If you’re interested in travelling to Thailand and a fan of martial arts, then we’ve got some good news for you as the country is planning to introduce a new “Muay Thai visa” which allows foreigners to stay in the Land of Smiles for 90 days.
Announced by Thailand Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin on his official X account, the new 90-day special Thai visa gives travellers an extra 30 days from the normal 60-day visa currently available to foreigners.
Furthermore, the initiative is meant to boost the country’s tourism industry as well as promote the country’s Muay Thai or Thai Boxing as a cultural heritage worldwide.
ผม และรัฐบาลไทยพร้อมสนับสนุน Soft Power ของไทยครับ การให้วีซ่าพิเศษ 90 วัน (จากวีซ่าปกติ 60 วัน) แก่คนที่สนใจจะเข้ามาเรียนมวยไทยเป็นเพียงจุดเริ่มต้นเล็ก ๆ ของการดำเนินการตามนโยบายของรัฐบาลที่ต้องการกระตุ้นเศรษฐกิจไทยด้วยการใช้ความเป็นไทยส่งออกไกลไปทั่วโลกครับ…
— Srettha Thavisin (@Thavisin) January 14, 2024
In the X post, the Thai Prime Minister also said that the country is also planning to extend the special 90-day visa to other Thai cultural heritage such as Thai dance, music and food.
Srettha Thavisin asserted,
“I and the Thai Government are ready to support the ‘Soft Power’ of Thailand. Giving a special 90-day visa (from the normal 60-day visa) to people interested in learning Muay Thai is just a small beginning of the government’s desired policy to stimulate the Thai economy by using Thai cultural heritage as an export to the whole world.”
“We are not only planning for special visas for Muay Thai but other Soft Powers such as Thai dance, Thai music, Thai food cooking lessons and more”
Thai Prime Minister, Srettha Thavisin
In the post, the Thai Prime Minister also shared an article by Bangkok Post which elaborated on the new Muay Thai visa.
The article reported on Srettha Thavisin’s advisor, Pimol Srivikorn saying that the government will set a standard level to be attained at the Muay Thai classes.
Moreover, Pimol Srivikorn, who is also the Thai government’s subcommittee for driving sports-related activities chairman, further said that the certification for Muay Thai teachers will also be standardised so the national fighting art can be accurately disseminated around the world.
Pimol Srivikorn
For reference, Malaysians can travel to Thailand and any other ASEAN nation member without a visa for 30 days. Those planning to stay longer can opt to take the visa-on-arrival for a fee when arriving in Thailand, which allows you to extend the 30-day limit once, hence a limit of 60 days.
This new Muay Thai visa thus gives you the option to stay for 90 days without having to renew it like visa-on-arrival. Do note however that as of the time of writing, the Thai government has yet to announce when the new visa will be implemented.
So, what are your thoughts on Thailand’s initiatives to attract tourists to the country and promote its cultural heritage worldwide? Share your thoughts with us in the comments.
Also read: Thailand is Getting 8 New Airlines in 2024 & One of Them is Really Cool… Literally!
