Thailand Offers Chinese and Chinese Taipei Tourists Visa Fee Waiver

Under a special three-month promotion running between August and October 2014, holders of Chinese and Chinese Taipei (Taiwan) passports do not have to pay a visa fee when visiting Thailand for the purpose of tourism.

The promotion, designed to boost visitor arrivals in what has been a turbulent year for Thai tourism, will apply only to visitors coming to Thailand for tourism, and submitting their applications at Thai diplomatic missions or via the visa-on-arrival desks at the immigration checkpoints.

Visitors who apply for categories of visa other than a Tourist Visa, such as a Transit Visa or Non-Immigrant Visa, still have to pay for the visa fee as per normal.

Mr. Sihasak Phuangketkeow, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said that the short-term waiver has been passed by the National Council of Peace and Order (NCPO) as part of a package of measures to rapidly revive Thai tourism in the second half of 2014.

Tourism Authority of Thailand Governor, Thawatchai Arunyik, said, “Such confidence building measures are very important to help the private sector and the many small and medium sized enterprises affected by the recent period of political unrest. We are very  pleased to see the NCPO giving the travel and tourism industry the importance it deserves as a major contributor of economic growth and jobs.”

See also: Chinese Travellers Become World’s Biggest Spenders; Independent Travel on Increase.