Thailand relaxes entry requirements – 20 minutes

Thailand has introduced visa facility for a total of 93 countries. Citizens of these countries can now stay in Thailand visa-free instead of two months earlier. This restriction also applies to Swiss citizens. There is also now a special Thailand visa for digital nomads or self-employed people who want to work in Thailand for up to six months within five years.

With these measures, the Thai government is once again relying on tourism to stimulate the economy. Official surveys show that the number of travelers to Thailand is picking up again after a pandemic-related slump. The government has set a target of attracting a total of 38 million tourists this year. This number is expected to increase further next year. Martin Altrovandi, SRF correspondent for Southeast Asia, says: “The Thai government expects more economic growth from tourism.”

Therefore, Thailand is completely dependent on tourism as a driving economic sector. This is because other industrial sectors are lagging behind other countries such as Vietnam or Indonesia. Accordingly, Thailand relies heavily on tourism – and caters heavily to foreign visitors as well. “Neighboring countries also rely on tourism, but none of them are as established as Thailand,” says SRF reporter Altrovandi.

Since the end of the Corona epidemic, lakhs of tourists have returned to the country. But you are not yet in a pre-corona state. But we are on the right track. “Tourists from China are coming back to Thailand.” Before Corona, about eleven million tourists from China visited the country. In 2023 there were about eight million.

But while tourism brings a lot of money to the country, there are also critical voices. Because there are always tourists who don’t know how to behave. “There are always media reports about visitors who engage in mobbing or rioting,” says Altrovandi.

There are also clashes between locals and tourists. In March this year, a Swiss man physically assaulted a Thai woman. Another incident: A Swiss pensioner was arrested by the police in Thailand this year. A 60-year-old woman was reportedly assaulted and seriously injured.

However, reporter Altrovandi believes that the positive impact of tourism outweighs the negative effects. “This ranges from waiters in restaurants, bars or hotels to taxi drivers and street vendors.”