ฺBANGKOK – Before Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin will pay an official visit to Japan from 14 to 18 December, the Cabinet has approved measures to waive visa requirements for Japanese business travelers entering Thailand temporarily for short-term business purposes on a special and temporary basis for three years.
The Cabinet Decision dated December 12, 2023, provides that Japanese nationals holding passports or travel documents who temporarily enter Thailand for business purposes will be exempted from visa requirements and allowed to stay in the Kingdom for up to 30 days from January 1, 2024 to December 31, 2026, in order to promote economic and foreign policy cooperation with Japan, especially trade, investment and business activities between the two countries.
The visa waiver for Japanese nationals who hold a passport or travel document and enter Thailand temporarily for business purposes will make it easier for them to come to Thailand to expand cooperation and develop economic activities, which will benefit the Thai economy as a whole.
Japan has potential in industries that the Thai government is targeting for promotion, including the green industry, electric vehicles, textiles, bio-industry, digital economy, infrastructure, agriculture development, and human resource development.
The trip by Prime Minister Srettha to Japan is to attend the Special ASEAN-Japan Summit to commemorate the 50th Anniversary of ASEAN-Japan Friendship and Cooperation in Tokyo. This year is the year of exchange between ASEAN and Japan, and the official logo and motto “Golden Friendship, Golden Opportunities” have been announced.
The Prime Minister said that he intends to make the most of the opportunity to meet with Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio. In the economic sphere, he will invite Japan to participate in the development of the region’s and Thailand’s economies, especially green growth, the energy and digital transition, as well as promote Thailand’s important policies and projects such as the Landbridge, the development of the electric vehicle ecosystem, and soft power.
In addition, in the political sphere, he will persuade Japan to increase its creative role with ASEAN to reduce conflicts, reduce confrontation, and jointly promote a peaceful, stable environment conducive to economic development.
