Mainland China and Thailand plan bilateral tourist visa exemption programme

[beethovenzz]

Mainland visitors to Thailand will no longer need a tourist visa to enter the country

China and Thailand are in talks to initiate a bilateral tourist visa exemption programme that is expected to start in September of this year.

The programme would potentially send millions of Chinese visitors to Thailand and boost ties between the two nations, reported Chinese news portal Nandu.com, citing reports by Thai media. Thailand's Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra reportedly said that she hoped the mutual arrangement between the two countries would boost trade and investment, and bring at least five million Chinese to Thailand annually.

Currently, Chinese tourists in Thailand number about two million each year. Many arrive as members of group tours, and can buy 15-day visas issued upon arrival for a thousand baht (HK$248).

Read More: http://www.scmp.com/news/china-insider/article/1295288/mainland-and-thailand-expected-start-bilateral-tourist-visa

--South China Morning Post 2013-08-08

[Lite Beer]

Moved to the Visa Forum and edited for Fair Use.

[retell]

nice news for the chinese

but what is in it for the thai ? can they travel to china free visa?

or does it only apply for that province in china to thailand

would like to see a drop in import tax for products from china would make my bussines blooming

[Gulfsailor]

nice news for the chinese

but what is in it for the thai ? can they travel to china free visa?

or does it only apply for that province in china to thailand

would like to see a drop in import tax for products from china would make my bussines blooming

Since 2010 a free trade agreement between ASEAN and China is in effect. It covers around 90% of all goods traded. So ask your Chinese supplier for certificates of origin, and you shouldn't pay any import tax. (Provided you don't trade in one of the few exempted from fta products)

[morpho]

Two million annually now...and hoping for FIVE million! Chiang Mai eventually will feel more like its Chinese than Thai!

[SICHONSTEVE]

Moved to the Visa Forum and edited for Fair Use.

How do I access this in its new position Lite Beer?

[lopburi3]

This is the new position and it appears you have accessed it.

[tingtongteesood]

''but what is in it for the thai ?''

MONEY, Lots and lots of tourist Yuan !

[Bagwan]

Millions might come but how many will return home?

[NewlyMintedThai]

''but what is in it for the thai ?''

MONEY, Lots and lots of tourist Yuan !

And they get to travel to the PRC (apparently) without facing the witches at the PRC embassy in Thailand.

More and more Thais are going to China for business reasons, from small mom-and-pop buyers to larger enterprises.

It is also a big draw for tourists, particularly for the tens of millions of Chinese-Thais who want to visit their heritage.

[Tomtomtom69]

I don't see any good that can come out of this, too many potential security and other issues - last year the government already decided to put this plan on hold but all of a sudden it will supposedly come to fruition next month?! The Chinese can already easily apply for a Thai visa and use it to enter Thailand - the existing 15 day visa on arrival therefore generally goes unused as Chinese authorities don't allow their citizens to leave mainland China without a visa for their destination country, with very few exceptions. Only Chinese citizens arriving from other countries to Thailand can avail themselves of the 15-day visa waiver, but in any case, why would Thailand, first of all, want to forego the huge potential visa revenue, and secondly present an easier pathway for many Chinese to enter Thailand, many of whom may not even return? I can't wait to see the outcome of all this if it's implemented.

Frankly, irrespective of which tourists they target, this whole tourism rhetoric in Thailand has gone out of control - Thailand wants 5 million Chinese a year, which they could probably achieve by the end of the year even without the visa waiver. What if one day, 100 million came? Where would they all stay? How would Thai society react? I can't see this as being any good for anybody...this whole crazy tourism bulls**t. Wake up Thailand - there's more to your economy than tourism (or at least there should be).

[Tomtomtom69]

Millions might come but how many will return home?

Very good question. I expect a fair number to avail themselves of this new visa waiver (provided the Chinese government lets them leave China without a visa) and then set-up businesses in tourism and related industries, employing only their own people and taking away jobs from the locals. The Russians have done it in Phuket, and the Chinese have done it in Laos so the next target will be all tourist places where Chinese go in Thailand. Can't wait to see how the locals will react to all this.

Also, I don't see any mention of visa waivers for Thais entering China apart from in the heading - the article is all focused on one way entry of Chinese entering Thailand. For the past year or more, Thais and other foreign nationals have been required to show either an invitation or a plane ticket and hotel bookings to be granted a tourist visa for China. I have heard that by next month, the Chinese authorities may ease up on this requirement for most foreign nationals, but this does not mean that Thais will be granted a reciprocal visa exemption to enter China - it seems that it is more important for the Thais to allow Chinese to enter Thailand so there can be more tourist dollars (or Yuan) to enter the local economy and more tourism related businesses, including the shadier ones have more potential customers to scam. The Chinese government for it's part may still have various reasons not to allow Thais to enter visa-free, which is not something I think the Thai government cares much about as it involves outbound travel which doesn't generate any money for the Thai economy.

[Tomtomtom69]

Two million annually now...and hoping for FIVE million! Chiang Mai eventually will feel more like its Chinese than Thai!

Next thing you know restaurants, cafes, travel agencies etc. will have only Chinese menus perhaps with a token Chinglish translation (and no Thai of course), complete with Chinese waiters and waitresses and shop fronts will only have Chinese language signs like at some Chinese restaurants in Laos like 四川菜 (Sichuan food). Wow Thailand will be transformed. Next thing you know everyone will have a solar hot water heating system on their roofs and electric bikes will start to be used rather than motorcycles.

