BANGKOK, October 17. /TASS/. Allowing Russian nationals to stay in Thailand visa-free for 90 days will be a boon for the economy, according to the minutes from the meeting of the kingdom’s government held on Monday.
"The Russian Federation is on the list of countries whose nationals are allowed to stay in the kingdom when visiting it for tourism purposes visa-free for no more than 90 days. This order, effective from November 1, 2023 to April 30, 2024, is expected to help attract more foreign tourists. Although the decision will lose the government around 29 mln baht (roughly $800,000 - TASS) it will push tourism-related revenues up and stimulate Thailand’s economy, per the government’s initiative," the document reads.
Extending the period of visa-free stay for Russian nationals meets "the interests of economic and foreign policy cooperation with the Russian Federation," according to the minutes. The decision aims to "establish ties between people, which is the basis of international relations," the document says.
Prime Minister of Thailand Srettha Thavisin announced the decision to extend the period of visa-free stay for Russian nationals from 30 to 90 days as a temporary measure following a government meeting on Monday. More than 20 mln foreigners have visited the kingdom since the beginning of this year. The bulk of tourists arrived from neighboring Malaysia (3.3 mln), followed by China (2.6 mln), South Korea (1.2 mln), India (1.19 mln), and Russia (1.038 mln).
In 2019, Russia was the seventh-biggest tourist market for Thailand (1.5 mln). That same year, a record 40 mln foreign tourists visited the country, with the tourism sector accounting for 12% of GDP.