Vietnam, 4 ASEAN countries mull single visa

Speaking at the ACMECS conference, minister Hoang Tuan Anh said the idea of having a single visa that can be applied for all five nations was put on the table to further boost the tourism development of these countries, whose international arrivals in 2012 reached 37 million turns , an 18 percent growth, despite the global economic recession.

ACMECS stands for Ayeyawadi – Chao Phraya – Mekong Economic Cooperation Strategy, which is a political, economic, and cultural organization among the above countries.

Two of the ACMECS nations, Cambodia and Thailand, are already running a pilot scheme on the single-visa policy, under which a tourist obtaining a visa to enter Thailand is allowed to enter Cambodia, and vice versa.

Cambodian tourism minister Thong Kon told Tuoi Tre that the program was initiated in January, with tourists allowed to apply for the visa from the diplomatic representative agencies in both of the countries.

Thong Kon said Thailand and Cambodia will share their experience with other nations in a bid to realize the idea of having a mutual visa for the five countries by 2015.

At the meeting, the ministers also reached an agreement to set up a new transnational tourism passage from Bagan - Chiang Mai - Luang Prabang - Vientiane - Siem Reap – Da Nang – Hue.

The Vietnamese minister also said ACMECS will build a website, design a logo and think of a slogan to boost the tourism development of its members.

Efforts will also be made to ensure the safety of tourists visiting these countries, he added.

“With Cambodia, Thailand, and Laos having already set up the tourism police forces, Vietnam will seek to exchange experience with them, while fortifying its tourism security policy,” he said.