Thailand is making a big move to change travel in Southeast Asia. Together with Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, and Malaysia, they are planning a new visa system. This means tourists can visit all these countries with just one visa. Thailand is also talking with the European Union about making it easier for Europeans to visit without a special visa. This plan could make Southeast Asia a more popular place for tourists.
Thailand Leads Major Travel Change in Southeast Asia
Thailand is working on a big project with its neighbors - Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, and Malaysia. They want to make traveling easier in Southeast Asia. Soon, tourists might be able to visit all these countries using just one visa. This idea will help people travel between these countries without the hassle of getting different visas for each one.
The person leading this plan in Thailand is Prommin Lertsuridej. Travel and Tour reported that he works closely with the Prime Minister. They got this idea when Vietnam asked for help to get more tourists. Thailand, Cambodia, and Laos are close together and already have good relationships. This makes it easier to start this kind of travel plan.
Thailand has had success before with making it easier for tourists to come in. Last year, they let more people in without visas. It worked well - 28 million tourists came, more than they expected. This new plan could bring even more tourists.
Just recently, Thailand's government said yes to working with other ASEAN countries on this. Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin is really supporting this idea. He thinks it will help tourism in the whole Mekong area, not just Thailand.
Other leaders in Southeast Asia like this idea too. They believe it will make their countries more attractive to tourists from all over the world. If this plan works, Thailand could become an even bigger tourist spot in Southeast Asia.
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Thailand and Cambodia Boost Tourism Cooperation
In a historic move, Thailand and Cambodia have agreed to work more closely in the tourism industry. This plan, known as 'Two kingdoms, one tourism destination,' was announced by Jean-Francois Tan, a Cambodian minister, during a press conference. He spoke about the visit of Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet to Thailand.
This visit by Prime Minister Hun Manet was important for strengthening ties with Thailand. As per BNN, he met with Thailand's King Maha Vajiralongkorn and signed several agreements, focusing on improving economic and trade relations, transportation, and tourism. The two countries also talked about making their relationship stronger.
This was Hun Manet's first official trip to Thailand as Cambodia's leader. He met with Thailand's leader and discussed ways to make their partnership stronger, especially in tourism. But there were also worries about human rights and political freedom.
Even though the visit aimed to improve relations, some were concerned about how this might affect political freedom. There have been cases of Cambodian activists being held in Thailand. Still, the talks also covered topics like oil and gas in the Gulf of Thailand and the treatment of Cambodian workers in Thailand. This shows that the cooperation is about more than just tourism.
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