Thailand Updates Visa-free Rules

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Tourists in Bangkok, Thailand. (Photo: THX/VNA)

On July 14, Thailand’s Deputy Government Spokesperson Ploytalay Laksameesangchan said Thailand’s Cabinet had approved continuing adjustments to visa exemptions and incentives to prevent the policies from being misused.

According to Ploytalay, the adjustments are to ensure measures facilitating foreign visitors in the context of the current situation while adhering to the principle of “one country, one preferential regime”.

According to the adjusted policy, Thailand will abolish the existing 60-day visa exemption granted to citizens of 93 countries and territories, after considering economic, security, and international relations factors and the principle of reciprocity.

Ploytalay noted that the new adjustments allowed citizens of 59 countries and territories to enter Thailand with visa exemption for tourism purposes and stay up to 30 days.

This policy will also be extended to citizens of 6 countries, including India, Croatia, Bulgaria, the Republic of Cyprus, Malta and the Maldives, bringing the total number of countries and territories granted with visa exemption to 65 countries and territories. Citizens of Mauritius and Seychelles are granted visa-free entry for tourists to stay up to 15 days.

Meanwhile, citizens of Azerbaijan, Belarus, and Serbia can apply for visa on arrival (VoA)at designated border gates. Thailand will no longer allow the VoA for Indian citizens to avoid overlapping with the visa exemption policy.

After the adjustments, a total of 65 countries and territories will be covered by Thailand’s different visa arrangements. Five related draft regulations will take effect 15 days from the day of their publication on the Royal Thai Government Gazette website. Travellers who enter Thailand before the new regulations come into force will still be permitted to remain in the country for the full period granted under the previous regulations.

Ploytalay affirmed that the adjustments were not to restrict tourism development but to optimise Thailand’s visa system in a more standardised and transparent way.

The new policy is constructed to balance economic stimulus, traveller facilitation, international diplomatic relations, and national security, while preventing the exploitation of visa privileges for illegal activities.

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