Thailand to cut visa fee for tourists from 18 countries

BANGKOK, Nov. 22 (Xinhua) -- Thai cabinet on Tuesday resolved to waive the visa fee and halve the visa-on-arrival costs for tourists from 18 countries including China, the country that provided the most tourists to Thailand.

From the beginning of next month until the end of next February, the 1,000 baht (28 U.S. dollars) fee for visas sought at Thai embassies and consulates would be lifted, and the 2,000 baht (56 dollars) fee for visas on arrival would be cut to 1,000 baht, said assistant government spokesman Apisit Chaiyanuwat.

Tourists from any of these 18 countries, respectively Andorra, Bulgaria, Bhutan, China, Cyprus, Ethiopia, India, Kazakhstan, Latvia, Lithuania, the Maldives, Malta, Mauritius, Romania, San Marino, Saudi Arabia, Ukraine and Uzbekistan, can enjoy the fee cutting policy during these three months.

The visa fee reduction was primarily aimed to attract more visitors to Thailand during the next three months and raise tourism-related earnings, he said.

Meanwhile, Thailand's long-stay visa for foreigners will be extended from a maximum of one year to a maximum of 10 years on condition that the visa holder have a minimum of three million baht in a bank account or a minimum of 100,000 baht in monthly income.