The Chinese embassy has expressed its gratitude towards the visa-free policy offered by the Thai government. The new initiative is seen as an excellent effort to stimulate Thailand’s tourism sector by attracting a significant number of visitors, particularly from China. The updated visa procedures were shared via a Facebook message by the embassy. In their message, they also stressed the importance of safeguarding Chinese tourists throughout their stay in Thailand.
The visa exemption program, formally announced on Wednesday, September 13, specifically targets travelers hailing from China and Kazakhstan. Operational from September 25 until the tail-end of February next year, the scheme’s goal is to give a new lease on life to Thailand’s tourism industry. The Thai authorities are optimistic that this effort will drive the number of international arrivals to a new high of 28 million this year. This figure includes an estimated five million Chinese visitors.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in response to the raised concerns about Chinese tourists’ safety, announced that stringent security measures are already in place to ensure the well-being of visitors. The move comes after numerous reports suggesting potential risks facing Chinese vacationers in Thailand, such as scams and abductions. Kanchana Patarachoke, the Ministry’s spokesperson, weighed in on the matter.
“Negative news about Thailand’s safety, especially regarding Chinese tourists is circulating on social media. This is mainly due to the reported kidnappings of Chinese nationals,” she said. “I want to reiterate to tourists from all countries that there is absolutely no cause for alarm. Our commitment to elevating safety measures and providing comfort for all global tourists is unwavering.”
Kanchana leveraged the data from the Tourism Authority of Thailand to further highlight that within the initial eight months of the current year, nearly two million Chinese adepts and an excess of 100,000 Kazakhstanis had visited their country.
In a related development, tourism sector tycoons in Thailand are grappling with enormous challenges primarily due to the sluggish economies of China and Japan. Additionally, the recovery of Thai tourism, which seems to favor larger operators, is uneven. As revealed by a recent survey conducted by the Thai Hotels Association in association with the Bank of Thailand, nearly 29% of hotels with star ratings three and below are severely affected by the surge in interest rates. This leads to a situation necessitating debt restructuring in many cases.
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