Both foreign citizens applying at Thai embassies and tourists obtaining a visa on arrival are exempt from visa fees. The embassy's statement emphasizes that the visa fee waiver applies only to tourists; all other types of entry visas are issued for a fee.
The decision to temporarily cancel visa fees for tourists was made by the Thai Cabinet at the end of January 2009. As Lenta.ru notes, this measure is aimed at reviving the country's tourism industry, which suffered at the end of 2008 due to opposition protests.
Opposition activists demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat paralyzed air traffic in Thailand for several days by blocking the country's international airports. Hundreds of flights were canceled, and tens of thousands of foreigners were unable to fly home on time. The opposition succeeded in forcing the resignation of Somchai Wongsawat's government, but the flow of tourists to the country decreased by 50% at the end of 2008.