Following the recent political demonstrations in Thailand, the country’s tourism sector has hit a low. In order to repair the damage and revive the tourism industry, the Thailand government has announced a 30-day extension to the tourist visas for nationals of 48 countries, including the UK which allows British holidaymakers to extend their stay in Thailand by up to a month. The Immigration Bureau said the new rules will last until at least the end of the year.
The visa extension can be purchased at immigration offices nationwide at a cost of THB1,900 ($59.56) per person.
Earlier, the Thailand government had granted a three-month visa-free exemption for Chinese and Taiwanese tourists.
The Thailand government is hoping “that the new visa rules would help increase international visitor numbers, especially those interested in volunteer travel and medical tourism.”
The 48 countries whose citizens will now be permitted to extend their stay by 30 days represent almost 50% of Thailand’s visitor arrivals, equivalent to around 13 million in 2013.
Eligible countries are Australia, Austria, Bahrain, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Kuwait, Luxembourg, Liechtenstein, Monaco, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Oman, Peru, Portugal, Poland, Qatar, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, South Africa, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, the US, and ASEAN nations as well as the UK.
