Thailand tweaks multiple visa

BANGKOK Visitors from all nations will soon be eligible for multiple-entry visas that will allow them to travel neighbouring countries and re-enter Thailand.
Tourism Minister Kobkarn Wattanavrangkul told local media that Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha has given the green light to the proposal.
It will be effective within 60 days after receiving Cabinet approval last Tuesday and its publication in the Royal Gazette.
Currently, citizens of 30 to 40 countries can enter the Kingdom without a visa, but some other nationals are required pay about THB1,000 to get a single-entry, 30-day visa. They will benefit from a multiple entry visa if they intend to make side trips to other countries in Asia and use Thailand as a base.

inside no 5The tourism minster said the new visa would allow holders to come into the country on multiple visits valid over a six months period.
At THB5,000 the visa is not cost-effective unless the visitor is making more than five trips to other countries .
However, it will benefit long-stay visitors , or retirees, who want to use a tourist visa and make a trip every 30 days to explore neighbouring countries. Many retirees stay in Thailand for the European winter months, rent a home and then return to their home countries for the summer season.
Tourism is the only industry that is expanding and generating higher foreign exchange earnings than other industries.
The Ministry of Tourism and Sports estimated the country will welcome 28 million foreign travellers this year. Domestic and inbound tourism are expected to generate THB2.2 trillion in revenue, or about 10% of gross national product.
However, it says in future it will not base its evaluations on head counts providing instead data on revenue and length of stay as the benchmarks on success.
Last month the country welcomed 2.6 million arrivals, improving 37% on the back of a Chinese travel boom. (Immigration head count at land and airport border checkpoints).
The Cabinet on Tuesday gave the nod to the Tourism Ministry’s three-year tourism development master plan aimed at boosting quality tourists and promoting sustainable development.
It would also relax travel conditions and increase cooperation with other countries, particularly Thailand’s neighbours.
Last week, Thailand and Myanmar agreed to waive entry visas at major airports for the citizens of the two nations journeying between the two countries by plane. They can stay up to 14 days.

sourced:ttrweekly.com