Thailand to slash tourist visa-free stays 

Thailand’s cabinet has approved a drastic reduction to its visa-free entry scheme for tourists from more than 90 countries.

The decision, issued on Tuesday, shifts the country away from a sweeping 60-day visa exemption introduced in July 2024 to stimulate its post-pandemic recovery. That exemption was for areas that included the United States, Israel, parts of South America and Europe’s 29-nation Schengen zone.

Under the new framework, the government will revert to a tiered system, capping visa-free stays at 30 days while shortening permission for citizens of some countries to just 15 days.

“The current scheme has allowed some people to exploit it,” government spokesperson Rachada Dhanadirek told reporters in Bangkok, noting that while tourism remains an indispensable pillar of the Thai economy, security concerns have taken priority.

Thai officials acknowledged the generous 60-day window had inadvertently opened loopholes, paving the way for a surge in illicit grey-market enterprises, unauthorised foreign workers and online scam operations. Policymakers now view a 30-day ceiling as an adequate timeframe to accommodate genuine, high-value travellers.

The policy reversal follows a series of high-profile arrests involving foreign nationals engaged in drug trafficking, human smuggling and running unauthorised local businesses, such as hotels and language schools.

Foreign Minister Sihasak Phuangketkeow said the measure does not target any specific nationality but rather individuals abusing the visa system to evade law enforcement.

To prevent systemic abuse, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it will also enforce a strict cap of two visa-free entries per calendar year via land borders for the standard 30-day tier, mirroring protocols used before the 2024 expansion.

The government has not yet announced when the changes will take effect, but they were decided at a sensitive time for Southeast Asia’s second-largest economy, where tourism accounts for more than 10 percent of its gross domestic product. Government data revealed a 3.4 percent year-on-year drop in foreign arrivals during the first quarter, driven largely by a nearly 30 percent plunge in Middle Eastern travellers.

Despite the downturn, officials maintained their annual target of attracting 33.5 million foreign tourists this year.