China News Service, September 30. According to Thailand’s “World Journal” report, due to the continuous spread of the new crown pneumonia epidemic, many countries have not lifted the travel ban. Thailand has decided to extend the validity of visas for stranded foreigners until the end of October. It was approved by the Cabinet on the 29th local time.
The spokesperson of the New Crown Pneumonia Epidemic Management Center said in an interview with Reuters that the extension of visa validity means that foreigners can continue to stay in Thailand until October 31.
In order to prevent and control the new crown pneumonia epidemic, Thailand has suspended commercial flights since the beginning of April, and prohibited foreign tourists from entering the country. Only special planes for epidemic prevention and evacuation were opened.
Countries around the world have also issued travel bans one after another, causing many foreigners to stay in Thailand.
Immigration officials said last week that there are approximately 150,000 foreigners residing in the country due to visa amnesty.
In order to actively prevent the epidemic, the Cabinet has since repeatedly allowed foreigners' visa validity period.
The most recent visa amnesty was on July 21. The authorities opened the automatic extension of visa validity for foreigners, allowing them to legally stay in the country from March to September 26.
The Deputy Director of the Immigration Bureau, Pornchai Kuntee, said that after October, a new immigration law is expected to allow foreigners who are unable to leave due to flight restrictions or other reasons to apply for a 60-day visa. Period extension.
Previously, it was stipulated that the extension of visa for stranded foreigners must obtain documents from the embassy or consular unit of the country where they are located, and the extension can only be extended for a maximum of 30 days.
Thailand received 39.8 million international tourists in 2019.
The Ministry of Tourism and Sports estimates that there will be only 6.7 million inbound foreign tourists in 2020, and there will be a chance to rise to 20.5 million in 2021; but the central bank believes that the number of international tourists in 2021 will be only about 9 million.