Thailand’s decision to suspend visa-free entry for Sri Lankan citizens was prompted mainly by a series of illegal activities allegedly involving Sri Lankan nationals, including drug-related incidents, Foreign Affairs Minister Vijitha Herath said yesterday (8).

Speaking at the weekly Cabinet media briefing, Herath said several incidents involving Sri Lankan nationals had been reported in recent months, including cases where narcotics were allegedly brought from Thailand to Sri Lanka.

He also referred to a recent incident involving a group of Buddhist monks who allegedly returned from Thailand carrying cannabis.

“The main reason is the illegal activities carried out by Sri Lankans who travelled to Thailand using the visa facility,” Herath said.

He said such incidents had contributed to Thailand’s decision to include Sri Lanka among 60 countries whose citizens will no longer be eligible for visa-free entry.

The visa-free facility for Sri Lankan passport holders will be withdrawn from 15 September. Sri Lankan nationals travelling to Thailand from that date will therefore be required to obtain visas before departure. However, Herath said the Government had held discussions with Thai authorities with a view to restoring the visa facility.

Thailand has proposed a bilateral agreement on visa arrangements between the two countries, he said. The draft agreement has been discussed with the Department of Immigration and Emigration and the Attorney General’s Department, according to Herath.

He said the Government hoped to sign the bilateral agreement with Thailand in the near future, potentially paving the way for the restoration of visa-free entry for Sri Lankan citizens.