Myanmar, Thailand expected to sign visa exemption agreement

THAI nationals travelling by air could soon be allowed to enter Myanmar without a visa and vice versa, if the governments of both countries ink the agreement as expected this November.

Under the terms of the agreement, citizens of both countries will be allowed to stay in the destination country for up to 14 days without having to apply for a visa.

But the visa waiver will only apply to travellers departing from 23 designated Thai airports including Suvarnabhumi Airport and Don Mueang Airport.

Aung Htoo, deputy director general from Myanmar’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said: “Myanmar has already proposed the visa exemption to Thailand and we expect to sign an agreement once the Thai government approves it. I don’t know when but I hope we will be able to sign it during the Thai prime minister’s visit to Myanmar next month.”

The visa-free arrangement can be cancelled by either country but 60 days’ notice must be given through its foreign ministry.

According to Aung Htoo, Myanmar’s visa exemption programme with Vietnam came into effect on October 26 and the country aims to extend this to all ASEAN members.

Ma Aye Mra Tha, marketing executive from Myanmar Airways International, said: "(The agreement will) definitely increase visitors between the two countries because currently Myanmar citizens travelling to Thailand for the first time must submit a lot of documents and wait in a long queue to obtain a Thai visa. I think it's a similar situation for Thai citizens getting a Myanmar visa."

"I heard some time ago that (the governments) were planning this. Once implemented, it will be very useful for visiting Bangkok for the first time," said The Ei Nway, public relation officer of Myanmar Tourism Marketing.

Sourced: ttgasia