Cambodia welcomes ASEAN single visa

People's Daily Online
http://english.people.com.cn/

July 20, 2009

Cambodia welcomes the creation of ASEAN single visa to attract more tourists and facilitate other travelers to visit the region, government officials said on Monday.

"When we exercise this plan, it also affect to the national revenue because we lost money on visa. But we hoped that tourists also expand their expenditure when they visit and stay here and that is our earning," Koy Khoung, spokesman and undersecretary of state for Foreign Ministry, told Xinhua.

"Local people will benefit from the tourists directly and it also helps to reduce the poverty in the country and other travelers feel good because they could access for many countries in the region by one single visa. It is a good idea," he said.

The proposal was put forward by Thai Prime Minister at the opening ceremony of the ASEAN Foreign Ministers Meeting in Phuket. He said that Cambodia and Thailand already agreed to use one single visa.

"We, all private sector, also welcome the idea of one visa in ASEAN," Ang Kim Eang, president of Cambodian Association of Travel Agencies. "We all will follow the Cambodian government."

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) must be visa-free within the region and offer an ASEAN Single Visa for those outside the region, Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said on Monday in his opening remarks at the 42nd ASEAN Foreign Ministers Meeting in Phuket.

"ASEAN must be able to act decisively and in a timely manner to address both internal and external threats and challenges to the security and welfare of its member states and peoples," said Abhisit.

Source: Xinhua