Bangkok (VNA) – Thailand and China on January 28 signed an agreement to waive visa
requirements for each other’s nationals within the framework of China’s Foreign
Minister Wang Yi to Bangkok.
The agreement, signed
after the talks between Thai Foreign Minister Parnpree Bahiddha-Nukara and his
Chinese counterpart Wang Yi, allows people from the two nations to travel to one
another’s country visa-free from March 1.
Thai authorities hoped
that the agreement will encourage more Chinese tourists to travel to Thailand,
helping the country to stimulate tourism – an economic industry that is struggling
to recover after being hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Speaking after the
signing ceremony, Thai Foreign Minister Parnpree Bahiddha-nukara said the
agreement will facilitate travel and tourism between the two countries while
his Chinese counterpart also welcomed the agreement.
Details of the
visa arrangements were not announced, but earlier this month Thai officials
said the deal would allow stays of up to 30 days per visit.
China was a top source
for Thailand’s tourism industry, a major driver of Southeast Asia’s
second-largest economy before COVID-19, but the return of Chinese tourists to
Thailand has been slow.
In 2023, the number of
Chinese tourists to Thailand plunged to 3.5 million from 11 million in 2019
before the pandemic.
According to the
Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Wang is visiting Thailand from January 26-29 at the invitation of Thai Deputy Prime Minister and
Foreign Minister Parnpree Bahiddha-Nukara./.
VNA
