Thai Prime Minister Setthi Thawisin proposed to unite 6 Southeast Asian countries with a common visa program, following the example of Schengen in Europe. According to ambitious plans, a single visa will simplify travel to Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar and Vietnam. According to the Prime Minister, the tourism sectors of all members of the union will benefit from this.
In 2023, six countries collectively received 70 million guests, half of which came from Thailand and Malaysia.The Thai government has set a goal of attracting 80 million tourists by 2027, which means more than doubling current figures. The government has already signed a mutual visa waiver with China and granted permanent visa-free entry to travelers from India, Taiwan and Kazakhstan.
The introduction of a single visa is not an easy task, as it will require standardization of criteria that now vary between countries. So far, the proposal remains only a draft.
Source: IMI