(1/5)A Chinese tourist is greeted by traditional Thai puppets during a welcoming ceremony for the first group of Chinese tourists under a five-month visa-free entry scheme at Bangkok International Airport, Thailand, September 25, 2023. REUTERS/Athit Perawongmetha Acquire license rights
BANGKOK (Reuters) – Chinese tourists landing in Bangkok received a VIP welcome on Monday, when Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin personally greeted the first group of visitors to arrive in Thailand after waived visas for Chinese citizens to boost the key tourism industry.
Dancers in traditional costumes and puppeteers performed for the bewildered visitors, who arrived on a flight from Shanghai. Many stopped to take selfies with Srettha.
Tourism is a crucial driver of Southeast Asia’s second-largest economy, known for its picturesque beaches and vibrant nightlife, and reviving an industry hit hard by the pandemic is one of the priorities of the newly elected Srettha, who inherited an underperforming economy.
However, China’s own post-pandemic economic woes have meant fewer tourists of what was once Thailand’s largest market, a situation Srettha hopes the visa waiver can help solve.
“We are confident that this policy will stimulate the economy,” the prime minister told reporters at Suvarnabhumi airport, adding that priority would be given to the safety of tourists.
The visa waiver program will run from September 25 to February next year. The government expects 2.88 million Chinese visitors during that five-month period, slightly more than the 2.34 million Chinese who visited this year.
The visa exemption was helping to attract new visitors by simplifying entry, said tourist Gu Siyi, 25, who was traveling to Thailand for the first time with friends.
“More Chinese tourists are coming to Thailand for vacation because it is actually very convenient,” he said.
Before the pandemic, China was the largest source of tourists for Thailand, accounting for 11 million arrivals of a record 39.9 million tourists in 2019 and spending 1.91 trillion baht ($53.11 billion).
Chinese tourists say they are drawn to Thailand for its beaches and food.
“The fruits here are excellent, especially the durian,” said Ye Weihe, 53, who said he also owns property in the tourist coastal city of Pattaya.
So far this year, Thailand has received 19 million visitors.
(1 dollar = 35.9600 baht)
Additional reporting by Panarat Thepgumpanat. Edited by Miral Fahmy and Gerry Doyle
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