Srettha Thavisin, the Prime Minister of Thailand, has reached out to Germany for aid in the country’s new plan for the travel and tourism sector.
He is hoping that the relevant authorities in Germany can be his allies in helping the European Union agree to a visa-free travel arrangement.
Consequently, he has spoken to Frank Walter-Steinmeier, the President of Germany, who is paying an official visit to Thailand.
Visa-free travel
During the visit of the German President, Prime Minister Thavisin took to requesting that he support the new venture that the country is about to take.
He added that he is hopeful that the President will agree to the exemption of the country’s nationals from all visa requirements when traveling to countries that are members of the European Union.
According to the Prime Minister, allowing Thai nationals to make their way into the Schengen area without a visa will result in a high number of tourists for all member states.
In his words, this would lead to a boom in the travel and tourism sector in the majority of the relevant countries.
He went on to remind President Steinmeier that, as of now, the country applies a visa-free regime, which goes as high as 30 days, for people traveling from Germany.
Moreover, he reiterated that this courtesy further extends to the citizens of various other member states.
Tourists
At the meeting where the government authorities of the two countries met, Prime Minister Thavisin also shed light on relevant numbers.
He went on to say that 700,000 travelers from Germany set foot in Thailand in the previous year without having to undergo tedious visa procedures.
According to him, this highlights the importance of visa-free travel for all Thai nationals.
Despite the call from the Prime Minister for an exemption from visa requirements, Chai Wacharonke, the spokesperson for the German government, has not revealed the response of the President on the matter.
However, it was stipulated that the decision to grant an exemption of travel visas to nationals of a certain third country requires approval from all the member states of the Schengen area.
It was additionally made clear that the process of visa exemptions includes various steps that need to be taken by the third country in order to be permitted to enter without a visa into the Schengen area.
Risks
Furthermore, sources disclosed that granting a visa to a third country comes with certain risks attached, which also include irregular migration.
Consequently, there needs to be a thorough evaluation of all associated risks, before the approval can be granted.
However, spokesperson Wacharonke revealed that President Steinmeier has expressed his support in the way of sustainable development.
It was explained that the President stated that the country would aid Thailand in reducing its carbon emissions.
This will be done through comprehensive implementation of a wide range of projects. He added that Germany is eager to support the country in setting up plants for the production of renewable energy.
