BANGKOK – The government of Thailand is exploring the possibility of inking mutual visa-free agreement with Australia, months after it finalized similar visa-free arrangements with other countries.
During a high-level meeting between Thai Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin and Australia’s Governor-General, David Hurley, proposals were exchanged to bolster bilateral ties and economic cooperation besides facilitating travel.
Prime Minister Srettha underscored Thailand’s dedication to fortifying its tourism sector, outlining strategies aimed at ensuring traveler safety and fostering conducive conditions for visitors. He also encouraged Australian tourists to explore health-oriented travel options in Thailand, expressing contentment with the current level of tourism engagement between the two nations.
In discussions between the two dignitaries, Srettha advocated for enhancing collaboration to strengthen the Thailand-Australia Free Trade Agreement (TAFTA), with a view to augmenting trade volume and value.
In recent developments, Thailand has 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 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.
