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Board chairman Weerasuk Kowsurat said the TAT would evaluate the success of the existing scheme, which was implemented on March 5, and recommend its extension if warranted to the Tourism and Sport Ministry.

The government is stimulating tourism in tough times by waiving visa fees for 42 nationalities for three months. Weerasuk said the proposal covered only the sensitive markets of Japan and China.

"If we could offer visa waiving to China and Japan after May, when their long holidays fall, we should have more visitors," Weerasuk said.

Tourism and Sport Minister Chumpol Silpa-archa said he would ask Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva to visit China to restore tourist confidence.

China and Japan are the big tourist markets, along with Malaysia and South Korea.

Last year 900,000 Chinese came to Thailand, and this is expected to reach one million this year.

The TAT expects more than 70 charter flights from China during Songkran.

It plans road shows to Shanghai and Beijing in May.

Total arrivals have been falling due to the economic crisis, but the TAT projects 14 million as planned for this year.