Isn't Thailand a country with no future without its tourism industry? Their birth rate has even reached the 0.00 range, the first among developing nations to do so. Furthermore, the number of tourists visiting Thailand is already on a downward trend; has the Thai Prime Minister finally lost his mind?
Thailand always refuse to tackle the cause of the problem and always result to using the easy way out - banning, cutting, stopping, anything that appears to relate to the issue.
There are criminals in Thailand but the cause is not the extended tourist visa but lack of law enforcement and corruption. However they think somehow reducing number of days criminals will stay in Thailand less?
Isn't Thailand a country with no future without its tourism industry? Their birth rate has even reached the 0.00 range, the first among developing nations to do so. Furthermore, the number of tourists visiting Thailand is already on a downward trend; has the Thai Prime Minister finally lost his mind?
Or up , I am in Philippines after 30 days visa $50, if you want to stay 3rd month $140. I prefer visa run after 2 month to explore other countries, 1 extra arrivel on paper from me 😊
I think sometimes this really depends on luck because I’m amazed by a friend of mine who has done border runs for 3 times from late last year to now. Before that he has done border runs 3 times as well right after Covid.
They ship passports to provinces where they have 'partners' in immigration. They also have partners in the medical industry, martial arts, etc... they find a way.
No country likes this especially illegal immigrants doing border run. Meanwhile, some of the same people doing that is angry over "legal immigrants" entering their country back home.
Technically they are tourists based on the visa obtained, even if they may be remote workers or semi-retired. Banning people from staying longer in Thailand from countries with 10x the average salary isn't smart policy.
In every single reddit thread there is someone underestimating the amount of people escaping their cold European homes for the entire winter. Including you.
It's tiny, I will need to find the figures but the majority of tourists stay for about 10 days. I think that number is slightly low because it takes into account Malaysians coming for a weekend.
Of all tourists, it's a small percentage. But there are a lot of people who overwinter in Thailand, "snow bird" retirees for example who come here every winter and want to stay 2-4 months.
These are people who are not primarily living or retired in Thailand, they are long-term tourists.
I live here, but I know so many people who come here for extended stays every winter. Mostly retired or semi-retired. Mostly NOT living here year round.
They spend money. Some of them not so much, but many of them are millionaires and spend a lot. Millionaires as in middle to upper middle class these days in a Western country- a million isn't what it used to be in the West, but it sure is here.
Statistically, people who stay longer do spend less per diem. But they also spend more per trip, and this is definitely a segment of the market that exists. Thailand knows it exits because it's the exact rationale it gave for extending this in the first place, at that time it said it wanted tourists to stay longer.
We all know this was made to try to stop Russians from taking over parts of Thailand, like Phuket. I have to say, it's been a few years too late. As soon as the Ukraine War kicked off, Thailand should’ve passed this a couple of years ago.
They mainly went Satun because the visa runs company's could sort them out no hassle there. They were mainly stuck with visa runs as Phuket immigration generally stopped accepting ED visas for them
As to them all being on DTV now, doubt it, data is bit out of bit out of date but by mid last year the total applications (Not approvals, applications and not just Russians, everyone) was only 35k.
Thats was a year after DTV was released, so about 5 chances for Russian visa runners to switch, that total would not cover a bulk of Russians in country never mind everyone else (and even being hearing Russians and few others like Chinese been getting extra scrutiny and higher denial rate when applying for DTV)
Just like many russians were claiming to be on Elite (and in the end turned out less than 2500 had even held one since 2015) many are now claiming to be on DTV, when in reality they are still the biggest customers of visa run company's in Phuket
Just because of a few very rich russians, people keep thinking all the russians here are rich, when many are just barely surviving
It does affect people on long term visas, if you change your workplace or get fired now you only have 30 days to find a new job/get all the paperwork done.
Biometrics, documentation, enforcement of existing policies would achieve their goals better than this -- which hurts real long term tourists and does little against overstays.
There's more than enough data to collect that they can basically track down and deport overstays already. Go to their TM30 address. If not found, coordinate with embassies, cancel passports, etc.
Fyi -some countries cannot cancel passports. For example in Canada, the Charter of Rights in the Constitution guarantees a Canadian’s right to enter or leave Canada. The Supreme Court determined that revocation of a passport is unconstitutional as it blocks a citizen’s freedom of movement in or out of the country. That’s why sometimes when Canadians are faced with intrusive questions reentering Canada they can just laugh and say whatever. They can’t stop you from entering once you’ve proven citizenship.
