The cabinet on Tuesday decided to end the 60-day visa-free programme for foreign visitors to Thailand, with the timeline for enforcement still being worked out.
The decision meant that the rules for all countries covered by the scheme would revert to the immigration regulations in place before the 60-day programme took effect, Tourism and Sports Minister Surasak Phancharoenworakul said.
Thai authorities for months have been signalling that 60-day stays, introduced to help spur the post-Covid tourism recovery, had brought unintended consequences. Chief among them was the rise in foreigners putting down roots to run businesses or engage in criminal activity.
Mr Surasak did not give an effective date for the change, saying only that the cabinet decision would be relayed to all agencies responsible for the issue.
Foreign visitors already in Thailand or arriving before the new measures take effect will still be allowed to remain under their existing visa conditions until their permitted stay expires.
Mungkorn Pratoomkaew, director-general of the Consular Affairs Department at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said in a subsequent briefing that the changes would come into effect 15 days after an official announcement is published in the Royal Gazette.
He said the updated framework would limit each country or territory to a single visa exemption category and revoke the 60‑day exemption for all 93 countries or territories.
Eligibility for the 30-day visa exemption will be reduced from 57 countries to 54, he said, declining to name the three to be excluded.
As well, he said, there will be a 15‑day visa exemption for certain countries, along with a streamlined visa‑on‑arrival scheme.
Many factors considered
The changes were sought to address a combination of factors, including reciprocity, security issues and policy duplication, with multiple exemption schemes causing confusion among tourists, Mr Mungkorn said.
The Visa Policy Committee, led by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, will consider which countries will benefit from eased measures in the future by taking into consideration security and economic impacts.
Foreign Minister Sihasak Phuangketkaeow said recently that authorities would also be examining the overall visa framework, not just tourist visas, to determine whether the large number of visa categories remains necessary and whether some could be merged.
Thailand for many years had allowed nationals of 56 countries to stay without a visa for 30 days. In July 2024, the exemption was increased to 60 days and eligibility expanded to 93 countries.
Foreign tourist arrivals to Thailand as of May 17 were down by 3.3% from a year earlier to 12.9 million.
Arrivals last year fell 7% to 33 million, and the National Economic and Social Development Council forecasts a further decline to 32 million this year.
Entry eligibility by country
The following is an unofficial list from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of applicable tourist entry eligibility by country after the abolition of 60-day visa exemptions:
54 countries and territories granted 30-day visa exemption:
Europe: Austria, Belgium, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Ukraine, United Kingdom.
Asia and Oceania: Australia, Bhutan, Brunei, Georgia, Indonesia, Israel, Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Turkey.
Middle East: Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates.
Americas: Canada, United States.
Africa: South Africa.
Three countries eligible for a 15-day visa exemption: Seychelles, Maldives, Mauritius.
Four countries (reduced from 31) eligible for visa on arrival: Azerbaijan, Belarus, Serbia, India.
Bilateral agreements
14-day visa exemption: Myanmar (air arrivals only), Cambodia.
30-day visa exemption: China, Hong Kong, Macau, Laos, Mongolia, Russia, Kazakhstan, Timor-Leste, Vietnam.
90-day visa exemption: Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Peru, South Korea.
