The Cabinet on Tuesday (May 19) approved the cancellation of Thailand’s 60-day visa-free entry policy for visitors from 93 countries, including Russia, to 30 days, the government’s public relations department says. The move has left some foreign visitors worried about the potential impact on their stay, reports the Bangkok Post.
During a discussion with Thai media at the Russian embassy on Wednesday, ahead of Russia’s National Day on June 12, Tomikhin said that Russians had not been significantly impacted by the revised visa policy.
This is largely due to a bilateral agreement between Thailand and Russia that allows Russian nationals to stay visa-free for up to 30 days, he said.
He noted that there had been no complaints from the Russian community in Thailand so far, although some concerns could arise in special cases involving prolonged medical treatment.
“I hope there might be some flexible instruments for certain circumstances like this because life is much more difficult than only rules,” he said, adding that he hoped to exchange views further with Thailand’s Foreign Affairs Ministry.
He said that foreigners should comply with Thai regulations, describing the policy as a standard rule applicable to all nationalities.
Separately, the ambassador said that Russia is ready to supply fertilisers to Thailand as countries affected by the ongoing Middle East conflict seek alternative import sources.
He noted that Russia has traditionally been one of the world’s leading fertiliser exporters and that last year Thailand imported about 600,000 tonnes of Russian fertiliser worth US$300 million (B9.78 billion).
Tomikhin said that Russia was open to negotiating additional supply agreements through designated companies, adding that pricing would be the main issue in any future negotiations.
He also expressed hope for further discussions with the Energy Ministry regarding potential cooperation.