Thailand is spearheading an ambitious effort to introduce a joint visa program encompassing six Southeast Asian nations, aiming to facilitate seamless mobility across borders. The proposed single visa initiative would include Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, Laos, Malaysia, and Myanmar, collectively hosting 70 million tourists in the previous year. Of note, Thailand and Malaysia collectively accounted for over half of this figure, generating USD 48 billion in tourism revenue.
Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin of Thailand is championing the initiative with the objective of simplifying tourist entry procedures by implementing a unified visa for these six nations. The primary goal is to bolster tourist arrivals and optimize revenue per traveler. Geared towards attracting affluent long-haul holidaymakers, this move seeks to enhance Thailand’s appeal as a premier tourist destination while also strengthening its aviation and logistics sectors. Prime Minister Thavisin has engaged in discussions regarding this Schengen-style Single Visa with counterparts from Cambodia, Vietnam, Laos, Malaysia, and Myanmar in recent months.
The proposed Single Visa scheme aims to stimulate tourism in Thailand, a sector constituting 20 percent of its total employment and contributing 12 percent to its USD 500 billion economy. By offering a common visa for six regional nations, the initiative seeks to entice long-haul vacationers to prolong their stays and explore multiple countries. Marisa Sukosol Nunbhakdi, a former Thai Hotels Association president, has recommended extending the visa validity from 30 to 90 days to enhance the attractiveness of the offer.
Prime Minister Thavisin has set a target of welcoming 80 million tourists by 2027, with the government actively pursuing various initiatives to achieve this objective. Recent endeavors include the signing of reciprocal visa waivers with China and granting temporary visa waivers to passport holders from India, Kazakhstan, and Taiwan. Additionally, the government intends to promote event-based tourism and develop casinos with entertainment complexes as part of its tourism-centric strategies.
While the proposed joint visa program holds the promise of revolutionizing tourist travel and perceptions of holidays in the region, experts suggest that bilateral visa-waiver agreements between individual nations may pose fewer implementation challenges.