Thailand, Cambodia ready to launch joint visa scheme

Published: 10/11/2012 
Bangkok Post 

SA KAEO: Thailand and Cambodia are ready to implement a single visa agreement, which would enable tourists to use only one visa for both countries from Nov 21, an immigration bureau chief says.

Pol Lt Gen Panu Kerdlappol, immigration bureau chief, talks to Cambodians at Sa Kaeo’s Aranyaprathet border checkpoint while inspecting the readiness of his immigration police officers and computer network systems for the launch of the single visa agreement between Thailand and Cambodia, which will come into effect on Nov 21. WASSAYOS NGAMKHAM

The project comes under the Ayeyawady-Chao Phraya-Mekong Economic Cooperation Strategy (Acmecs).

Acmecs, which was initiated by Thailand and set up in 2003, is a joint development scheme involving Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam.

Foreign ministers of the five countries have discussed single visas several times, but Thailand and Cambodia were the first to sign an agreement five years ago and have been the first to decide to implement the scheme.

Immigration bureau chief Pol Lt Gen Panu Kerdlappol said Thailand and Cambodia would implement the single visa pact first because Cambodia had a computer network that could connect well with that of Thailand.

The remaining member countries are now developing their computer networks and would adopt the single visa system later, he said.

Pol Lt Gen Panu confirmed the plan while inspecting the readiness of his immigration officers and computer systems at three checkpoints in Chanthaburi, Sa Kaeo and Trat provinces, which border Cambodia.

Pol Lt Gen Panu declared his officials and computer systems ready for the single visa scheme.

Under the scheme, tourist visas obtained at the embassies of either Thailand or Cambodia will be valid for entry into both countries.

However, Pol Lt Gen Panu said he was very concerned about transnational crimes and border security matters.

He said the United Nations is providing the immigration bureau with technology to help detect international criminals and human trafficking gangsters.

The immigration bureau chief said he was most concerned about the situation at Aranyaprathet border checkpoint in Sa Kaeo province, opposite Poipet in Cambodia.

About 4,800 Thais and 1,300 Cambodians as well as 1,250 foreign visitors travel through the Aranyaprathet border checkpoint every day, he said.

Pol Lt Gen Panu said immigration police are working closely with the military in an effort to suppress international human trafficking. They have set up 12 checkpoints on roads in the three eastern border provinces since the beginning of this year, arresting 109 suspected members of human trafficking gangs and about 1,300 Cambodians who travelled to Thailand with the gangs.