Thailand To Open Consulate In Chengdu

[george]

Thailand to open consulate in Chengdu

BANGKOK: -- The Thai government plans to open its first consulate in China’s western region next week to help attract more tourists to Thailand.

The Thai consulate in Chengdu, the capital of Sichuan province, is scheduled to open on 16 February.

It will start issuing Thai visas to Chinese nationals in March.

The new Thai consul, Thongchai Chasawasdi, met Deputy Prime Minister Gen. Chavalit Yongchaiyudh here yesterday before he left for Chengdu.

Gen. Chavalit has set the new Thai consul a target of attracting some 300,000 Chinese tourists and businessmen from the country’s western region to visit Thailand this year to help compensate for the expected decrease in visitors in the aftermath of the 26 December tsunami disaster.

The Thai government has already discussed opening more consulates in China with the Chinese authorities.

Thailand wants to open one in Shanxi Province and another in Chiangxi Province also to cater for Chinese tourists and businessmen wanting to visit Thailand.

With its two billion population and fast growing economy, China has become one of Thailand's tourist industry’s prime targets.

--TNa 2005-02-11