Effective September 25 for a six months trial period, Chinese nationals won’t need advance paperwork nor the 2,000 baht (US$57) fee to vacation in Thailand. Technically, this will make them “visa-exempt” although they will apparently be limited to a 15 days’ stay unlike Europeans, Americans and Australians etc who get 30 days visa-exempt with the opportunity to extend a further month at Thai immigration.
The Thai government’s move is aimed at boosting the package tourist market from China. Almost all packages, often called zero-sum vacations because they are pre-paid in full before departure, last for two weeks or less. This limit is unlikely to change as 15-day stays cannot be extended in Thailand except for a few days where a return airticket can be shown at local immigration. Holders of the 15-day permission cannot open Thai bank accounts or apply for a Thai driving licence.
Chinese businessmen or others requiring a longer stay can apply for 60 or 90 day visas in advance at Thai embassies or consulates in China. As regards the 5-20 years Elite multiple entry visa, the majority of applicants have been Chinese for several years now. Although Elite prices are set to leap – the 20 years Elite will be five million baht compared to one million baht – Thai Privilege Card executives are confident as China has no shortage of rich executives and billionaires who welcome the flexibility this long-term visa gives them. Some Thai politicians worry that Thailand’s easy-access procedures invite Chinese criminals too readily into the country.
It’s doubtful if the visa waiver for Chinese tourists will double the number of visitors to Thailand to 700,000 per month as hoped. Shortage of flights from some destinations, not to mention the expense, are inhibiting factors as are the tales in Chinese social media about rip-offs and violence to their nationals in Thailand. Many Chinese complain about the Beijing delays in issuing new passports to replace those which ran out during the covid pandemic. These issues will likely be raised by prime minister Srettha Thavisin when he visits China next year.
Tourists from Kazakhstan are also included in the visa experiment. They are also to be visa-free for 15 days and without payment according to the bi-lateral agreement. The Tourist Authority of Thailand says that Kazakh nationals are the fastest-growing market for Thailand as they tend to travel abroad the whole year round. Another reason for including Kazakhstan in the visa experiment is to test the market in the richer countries of the former Soviet empire. Contrary to speculation, tourists of India are excluded from the latest plan and must still pay 2,000 baht and provide documentation to obtain their 15 days on arrival.
