Thailand cuts visa-free stays for over 90 countries including India, cites foreigner-linked crime

Thailand has approved plans to drastically cutting the length of visa-free stays for tourists from more than 90 countries including India as the government intensifies efforts to tackle crimes involving foreign nationals and prevent misuse of the country’s tourism entry system.

The move marks a major reversal of Thailand’s recent tourism-friendly policy that had expanded visa-free stays to 60 days in a bid to revive the economy after the Covid-19 pandemic.

Officials now say the longer stay period has increasingly been exploited by individuals involved in illegal activities ranging from drug trafficking and sex trafficking to operating unauthorised businesses, prompting tighter scrutiny of foreign visitors.

Tourism Minister Surasak Phancharoenworakul said the Thai cabinet approved the changes on Tuesday, adding that the revised duration would vary depending on nationality. Most travellers are expected to receive visa-free entry for up to 30 days, while some countries may be limited to only 15 days.

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Under the current system introduced in July 2024, citizens from more than 90 countries including members of Europe’s Schengen zone, the United States, Israel and several South American nations, can enter Thailand without a visa for up to 60 days.

Government officials said tourists seeking longer stays would still have the option of extending their visit once through immigration authorities, although approvals would no longer be automatic. Authorities indicated that visitors applying for extensions would need to justify the reason for remaining in the country beyond the initial visa-free period.

Foreign Minister Sihasak Phuangketkeow said last week that the plan to reduce visa-free stays was part of a crackdown on transnational crime.

Thailand was not targeting any specific country, he said, but rather individuals abusing the visa system by committing crimes in the country.

Tourists provided "benefits, such as boosting the economy, but the current scheme has allowed some people to exploit it", government spokesperson Rachada Dhanadirek told reporters on Tuesday.

The visa-free period was previously capped at 30 days but was extended to 60 in July 2024 as part of government efforts to boost tourism and the economy.

Tourism accounts for more than 10 percent of Thailand's GDP, although visitor numbers remain below pre-pandemic levels.

Foreign arrivals dropped by about 3.4 percent in the first quarter of this year compared to the same period in 2025, with visitors from the Middle East down by nearly a third, according to tourism ministry data.

Thailand expects about 33.5 million foreign tourists this year, up from nearly 33 million visitors last year, the government has said.

With inputs from agencies