The Foreign Ministry has reaffirmed the government's commitment to addressing the issue of Thai nationals who overstay their 15-day visas in Japan after the number of cases spiked in the past few years.
Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Jakkapong Sangmanee said he met a senior official from the Japanese embassy last week to discuss the matter and gave his assurances the government would look into it.
The meeting took place amid public concern over a possible revocation of the visa-free privileges granted by Japan.
Tokyo wants Thailand to address this issue urgently as it may affect the continuity of the visa-free policy in 2025 if it is not remedied.
According to the Department of Consular Affairs, the number of Thais who overstay their Japan visas jumped from 8,688 in 2021 to 9,549 in 2022 and 11,472 in 2023. This compares to around 3,500 in 2013 when the visa-free policy was implemented.
Mr Jakkapong said while the number was still relatively small compared to the number of outbound tourists from Thailand last year, he vowed to look into the matter.
He said he instructed the Department of Consular Affairs to coordinate with various agencies and said the ministry would work closely with the Labour Ministry to promote legal employment in the country.
The minister said the Japanese official appreciated the government's efforts and agreed the matter required collaboration from both sides.
According to the "Giftchan Nang Lao" Facebook page, which provides information about Japan, the number of foreign nationals who overstay their visas in the country has generally been on the rise. It cited data from the Japanese authorities.
Since July 2013, Tokyo has waived visas for Thai visitors after the Fukushima nuclear power plant incident. This was halted during the pandemic but resumed in October 2022.
Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Jakkapong Sangmanee (photo: Ministry of Foreign Affairs)