Thailand's reluctance to join single-visa scheme could cost

[buksida]

Thailand has to revise its strategy concerning a regional single visa scheme, or it could lose millions of tourists to neighbouring countries, which are kicking off the "CLMV Single Visa" next year without the Kingdom's participation.

Five countries - Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia and Myanmar - agreed in 2005 to relax immigration procedures to attract more non-Asean visitors to the region under the framework of Ayeyawady-Chao Phraya-Mekong Economic Cooperation. They created the "Five Countries One Destination" campaign and ACMEC Single Visa to attract tourists from outside the region, especially from Europe, North America and Australia.

Tourists applying for a visa at any of the countries would automatically be allowed entry to the other four countries under the scheme, which is similar to Europe's Schengen system.

In July, the CLMV Single Visa was launched by Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam.

These four nations plan to promote the new visa scheme to targeted markets at the World Travel Mart in London from November 5-8 and to alliances at the world's largest tourism trade fair in Germany early next year.

Thanate Vorasaran, vice president of the Tourism Council of Thailand (TCT), said yesterday that Thailand was left out because of its stance on issuing visas.

The government, after years of negotiation, refused to join the agreement, saying it already permitted visitors from up to 45 nations to enter without a visa.

Thailand also signed a deal with Cambodia in 2007 for a single-visa scheme, but it is not yet activated. However, at all border checkpoints, Thai officials are ready to assist third-country tourists from Cambodia to pass through immigration.

Besides its unclear policy, Thailand was also suspected of fearing a loss of revenue from visa fees if it joined ACMEC, which requires tourists to pay the fee at the country of entry.

"In fact, all four countries need Thailand because they want tourists from Thailand," Thanate said.

"Thailand alone received 20 million visitors in 2011, [compered with] more than the 12.3 million combined arrivals in the four countries. Thailand projects 26 million tourists in 2015 while CLMV nations aim at 25 million."

China is now the largest source of Thai tourism revenue. Thailand could earn more than Bt1 billion per year in visa fees from the more than 2 million Chinese tourists expected to travel to the Kingdom.

About 2.2 million Chinese are expected to visit Thailand this year, up from 1.7 million last year. If neighbouring countries waive visa fees for the Chinese, Thailand will suffer a huge loss. Tourists from third countries may shift to destinations in Indochina and Myanmar.

Vietnam was reported as having already waived entry permits for Chinese tourists, but the visa fee has been retained.

Sisdivachr Cheewarattanaporn, president of the Association of Thai Travel Agents (ATTA), has been urgin the government for years to waive the visa fee for Chinese visitors.

"Private operators in Thailand now fear that inbound tourism will drop if non-Asean tourists enjoy greater convenience when entering other countries. Though we are in a strategic location, we will be unable to grasp the opportunity," he said.

To build tourism competitiveness, the TCT and ATTA urged the Foreign Ministry to rejoin the MLCV Single Visa by fine-tuning the agreement or doing more bilateral deals with each country.

Kongkrit Hirantakit, a tourism adviser to Deputy Prime Minister Kittiratt Na-Ranong, said cross-border and intra-regional travel were parts of the main focus of the government to improve Thailand's tourism industry. He has advised the Foreign and Tourism ministries to link Thai tourism with all Asean countries to regain the country's competitiveness. Thai tourism's edge has already dropped for five straight years despite the growth in arrivals.

Thailand's share of the regional tourism market plunged from 38 per cent in 2008 to 33 per cent last year. Singapore and Malaysia became key rivals, as they have developed many new attractions and continue progressive plans.

About 80 million visitors travel into the region. Of them, 36 million or 45 per cent are from Asean countries and 44 million are from outside the region.

The average growth of tourism for the region is 6-7 per cent, a little higher than for the Asia-Pacific region.

Source: Eleven Myanmar

[MisterClean]

Thailand has to revise its strategy concerning a regional single visa scheme, or it could lose millions of tourists to neighbouring countries, which are kicking off the "CLMV Single Visa" next year without the Kingdom's participation.

