The Thailand Cabinet has waived fee on travel visa for all nationals for over the next three months as one of four short-term recovery measures to restore tourism industry.

The move is expected to draw more Chinese travelers, one of the main target groups, to the country.

TAT Beijing Office has confirmed that the favorable visa policy will last for three months, and an official announcement has been released on its official website (http://www.tatbjs.org.cn/), the policy will be implemented as from March 5 to June 4, 2009.

The waiver will save Chinese tourists more than CNY200 for each visa application.

The events in November 2008, when airports in Thailand were closed as a result of political turmoil, have inflicted heavy losses on the country's tourism. This offer of free visa service to Chinese tourists is seen as a move to revive the country's flagging tourism industry.

China accounts for about 10% of the tourists visiting Thailand. However the numbers are dropping from one million Chinese tourists in 2006, to 800,000 in 2007, and lower in 2008.

Would be Chinese tourists traveling to Thailand will still need to obtain a visa from the Thai embassy or consulates in China, but they will not have to pay the usual visa fee.