(Bangkok, 26th) On April 25th, Thailand’s Minister of Tourism and Sports, Sudaras, stated that the government is considering adjusting its current visa policy and plans to cancel the “60-day visa exemption” policy currently granted to 93 countries and regions, with the proposal expected to be submitted to the Cabinet for review soon.
Sudaras pointed out that after the visa exemption policy was implemented for a period of time, relevant authorities, including the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, security agencies and the Ministry of Tourism and Sports, have completed their assessments, believing that it is necessary to re-examine its suitability. The current plan tends to fully cancel the 60-day visa exemption policy and restore the original visa standards for each country, in order to avoid issues with selective implementation.
Sudaras indicated that future visa policies will focus more on the quality of tourists rather than simply quantity. There may be more appropriate visa types designed for different countries, while also promoting long-term stay models to drive higher levels of spending and stimulate economic development.
Data shows that over 90% of foreign tourists stay in Thailand for 1 to 30 days, with only about 10% staying more than 30 days. Therefore, the government believes that excessively long stays may be exploited by some non-tourist individuals, such as people engaging in illegal work or acting as business agents. It is necessary to make reasonable adjustments to the period of stay.
In addition, the government also plans to proceed with the collection of a 300 baht (approximately 36.7 ringgit) “entry fee” from incoming foreign tourists, mainly targeting those entering by air. The funds will be used for building tourism infrastructure, improving visitor services, and enhancing security.
Sudaras emphasized that such charges are already common internationally. For example, Japan’s “International Tourist Tax”—even with an expected increase in fees—has not affected the growth in tourist numbers. Therefore, the policy aims to filter for high-spending, quality tourists and promote the upgrade of Thailand’s tourism industry to a higher quality level.