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Thailand has announced a reduction in the visa-free stay period from 60 days to 30 days for nationals of 93 countries, including Türkiye, in a move aimed at tightening immigration controls and addressing concerns over the misuse of the policy.
The decision was approved by the Thai cabinet following a review of post-pandemic travel regulations that had previously extended visa-free stays to support tourism recovery.
According to Thai government officials, the extended visa-free arrangement has increasingly been exploited for unauthorized employment, illegal business activities and fraud-related operations. Authorities stated that the revised policy is intended to strengthen border management and reduce security risks.
The new measures will also introduce restrictions on visa-free entries via land borders. Under the updated rules, foreign travelers will be permitted to enter Thailand through land checkpoints under the visa-free scheme a maximum of two times per calendar year.
Officials cited a recent rise in cases involving drug trafficking, illegal employment, and unlicensed business activities involving foreign nationals as a contributing factor to the policy change.
Despite a 3.4% year-on-year decline in international arrivals in the first quarter, Thailand continues to maintain its target of 33.5 million foreign tourists for the year.
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