Thailand to reduce visa-free travel | Tourism News

The Southeast Asian Tourism Organization is introducing a new visa system.

The Thai government has approved major cuts to its free entry system for tourists from more than 90 countries.

The proposal, which was presented on Tuesday, changes the country to no longer have a 60-day interest rate limit that was put in place in July 2024 to help recover from the pandemic. That exemption was for areas that included the United States, Israel, some parts of South America and the 29 European Schengen Areas.

Under the new system, the government will return to a more limited system, banning visa-free stays for 30 days and shortening the visa for foreign nationals to just 15 days.

“The current system has allowed some people to take advantage,” government spokeswoman Rachada Dhanadirek told reporters in Bangkok, noting that while tourism remains an important pillar of Thailand’s economy, security concerns have come to the fore.

Thai officials have admitted that the 60-day window inadvertently opened loopholes, paving the way for more illegal businesses, illegal foreign workers and online fraud. Policymakers now see the 30-day ceiling as enough time to accommodate real, high-cost travelers.

The policy change follows the arrest of high-profile foreign nationals involved in drug trafficking, human trafficking and illegal local businesses, such as hotels and language schools.

Foreign Affairs Minister Sihasak Phuangketkeow said this is not related to any other country but people who misuse visas to avoid compliance with the law.

In order to prevent systematic abuse, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has said that it will also introduce free registration of two visas each year through the 30-day limit used for the 2024 extension.

The government has not yet announced when the changes will take effect, but they are thought to come at a critical time for Southeast Asia’s second-largest economy, where tourism accounts for more than 10 percent of gross domestic product. Government data showed a 3.4 percent year-on-year drop in international arrivals in the first quarter, led by a nearly 30 percent drop in Middle Eastern travelers.

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