Thailand Proposes Schengen-Style Visa with Southeast Asian Neighbors

Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin leads the initiative aiming to boost tourism and economic stability, targeting 80 million tourists by 2027.

Thailand, along with Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, and Vietnam, aims to introduce a Schengen-type visa to facilitate travel and attract high-spending tourists.
Last year, the six nations welcomed a combined total of 70 million tourists, generating about $48 billion in tourism revenue.
The proposed visa program seeks to extend visa validity to 90 days, enhancing the appeal for long-haul travelers.
The initiative is part of broader efforts to transform Thailand into a major aviation and logistics hub, including plans to open casinos and offer visa waivers to travelers from select countries.
Challenges include coordinating approvals among the nations and overcoming ASEAN's track record of slow policy implementation.