# One visa for Thailand-Cambodia



## Song_Si (Jun 11, 2010)

*Thai-Cambodian single visa for 35 nationals gets underway*

December 26, 2012 2:48 pm

*Starting from Thursday, tourists from 35 countries will be able to enter Thailand and Cambodia with a single visa, under an agreement reached by the foreign ministers of the two countries on Wednesday.*

Under the the Ayeyawady -Chao Phraya Mekong Economic Cooperation Strategy single visa, tourists from Australia to the United States can apply for entry visas at Thai or Cambodian embassies or consulate offices for the two destinations.

The Acmecs single visa, which is similar to European Union's Schengen arrangement, would benefit the Thai and Cambodian tourism industries, said Thai Foreign Minister Surapong Tovichakchaikul.

He was speaking after jointly chairing the 8th Joint Commission with his Cambodia counterpart Hor Namhong in Bangkok.

The Acmecs single visa was initially proposed for the four original member countries of Acmecs, which also include Laos and Myanmar. If Thailand and Cambodia are successful, the remaining members would later join, Surapong said.

Thailand received 21 million tourists this year while 2.3 million visitors visited Cambodia in the first eight months of this year.


The 35 countries are; 
1. Australia 2. Austria 3. Belgium 4. Bahrain 5. Canada 6. China 7. Denmark 8. Finland 9. France 10. Germany 11. Greece 12. Hong Kong 13. Iceland 14. Ireland 15. Israel 16. Italy 17. India 18. Japan 19. Korea 20. Kuwait 21. Luxembourg 22. Netherlands 23. New Zealand 24. Norway 25. Oman 26. Portugal 27. Qatar 28. Spain 29. South Africa 30. Sweden 31. Switzerland 32. Turkey 33. United Arab Emirates 34. United Kingdom 35. United States of America


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## Song_Si (Jun 11, 2010)

*Single visa test-run*
December 19, 2012 

*BANGKOK, 19 December 2012: A single visa for Thailand and Cambodia is ready for launch 27 December at all of the countries’ consulates and embassies.*

It is a test phase of a wider project called ACMECS Single Visa (Ayeyawady-Chao Phraya-Mekong Economic Cooperation Strategy) involving Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia, and Myanmar that originated in 2005, under the concept known as _“Five Countries, One Destination”._

Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ Department of Consular Affairs, Visa and Travel Documents Division director, Pratak Sikhamonton, told TTR Weekly that the Thailand-Cambodia single visa would be initially valid for 35 countries, as of 27 December. The nations on the list were selected due their economic potential and track record as strong tourism suppliers to the region.

“This is a trial that will later be expanded to Laos, Vietnam and Myanmar if it yields benefits…It should take at least a year to test and assess all the elements such as homeland security, impact on arrivals and spending,” said Mr Pratak.

Tourists will be able to apply for a visa at any consulate office of the two countries, but the process will take longer than applying for a single-country visa as it will involve checking with the partner country and possibly cross checking for security purposes.

“Each country has its own priorities, watch lists for nationalities that are subject to a higher level of scrutiny and this cannot be overlooked in the process,” he explained.
The visa cost and length of the stay is identical to the standard tourist visa and based on the individual country’s regulations. A Thailand tourist visa costs Bt1,000 for 60 days, while Cambodia charges US$25 for 30 days.

The scheme is not relevant to nationalities that already have visa-free entry for either Thailand or Cambodia, but it will be a boon for visitors who do require a visa for both Cambodia and Thailand by reducing the need to visit two embassies before the trip begins.

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