The Thai Minister of Tourism and Sports, Sorawong Thienthong, has stated that Thailand plans to reduce the length of permitted visa-free stays from 60 days to 30 days. These changes will apply to all citizens traveling to Thailand under the visa exemption program.
Currently, citizens from 93 countries are eligible to travel to Thailand for the purposes of tourism without a visa for up to 60 days. However, since the expansion of the program in July 2024, Thai authorities have noticed a portion of travelers exploiting the visa exemption program to conduct illegal businesses or work illegally in the country.
By reducing the visa-free exemption to 30 days, the Thai government hopes it can curb exploitation without harming tourism to the country. Most tourists stay in the country from 7 to 21 days before departing.
Furthermore, the Thai government is more strictly enforcing the Tourism Business and Tourist Guide Act to investigate illicit activities and crack down on foreign businesses using nominees.
The proposed regulatory changes are yet to be introduced officially.