MOSCOW, March 12. /TASS/. Myanmar plans to increase the flow of tourists from Russia by easing visa restrictions and introducing the Mir payment system in the country, Ambassador of Myanmar in Moscow, Thit Linn Ohn said at the round table "Sustainable Tourism: Asia."
"We hope that we can improve transport links and ease visa restrictions so that tourists from Russia come to us and help strengthen ties between the two countries," he said.
According to the ambassador, the introduction of a visa-free regime will help increase the number of tourists in the country.
"The pilot project has been implemented since 2022. People with a regular passport who come to us for business or tourism purposes will be able to stay up to 30 days without a visa. And from 2023 they can come several times," the diplomat noted.
The ambassador also noted that the country's Central Bank is cooperating with Russian colleagues on the introduction of the Mir payment cards in Myanmar.
"Our Ministry of Hotels and Tourism organized trips for two Russian tour operators in November 2023. We are ready to organize similar trips in the future," he said.
In turn, the Ambassador of Thailand in Moscow, Sasiwat Wongsinsawat, drew attention to the impressive tourist flow from Russia, which amounts to one and a half million people and puts the country in fifth place in the Thai tourism sector in terms of this indicator.
However, he also expressed hope to increase the number of Russian tourists visiting the country. "Indeed, such an exchange - both cultural and human - has a very positive effect on the development of our countries. I hope to see more and more Russians coming to different places in Thailand," he added.