Thailand pushng for 6-country tourist visa

[Gaybutton]

Cambodia backs Thai-led 6-country single visa plan

by Chairith Yonpiam

October 22, 2024

Cambodia has agreed with the Thai government's initiative to facilitate cross-border travel for tourists from six countries in the region through a single visa policy called "6 Countries, 1 Destination", positioning Thailand as a regional tourism hub, according to a source at Government House.

The move came after talks between Cambodian Minister of Tourism Huot Hak and Dusit Manapan and Chayika Wongnapachant, advisors to the Thai Foreign Minister Maris Sangiampongsa, to discuss cross-border travel and promoting seamless tourism on Monday in Phnom Penh.

The source said the Cambodian tourism minister supported Thailand's "6 Countries, 1 Destination" policy and agreed to discuss the issue further with Cambodia's Ministry of Interior, Customs Department and other relevant agencies.

The source said the feedback from these agencies will be proposed to Cambodia's cabinet for consideration ahead of an official visit by Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra.

The "6 Countries, 1 Destination" initiative aims to promote tourism and economic collaboration between Brunei, Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, Vietnam and Thailand.

The Thai government plans to begin policy discussions with Cambodia as a pilot project, with the goal of eventually expanding cooperation to other countries soon.

The meeting also discussed various strategies to enhance tourism cooperation. Key points included strengthening private sector cooperation in the tourism industry, creating linked tourism routes, especially those connecting Unesco heritage sites and increasing flight connections between the six countries.

Additionally, a regional tourism calendar was proposed to link key festivals, such as the Thai-Lao-Khmer New Year and Chinese New Year, while offering tourists hotel discounts and special, quicker immigration channels, the source said.

There was also talk of knowledge-exchange programmes and activities to build tourism business networks within the region.

Another topic was improving transport links, with focus on expanding travel options by land, water, rail and air, such as, Thai Airways' programmes to increase flights to Siem Reap in Cambodia, as well as water and rail routes linking Thailand's Chon Buri, Rayong, Chanthaburi and Trat with Cambodia's Koh Kong, Sihanoukville, Kampot and Kep provinces.

https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/ge ... -visa-plan

[Jun]

As far as Thailand is concerned, you can never have enough types of visa ?

I'm not completely convinced of the advantages either.
I can get 60 days in Thailand with no visa.
Cambodia has a very easy & efficient online e-visa
No visa needed for Malaysia
etc

Actually, if I could apply for a Thai visa via the more efficient Cambodian website, now THAT would be an advantage.
However, this appears to be a Thai led initiative.

[Gaybutton]

I'm not completely convinced of the advantages either.

I don't see much point to it either unless it relieves a lot of fees, such as reentry permits and the like.

The article does not say how much this visa would cost, where to get it, or what the eligibility requirements would be.

[Jun]

The article does not say how much this visa would cost, where to get it, or what the eligibility requirements would be.

They seemed to be discussing quite a few topics which may have no imminent prospect of implementation.

For example:

and rail routes linking Thailand's Chon Buri, Rayong, Chanthaburi and Trat with Cambodia's Koh Kong, Sihanoukville, Kampot and Kep provinces

They're dreaming here.

Thailand can't even run a decent rail service from Bangkok to Pattaya.

As for trains to Cambodia, perhaps they ought to get the rail service from Bangkok to Phnom Penh running first.
AND make it fast enough to be a competitive option.
I gather the line is now open all the way, via the Poipet border, but there is no through service yet.

[Gaybutton]

Visa-free travel across South East Asia has detail devils to resolve

By Barry Kenyon

October 22, 2024

Thailand’s initiative to secure a “6 countries, 1 destination” visa policy with her neighbors has received the thumbs-up as desirable. If implemented, cross-border travel would promote tourism and economic collaboration between Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, Vietnam and Brunei. Following the “Schengen principle”, a single visa would permit subsequent entry to other cartel member states.

Of course, the devil hides in the detail which has not yet been agreed. For example, Vietnam has notoriously complex immigration rules, whilst Cambodia charges a tourist fee of US$30 for foreigners outside the ASEAN network. Laos has a fee structure for entry at its border posts, but has apparently now agreed with Thailand to abolish charges in the interests of an expected surge in tourism and cross-country trade.

Hoang The Han, director general of Dai Vet International Tourism, said that Vietnam had the most to gain from the “6 countries, 1 destination” policy as the nationals of only 25 countries were currently allowed no-hassle entry. Thailand, by contrast, allows visa-exempt and free entry for 93 countries including all those with large contingents of leisure-seeking tourists. Currently, 70 million visit the region annually, with Thailand and Malaysia taking more than half of the US$90 billion estimated revenue.

Professor Thitinan Pongsudhirak, based at Chulalongkorn University, said that several security concerns still had to be resolved as member states had very diverse immigration-related policies. For example, Thailand will next year introduce a prior, automated entry requirement for all visa-free travel. But the authorization is specific to Thailand. What happens under the proposed policy if a tourist first enters Cambodia but then crosses to Thailand?

The Thai foreign ministry believes that all related concerns can be sorted, but that the initial “6 countries 1 destination” policy will likely be a bi-lateral agreement with Vietnam or Cambodia. A quick resolution across the region is unlikely. Thus, agreement will need to be reached on the data base identification of criminal elements who would be quick to exploit ambiguities in specific countries. Best to make haste slowly.

https://www.pattayamail.com/latestnews/ ... lve-476986

[Jun]

Hoang The Han, director general of Dai Vet International Tourism, said that Vietnam had the most to gain from the “6 countries, 1 destination” policy as the nationals of only 25 countries were currently allowed no-hassle entry.

Vietnam could also fix that by modifying visa requirements itself, without the need for a 6 country visa.

For example, Thailand will next year introduce a prior, automated entry requirement for all visa-free travel. But the authorization is specific to Thailand. What happens under the proposed policy if a tourist first enters Cambodia but then crosses to Thailand?

Surely the question is irrelevant ?
They're talking about a common visa, not a Shengen style zone free of border controls. So even someone with the visa still needs to satisfy all other entry requirements to cross from Cambodia to Thailand.
In fact, if you apply a Thai mentality to this, you could relax the visa rules & then compensate with as much other stupid admin as required, in the form of an "Electronic Travel Authorization" which could just reimpose the costs & restrictions.

[Dodger]

I'm sure Thailand will be able to implement this policy just fine...

[Gaybutton]

Just how many different visa options does Thailand offer (or force)? I've lost count.

[Jun]

Just how many different visa options does Thailand offer (or force)? I've lost count.

That's a difficult question.

The site linked below lists 8 Types of visa.
Tourist visa
Special tourist visa (stopped?)
Business visa
Investment visa
Education visa
Marriage visa
Retirement visa
SMART visa

However, they seem to have missed the Elite visas ?

Within those types, there are usually various different visas. For example, 5 different smart visas. Single entry, multiple entry etc.

One big problem is finding the visa I want on the drop down menus when doing the online application.

Also, if they want to simplify movement of people between ASEAN countries, wouldn't it make sense to start by abolishing those pointless re-entry permits and making all visas multi-entry ?

https://thailand.acclime.com/guides/visa-types/

[Gaybutton]

wouldn't it make sense to start by abolishing those pointless re-entry permits and making all visas multi-entry ?

And lose their precious 1900 baht fee? My guess is not a chance . . .