Five countries - Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia and Myanmar - agreed in 2005 to relax immigration procedures to attract more non-Asean visitors to the region under the framework of Ayeyawady-Chao Phraya-Mekong Economic Cooperation. They created the "Five Countries One Destination" campaign and ACMEC Single Visa to attract tourists from outside the region, especially from Europe, North America and Australia.

Tourists applying for a visa at any of the countries would automatically be allowed entry to the other four countries under the scheme, which is similar to Europe's Schengen system.

In July, the CLMV Single Visa was launched by Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam.

These four nations plan to promote the new visa scheme to targeted markets at the World Travel Mart in London from November 5-8 and to alliances at the world's largest tourism trade fair in Germany early next year.

Thanate Vorasaran, vice president of the Tourism Council of Thailand (TCT), said yesterday that Thailand was left out because of its stance on issuing visas.

The government, after years of negotiation, refused to join the agreement, saying it already permitted visitors from up to 45 nations to enter without a visa.

Thailand also signed a deal with Cambodia in 2007 for a single-visa scheme, but it is not yet activated. However, at all border checkpoints, Thai officials are ready to assist third-country tourists from Cambodia to pass through immigration.

Besides its unclear policy, Thailand was also suspected of fearing a loss of revenue from visa fees if it joined ACMEC, which requires tourists to pay the fee at the country of entry.

"In fact, all four countries need Thailand because they want tourists from Thailand," Thanate said.

"Thailand alone received 20 million visitors in 2011, [compered with] more than the 12.3 million combined arrivals in the four countries. Thailand projects 26 million tourists in 2015 while CLMV nations aim at 25 million."

China is now the largest source of Thai tourism revenue. Thailand could earn more than Bt1 billion per year in visa fees from the more than 2 million Chinese tourists expected to travel to the Kingdom.

About 2.2 million Chinese are expected to visit Thailand this year, up from 1.7 million last year. If neighbouring countries waive visa fees for the Chinese, Thailand will suffer a huge loss. Tourists from third countries may shift to destinations in Indochina and Myanmar.

Vietnam was reported as having already waived entry permits for Chinese tourists, but the visa fee has been retained.

Sisdivachr Cheewarattanaporn, president of the Association of Thai Travel Agents (ATTA), has been urgin the government for years to waive the visa fee for Chinese visitors.

"Private operators in Thailand now fear that inbound tourism will drop if non-Asean tourists enjoy greater convenience when entering other countries. Though we are in a strategic location, we will be unable to grasp the opportunity," he said.

To build tourism competitiveness, the TCT and ATTA urged the Foreign Ministry to rejoin the MLCV Single Visa by fine-tuning the agreement or doing more bilateral deals with each country.

Kongkrit Hirantakit, a tourism adviser to Deputy Prime Minister Kittiratt Na-Ranong, said cross-border and intra-regional travel were parts of the main focus of the government to improve Thailand's tourism industry. He has advised the Foreign and Tourism ministries to link Thai tourism with all Asean countries to regain the country's competitiveness. Thai tourism's edge has already dropped for five straight years despite the growth in arrivals.

Thailand's share of the regional tourism market plunged from 38 per cent in 2008 to 33 per cent last year. Singapore and Malaysia became key rivals, as they have developed many new attractions and continue progressive plans.

About 80 million visitors travel into the region. Of them, 36 million or 45 per cent are from Asean countries and 44 million are from outside the region.

The average growth of tourism for the region is 6-7 per cent, a little higher than for the Asia-Pacific region.

Source: Eleven Myanmar

Whatever!!! Thailand willl always be the number one tourist country not because of government visa schemes and populist bull- Thailand will be number one with tourists because it has the culture of smiles! You big govt poop head, bugger off.

[Spitfire]

I can't say I'm that surprised that Thailand 'bottled it' and did an 'about turn' on this. It does make me wonder just how much else they will not have the stomach for in 2015 when they realise it will upset vested interests and some other things.

