Thailand Extends Visa-Free Entry for Indian and Taiwanese Tourists

Six-Month Extension Aims to Boost Tourism in the Kingdom

Thailand aims to boost tourism ahead of the high season by temporarily waiving visa requirements for visitors from India and Taiwan. This policy will be in effect from next month through May 2024.

According to Reuters, this recent decision comes after Thailand's earlier move in September to eliminate visa requirements for Chinese tourists. Before the pandemic, Chinese tourists were a significant source of visitors, making up 11 million out of the record 39 million arrivals in 2019.

According to spokesperson Chai Wacharonke, travelers from India and Taiwan can now enter Thailand for a 30-day stay.

Based on the latest government data, Thailand received 22 million visitors between January and October 29, generating a revenue of 927.5 billion baht, which is equivalent to $25.67 billion.

Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin announced that travelers from India and Taiwan will have visa-free access to Thailand from November 10th to May 10th this year, as reported by Bloomberg. This move is intended to boost tourism in the country and followed a cabinet meeting.

As per the latest data from the Tourism Authority of Thailand, this year has seen tourists from Malaysia as the largest group of visitors, exceeding 3 million arrivals.

Chinese tourists, who were previously the primary visitors to Thailand before the pandemic, now follow with 2.65 million arrivals as of October 15.