China and Thailand have agreed to permanently waive visa requirements for each other’s citizens from March, Thai Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin said Tuesday, reports Caixin. The move, extending Thailand’s temporary visa waiver for Chinese travelers ending Feb. 29, will “upgrade the relationship between the two countries,” Srettha told reporters.
China’s foreign ministry said the visa exemption will further enhance people-to-people exchanges between the two countries. “The government departments responsible for the matter are in close communication on the specifics. We look forward to the early implementation of the arrangement,” Wang Wenbin, a foreign ministry spokesperson said.
Half an hour after the news, searches about Thailand on China’s largest online travel service site Trip.com surged 90%. Browsing on flight tickets from Beijing and Shanghai to Bangkok climbed more than 40%.