Thailand leading discussion on Schengen-style visa with Southeast Asian neighbours to lure moneyed tourists
Thailand’s status as a tourism hotspot into an aviation and logistics hub — has discussed the Schengen-type visa idea with his counterparts in Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar and Vietnam in recent months. The facility is meant to ensure seamless mobility for travellers among the six neighbouring countries. With most leaders positively responding to the single-visa concept, tourism-reliant Thailand aims to generate more revenue per traveller and cushion its economy from headwinds such as sluggish exports and weak global demand that’s hurt its manufacturing industry.
The six Southeast Asian nations reported a combined 70 million foreign tourist arrivals in 2023, according to official data. Thailand and Malaysia accounted for more than half of the tally, generating about $48 billion in tourism revenue. The single visa is the most ambitious among Srettha’s lineup of tourism initiatives but targeted for the long term.
The industry has served the country well, accounting for about 20% of total jobs and making up about 12% of the nation’s $500 billion economy. Barring the pandemic years, tourism has flourished and provided a cushion against a slump in manufacturing and exports, the traditional bulwarks of the economy. The tourism industry is upbeat, with Marisa Sukosol Nunbhakdi, a former president of the Thai Hotels Association, saying “A common visa could entice long-haul travellers to make an easier decision." The visa validity will need to be extended to 90 days from the usual 30-day period to make it attractive, she said.
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