BANGKOK, Thailand – In a targeted policy shift designed to crack down on transnational crime committed by foreign nationals, Thailand’s cabinet has approved sweeping cuts to the maximum visa-free stay duration for travelers from over 90 countries, senior government officials confirmed Tuesday.
As one of Southeast Asia’s most popular tourist destinations, Thailand has long relied on international travel to power its national economy, with the sector contributing more than 10% of the country’s total gross domestic product. Yet even years after the end of global COVID-19 border restrictions, international arrivals have failed to rebound to the pre-pandemic levels that once drove record economic gains. A 3.4% drop in first-quarter visitor numbers compared to the same period in 2025, including a nearly 33% decline in travelers from the Middle East, underscores the unevenness of the sector’s ongoing recovery.
The policy change comes in the wake of a string of high-profile arrests of foreign nationals connected to serious criminal activity, including drug trafficking, sex trafficking, and unlicensed operation of commercial enterprises ranging from hotels to international schools. These cases exposed vulnerabilities in the country’s previous visa-free framework, which allowed eligible travelers to stay in Thailand for up to 60 days without entry clearance.
Eligible nations under the existing scheme include all 29 member states of the European Schengen Area, the United States, Israel, and multiple South American countries. Speaking to reporters in Bangkok, Tourism Minister Surasak Phancharoenworakul outlined that the revised maximum stay lengths will be set on a country-by-country basis: most nationalities will see their maximum visa-free stay cut from 60 days to 30 days, while a smaller group of countries will face an even stricter 15-day cap.
Unlike the previous automatic 60-day approval system, travelers who wish to extend their stay beyond the new visa-free limit will be allowed to apply for a single visa renewal at a local immigration office. Government spokeswoman Rachada Dhnadirek explained that extension requests will be reviewed individually by immigration officers, who will require applicants to provide a clear justification for their extended stay. Prior to the 2024 extension, the maximum visa-free stay was already capped at 30 days – the policy was expanded to 60 days in July 2024 as an emergency stimulus measure to jumpstart tourism after the pandemic.
Foreign Minister Sihasak Phuangketkeow emphasized last week that the new restrictions are not aimed at any specific country or the vast majority of law-abiding international tourists, who bring critical economic benefits to Thai communities. Instead, the policy targets a small subset of bad actors who have abused the generous visa-free framework to engage in criminal activity within Thailand’s borders.
Rachada echoed this framing Tuesday, noting that while international tourism delivers widespread economic gains for the country, the previous 60-day visa-free scheme had opened opportunities for exploitation by criminal networks. Despite the new restrictions, the Thai government maintains its full-year projection of 33.5 million international visitors for 2026, a modest increase from the nearly 33 million travelers recorded in 2025.