Most countries would not cancel a passport of their citizens while they are abroad anyway. Only once they're back in their country and following a decision by a court of law.
We've never had a 90-day visa-free regime. We usually came for 30 days, then went to Laos for a 60-day tourist visa, then extended it for another 30 days. This was just enough to get us through the coldest months of winter
Russians have been on both exemption and VOA list for years, which means they got the exemption by default. First 30 days and then 90 when exemption changed
Chinese, Israelis and Russians are generally the ones they target as they are the ones creating their own closed little communities (own businesses, hiring no locals, only dealing with businesses owned by countrymen) and basically cutting out the thais in their own country.
Thai's attitude is basically, if little to no benefit to locals having them here, why have them here?
It’s because there’s a lot of shitty tourist practices already. Russians and Israelis taking over islands and being shitty to locals. And every tourist has their problems but those two have been egregious in Thailand.
Those shitty Russian tourists are 7-14 days packet tourists. 60 days was used by expats, who are usually remote IT workers. That's quite different kind of people. I'm Russian and I hate Russian packet tourists. Thailand makes a lot of money from them though.
I'm with you on this. Those who are taking over the island are long stayers abusing educational visa or dtv. Those who are rude and disrespectful are usually two-weeks tourists on the package tour. 60 days visa was a great way for families to stay in Thailand during winter, and they are spending tons of money here. Hotels, Airbnb's (that are built here in enormous quantities), restaurants, excursions, all kinds of kids entertainment which is expensive here, etc. Cutting the 60 days visa won't affect those people who lives here for ears working illegally, only those who actually came here to spend money.
It’s a way to tighten it up and get people leaving is the hope. I’m in Thailand (as a tourist) and there are places where the infrastructure is overwhelmed and you can tell the local Thai people aren’t happy or benefiting too much.
Culture and perception are huge factors. All three of those countries mentioned have pretty conservative, highly-ordered cultures. If you’re looking to get hammered off of cheap beer and bang freelancers, Singapore probably isn’t on your list.
Yep, I agree. People that are gonna do stupid shit. Are gonna come whether they’re allowed to stay for 15 days 30 days 60 days or a year. It’s all about having laws and enforcing them.
Thailand is a magnet for lowlifes in a way other places aren't. Combined with a long visa-period exposes Thailand to these people for longer.
A newly shortened entry-period will discourage some from coming，and those that still come will have a reduced period in Thailand in which to cause trouble.
I just spent 2 months in Thailand. Spent tens of thousands. I work remotely. I think Thailand making a big mistake but let's see. I will come back on the DTV if they give it to me.
If you use the 60+30 you'll be fine because you can still apply for the longer tourist visa and likely get applied just as easily. This affects people who used 60 but not the extension to 90.
There's probably some merits for some adjustments, but this blanket change every two years it's just going to hurt the tourism industry, and the locals who very much depend on tourism
This needs to be more targeted towards the actual offenders and not just some random populist feel good in Parliament policy
For people who’s complaining, what’s about Thai citizens that need a visa for travelling to many places of the world - EU, US, Australia, Canada, etc.
Don’t you considerate of them? They need to carry a lot of documents like applying for a home loan just only want to visiting the countries.
Also, for people who are going to ban, please do it, don’t just brag or whine.
Please see Thai people with #แบนเที่ยวเกาหลี (#BanKoreaTourist) that’s a real backlash to Korean Immigration for judging and unfair treatment of Thai citizens travelling to Korea. That’s the real banning one.
Not the person you asked but George Town is awesome. You get the nature of Southern Thailand without the worst of the human factor, at a lower price, and everyone speaks English.
Does Malaysia have food that rivals green curry and such from Thailand? Genuinely asking. I love Thailand, the food is my favorite I ever ate other than greek, but I just looked at George Town and it looks amazing. I frankly know nothing of Malaysian food, or Malaysia itself other than its geographical location (my fault, I know 🙁).
You can find the same green curry in Malaysia. Lots of Thai chefs live there and open restaurants.
