Thailand cuts visa-free stay period for more than 90 countries including UK

UK citizens are among dozens of nationalities who will soon have to apply for a visa if they wish to stay in Thailand for more than 30 days.

Tourists from 93 countries have been able to visit without needing a visa for 60 days since July 2024, as part of a government effort to boost the economy following the Covid pandemic.

But it approved plans on Tuesday to revoke this exemption, with how long travellers can stay to now be decided on a country-by-country basis. It cited security and a confusing visa scheme among reasons for the change.

There have been a series of high-profile arrests of foreigners in the south-east Asian nation, including cases linked to drugs and sex trafficking.

Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said the government found the policy needed revising “to be more suitable for the current situation, both in terms of the economy and national security”.

Nationals who have enjoyed the 60-day exemption include those from Australia, China, France, Germany, India, Italy, Spain and the US.

Many of those countries’ citizens will have to apply for a visa for stays longer than 30 days, the Thai foreign ministry said, though some will have exemption periods shorter or longer than this based on reciprocal agreements with individual countries.

The new visa system will come into effect 15 days after it appears in the Royal Gazette, where legal and regulatory notifications are published.

The foreign ministry said it aimed to reduce instances of multiple visa exemptions applying to the same country “that confuse foreigners”.

Thailand is one of Asia’s top holiday destinations, with tourism a key component of the nation’s economy.

It had nearly 40 million visitors in 2019, but this number fell dramatically during the pandemic and has only recovered in the past two years. Nearly 12 million people have already visited so far this year, official figures show.

But a number of foreign nationals have been arrested for a range of crimes in recent months, including UK citizens accused of drug smuggling.

In April, Thai police raided an unlicensed international school in the capital, Bangkok, and arrested 10 foreigners who had been employed there without work permits, local media reported at the time.

By BBC News