China to come to Thailand and set up their call centers... 

[Bangkok Barry]

4 hours ago, Deserted said:

Visa system in Thailand is very outdated and needs to be modernized. Why only 30 days for most countries. What actual harm does it do by allowing people to stay longer, which so many do anyway?

And wouldn't it be great if a journalist actually asked such questions. Which they never do. They just listen to what they're told, and nod.

[mania]

4 hours ago, Deserted said:

Visa system in Thailand is very outdated and needs to be modernized. Why only 30 days for most countries. What actual harm does it do by allowing people to stay longer, which so many do anyway?

Exactly! Even the USA gives 6 months to most & it would be far easier to get lost in the USA with many States being as large or larger than Thailand in total

 

[Venom]

I've started studying Chinese. I think it's the future. 

[Ben Zioner]

17 hours ago, Thailand said:

Very fair!????

Undeniably. And it will also trigger extra business for airlines when all expat families living to  in Thailand will fly Europe for holidays.. I still have vivid memories of Dusit Hua Hin, where a Chinese male was  having breakfast in his sperm stained boxers.

[PB172111]

15 hours ago, bdenner said:

All I can see is a suit case full of prepaid vouchers = the profits are not coming here.

Wake up TAT.

Your comment refers to the minority of Chinese visitors. Asian visitors/tourists as a whole who visit here contribute far more than Western countries to the Kingdom’s GDP. They are the ones who can be seen laden with bags at the high end shopping malls. Unlike most Westerners who can be found in the coffee shops and food halls.

 

[ExpatOilWorker]

17 hours ago, John Drake said:

Chinese real estate is in huge trouble, and Xi doesn't want people going in and out of the country the way they used to.

You are right, but this is still a good opportunity for Thailand. 

Chinese real-estate is no longer profitable, but household savings are still sky high in China around $7.6 trillion.  Some of that will find its way to Thailand, despite of Xi and all his rules.

The Chinese are creative in finding ways around capital and travel restrictions. 

[Hakuna Matata]

Actually, Thailand needs to tighten visa rules for countries like China, Russia, Ukraine, Poland, Lithuania, Romania, Nigeria, Belarus, Kazakhstan, United States, United Kingdom, Australia and some other countries. Sretha may be manipulated by TAT, this is not what we expect from him.

[akaika]

budgets for consulates providing visas are not covered by the visa application fees.  It isn't a money making operation.  The visa rules are almost without exception reciprocal.  An example of a non-reciprocal visa policy is the 30 day visa exemption for many countries.  Thai citizens cannot go 30 days visa free to most of those countries.  They only maintain this policy because a lot more money is spent in the 30 days visit than what the MOFA collects for a visa.   

[IamNoone88]

7-Eleven will be busy then.

[kimamey]

25 minutes ago, Hakuna Matata said:

Actually, Thailand needs to tighten visa rules for countries like China, Russia, Ukraine, Poland, Lithuania, Romania, Nigeria, Belarus, Kazakhstan, United States, United Kingdom, Australia and some other countries. Sretha may be manipulated by TAT, this is not what we expect from him.

Why?

[mikeymike100]

7 hours ago, Deserted said:

Visa system in Thailand is very outdated and needs to be modernized. Why only 30 days for most countries. What actual harm does it do by allowing people to stay longer, which so many do anyway?

Immigration make a lot of money with extensions of stay, 1,900 baht a pop?

[watchcat]

37 minutes ago, IamNoone88 said:

7-Eleven will be busy then.

Not to mention the 'all you can eat seafood places'

[thairookie]

7 hours ago, Deserted said:

Visa system in Thailand is very outdated and needs to be modernized. Why only 30 days for most countries. What actual harm does it do by allowing people to stay longer, which so many do anyway?

The Immigration Department needs to make 1,900 baht from every tourist who finds 30 days too short.

 

If you simplify all the rules, the Immigration Officer will have less powers to collect ..... you know.

[mokwit]

1 hour ago, Hakuna Matata said:

Actually, Thailand needs to tighten visa rules for countries like China, Russia, Ukraine, Poland, Lithuania, Romania, Nigeria, Belarus, Kazakhstan, United States, United Kingdom, Australia and some other countries. Sretha may be manipulated by TAT, this is not what we expect from him.

Really, tighten why and why these countries?

 

I presume you are not a citizen of any of the above so perhaps you can tell us which country you are from and what visa/extension type you are on and why no tightening is necessary in your case.

[Skeptic7]

Still beatin' that dead ???? drum

 

[JackGats]

7 hours ago, Deserted said:

Visa system in Thailand is very outdated and needs to be modernized. Why only 30 days for most countries. What actual harm does it do by allowing people to stay longer, which so many do anyway?

Why only 30 days? I guess there's some element of reciprocity at play. Some countries (like Brazil) give country A 90 days if and only if their people are also given 90 days by country A. Tit for tat.

 

In fact Thailand has been generous in not insisting on 100% reciprocity. The question should be: why doesn't the US and the EU grant Thais 90 days? Thai women are no longer eager to trade sex for money in the West like they did, so the sexual trade-union (femihags) in the US and the EU now have little to fear from Thailand.

[sambum]

Why not ease the Visa rules for EVERYBODY ? Including long stay/ex pats etc?

 

You'd think that they would make it easier to make an annual  extension when you've done it a few times, but they seem to delight in making changes/new requirements every year!  

[Scouse123]

2 hours ago, Hakuna Matata said:

Actually, Thailand needs to tighten visa rules for countries like China, Russia, Ukraine, Poland, Lithuania, Romania, Nigeria, Belarus, Kazakhstan, United States, United Kingdom, Australia and some other countries. Sretha may be manipulated by TAT, this is not what we expect from him.

Please enlighten us as to why?

[Scouse123]

Thais getting a visa for the UK get six months.

 

My other half has just got a 10 year multiple entry for the UK at 180 days per visit, not that we would ever use that amount of days.

 

Two/three weeks is more than enough 

 

 

 

 

[newnative]

4 hours ago, mania said:

Exactly! Even the USA gives 6 months to most & it would be far easier to get lost in the USA with many States being as large or larger than Thailand in total

 

Huh?  'Many states' larger than Thailand?  I think just 2, Texas and Alaska, of the 50.

[BusyB]

I was pleasantly surprised to get stamped in for 90 days visa exempt in KL, which was accompanied by a smile and the enjoinder to enjoy my stay. It's why I will be returning there for longer on my next LOS trip. (I was on a weekender/border bounce at the time).

[PETERTHEEATER]

8 hours ago, hotchilli said:

Well I never..... such logical thinking.

My Albanian friends will really appreciate this. ????