Why Does Thailand Scrap Its 60-Day Visa-Free Policy?

1 jam yang lalu

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Thailand is scrapping its 60-day visa-free policy for more than 90 countries and reinstated previous entry rules that allowed stays of up to 30 days, Tourism and Sports Minister Surasak Phancharoenworakul said on Tuesday, May 19, 2026.

"The cabinet has decided to scrap the 60-day visa-free regime for more than 90 countries and revert to the previous criteria," Phancharoenworakul was quoted as saying by the Khaosod newspaper.

The new entry visa parameters will be reviewed by Thailand's visa policy committee, the minister added.

The Thai government will evaluate each country individually, taking into account security concerns and economic interests.

After the abolition of the 60-day visa-free policy, most foreign nationals will be able to stay in Thailand for about 30 days without a visa, Phancharoenworakul said.

Citizens of some countries will even have shorter permission of 15 days under the new framework, according to Al Jazeera.

The Thai government had previously announced plans to review the visa-free policy amid cases of abuse of tourism regulations and a rise in crime among foreign nationals.

“The current scheme has allowed some people to exploit it,” government spokesperson Rachada Dhanadirek told reporters in Bangkok. Dhanadirek said that while tourism remains indispensable for the country's economy, security remains prioritized.

Al Jazeera reported that Thai officials acknowledged that the 60-day window had paved the way for a surge in " illicit grey-market enterprises, unauthorised foreign workers and online scam operations."

The government viewed the 30-day ceiling as ideal timeframe to accommodate "genuine, high-value travelers."

Meanwhile, according to Foreign Minister Sihasak Phuangketkeow, the policy reversal would not target any specific nationality but rather travelers abusing the visa system to evade law enforcement.

The 60-day visa-free policy for citizens of 93 countries has been in effect in Thailand since 2024.

Read: Thailand Eyes Wellness Tourism Pact with Indonesia

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