Same with tariffs and the free trade area (which is already supposed to be in force).......just can't see it. They will be the France of ASEAN......enforce the bits you like and disregard the rest you don't to show who's really in charge.

[Winkie]

Yeah, I read this too. What a shame.

Thailand does seem to excel at shooting themselves in the feet sometimes

[barrys]

... They will be the France of ASEAN......enforce the bits you like and disregard the rest you don't to show who's really in charge.

Sounds a bit like pots and kettles to me .......

[Takiap]

I think Thailand knows only too well that the average tourist is not going to spend their holiday in Myanmar rather than in Thailand just because they might save a few baht on their visa. You get free entry into Thailand anyway if you only intend staying here for a short while. If you're planning on staying for six months, you have to pay for a visa, but you have to pay for a visa anyway, irrespective of which one of the countries you choose to visit.

I guess what I'm actually saying is that Thailand knows they dominate the tourist industry in the area, and that will do so for many years to come, so they don't feel there's a need for change. I personally they should join the scheme, but then again, this is LOS.


Thailand has a special kind of magic, and they know it.

[Spitfire]

Thailand has a special kind of magic, and they know it.

Nice euphemistic sentence there Takiap.

Another one would be to say that the Asian-bound traveling westerner's idea of a hedonistic holiday is much more well tolerated and catered for here than anywhere.....in the world maybe when you think about it. Certainly no real competition from anywhere around here at any rate.

As for the ASEAN agreements that are "supposed" to be coming in, it might well be a case of trying to guess which ones Thailand will actually enact as opposed to which ones they will opt-out of.

[Super Joe]

neighbouring countries, which are kicking off the "CLMV Single Visa" next year without the Kingdom's participation.

Sounds like these countries are all sitting back waiting on Thailand's lead anyway...
Four for one on hold
Thailand and Mekong Region Travel Weekly
HO CHI MINH CITY, 17 September 2012: A single visa for travel between Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam will not be introduced until governments see how a smaller version between Thailand and Cambodia performs. CLMV tourism ministers made the statement during a report on the outcome of their First Meeting of CLMV Tourism Ministers, held last Friday, on the sidelines of the 8th International Travel Expo in Ho Chi Minh City, 13 to 15 September. Cambodia's Tourism Minister, Thong Kon, said the bilateral agreement on a single visa with Thailand was the first step.

I can't say I'm that surprised that Thailand 'bottled it' and did an 'about turn' on this. It does make me wonder just how much else they will not have the stomach for in 2015 when they realise it will upset vested interests and some other things.

I've read it's a case of Burma, Cambodia, Laos not fulfilling their obligations under the original agreement to carry out certain development projects along joint border areas and crossings. Thailand have every right to abstain from joining 'if it suits', what they agreed to join is not in existence yet.

The irony here is that one of the key issues under the original agreement was about improving security and safety at these crossing points/border areas. Thailand doesn't want it's visitors raped & pillaged on their way in to their main 'Thai holiday'... they do the raping & pillaging around here thank you very much or they were worried about negative publicity surrounding what happens to 'Thailand holidaymakers' on their way in/out. So people criticise Thailand about cleaning up the scams and making tourists visits safer... then criticising again when they refuse to make it easier for tourists to venture into potentially dangerous, unsafe areas during visits

"In fact, all four countries need Thailand because they want tourists from Thailand," Thanate said. "Thailand alone received 20 million visitors in 2011, [compered with] more than the 12.3 million combined arrivals in the four countries. Thailand projects 26 million tourists in 2015 while CLMV nations aim at 25 million."

I'm not suggesting for one minute Thailand is abstaining out of concerns for tourist's wellbeing, they will be making the decision purely from a business point of view I'd have thought. When they have earned the right to the lions-share of the tourists to the area concerned, why would they want to make it easier for these tourists to spend part of their trip in a competitor's country!?...

SJ