TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Starting October, Taiwanese travelers in Thailand will be able to stay in the country for up to 30 days with a visa on arrival between Oct. 1, 2022 and March 31, 2023.

Thailand’s Center for COVID-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) made the announcement on Friday (Aug. 19). Spokesperson Taweesin Visanuyothin was cited by the Thai Enquirer as saying the government seeks to boost tourism within the country as it considers lifting a state of emergency decree.

CCSA advisor Udom Kachintorn estimated that Thailand is seeing as many as 70,000 new COVID cases a day, which includes officially reported cases, rapid test-positive cases, and underreported cases. The number was described as “medically manageable” and expected to drop by October.

The CCSA agreed during a meeting on Friday to downgrade COVID from a “serious communicable disease” to a “communicable disease under surveillance” by September, per the Thai Enquirer.

CNA cited Visanuyothin as saying that foreign travelers from 18 countries and regions holding on-arrival visas originally valid for 15 days will be allowed to remain in Thailand for 30 days during the extension period. Travelers from 56 countries and regions holding on-arrival visas originally valid for 30 days will be allowed to remain in Thailand for 45 days.

Between January and August 2022, 3.78 million international travelers visited Thailand, CNA reported. The Thai government estimates it will receive a total of 10 million by the end of the year.