Visa fee waiver extended

Thailand’s Cabinet has approved a 6 month extension of the Visa on Arrival fee waiver for visitors, designed to generate more tourism spending in Thailand.

A deputy government spokesperson said yesterday (October 28) that the Cabinet has in principle approved the draft fee waiver extension for six months beyond the initial expiry date to April 30 2020.

Under the campaign, the 2,000 baht Visa on Arrival fee is waived for eligible visitors. The campaign has been shown to increase tourist numbers in Thailand.

The move will cost the government 10.764 billion baht in fee revenue but is expected to generate roughly 14 times that in tourism revenue.

The Cabinet has also discussed a quota increase for Thai participants in Australia’s Work/Holiday visa program, according to the Chiang Rai Times. The campaign allows Thai youth to legally work and travel in Australia, and the quota has been increased from 500 to 2,000 annually.

SOURCE: chiangraitimes.com