The Thai government has approved plans to revoke the 60-day visa-free entry exemption for citizens of 93 countries, including United Kingdom, and return to stricter stay limits.
Under the new regulations, British citizens and dozens of other nationalities will soon be required to apply for a visa if they intend to stay in Thailand for longer than 30 days.
Since July 2024, tourists from these 93 nations have been permitted to visit Thailand without a visa for up to 60 days as part of a government initiative to stimulate the economy following the Covid-19 pandemic.
The government moved on Tuesday to revoke this exemption, citing security concerns and the need to simplify a “confusing” visa scheme, reports BBC.
Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said the policy required revision “to be more suitable for the current situation, both in terms of the economy and national security”.
Under the revised system, the permitted duration of stay for travellers will be determined on a country-by-country basis.
While many will face a 30-day limit, some nations may have different exemption periods based on reciprocal agreements.
The change follows a series of high-profile arrests involving foreign nationals in Thailand, with cases linked to drug smuggling and sex trafficking.
In one instance, police in Bangkok raided an unlicensed international school, arresting 10 foreigners for working without permits. The foreign ministry noted that the move aims to reduce the number of overlapping visa exemptions that often “confuse foreigners”.
The new visa system is scheduled to take effect 15 days after its publication in the Royal Gazette, the nation’s official regulatory notification outlet.
Among the nations previously benefiting from the 60-day exemption are Australia, China, France, Germany, India, Italy, Spain, and the United States.
Tourism remains a vital pillar of the Thai economy. While the country saw nearly 40 million visitors in 2019, numbers plummeted during the pandemic.
Recovery has been steady over the last two years, with official figures indicating nearly 12 million visitors have arrived in the country so far this year.
