China, Thailand set to permanently waive visa requirements

BANGKOK – Thai Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin said on Tuesday that Thailand and China will permanently waive visa requirements for each other’s citizens from March this year.

In a bid to boost tourist arrivals, Thailand waived visa requirements for Chinese citizens in September, a move which saw positive results for the tourism-dependent economy. According to authorities, over 22,000 Chinese people visited Thailand in the first two days of the visa waiver and the latest announcement confirms a permanent waiver of visa requirements.

Thai Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin expressed the country’s readiness to welcome tourists from China, highlighting the mutual benefits for both countries.

As per the official statistics, Thailand welcomed 28 million foreign tourists in 2023, a bit more than what they were hoping for, generating $34.93 billion in revenue.

Before COVID-19, Thailand had witnessed a record 39 million arrivals, with 11 million coming from China; for 2023, the top arrivals were from Malaysia.

Additionally, Srettha expressed his wishes for the Thai economy to get better, pointing out that there are many things to think about in the first quarter of the year.

Thailand, the second-largest economy in Southeast Asia, depends a lot on tourism for its income. The tourism authority in Thailand has a goal of attracting approximately 8.2 million Chinese tourists in 2024. To encourage more tourists, China has also been removing the need for visas. In November last year, China started a trial where visitors from France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, and Malaysia could visit without a visa. This initiative makes it easier for people from these countries to travel to China, and it is a strategy to boost tourism between these countries.

Thailand, with a diverse population of around 70 million, is known for its vibrant culture and landmarks like Bangkok’s bustling markets and ancient temples.