
Warning: Cheap packages tours to Thailand from China for the coming Mid-Autumn Festival (third week of September) and National Day (first week of October) are nearly fully booked. However, some major tourist agencies in the posh Chaoyangmenwai Street still hold out hope that Thailand will waive visa fees for their holidaymakers once again.
Some of the tour operators cited past precedent. Visa-free waivers and visas on arrival (VOA) have been key measures to increase incoming tourists, Chinese or otherwise. There are no statistics on VOA fees collected at the airports. VOA is under the purview of the Royal Thai Police Immigration Bureau.
Kavi Chongkittavorn is a veteran journalist on regional affairs.