Thailand and China have decided to eliminate visa requirements for each other’s citizens starting from March, according to an announcement by Thai Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin. This move is aimed at fostering closer ties between the two nations. Thailand, a country heavily dependent on tourism, had already removed entry requirements for Chinese tourists until February of the current year.
The decision comes after Thailand exceeded its 2023 target by hosting 28 million foreign tourists, generating a revenue of 1.2 trillion baht ($34.93 billion), as reported by government data. The primary source market was Malaysia with 4.5 million visitors, followed by China with 3.5 million arrivals. This represents a substantial recovery from the pre-COVID record of 39 million arrivals, which included 11 million from China.
The waiver of visa requirements is expected to further facilitate travel between Thailand and China, potentially boosting tourism and strengthening the diplomatic and economic relationship between the two countries.
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