BANGKOK – Thailand, one of the most popular destinations for travelers from around the world, has announced a new policy to boost its tourism industry amid the Covid-19 pandemic. Starting from November 10, 2023, tourists from India and Taiwan will be able to enter Thailand without a visa and stay for up to 30 days at a time. This is an extension of the previous visa-on-arrival scheme that allowed them to stay for 15 days.

The visa exemption is part of Thailand’s efforts to attract more visitors and revive its economy, which has been hit hard by the travel restrictions and lockdowns caused by the coronavirus outbreak. Thailand relies heavily on tourism, which accounts for about 20% of its gross domestic product (GDP). Before the pandemic, Thailand welcomed nearly 40 million foreign tourists in 2019, generating about $60 billion in revenue. However, in 2020, the number of tourists plummeted to less than 7 million, resulting in a loss of more than $50 billion.

To cope with the crisis, Thailand has gradually reopened its borders to international travelers since October 2020, with strict health and safety measures in place. It has also offered various incentives and promotions to entice tourists, such as discounted hotel rates, free flights, and special packages. In addition, it has waived visa requirements for travelers from certain countries, such as China, Kazakhstan, and Russia, for a limited period of time.

The latest visa waiver for tourists from India and Taiwan is expected to further boost Thailand’s tourism recovery, as these two markets have shown strong potential and demand for travel. According to the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), India is the second-largest source of visitors to Thailand in Asia after China, with more than 1.5 million arrivals expected by the end of 2023. Taiwan is also among the top 10 sources of visitors to Thailand, with more than 600,000 arrivals expected by the end of 2023.

The TAT hopes that the visa exemption will encourage more tourists from India and Taiwan to choose Thailand as their holiday destination, especially during the upcoming winter season and the Chinese New Year festival in February 2024. The TAT also plans to launch more marketing campaigns and activities to promote Thailand’s attractions and culture to these two markets.

The visa exemption for tourists from India and Taiwan will be effective from November 10, 2023 to May 10, 2024. Tourists who wish to take advantage of this policy must have a valid passport with at least six months of validity, a confirmed return ticket within 30 days of arrival, and proof of sufficient funds for their stay. They must also comply with Thailand’s Covid-19 prevention and control measures, such as registering on the ThailandPlus app, obtaining a certificate of entry (COE), presenting a negative RT-PCR test result within 72 hours before departure, taking another test upon arrival, and undergoing quarantine at a designated facility or hotel for seven days.

For more information on how to travel to Thailand during the Covid-19 situation, please visit https://www.tatnews.org/ or https://coethailand.mfa.go.th/. (ZI)