Thailand ends 60-day visa-free scheme for 93 countries

อัพเดต 5 ชั่วโมงที่ผ่านมา • เผยแพร่ 2 วันที่แล้ว • Thai PBS World

The Cabinet today endorsed the cancellation of the pre-travel 60-day visa exemption scheme for 93 countries, a privilege granted two years ago, Tourism and Sports Minister Surasak Phancharoenworakul said after the Cabinet meeting.

The measure will also revoke special arrangements for countries enjoying more than one type of visa exemption, he said.

Thailand will revert to the previous 30-day visa exemption scheme, the minister said, adding that the Visa Policy Committee will review visa arrangements on a country-by-country basis to determine the most appropriate visa type for each nation, taking into account both security and economic considerations.

All countries losing the pre-travel 60-day visa exemption will return to their previous visa arrangements, most of which generally allow stays of 30 days.

Surasak told reporters that the government wants to focus on attracting “quality tourists” rather than simply increasing visitor numbers.

The move was approved after authorities found that some foreigners were exploiting the scheme by entering Thailand under the guise of tourism to establish illegal nominee-owned businesses, work without permits, and use the country as a base for transnational crimes, including call-centre scam operations.

When the 60-day policy was introduced in 2024, it was aimed at stimulating the economy and tourism sector.

Statistics from the Tourism and Sports Ministry show that most foreign tourists stay in Thailand for an average of only nine days.

Officials therefore believe that reducing the visa-free period to 30 days will not significantly affect the core tourism market.

Some countries may see their visa-free period reduced further to 15 days, in line with short-term tourism requirements.

In 2024, the 93 countries whose citizens were allowed to stay in Thailand for up to 60 days were:

1. Andorra

2. Australia

3. Austria

4. Belgium

5. Bahrain

6. Brazil

7. Brunei