BANGKOK – Asian tourist hotspot, Thailand is extending a warm welcome to Russian visitors with the visa-free facility for an extended period of time.
Starting in November, Russians can enter Thailand without a visa and stay for up to 90 days, a significant increase from the current 30-day limit.
This special arrangement will be in effect until the end of April 2024 as announced by Tourism Minister Sudawan Wangsuphakijkosol in Bangkok.
Thai Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin also confirmed on Monday that winter in Russia usually begins in December and lasts until March, during which Russians want to travel abroad due to extreme weather, and a one-month stay abroad, such as in Thailand, may not be enough.
Hence, the cabinet has decided to extend the visa-free period of stay, he added.
In a bid to boost tourism during the busy travel season, Thailand is making efforts to attract tourists from across the world and relax the visa requirements.
In the year leading up to August, Thailand welcomed 923,113 Russian visitors, ranking them fifth among international tourists, following visitors from Malaysia, China, South Korea, and India.
The official data implies that before COVID-19, about 1.5 million Russians traveled to Thailand and spent around $3.3 billion, making them the third-largest spenders.
The Thai government is relying on foreign tourists to spur economic growth though a recent incident of violence at a shopping mall in Bangkok may disrupt the plans of tourists.
Earlier in September, Thailand announced to waive visa requirements for citizens from China in a bid to revive the economy.
The kingdom’s newly formed cabinet announced that Chinese tourists will enjoy visa-free entry to the country from the end of September under a temporary scheme.
Under the existing arrangement, Chinese can apply for a visa on arrival but they need travel insurance, hotel bookings, and proof of funds for a maximum stay of 15 days.
Thai Prime Minister, Srettha Thavisin’s new government has now approved the Visa Free policy, which will allow tourists from Kazakhstan and China to enter Thailand freely from September 25 through the end of February 2024.
According to the Tourism Authority of Thailand, around 1.4 million Chinese tourists visited the country in the first six months of this year and the government was expecting a drop in the arrivals against the expected initial target of 5 million.
Thailand´s vital tourism sector contributes almost 20 percent of to GDP but has faced challenges in the backdrop of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Last year, Thailand experienced a significant decline in Chinese tourist arrivals, with only 274,000 visitors due to travel restrictions caused by the pandemic. Prior to the pandemic, Thailand welcomed approximately 11 million Chinese tourists in 2019.
The government earlier said that overall foreign tourist arrivals were 9.47 million from January to mid-May, compared with 11.15 million visitors in the whole of 2022.
