Bangkok (TAN): Thailand’s foreign ministry has asked the country’s tourism ministry to review a proposal that seeks to offer a visa waiver to Indian and Chinese tourists for one year starting November 1 this year, a report in Bangkok Post said.
As part of the government’s stimulus package, the proposal seeks to allow the citizens of these countries – each with a population of more than one billion – to stay in the country for a maximum of 30 days without a visa.
If implemented, Thailand will lose approximately THB 13 billion (USD 421 million) a year in visa fee revenue.
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In 2019, 11 million Chinese tourists and 2 million Indians are expected to visit Thailand. The number of Indian tourists is expected to increase to 3 million in 2020.
According to the report, foreign minister Don Praramudwinai has written to Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha to oppose the visa waiver proposal saying that the visa stamp is a measure to screen foreigners entering Thailand to prevent any potential risks to national and economic security. He said waiving visas was not the ideal way to deal with the economic slowdown.
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