The Thai Foreign Ministry today downplayed reports suggesting that Japan may consider cancelling visa-free privileges for Thai tourists, due to an increase in the number of Thais overstaying their visas.

Deputy Foreign Minister Jakkaphong Sangmanee said that it is normal for Japan to review the programme periodically, to enhance its effectiveness, adding “Thailand also reviews its visa privileges granted to other countries every three years.”

Officials from Japan and Thailand met in December last year to discuss, among other things, the increasing number of Thais staying beyond their visa expiration dates.

Japan reported that 8,688 Thais overstayed their visas in 2021. This rose to 9,549 in 2022 and further to 11,472 in 2023. Thailand now ranks second for the number of overstays in Japan, following Vietnam.

News reports quoted Tokyo as stating during the December meeting that this issue may affect the visa privileges granted to Thai tourists or even lead to the cancellation of the programme.

Jakkaphong told reporters that he recently held talks on the matter with senior Japanese diplomats at the embassy here. “I explained to them that there are two distinct groups of Thais visiting Japan. The first consists of those who genuinely appreciate Japan and wish to experience all it has to offer, while the others, a smaller number, overstay their visas,” he said.

He quoted the Japanese side as informing him that their country still places importance on Thai tourists.

The deputy minister said he will hold talks with the Thai authorities involved, such as Labour Ministry, in order to decrease the number of overstays.