BANGKOK – In a bid to boost tourism and the economy, the government of Thailand has extended its visa relaxation for Indian and Taiwanese visitors until November 11th, this year.
The Thai cabinet has given the green light to the initiative, permitting travelers from India and Taiwan to enter the country without a visa for up to 30 days.
The fresh extension comes weeks after a previous waiver that allowed visa-free stays until May 10th, which stands extended by an additional six months for tourists from these nations.
The measures aim to attract more visitors from key markets, particularly India, which ranks among Thailand’s top ten sources of tourists.
Thailand has been progressively easing visa regulations for travelers from various countries, including China and Russia. The government recently announced a 60-day visa-free policy for Russian visitors, effective from May 1 to July 31, 2024.
This new policy replaces the previous arrangement, which allowed Russian citizens to stay in Thailand for up to 90 days, from November 1, 2023, to April 30, 2024. Thailand has already signed a visa-free agreement with China on a permanent basis from March this year.
In this regard, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin has gone a mile more and advocated for a joint visa program with five neighboring countries to attract long-haul and high-spending travelers. Leaders from Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, and Vietnam have explored plans for a Schengen-style visa though nothing official has been announced as of now.
The pro-tourism measures of Thailand are bearing fruit as during the first quarter of 2024, the country hosted over nine million tourists.
