BANGKOK – The authorities in Thailand have announced to extend the visa waiver facility extended to the citizens from Kazakhstan.
Thailand’s Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin confirmed on Tuesday that the cabinet has agreed to waive visas for tourists for six more months through August in a bid to boost tourism.
In an earlier development, it was reported that the Thai government was exploring the possibility of inking a mutual visa-free agreement with Australia, months after it finalized similar visa-free arrangements with other countries.
Thailand has also inked a bilateral agreement with China to implement a reciprocal visa waiver, abolishing the need for visas on permanent basis.
Similarly, Thailand also extended visa waivers to travelers from India and Taiwan in November last year and is also eyeing the expansion of visa-free arrangement with other countries.
Earlier, the Prime Minister of Thailand also assured that his country was in talks for visa-free travel with the Schengen countries but refused to give any timeline for meaningful development.
Srettha Thavisin reiterated the nation’s commitment to securing a visa-free travel arrangement with Schengen countries while acknowledging that finalizing such an agreement will require time and patience.
Thavisin indicated that Thai citizens would need to adhere to standard visa application procedures until the European Union (EU) reaches a definitive decision.
Although the premier appeared more confident in the matter in previous comments, he was a bit skeptical this time but assured citizens that the government is diligently working towards enabling visa-free travel to the Schengen Area. He also emphasized his plans to take up the matter during future visits to Germany and France.
Thailand, a popular tourist hub, has actively sought support from Germany in securing the visa exemption. During a recent official visit by German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier to Thailand, Prime Minister Thavisin appealed for assistance in exempting Thai nationals from visa requirements for Schengen countries, highlighting the existing visa-free regime enjoyed by citizens of these nations in Thailand.
To attract tourists, Thailand has also proposed a regional agreement with Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, and Vietnam to enable tourists holding visas from one of these countries to travel freely to the others without additional visa requirements.
