Thailand welcomed the world with a generous 60-day visa-free window in 2024, hoping to revive its tourism sector, which was still recovering from the pandemic. Less than a year later, that policy is being rolled back, and the reason isn't economic. It's crime.

The Thai cabinet approved a significant reduction in visa-free stays for travellers from more than 90 countries on Tuesday, Tourism Minister Surasak Phancharoenworakul confirmed to reporters in Bangkok. The move comes after a string of high-profile arrests involving foreign nationals on charges ranging from drug offences and sex trafficking to running hotels and schools without proper permits.

What's changing

Under the current scheme, travellers from over 90 countries, including the 29-nation Schengen area, the United States, Israel, and several South American nations, can stay in Thailand for up to 60 days without a visa. That window, introduced in July 2024 as an economic stimulus measure, is now being wound back.

The new rules will be applied on a country-by-country basis. Most nationals will be limited to 30 days, while some may receive only 15, Surasak said. Thailand's official position, shared via its government handle, frames the shift as a broader security reset: "Thailand is scrapping its 60-day visa-free policy for 90+ nations. Entry rules will revert to original bilateral terms — varying by passport. Reason: tighter security screening and cracking down on overstays. The Visa Policy Committee will review each country individually."

What it means for Indian travellers

India is among the 90 countries affected by the change, meaning the cut directly hits a significant chunk of the Indian travel market.

For the average Indian tourist on a short holiday, 30 days is more than enough. But for a growing cohort of slow travellers, digital nomads and workation enthusiasts, many of whom have been splitting extended stays between Bangkok, Koh Samui and Chiang Mai, the reduction is a meaningful constraint.

Travellers who previously mapped out two-month itineraries across islands and co-working spaces will now need to plan more carefully and monitor their timelines more closely. The flexibility that made Thailand a favoured long-stay destination for Indians, particularly post-pandemic, as remote work normalised extended travel, becomes considerably more limited under the new rules.

The economic stakes

The timing is delicate. Tourism contributes more than 10 percent of Thailand's GDP, and visitor numbers have not yet recovered to pre-pandemic levels. Foreign arrivals fell by roughly 3.4 percent in the first quarter of this year compared to the same period in 2025, with visitors from the Middle East dropping by nearly a third, according to tourism ministry data.

Thailand is still projecting around 33.5 million foreign tourists this year, up marginally from nearly 33 million last year. Whether tighter entry rules will dent that target, or whether a crackdown on crime ultimately makes Thailand a more attractive destination, remains to be seen.

Published on: May 21, 2026 9:41 AM IST