Measures issued to persuade tourists visiting Thailand

BANGKOK, Nov 17 (TNA) -- Minister of Tourists and Sports Weerasak Kowsurat is confident that more foreign tourists, especially Chinese, would visit Thailand after the government has issued attractive measures for them to visit the kingdom. Related government agencies and concerned private sector have attended a meeting, chaired by Mr Weerasak, and exchanged ideas on how to persuade foreign tourists to visit Thailand, especially during the current peak season. Tourism industry is a major foreign exchange earnings in this country. The number of Chinese tourists has declined sharply following boat accident off southern resort province of Phuket in July this year. That accident killed dozens of Chinese holidaymakers, sparking safety concerns among foreign visitors. Mr Weerasak told journalists that the Thai cabinet has agreed in principle to issue four measures including ‘Amazing Thailand Grand Sale “Passport Privileges” programme which is enforced between November 15-January 15, 2019, and an opening VAT refund for tourists at several tourist destinations and shopping malls. Other measures call for issuing double entry visa, instead of single entry visa, for tourists to visit Thailand within six months while the fee remains unchanged at 1,000 baht, to issue re-entry permit and allows foreign tourists visiting Thailand’s neighbouring country to return to Thailand one more time without seeking a permission, and an exemption for foreign tourists to stay in Thailand for a total period of 30 days. Mr Weerasak said he had ordered every concerned agency to cooperate with each other and to also offer increased safety services to the tourists to bring back their confidence while visiting Thailand. (TNA)