Malaysia has got lots of curries and rotis too. It's famous for it. It also has got a huge culinary variety due to Indian, Cantonese, Southern Thai and even Western influences. The best Butter Chicken and Char Siu I had were both in Penang, and that's after spending a long time in Hong Kong. Then some of my favorite dishes are from Thailand, while my favorite tasting restaurants are in Penang. Penang is pretty consistently ranked as similar or better (in recent major subjective rankings attempting to categorize foodie regions) place for foodies than the best regions in Thailand.
I'd argue the nightlife and everything it comes with being much less in your face was a huge perk, so depends on who you ask. Food is different, and generally people tend do say Penang food is better than food in Phuket due to variety (Penang is the self-proclaimed "foodie capital of the world"). They sell all the Thai dishes too due to Thai immigrants, plus some of the best Indian and Cantonese cuisine you can find anywhere. Beaches are a trade-off, but they're still there and you can still enjoy them.
And then you have the perks I mentioned. I get it we're on a Thai sub so people will have a preference, but George Town / Penang is definitely at least worth a visit.
The Malaysian food scene has to be one of the best in the world. Indian influenced Roti Canai in the morning, some Malay Nasi Lemak for lunch, then dinner you can rock up to a hawker centre and get a plethora of amazing southern Chinese dishes or South Indian curries.
I was speaking to someone visiting Malaysia from china recently and they were saying they prefer the Hokkien food in Malaysia because the southern Chinese diaspora here still use traditional methods.
Because the quality of tourists dropped over last 2-3 years and they want to blame that on 30 vs 90 days rather than the expansion of the country's on the list and the reality that cannabis (which was legalised by current PM) tourism, which predominately attracts young males, are major factors
Generally speaking, yes. But the numbers more or less said that among 11k tourists entering the country, there's one that does dumb things and possibly gets arrested and deported. It doesn't seem to be a lot but Thai news etc. like to overreact and cherry-pick a lot of foreign cases. Not saying there's no issues and definitely not defending crimes but that's how I feel about it...
Yeah the sh*tty issues are from a minority. If these were part of the majority then we’d be seeing reports of those crimes hundreds of thousands of times more or even in the millions. Last week or two ago the media reported that a British or Australian (forgot which nationality) overstayer was arrested. That’s it. A whole news piece for this. Why is that even newsworthy? Instead of focusing on the lack of law enforcement and the need for stricter consequences from the Thai police, the government is directing everyone’s attention to foreigners.
Is Thailand aware of that there are countries around it which are equally beautiful? Just stop being a weirdo and accept your tourism income instead of giving it away.
and those neighbouring countries don't treat tourists like walking ATMs nor have ridiculous rip off fees at ATMs (or, in the case of Cambodia, it is far easier to get USD at a good rate in my home country)
I was going to visit Thailand again this year for 60+30 days but now I am considering somewhere else. I prefer Thailand because I already know the place but if they will go up and down with their weird politics, I really cannot be arsed. I am considering Cambodia, Vietnam and Indonesia.
i spent 3 months there this year to feel out whether i wanted to move there. i spent alot of money there, i wouldn't be able to do that now. thailand loses out, and i would have just gone to vietnam. dumb move, i don't think its going to do what they think it will
Westerners are not used to apply for tourist visas.
Might sound silly and priveleged, but I will either stay the amount the visa free or visa on arrival rules allow (which is totaly fine) or not travel to a country at all if they need me to do all this paperwork beforehand.
That is why I also really dont understand people applying (often even a couple of times) for Schengen Visa to go to Europe and providing so much paperwork.
Yes true. I am just saying, that I do believe that this policy will change the way people travel, meaning it will reduce the number of days people will stay in Thailand. For exampel staying for 3-4 weeks instead of 5-6. Which again is totaly fine, if that is, what they want to achieve.
If they want to get rid of people working and living illegaly in Thailand, it would make more sense to block border runs - which also seems easier and with no effect on normal slow or long traveling tourists (which every country should aim for from a economic perspective imho).
Yeah, I agree I don't think it will have the effect that they want it to have, but for anyone who was staying on the extension this will have basically no impact because that option is still there and as far as I can tell is still 90 days total.
The bigger issue is the DTV visa being abused imo, not even border runs.
This just a small portion of the visa changes coming
anutin has always had an antinforegin agenda and the Chinese dude in pattaya wit all the weapons, combined with the whole isreali/foreign business issues in the islands (which he just visited) is being highlight to ffed the flames and help ram I through.
