With the coming new year and the reopening of the tourism sector post covid, Thailand is facing a massive influx of tourists and has advised Indians to obtain visas from the embassy or consulate to avoid long queues.
Thailand’s Ambassador to India, Pattarat Hongtong, on Sunday advised Indians to get their visa from the embassy or consulate to save themselves from standing in the long queues at Bangkok airport.
Notably, the nation has dropped all the mandatory COVID requirements like vaccine certificates and test results for tourists. Since then, there has been a rise in the number of passengers at Bangkok airport resulting in long passenger queues.
The immigration counter is one of the main spots facing long queues. There is a large number of tourists who take on-arrival visas, reported ANI. With this, Thailand is facing a large influx of tourists again after nearly two years post-COVID pandemic.
Tourists visiting Thailand have been complaining about the long queues at Bangkok airport on social media.
“I think this is quite natural for any airport, not only in Thailand. When we open the borders, nobody can expect the actual number of incoming visitors or tourists. So that’s why for Indians we advise them to get the visa from the Embassy or Consulate General before travelling to Thailand that can be helpful to things,” the Thai ambassador to India told ANI.
Faster approval of Thailand visa with online application
Meanwhile, visa outsourcing services provider, VFS Global told Mint that it offers eVisa on Arrival(eVOA) service for foreign travellers arriving in Thailand and the service has been witnessing high demand since the borders opened for tourists
How the service works:
- The company informed that holding an eVOA can help the passengers in reducing their waiting time at airport immigration counters.
- The eVOA holders can complete the formalities at a special dedicated immigration counters at major airports in Thailand.
- Travellers need to sumbit their form online to get travel authorisation within 24 to 72 hours after the submission of application.
- They can also get approval within 24 hours of application through ‘Express eVisa on Arrival’,
- People can submit their applications on the VFS Global official website or at VFS Global visa application centres.
Thailand to increase staff at Bangkok airport
- The Thai ambassador to India also informed that the airport is preparing to deal with the rising number of tourists by increasing staff and deputing some of them to manage the crowd.
“We have tried to improve by increasing the people who work at the airport to facilitate the tourists,” Pattarat told ANI.
The news agency has reported that Thailand received 3.78 million tourists from January to 17 August this year post covid. Most of the tourists are coming from Malaysia, India and Singapore.
She also informed that a visa on the arrival is one of the main reasons behind the long queue at the airport. She also informed that Thailand organised ‘Amazing Thailand Fest 2022’ from 25-27 November at The Mall, New Delhi. The main aim of the function was to encourage more Indians to travel Thailand.
She also shared Thai government’s plan on increasing visa fees hike. She said the visa fees hikes include a lot of factors. Right now, Thailand is not thinking of increasing visa fees.
