这国宣布：对中国游客免签

Thailand has approved a temporary visa waiver for visitors from China and Kazakhstan during the year-end high season in support of its vital tourism industry.

Thai Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin said on Wednesday that the policy will allow Chinese and Kazakh tourists to enter the Southeast Asian nation without visa requirements beginning on Sept. 25 until the end of February 2024.

As a key driver of growth, Thailand has planned to reinvigorate its tourism industry by introducing promotional materials to inform prospective travelers and help them gain confidence in visiting the country, said government spokesperson Chai Wacharonke.

In pre-pandemic 2019, Chinese tourists accounted for about 28 percent of the nearly 40 million foreign tourists to Thailand. Tourism accounts for about 12 percent of the country's GDP.

Additional measures also include increasing the routes and frequency of direct flights connecting with second-tier Chinese cities, which has the potential to draw more tourists, as well as setting up an online crisis management team to tackle misinformation and bad impressions among Chinese tourists, Chai told a news conference.