The cabinet resolved on Tuesday to extend the Special Tourist Visa (STV) programme for one year until Sept 30 next year to woo well-to-do visitors.
Deputy government spokesperson Traisuree Taisaranakul said the cabinet approved the proposal from the Tourism and Sports Ministry to extend the special visa program for visitors’ long stays from its original end this Thursday.
The extended program was intended to attract foreigners with high purchasing power to visit the country with their families and stay for 90-270 days.
The visits would bring in money and support tourism and related business, Ms Traisuree said.
The Tourism and Sports Ministry told the cabinet that over the past year the STV program brought 5,609 visitors to Thailand and their stay caused at least 1.24 billion baht to be circulated.
The long-stay visitors came from China, Hong Kong, Singapore, Denmark, the Netherlands, Spain and Croatia.
Their favourite destinations after their quarantine were Bangkok, Surat Thani (Koh Samui), Phuket, Udon Thani, Chon Buri (Pattaya), Pathum Thani, Nonthaburi, Chiang Mai and Rayong. Their stays averaged 90 days, Ms Traisuree said.
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