Thailand has released another "big move! The first special 90-day visa has been launched!
On May 6, 2024, according to the Thai media "Thailand Post", Pai Tun (ไพฑูร ชุติมากรกุล), an adviser to the Thai Prime Minister and a member of the Committee for the Promotion of the Sports Industry, together with his team, warmly received tourists from China.
The arrival of this group of Chinese tourists in Phuket, Thailand is of great significance! As the first batch of tourists to study Muay Thai on a "study visa" (Non ED VISA), the visa form is very special and historically significant - the length of stay of this visa is much higher than that of "ordinary permanent visa exemption" (30 days), up to 90 days!
In the warm atmosphere of the airport, the Chinese tourists were very happy to be able to learn Muay Thai more comprehensively and hoped for the opportunity to compete in the standard arena.
Thai Prime Minister Saitha once said that the Thai government is full of sincerity and is very serious about promoting the development of national sports, especially promoting Thailand's national sport, Muay Thai. As a result, the Thai government has established the "Muay Thai Soft Power" program, which aims to promote it globally. The main leader in charge of the project is Phimon ("บิ๊กเอ" ผศ. พิมล ศรีวิกรม์), the position of Advisor to the Prime Minister and Chairman of the Sports Industry Committee.
Phimon previously said that the Muay Thai Soft Power Committee has met continuously to promote Muay Thai culture to achieve the government's goals. The Committee has held discussions with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, through the Department of Consular Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, to invite foreign tourists interested in learning Muay Thai to come and live in Thailand so that they can complete the entire Muay Thai course. To this end, the Department of Consular Affairs has successfully issued a 90-day special visa (Non-ED visa) for targeted groups of foreign tourists.
"After applying for a special 90-day visa, if the visa expires, it can be extended three more times. Applications need to be submitted to the Boxing Committee of the General Sports Administration of Thailand, after which we will contact the Department of Consular Affairs to renew the visa. This means that all Chinese tourists can study Muay Thai in Thailand for up to one year and complete the course in its entirety. Suppose they have a contract with a boxing camp, we will also assist in contacting the Department of Consular Affairs to renew their contract and will provide them with a work permit to work in Thailand like a professional footballer. Phimon said.
Recently, for the first time, the Muay Thai Soft Power program welcomed Chinese tourists who came to Thailand to learn Muay Thai with a Non ED VISA. The event was held at Phuket Airport on May 4, 2024 and was attended by Pai Tun (Advisor to the Prime Minister and member of the Committee for the Promotion of the Sports Industry), Tang Mar Bay (ธรรมวรรธ วงศ์เจริญยศ, President of the Phuket Provincial Sports Association), Tirawa (ธีรวัฒน์ ศิลปอาชา) and other administrators. สะพานหินมวยไทย') learning.
This is the first time that the Muay Thai Soft Power program has launched a Non ED visa in Phuket, which means that tourists will be able to learn Muay Thai with a system-wide standard!
"The Chinese tourists are very happy to be able to learn authentic Muay Thai more fully, and the Chinese tourists have told me that they would like to have the opportunity to fight once in the standard arena – to get in the ring and have a good fight!" said Paiton.
What is "soft power"?
In academia, soft power refers to the third aspect of strength that a country has in international relations, in addition to economic and military, mainly the influence of culture, values, ideology and public opinion.
This abstract wording is not difficult to understand, for example, the popularity of Chinese TV dramas and novels in Thailand, the rise in the number of Thai restaurants in Guangxi and Yunnan, Chinese tourists like to rent classical Thai clothes in Ayutthaya to take pictures, the theme song of "Born to 2" resounded throughout Southeast Asia, Chinese spicy hot pot is all over Thailand all night long, Jay Chou is also the youth of countless people in Thailand, Japanese karate has formed a scale in the center of Bangkok, and posters of Korean artists have appeared in major universities in Thailand.....
All of these are the true embodiment of "soft power". A more colloquial summary: it is the "comprehensive influence" of "Thai elements" in the world.
A kind of "appreciation", a kind of "sense of identity".
So, how much importance does Thailand attach to "soft power"?
As early as the Yingluck period, Yingluck praised Xu Zheng's "Thai Embarrassment", which was to affirm the important role of the Sino-Thai film and television industry in the promotion of Thailand's "soft power".
However, at that time, due to the restrictions on the development of "short videos" and many media technologies and the barriers to language communication, Yingluck's main promotion of Thailand's "soft power" focused on the hot image promotion of her favorite Chiang Mai and the tourism industry in Thailand.
Thaksin, the "ultimate boss", is also the top master of Thailand's "commercial agricultural soft power".
The coming to power of Saita undoubtedly represents the full firepower of the Thaksin faction to promote "soft power", and a prosperous scene of showing its strength.
At this time, in the Thai political arena, there was a saying that "Thaksin dominates Thailand" - the future Thai prime minister is destined to belong to Thaksin's daughter - Pedondan.
He currently has two important capacities: (1) the leader of the Pheu Thai Party in Thaksin's faction, and (2) the secretary-general of Thailand's National Soft Power Strategy Committee (the first leader).
It is enough to see how much the Thai Thaksin family attaches importance to soft power.
For China, the in-depth exchange of "soft power" between China and Thailand is the real "mutual understanding", and the two countries understand each other's resonance better.
This means that no matter what China and Thailand or the world cherish and love each other, they will meet each other in the deepest encounter.
China and Thailand or the world, there will also be more topics of conversation that break through language and writing.
You like Chinese calligraphy, I like Thai dim sum, I will study ink for you, you help me with the seasoning... With this warmth as the cornerstone, it has expanded to Muay Thai, Thai massage, Thai classical dance, Thai classical music, Thai food, Thai Confucian opera, Thai Northeast Thai hand-weaving, Thai carving, Thai North American art, Thai jewelry, Thai film and television, etc.
Regardless of the program that Chinese tourists prefer, the visa will have a 90-day stay.
On the other hand, it is the colorful, all-encompassing, broad and profound "Chinese soft power" that shines in the eyes of the Thai people!
And this shock, all connected to the "90-day visa", completed the visa-free upgrade!
Under the blessing of "soft power", the "mutual understanding" between China and Thailand will be the same knowledge and consciousness that transcends the world.
Because a deeper understanding, there will be a deeper understanding and certainty, and the two hands of the dragon and the elephant will be closer and firmer.
Siamese Hanuman, who was born in pan-Indian culture, will complete a grand integration with the Monkey King in Huaguo Mountain in China, blooming separately and independent of each other.
With better companionship and communication, the best beneficiary is nothing more than the "economy", because you understand my needs better, I also know your supply better, cultural differences will become "interesting" rather than "barriers", and in the future, it will directly hit education, medical care, industry, agriculture, artificial intelligence and many other aspects, forming a new prosperity after the change of the world pattern.
The pattern of warming itself and shining on each other will also spread all over the world and become the focus of imitation around the world.
We should have confidence that the future of China and Thailand will be bright and bright.
Text: Thai Mesh Cloth Week Ten Faces