BANGKOK – China and Thailand inked a mutual visa exemption agreement on Sunday, set to benefit citizens from both countries.
The agreement would be in effect from March 1st this year and would allow citizens from both sides to travel to the other country without the need for a visa.
On the occasion of the signing ceremony, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi stated that the agreement would not only benefit tourism in Thailand and Chinese tourists but also enhance mutual understanding between the two countries.
It merits mentioning that Thailand had initially waived visa requirements for Chinese in September, aiming to revitalize tourist footfall, a step which brought positive results as over 22,000 Chinese visitors landed in Thailand within the first 48 hours of the relaxation.
In a press conference at that time, Thai Prime Minister Srettha expressed enthusiasm that the decision would be mutually beneficial for both countries and would lead to enhancement in bilateral relations.
“This marks an advancement in Thailand-China relations and elevates the importance of Thai passports,” stated Mr. Srettha, emphasizing the symbolic significance of this visa policy change.
As far as statistics are concerned, Chinese tourists constitute the second-largest group of foreign visitors to Thailand, trailing only behind Malaysia. The Tourism Authority of Thailand projected an anticipated influx of up to 3.5 million Chinese visitors for the entirety of 2023.
Compared to pre-pandemic figures in 2019 when Thailand welcomed nearly 11 million Chinese tourists, the projected 2023 numbers signify progress.
Safety concerns have also hampered tourism, fueled by rumors of tourists being abducted and transported to illicit centers in neighboring countries like Myanmar or Cambodia. A movie that is a top hit in China also affected the tourism industry of Thailand.
The movie named ‘No More Bets’ portrays the story of human trafficking set in Thailand but it is not rooted in reality in toto; however, it is stoking irrational fears of the risks of getting caught up in trafficking.
‘No More Bets’ is about trafficking workers for online scam factories and has been trending in China but at the same time, it is portraying Thailand as dangerous and risky for tourists.
The Tourism Authority of Thailand has set an ambitious target of attracting 8.2 million Chinese tourists in 2024, aiming to revitalize Thailand’s tourism sector.
On the other hand, China is also struggling to woo tourists from across the world and recently initiated a visa-free trial for visitors from France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, and Malaysia.
