Thailand extends visa waiver plan for Indian, Taiwanese tourists for 6 mths | India News

Town of Patpicha Tanakasempipat

Thailand’s cabinet approved a plan to extend visa exemption programs for tourists from India and Taiwan for six more months, as the Southeast Asian nation seeks to boost the number of foreign arrivals to shore up its sluggish economy.

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Tourists from India and Taiwan will be able to enter Thailand without a visa until Nov. 11 after an existing waiver ends on Friday, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin told reporters after a cabinet meeting on Tuesday. Travelers can stay for a maximum of 30 days at a time under the rules.

The temporary extension follows the success of the initial waiver in November last year. Indian and Taiwanese tourists are normally eligible to stay in Thailand for 15 days under a visa-on-arrival scheme.

Tourism-reliant Thailand has been relaxing visa rules for travelers from some of its main markets including China and Russia. In the first four months of 2024, Thailand has welcomed more than 12 million foreign tourists, representing a 39% increase from the same period last year, according to the Ministry of Tourism and Sports. Thailand’s largest groups of visitors — those from China, Malaysia, Russia, South Korea and India — accounted for half of the total arrivals this year.

Tourism is one of Thailand’s key industries accounting for about 20% of total jobs and making up about 12% of the nation’s $500 billion economy. Srettha’s administration has set a goal of attracting 80 million tourists by 2027.