BANGKOK -- In a bid to boost slumping tourism, Thai immigration authorities announced on Thursday 30-day in-country visa extensions for visitors from 49 countries, including the U.S., Japan and Hong Kong, which combined account for about half of the kingdom's normal arrivals.
"[The extension] will be a boost for the increasing number of global travelers who have already covered much of the world and want to focus on a specific destination," said Tourism Authority of Thailand Governor Thawatchai Arunyik. "It will also be [a] boost for those coming for niche-market activities, such as voluntarism, health and wellness or sports."
