Tourism
Thailand waives visa fee for 19 countries, mulls new 10y retirement visa
Thai cabinet agreed to waive visa fees for tourists from 19 countries as of December 1 until February 28, and approved 10-Year Visas for Foreigners Over 50

Tourists from 19 countries including
Andora, Bulgaria, Bhutan, China, Cyprus, Ethiopia, India, Kazakhstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Maldives, Malta, Mauritius, Romania, San Mario, Saudi Arabia, Taiwan, Ukraine and Uzbekistan
need not have to pay the 1,000 baht visa fee when they apply for a visa at Thai embassies or consular offices.
In the meantime, the cabinet agreed to reduce fee for visa on arrival at immigration checkpoints for tourists from the 19 countries above mentioned.
The two measures are expected to increase tourist arrivals by over 357,000 during the three-month festive season, generating revenue amounting to 28,703 million baht.
They will help create over 62,000 temporary jobs and increase the government’s tax revenue by about 1,200 million baht.
Thai Government Approves 10-Year Visas for Foreigners Over 50
Affluent foreign residents over 50 will soon be able to apply for 10-year visas, a government spokesman said Tuesday.
Intended to promote Thailand as a hub for medical services, the policy was approved by the interim cabinet on Tuesday, according to spokesman Athisit Chainuwat.
It would replace one-year renewable visas and come in two installments of five years each, Athisit said. It was not immediately clear when the plan would be implemented.
Applicants must either earn a monthly salary of at least 100,000 baht or have more than 3 million baht in their bank account, which cannot be withdrawn within the first year after receiving the visa. They must also have health insurance that covers hospital stays and provides at least USD$10,000 in annual coverage.
Tourism
Wish you were here: how the pandemic harmed tourism-dependent economies
Before COVID-19, travel and tourism had become one of the most important sectors in the world economy, accounting for 10 percent of global GDP and more than 320 million jobs worldwide.

In 1950, at the dawn of the jet age, just 25 million people took foreign trips. By 2019, that number had reached 1.5 billion, and the travel and tourism sector had grown to almost too-big-to-fail proportions for many economies.
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Thai Government imposes ban on gatherings over New Year 2021 holidays
TAT would like to remind all that New Year 2021 activities have been cancelled or gone virtual nationwide to avoid large gatherings according to the Royal Thai Government’s guidelines.

Bangkok, 31 December, 2020 – The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) would like to provide the latest update regarding the Royal Thai Government’s latest announcement on the ban of gatherings nationwide.
(more…)Tourism
Thailand eases travel restrictions for 56 countries
Tourists from 56 countries including Australia, United Kingdom, France, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United States can now travel to Thailand without visas.

The Thai government is easing travel restrictions for citizens from 56 countries to help the country’s pandemic-hit tourism industry recover, but foreign visitors are still required to undergo a mandatory 14 days hotel quarantine.
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