Tourism operators welcomed the government's first step in revoking the 60-day visa exemption to curb illicit activities by foreigners, while urging authorities to provide proper guidance for genuine investors as well as advising frequent visa runners to apply for alternative long-stay visas instead.
The cabinet agreed on Tuesday to revoke the 60-day visa exemption for 93 countries, reverting to 30-day and 15-day privileges similar to 2024, while curbing visa runs by limiting eligible stays to twice per year.
Under the draft of the new regulations, individuals entering Thailand for a third time within a calendar year after using their two full-stay privileges would be denied entry immediately, unless they are from exempted countries such as Malaysia, Brunei, Indonesia and Singapore.
Tourism and Sports Minister Surasak Phancharoenworakul said the visa exemption and visa eligibility measures were reviewed to reflect the current context.
The new proposal is expected to introduce a 30-day visa exemption for 54 countries and territories, limited strictly for tourism purposes. The main targets for Thai tourism, such as China, the US, most European countries, most Southeast Asian countries, Japan, Russia and Israel, are still able to enter the country without a visa for 30 days.
Despite being a top-tier market, India was excluded from the visa exemption scheme as is listed among the countries eligible for a visa on arrival, alongside Belarus, Serbia and Azerbaijan.
A new regulation allows citizens of the Seychelles, Maldives and Mauritius to enter Thailand visa-free for 15 days.
"Revising these policies is crucial to prevent visa misuse, criminal activities, scams, and illegal labour exploiting visa exemptions, while also strengthening confidence in Thailand's safety and perception among international tourists in the long run," said Mr Surasak.
For people who would like to stay longer than the period allowed by the visa exemption scheme, or more than two entries per year, they have other options such as applying for the Destination Thailand Visa, a five-year multiple-entry visa that can extend stays up to 180 days per entry.
Ratchaporn Poolsawadee, vice-president of the Tourism Council of Thailand, said curbing the illicit activities of those exploiting visa loopholes is only the first step.
He said other necessary measures include distinguishing individuals with unsavoury intentions from investors who genuinely intend to expand their businesses legally in Thailand, but are unsure where to begin or lack proper guidance. Some of these investors may eventually turn to using nominee businesses.
Mr Ratchaporn said local operators have listened to many foreigners who wish to register or start investments in Thailand, but relevant authorities have been unable to provide clear guidelines. In addition, the complicated process discourages many from establishing their businesses legally and properly.
He said these problems ultimately lead to unfair competition, as foreign-invested businesses are often able to avoid paying taxes, unlike local operators. This is particularly a problem in the hotel and resort sector, where many foreign investors lease out properties on a daily basis without proper scrutiny from the authorities.
"In addition to a crackdown, the government should provide a one-stop service to facilitate those who want to legally do business in Thailand. For expatriates who frequently rely on visa runs to enter the country, the government should make existing long-stay visas easier to apply for," said Mr Ratchaporn.
Before the revised visa measures take effect, he said the government should ensure the permitted length of stay does not place Thailand at a disadvantage compared with neighbouring countries.