[SinglePot]

From the original South China Morning Post article in the OP:

Guangdong Tourism Association vice president Li Jinmao told reporters that the visa-free initiative between the two countries would be especially beneficial to Guangdong business travellers, who would benefit from direct flights, since they were already practically living in Thailands backyard.

Local travel agencies interviewed by Nandu said that they expected Thailands popularity amongst white-collar mainland tourists to soar after September. The countrys profile in China rose after the release of the 2012 mainland comedy film Lost in Thailand, which generated more than HK$1.5 billion at the Chinese box office.

After reading this article, people also read

Why are Chinese tourists so rude? A few insights

Aug 09, 2013

[morpho]

Two million annually now...and hoping for FIVE million! Chiang Mai eventually will feel more like its Chinese than Thai!

Next thing you know restaurants, cafes, travel agencies etc. will have only Chinese menus perhaps with a token Chinglish translation (and no Thai of course), complete with Chinese waiters and waitresses and shop fronts will only have Chinese language signs like at some Chinese restaurants in Laos like 四川菜 (Sichuan food). Wow Thailand will be transformed. Next thing you know everyone will have a solar hot water heating system on their roofs and electric bikes will start to be used rather than motorcycles.

The transformation has already begun here in Chiang Mai, especially in the Nimmanheiman and Thapae Gate areas. Restaurants have printed brand new menus with Chinese translation...travel agencies and massage places have Chinese translation for their services. In Pai, I heard a Thai lady working in a travel agency speaking some Chinese and I asked her if she spoke Chinese...she said she was learning some at work because they has so many Chinese customers. I even heard a Thai girl in a bar talking Chinese some to 2 Chinese guys who came in. And a bar here in Chiang Mai was raided last weekend on suspicion on having some Chinese girls working there...heard that 5 girls were taken away by the police for not having proper ID.

[Tomtomtom69]

From the original South China Morning Post article in the OP:

Guangdong Tourism Association vice president Li Jinmao told reporters that the visa-free initiative between the two countries would be especially beneficial to Guangdong business travellers, who would benefit from direct flights, since they were already practically living in Thailands backyard.

Local travel agencies interviewed by Nandu said that they expected Thailands popularity amongst white-collar mainland tourists to soar after September. The countrys profile in China rose after the release of the 2012 mainland comedy film Lost in Thailand, which generated more than HK$1.5 billion at the Chinese box office.

After reading this article, people also read

Why are Chinese tourists so rude? A few insights

Aug 09, 2013

"who would benefit from direct flights"? They already benefit from direct flights, there have been direct flights between Bangkok and Guangzhou for decades, nothing new here and absolutely nothing to do with visa waivers. What a ridiculous thing to write by a supposedly respected newspaper.

[Tomtomtom69]

Two million annually now...and hoping for FIVE million! Chiang Mai eventually will feel more like its Chinese than Thai!

Next thing you know restaurants, cafes, travel agencies etc. will have only Chinese menus perhaps with a token Chinglish translation (and no Thai of course), complete with Chinese waiters and waitresses and shop fronts will only have Chinese language signs like at some Chinese restaurants in Laos like 四川菜 (Sichuan food). Wow Thailand will be transformed. Next thing you know everyone will have a solar hot water heating system on their roofs and electric bikes will start to be used rather than motorcycles.

The transformation has already begun here in Chiang Mai, especially in the Nimmanheiman and Thapae Gate areas. Restaurants have printed brand new menus with Chinese translation...travel agencies and massage places have Chinese translation for their services. In Pai, I heard a Thai lady working in a travel agency speaking some Chinese and I asked her if she spoke Chinese...she said she was learning some at work because they has so many Chinese customers. I even heard a Thai girl in a bar talking Chinese some to 2 Chinese guys who came in. And a bar here in Chiang Mai was raided last weekend on suspicion on having some Chinese girls working there...heard that 5 girls were taken away by the police for not having proper ID.

Thanks for the insights.

[Commander Tamson]

And they get to travel to the PRC (apparently) without facing the witches at the PRC embassy in Thailand.

If I need to visit China I don't even try the PRC Embassy in BKK anymore! Nightmare! I go to either HK or Singapore first

[Colabamumbai]

99% of the goods sold in Thailand are made in China. Doesn't China already own Thailand?

[Tomtomtom69]

99% of the goods sold in Thailand are made in China. Doesn't China already own Thailand?

That's true - I've noticed the same thing.

[Tomtomtom69]

And they get to travel to the PRC (apparently) without facing the witches at the PRC embassy in Thailand.

If I need to visit China I don't even try the PRC Embassy in BKK anymore! Nightmare! I go to either HK or Singapore first

My experiences there were OK - depends on the staff member you are dealing with I guess. Chiang Mai is better though, far fewer people and the staff are somewhat less fussy about certain documents. The good news is that starting September, the process of applying for a tourist visa may be simplified with fewer documents required than is currently the case.

[SinglePot]

99% of the goods sold in Thailand are made in China. Doesn't China already own Thailand?

Seems to me the thread is about Chinese tourists not plastic crap.