Thai-Malaysian families could be impacted by shortened visa-free stay

Malaysians married to Thai nationals could be the group affected by the 30-day visa-free programme which will take effect next week.

Malaysian ambassador to Thailand Wan Zaidi Wan Abdullah said the new policy would yield little impact on Malaysian visitors to Thailand except the families of Thais and Malaysians.

“For this category of visitors, the measures may have a comparatively greater bearing on their travel arrangements, particularly the duration of family visits, which may potentially be shortened,” Bernama on Thursday quoted the ambassador as saying in an interview.

Thailand’s shortened visa-free programme  from 60 to 30 days for visitors will be effective on Tuesday for 54 countries or territories, including Malaysia.

The average stay of Malaysians is 4.3 days and 75% travelled to southern Thailand, according to the ambassador.

Thailand received 2.6 million travellers from Malaysia in the first eight months of this year. They were the second largest group after the Chinese, who accounted for 3.5 million during the same period.