Thailand Proposes Joint Visa Program with Southeast Asia

The Prime Minister of Thailand, Srettha Thavisin, has proposed creating a joint visa program with Southeast Asian countries, Bloomberg reports. The development of an analogue to the European Schengen visa aims to allow people from around the world to travel freely between the six neighboring countries, the agency writes.

In recent months, Thavisin has been discussing this initiative with colleagues from Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, and Vietnam. While the idea of creating a “Southeast Asian Schengen” has been discussed since the early 2000s, leaders of the countries now have a chance to reach an agreement as they seek to protect the economy from “sluggish exports and weak global demand.”

Former President of the Thai Hotel Association, Marisa Sukosol, told the agency that such a visa could encourage long-distance tourists to make decisions faster. She suggested extending the visa validity period to 90 days instead of the usual 30 days to make the initiative more attractive.

According to the agency, in 2023, the six Southeast Asian countries collectively welcomed 70 million foreign tourists, bringing Thailand and Malaysia approximately $48 billion in tourism revenue.

Our team is always ready to provide high-quality advice and help in solving any tasks you set. Subscribe to our pages on social networks. If you have any questions, want to order services or consultations from us, then follow this link or write to us on WhatsApp/Viber/Telegram +380 98 363 6493 or call us.