Cabinet approves reciprocal visa waiver for Thai, Myanmar tourists

BANGKOK, October 22 (TNA) - The Thai Cabinet has approved a reciprocal agreement with Myanmar on visa exemption for Thai and Myanmar holders of normal passports. Government Spokesman Teerat Ratanasevi told journalists on Tuesday that the Thai Cabinet gave the green light, as proposed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, at its weekly meeting in Bangkok earlier in the day. With the resolution, Teerat explained, Thai and Myanmar travelers who hold normal passports can enter each other’s country and stay there for up to 14 days without having to seek any visa approval in advance. Under the agreement, Teerat acknowledged, Mynamar visitors can travel conveniently through 23 Thai airports nationwide. However, the spokesman noted, the period of such stay can be shortened, such stay can be revoked, such entries can be rejected without a declared reason and the visa exemption agreement can be suspended temporarily for a security or health reason on the condition that one side must inform the other of such a decision with a written notice at least 15 days in advance. According to the spokesman, the agreement is open-ended and will take effect until one party informs the other of the revocation with a written notice; while, the revocation will take effect in 60 days after the notification through a diplomatic channel. The spokesman said the agreement on the reciprocal visa exemption for Thai and Myanmar holders of normal passports is expected to be signed when Thai Prime Minister and Defence Minister Yingluck Shinawatra attends the opening ceremony of the next Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games) in Myanmar on December 11-12, 2013. (TNA)