The government plans to issue a special 90-day visa for foreign tourists who want to learn Thai boxing in Thailand, as part of its bid to promote the country’s soft power.

In his ”X” post on Sunday, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin said that the government is ready to issue the special 90-day visa, instead of the standard 60 days, to learn Thai boxing.

He said that a similar visa will also be offered to tourists who wish to learn Thai classical dance, music, or Thai cooking, which are listed among elements of Thailand’s soft power.

The prime minister’s plan has received a positive response from many netizens, calling it a good idea to promote Thai tourism and culture without extra expenditure.

Others disagree, suggesting that the government focus on one element of soft power after another, instead of so many at one time. They also say that the promotion of such soft power will not benefit the man or woman on the street.

Assist Professor Pimol Srivikorn, one of the prime minister’s advisors and chair of the soft power subcommittee on sports, said that, at its recent meeting, the panel recommended that the government must first set the standard for Muay Thai trainers and organise a training course for them, so they can be sent abroad to teach Muay Thai.

Muay Thai has become popular in Japan, South Korea, Russia and the United States. According to the Ministry of Tourism and Sports, the market value of sports-related tourism in 2018 was estimated at about 120 billion baht and that is increasing by an average of 5% annually.