Thailand likely to ease visa rules for Indian and Chinese tourists - here's why

livemint.com:

Thailand is likely to ease visa rules for Indian and Chinese travelers and allow longer stays for visitors from all nations. PM Srettha Thavisin discussed options with executives of Thailand Pcl and several other airlines. In a post on X (formerly Twitter), PM Srettha said, “The airport operator agreed to reduce bottlenecks to augment flight capacity by 20% and find ways to speed up immigration clearances." The new government aims to lift revenue from foreign tourists to 3.3 trillion baht next year, with the travel industry offering “the best short-term economic stimulus," Srettha said as quoted by Bloomberg News. According to Bank of Thailand data, tourism accounts for about 12% of gross domestic product and nearly a fifth of jobs in the country.

China, the largest group of visitors before the Covi-19 pandemic, faces a costly and cumbersome visa application process, which has been a drag on the tally this year, according to the premier. Meanwhile, travelers from India must pay 2,000 baht ($57) for a 15-day visa on arrival. Srettha said he wants the list of visa-exempt countries expanded as well as increased stay limits for most international travelers, with caps of 15 days or 30 days for many nationalities, Bloomberg reported.

Thaneth Tantipiriyakij, president of the Phuket Tourism Association, said scrapping the application fee would be ideal than giving visa exemptions to visitors from China and India. “Visa fee exemptions are a quick win for tourism. International visitors to Phuket through July were about 70% of pre-pandemic totals, but the Chinese arrivals recovery rate is only 30%," Thaneth was saying as quoted by Bloomberg. As per Nomura Holdings Inc.