Thai Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin will personally visit one of the country's major airports on September 25 to welcome international visitors, marking the first day the government exempts visas for tourists from China and Kazakhstan.
 |
| Chinese tourists visit Pung Tao Gong Temple in Chiang Mai, Thailand, in January 2023. (Source: AP) |
Prime Minister Srettha will lead a group of ministers and government leaders at a welcoming ceremony at Suvarnabhumi Airport organized by the Tourism Authority of Thailand for Chinese passengers on Thai AirAsia X flight XJ761.
This flight is scheduled to depart from Shanghai and land in Bangkok at 10:15 a.m. on September 25 (local time).
Easier entry and 30-day visa-free stays for Chinese and Kazakh citizens will start on September 25 and end on February 29, 2024, according to the Royal Gazette last week.
To kick off the scheme, the Tourism Authority of Thailand will hold a ceremony to welcome the first group of visa-free tourists on September 25 at four major international airports across the country: Suvarnabhumi, Don Mueang, Chiang Mai and Phuket.
The ceremony will include welcoming activities and cultural performances, said Thailand's Tourism and Sports Minister Sudawan Wangsupakijkosol. Tourists will be given jasmine garlands and elephant-patterned pants, a popular souvenir for tourists in Thailand.
Meanwhile, Transport Minister Suriya Jungrungreangkit said the plan would help stimulate the economy.
Flights from China are expected to increase from 72 to 96 flights per day after the program is implemented, just before China enters its National Day holiday from September 29 to October 6, according to Mr. Suriya.
He also said he has asked the Airports Authority of Thailand to prepare measures to accommodate the growing number of tourists. For example, immigration officers at Suvarnabhumi Airport will deploy all 138 counters to serve 7,140 passengers per hour, with each passenger expected to spend less than a minute at the counter.
Thailand aims to welcome 25 to 28 million international visitors this year, including 5 million from China.
Source
Comment (0)