The Thai government is interested in developing an aviation hub, promoting the tourism industry and visa-free agreements.
The Thai government is keen to turn the kingdom into an Asian aviation hub and intends to hold talks with European countries on mutual visa exemption, the Bangkok Post reported, citing a statement by Prime Minister Settha Thaisin.
In a keynote speech at the “Thailand 2024: Grand Challenges” conference, the prime minister said tourism remains the government’s main policy focus. A number of measures, including visa-free entry programmes, have been introduced to help boost the tourism industry in Thailand.
According to the Prime Minister, Thailand and China will sign a reciprocal visa waiver programme this week, and the government plans to negotiate with the European Union for a similar agreement between Thailand and Schengen countries.
The government intends to turn the country into an Asian aviation centre, which involves simplifying immigration procedures, revamping flights and building airports in secondary cities, Settha said.
The prime minister emphasised the importance of expanding the economy and other opportunities for Thais with key large-scale projects, citing the decision of the past Thaksin Shinawatra government to go ahead with the construction of Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport as an example.
“Over the past two decades, there have been governments that have seen and seized opportunities,” Settha said.
Referring to the mega land bridge project, Settha again promised to listen to the views of all stakeholders, including potential investors and local residents.
The one trillion baht project, which aims to develop a logistics network connecting the coasts of Ranong and Chumphon provinces, is being showcased at three international events: the APEC Summit in San Francisco, the Japan-ASEAN Jubilee Summit in Japan and the World Economic Forum 2024 in Davos, Switzerland.
“We are listening not only to the public but also to investors. The government’s task is to weigh whether the investors’ wishes will be positive or negative for the people,” the Prime Minister explained.
Settha Thavisin urged stakeholders to think about the opportunities brought to the country by the construction of Suvarnabhumi Airport when considering the land bridge project.
The Prime Minister emphasised that the government welcomes investors from any country equally.
The prime minister also touched on the policy to triple farmers’ income in four years, but without interfering with prices or providing subsidies. Instead, Seththi said, more opportunities are being created by developing production.
More Articles Here
More Articles Here
