Thailand To Waive Visa Requirements For Indian Tourists; What Else Do You Need To Visit?

In a move to attract more tourists as the high season approaches, Thailand has announced that it will waive visa requirements for visitors from India and Taiwan. This initiative is set to be in effect from next month until May 2024 as per a report in NDTV.

Thailand had previously scrapped visa requirements for Chinese tourists in September, targeting the country's top pre-pandemic tourism market, which saw 11 million arrivals in 2019 out of a record 39 million in that year.

From January to 29th October, Thailand received 22 million visitors, contributing 927.5 billion baht (approximately 25.67 billion dollars) to the economy, according to government data. The waiver of visa requirements for Indian and Taiwanese tourists aims to bolster the tourism sector and further stimulate the economy.

As per spokesperson Chai Wacharonke, "Arrivals from India and Taiwan can enter Thailand for 30 days," as quoted by NDTV.

India has become Thailand's fourth-largest source market for tourism in the current year, following Malaysia, China, and South Korea. With approximately 1.2 million arrivals, inbound tourism from India has shown promising growth, thanks to increased efforts by airlines and hospitality chains to cater to Indian travelers.

Thailand is targeting around 28 million tourist arrivals for the current year, with the government relying on the travel sector to counterbalance sluggish exports that have been affecting economic growth. The visa waiver for Indian and Taiwanese tourists is expected to play a significant role in achieving this target and boosting Thailand's tourism industry.

WHAT DOES THAILAND'S VISA WAIVER MEAN FOR YOU?

As per the Thai embassy website, "the Thai Visa Exemption Scheme allows tourists from 64 countries to enter Thailand without applying for a visa. Travelers can visit Thailand for up to 30 days if they are entering Thailand through an international airport or land border checkpoint from a neighboring country."

WHAT ALL WILL YOU REQUIRE TO VISIT THAILAND

The Thai embassy website lists out pre-requisites that individuals require to have when visiting Thailand. Apart from a strict 'tourism only' requirement, people also need to have a valid passport, a confirmed return ticket which lies within 30 days from the date of arrival as well as proof of funds. Here is the list as per the Thai embassy website:

• Be from an approved country.
• Be visiting Thailand strictly for tourism.
• Hold a genuine passport with a valid expiry of over 6 months.
• Can provide a valid address in Thailand on entry that can be verified. This address can be a hotel or an apartment.
• Must have a confirmed return ticket exiting Thailand within 30 days. Open tickets do not qualify. Traveling overland by train, bus, etc to Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia (including en route to Singapore), Myanmar, etc is not accepted as proof of exiting Thailand.
• Provide proof of funds of at least 10,000 THB for single travelers, or 20,000 THB per family during your stay in Thailand.