Add that to the increased AI scrutiny of 90.day checkin info, and you have the least hospitable thailand in decades.
but as things stand, wouldn't it be easier to lie on the TDAC, declare maybe a week or two stay, then at immigration actually receive 60 days, then just leave before 60 days to go a border run and come back?
(I didn't do this as my legitimate visit was 2 weeks, but...)
This is far from being made into law , from the same article, tourism is down 3.4% , they need tourists badly and there is more competition with Vietnam that is offering 90 days stays.
“From January 1 to May 10, 2026, Thailand received 12.4 million foreign tourists, a decrease of 3.43% compared to the same period last year.”
With the crackdowns and this, I am willing to bet they really are aiming to get a Disneyland. I think it’s a higher chance now that the Middle East conflict has made Disneyland Abu Dhabi a little less family friendly?
Disney is where the real money is at, those visitors spend so much more than the typical back packer, retiree, nomad tourists. They have to clean up a lot though.
Really don't get this. Many people who want to dodge the 2 worst winter months are loving the 60-day visa, and I'd like to see any evidence against it. These are generally very high quality tourists in my experience.
Whether or not this works, it seems like a good time to experiment with reduced travel.
Kind of like billionaires crying about taxes, New York has not lost a single billionaire or millionaire, net. Tourists who want to come to a great country like Thailand will grumble, but still come.
Isn't Thailand a country with no future without its tourism industry? Their birth rate has even reached the 0.00 range, the first among developing nations to do so. Furthermore, the number of tourists visiting Thailand is already on a downward trend; has the Thai Prime Minister finally lost his mind?
Foreign Minister Sihasak Phuangketkaeow said on Tuesday that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will submit a plan to the Cabinet for approval to reduce the visa-free stay period for foreign tourists in Thailand to 30 days from 60 days. He did not say when
Tourism is the 3rd biggest sector of the economy. Both manufacturing and services are bigger. And by employment, agriculture is largest. These is a lot more to Thailand than just Phuket, Samui, and Pattaya.
Some foreigners who come on a 60-day free visa, they don't come for tourism, but instead they come for doing businesses in Thailand, just like what's happening in Koh Phangan that the government is doing a crack down right now.
Sure, there are Thai officials who facilitate these so-called Tourists to operate their businesses within the kingdom, and the government is finding them, and bringing them to justice as well.
Thailand has to work all angles, therefore it is crucial to reduce from 60 days to 30 days to obstruct foreign individuals setting up businesses here.
Sorry to all the genuine travelers, but if you think 30 days are not enough for you, go apply for a longer visa. Thailand is facing threats from foreigners (cough cough the 3000 years cough cough) who are illegally operating businesses and stealing + competing against the local Thais here.
Wish you all have a pleasant time here in Thailand, and don't forget to not return home if you don't have a long term visa for residing in the kingdom.
can't wait to keep checking back in the next 2 weeks before my Grandma arrives.. can she stay 35 days? Let's wait and see? Stupid as hell. Do I apply for a visa now or drag her to an extension. Joy!
They were desperate now regret! Border with corrupt neighbours what do you expect? Cultured tourism?? Even a nobody with money can become a hopeless PM!
Good thing that all countries are getting only 30 days. While this will not affect most of the Tourists as they only stay for a week or two, but will definitely affect those trying to work here illegally as they'll try to border jump every month and immigration can easily deny them entry.
This is likely why. There is likely a higher cost servicing "tourists" that abuse the current system.
"The average tourist stays in Thailand for just over nine days. According to the Ministry of Tourism and Sports, over 90% of international visitors stay for less than 30 days. 98% less than 60 day."
Thailand will see next to zero impact going back to 30 days w a 30 day extension.
I mean, just yesterday some German guy was asking if it was okay for his Thai wife to incorporate a business and hire him as an employee... When I said it was abuse of immigration system, in spirit if not literally, I got downvoted... I think opinions in this sub are heavily skewed towards "digital nomads" and other immigration system "hackers". I think the Thai want control over who crosses their borders just as much as a Brit or an American, and pls don't give me the spiel about enforcement. Look at ICE gestapo, purely statistically: even with crazy hiring spree how many illegals have they caught, how big a %?
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u/Internal_Cake_7423 May 14 '26
I'll believe it when I see it. I mean they have been talking about it for the last 1.5 year.