Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB) and three alliance organisations jointly announced their aligned measures to provide easier access to Thailand for overseas MICE travellers under TCEB’s umbrella initiative “Thailand MICE One Stop Service”. The three alliance organisations are the Department of Consular Affairs, Airports of Thailand (AOT) Public Company Limited, and Immigration Division 2. TCEB announced the alliance during a press conference last week at the Hyatt Regency Sukhumvit Bangkok Hotel.
The Director-General of the Department of Consular Affairs was Worawoot Pongprapapant, while the President of Airports of Thailand (AOT) Public Company Limited was Kerati Kijmanawat. Immigration Division 2 was represented by its Commander, Police Major General Choengron Rimpadee, while the President of TCEB was Chiruit Isarangkun Na Ayuthaya.
Key measures for easier access to Thailand are as follows:
- Visa for MICE
- MICE visitors (Tourist visa-MICE): 60-day stay and can be extended for a period not exceeding 30 days
- MICE organisers (Non-immigrant B): 90-day stay and can be extended for a maximum stay of 1 year
- New visa measures
- Visa exemption expanded to 93 countries/territories from the previous 57countries/territories with extended stay from 30 to 60 days for tourism, business engagements or urgent work/ad-hoc work
- Visa on arrival with 15-day stay applicable to 31 countries from the previous 19 countries
- E-visa service is provided at 48 Thai embassies and consulates and is planned to cover all 94 Thai embassies and consulates across the world by the end of this year
- Manpower at airport
- 330 more officers ready to stand by at every checkpoint during peak hours
- Technology
- A new automatic passport control system or Automatic Channel, supported by AOT, will fasten processing time from 2 persons to 4 persons per minute.
- New immigration technology system or TIS (Thailand Immigration System) along with the APPS system or Advance Passenger. Processing will help identify persons more accurately and faster and prevent the entry of blacklisted persons.
- AOT application for travellers to download for transport services.
- Cooperation for special lane
- AOT and Immigration Division 2 will cooperate with TCEB on a case-by-case basis to separate MICE groups from ordinary travellers and provide special lanes for the groups accordingly.
- MICE Lane Service for VIP
- Now operational at Suvarnabhumi and Don Mueang Airports in Bangkok. TCEB will work with AOT and Immigration in setting up MICE Lane at Phuket and Chiang Mai airports next year and at Udon Thani airport by 2026 in preparation for International Horticultural Expo Udon Thani 2026
The joint announcement is in response to the government’s policy to make Thailand a preferred destination of exhibitions and global festivals, thus, measures to facilitate entry of overseas travellers.
It is also in preparation for attendees and visitors at bid-won events to be held in a few years, for example, IDF Diabetes World Congress 2025 in Bangkok, IMF and World Bank Group Annual Meeting in 2026 in Bangkok, Global Sustainable Tourism Conference 2026 in Phuket and International Horticultural Expo 2026 in Udon Thani, concluded TCEB President Chiruit Isarangkun Na Ayuthaya.
About TCEB
A leading agency at the forefront of Thailand’s Mice industry. Established in 2004, Thailand Convention & Exhibition Bureau (Public Organisation) or TCEB – the government agency under the supervision of the Prime Minister – has been assigned a role to promote, support and develop the business events industry – corporate meetings, incentive trips, conventions, exhibitions, mega events and world festivals. As a strategic partner, TCEB helps deliver creative ideas and solutions to bring success and fulfil the requirements of business events. The overarching goal is to drive Thailand to become a global MICE and mega events destination that can drive the country’s strategic industries and national economy.
