KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia, AP
Southeast Asian countries were set to sign an agreement Tuesday allowing their citizens to travel within the region for up to two weeks without a visa.
Most of the 10 members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations currently have bilateral agreements with some or all of the members of the bloc allowing their citizens to visit without visas.
The new agreement aims to "strengthen and further develop the friendship and cooperation in ASEAN," according to a copy obtained by The Associated Press.
The ASEAN Framework Agreement on Visa Exemption will group the bilateral arrangements into a uniform rule, allowing people of the region to visit member nations for up to two weeks without a visa. It will be signed later Tuesday by the foreign ministers of ASEAN countries gathered here for an annual meeting.
"Member countries ... shall exempt citizens of any other member countries, holding valid national passports from visa requirements for a period of stay up to 14 days from the date of entry," said the agreement.
The pact will have the most impact on military ruled Myanmar, which requires citizens of every ASEAN country except the Philippines to enter with a visa.
Vietnam has visa exemption agreements with all ASEAN members except Cambodia, Myanmar and Brunei. Citizens of other ASEAN countries are allowed visa-free travel for up to 30 days.
Cambodia requires citizens of Brunei, Indonesia, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam to get a visa. Philippines is the only country in the regional grouping that does not ask for a visa from any citizen from an ASEAN member nation.
ASEAN comprises Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, the Philippines, Indonesia, Cambodia, Laos, Brunei, Myanmar and Vietnam.
According to the agreement, member countries have the right to refuse admission or shorten the duration of stay of anyone "considered undesirable," it said, a reference to people with criminal record or those considered a political threat.
Member countries are also allowed to temporarily suspend the implementation of the agreement for reasons of "national security, public order, and public health," it said.
Most of the 10 members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations currently have bilateral agreements with some or all of the members of the bloc allowing their citizens to visit without visas.
The new agreement aims to "strengthen and further develop the friendship and cooperation in ASEAN," according to a copy obtained by The Associated Press.
The ASEAN Framework Agreement on Visa Exemption will group the bilateral arrangements into a uniform rule, allowing people of the region to visit member nations for up to two weeks without a visa. It will be signed later Tuesday by the foreign ministers of ASEAN countries gathered here for an annual meeting.
"Member countries ... shall exempt citizens of any other member countries, holding valid national passports from visa requirements for a period of stay up to 14 days from the date of entry," said the agreement.
The pact will have the most impact on military ruled Myanmar, which requires citizens of every ASEAN country except the Philippines to enter with a visa.
Vietnam has visa exemption agreements with all ASEAN members except Cambodia, Myanmar and Brunei. Citizens of other ASEAN countries are allowed visa-free travel for up to 30 days.
Cambodia requires citizens of Brunei, Indonesia, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam to get a visa. Philippines is the only country in the regional grouping that does not ask for a visa from any citizen from an ASEAN member nation.
ASEAN comprises Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, the Philippines, Indonesia, Cambodia, Laos, Brunei, Myanmar and Vietnam.
According to the agreement, member countries have the right to refuse admission or shorten the duration of stay of anyone "considered undesirable," it said, a reference to people with criminal record or those considered a political threat.
Member countries are also allowed to temporarily suspend the implementation of the agreement for reasons of "national security, public order, and public health," it said.
2 comments:
What is the fuck! Cambodia to ink visa-free travel pact? Oh well! now con artists,pedophiles, and human disease can travel and spread to Cambodia at will!
Cambodian people can't even fish in their sea with constant harassment by the fucken Thai and the Viet marine captured and took them as prisoner! So by ink visa-free travel pact Cambodian people can fish peacefully in their sea?
This is such a fuck up concept that can only promote more problem!
Cambodian people are such backward people and they will be taken as a sucker! Cambodian are welcoming the 21th century problems into their country and they don't even know how to deal with it?Just take a look at AIDS, Cambodian government are fucken helpless and more Cambodian people are dying from AIDS and pretty soon Cambodian people will die out and they won't any of the world problem!ahahahh.
Every country around the world are putting up wall and stupid Cambodian open their fucken border!No wonder the Vietcong are willing to pay out of their pocket in million and million of dollars just put up border markers between Cambodia! Stupid Cambodian leaders still don't see what is happening around the world!
Like they said the World can compare to a huge electric power station and Cambodia is just a small electric appliance! Unless stupid Cambodian leaders find a way to deal with the global problem otherwise Cambodia will be fried by the huge electric power station!
I wish all Khmers who are non-CPP to be united in order to win the next general election.It means those who will not vote for CPP won't fight each other and hold their hand to liberate our Homeland from.....? in order to promote prosperity to our people.And I also bag to those opportunist politicians of the Non- CPP's party to quit politic in 2008'election including Mr. Sam Rainsy who are trying to cheat our courageous Khmer Activists.
I wish NO:FUNCINPEC-CPP's government, NO:SAMRAINGSY-CPP's government and NO:FUNCINPEC-SAMRAINGSY-CPP'S government.
I wish after 2008's election Cambodia will be independent for the second time!!!!
A Khmer Patriotist
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