The recent decision to exempt Chinese visitors from visa requirements sparked concerns within the Tourism Department about potential loopholes for illegal zero-dollar tours and unlicensed tour guides. The worry stems from the inability to verify the legitimacy of tour companies during the visa-free period.
The department’s director-general, Jaturon Phakdeewanit, revealed that this issue was flagged to Tourism and Sports Minister Sudawan Wangsuphakijkosol following the Cabinet’s approval of the visa exemption scheme for Chinese and Kazakh tourists, effective from September 25 to February 29, 2024.
In an earlier move this month, the Tourism Department, the Consular Affairs Department, and the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) inked a memorandum of understanding (MoU) aimed at developing a system to synchronize inbound tourist data. This…
