KPL
(KPL) The Lao PDR has been ranked number 16 among the most welcoming countries in the world, with Cambodia and Timor Leste topping the list, according to the Passport Index for 2017.
B. Thao Phasavath
(KPL) The Lao PDR has been ranked number 16 among the most welcoming countries in the world, with Cambodia and Timor Leste topping the list, according to the Passport Index for 2017.
The top score on the list is 198.
The Passport Index is a real-time global ranking of the world’s passports that includes rankings of countries based on how many passports they accept visa-free, and which offer visa on arrival or ETA – electronic travel authorisation.
Laos ranks third in Southeast Asia with a score of 171 followed by Indonesia at 169, and Malaysia at 165. Meanwhile, Singapore got a ranking of 20 with a score of 162 and the Philippines 21 with a score of 159.
Thailand was ranked at 64 for 2017 with a score of 74, while Vietnam was ranked 85 with a score of 23.
Afghanistan, Somalia and Turkmenistan received the lowest rank in the list of most welcoming countries with a score of 0. Angola, Equatorial Guinea and Iraq share the second lowest ranking with a score of 1. The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea received a score of 2.
In November last year, the London based Rough Guide placed Laos as the third most welcoming country in the world.
Twitter user @achapcalledjay remarked, “Friendliness seems a way of life. Three weeks there and not one raised voice”.
Rough Guide asked its Twitter and Facebook friends and followers which country they thought was the friendliest in the world.
According to Rough Guide, the friendliest countries were Cambodia and the Philippines. Nepal, Thailand and Myanmar ranked as 4, 5, and 6 respectively. Meanwhile Indonesia, Fiji, Scotland and Sri Lanka ranked as the 7th, 8th, 9th and 10th friendliest counties in the world.
KPL
