VI
EN
Speaking after the meeting, Thai Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin announced that from September 25 to February 29, 2024, Thailand will waive visa requirements for tourists from China and Kazakhstan in an effort to boost the tourism industry.
He said, "This means that tourists from these two countries will no longer have to apply for a visa before coming to Thailand. This program is currently only being implemented temporarily so that its impact can be assessed."
Thai Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin at a government meeting on September 13.
Currently, Thailand grants visa-free entry to tourists from 50 countries and territories. Tourists from these countries and territories can stay in Thailand for up to 30 days. However, Chinese tourists still need to apply for and pay a fee to obtain an entry visa.
Supporting the tourism industry is one of Srettha's priorities as he seeks to boost personal spending and stimulate the economy, which is currently growing at only 1.8% in the second quarter of 2023. The main reason for this stagnation is the decline in exports, which account for up to 60% of Thailand's Gross Domestic Product.
According to forecasts by the National Economic and Social Development Council of Thailand, the country's economy will grow by 2.5% to 3% in 2023, lower than the previously projected 2.7% to 3.7%. Meanwhile, Thailand's tourism industry, which accounts for approximately 18% of GDP, has begun to recover since the second half of 2022, when Bangkok lifted all restrictions. By the second quarter of 2023, the recovery of Thailand's tourism industry was becoming stronger.
In the first eight months of 2023, Thailand welcomed 17.9 million international tourists, an increase of 3.2 million compared to the same period last year. Of these, Chinese tourists accounted for the largest share, reaching 2.2 million. However, this figure is still less than half of the target of 5.5 million Chinese tourists that the Thai tourism industry is hoping for.
The Tourism Authority of Thailand forecasts that Thailand will welcome approximately 29 million international tourists in 2023, significantly higher than the 11.5 million in 2022. However, this figure is still considerably lower than the 39 million visitors to Thailand in 2019, before the Covid-19 pandemic.
Thai businesses are eagerly anticipating the government's new visa waiver policy, believing it will help attract more Chinese tourists and boost the Thai economy in the final quarter of the year, the peak tourist season.
Also at the meeting on September 13, the Thai government agreed to postpone debt payments for farmers and small businesses for three years. At the same time, starting January 1 next year, government employees will be paid every two weeks.
In addition, the government has approved a decision to reduce electricity prices from 4.45 baht/kWh to 4.10 baht starting next month and maintain retail diesel prices below 30 baht/liter from September 20th, as it is a crucial fuel for the transportation sector.
