Thailand is continuing to push for visa-free travel to the EU, and just recently, the country asked for France’s support.
During a visit to France’s capital, the Prime Minister of Thailand, Srettha Thavisin, required French Presiden Macron Emmanuel Macron, to help the country make it possible for its nationals to enter the bloc without the need to obtain a visa.
This request found support, with Macron saying that France backs a visa-free travel agreement between the EU and Thailand, SchengenVisaInfo reports.
Pushing for support, Thavisin said that it is very important that the citizens of the country get to travel to the Schengen Area without having to undergo the visa application procedure.
The same suggested that an agreement on the matter would benefit both parties as more Thais would choose EU countries as their travel destinations and thus contribute to Member States’ economic growth.
Thailand’s call for visa-free travel to the EU is also linked to reciprocity. Thailand currently permits visa-free entry for all citizens of the EU for stays of up to 30 days.
Taking this into consideration, the country wants its citizens to enjoy the same privileges when travelling to the bloc.
While Macron has given hope to Thavisin on visa-free travel to the EU, other Member States are yet to confirm their support.
In the meantime, Thailand will continue with its negotiations with the EU, and once the latter finds that the country has fulfilled all the required criteria, an official agreement will be reached.
Thailand Has Asked for Germany’s Help Too
Earlier this year, Thailand asked for Germany’s help too in reaching a visa liberalisation agreement.
Thavisin urged for the support of Germany on the matter during a visit of German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier to the country.
However, the German President did not say anything about whether the country will support Thailand in reaching a visa-free travel agreement.
In addition to the above-mentioned, Thailand’s Prime Minister also stressed that a finalisation of the agreement would take time.
Thavisin said that several procedures need to be followed, suggesting that the citizens of the country will have to continue undergoing the visa application process until a decision is reached.
Thailand’s Passport Currently Ranks 108th in the World
According to the VisaGuide Passport Index, Thailand’s passport is currently ranked 108th in the world.
Thai passport holders at the moment get to travel visa-free to only 43 countries. On the other hand, they need to obtain a visa in order to be permitted entry to 118 countries, including the EU countries.
