BANGKOK – The Prime Minister of Thailand has 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 has 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 on the matter in previous comments, this time he was a bit skeptical 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.
The government of Thailand has also inked visa-free agreement with China on permanent basis from March this year in a major breakthrough for the country that has faced the brunt of pandemic.
