Following the announcements made by Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin to increase foreign tourism to Thailand, 80 percent of holidaymakers no longer need to have a visa in advance or upon arrival. They are now considered visa-exempt, or visa-free, visitors to Thailand. Even though citizens of half the world’s nations still require visas for travel, their numbers are often negligible in comparison to the wealthy superpowers.
Visa-exempt travelers have historically primarily come from developed nations like the US, Australia, the UK, and many of continental Europe. Then-prime minister General Prayut extended their thirty days without a visa to sixty in 2016, and he also made it possible for them to extend for an additional month at neighborhood immigration offices for 1,900 baht (US$55). Additionally, Thailand has arrangements with her Asian neighbors that allow stays of up to one month without the need for a visa.
Since taking office two months ago, Srettha has declared that visitors from Russia can now enter the country without a visa for 90 days instead of the previous 30. Meanwhile, visitors from China and Kazakhstan can enter the country without a visa for the first time in just 30 days. However, the prime minister also declared that the temporary measures may be extended and that his government will waive the 2,000 baht (US$58) visa-on-arrival fee for Indian and Taiwanese nationals traveling to the nation for 30 days between November 10, 2024, and May 10, 2024.
Additionally, unofficial commitments have been made to remove the need for visas for citizens of certain Arab countries. If all of these changes take place, more than 90% of international visitors to Thailand will be able to enter the country without a visa. All nationalities are still able to get visas for non-tourism purposes such as work, retirement, marriage and family, education, or investment. A spokesman for the police has stated that the requirements are too loose for some of these primarily yearly permits, but nothing has been heard up to this point. The Elite visa (5–20 years) has been promoted by the Tourist Authority of Thailand in the interim, although employment is not permitted through this upfront payment method.
Srettha’s spokespeople have defended the near collapse of visas for tourists, claiming that immigration police believe they can successfully monitor foreigners when they arrive and that the old visa bureaucracy frequently failed to identify miscreants anyhow. A number of scandals involving Chinese and Russian nationals in particular occurred during the coup government that followed in 2014. These scandals included unlawful employment as tour guides and taxi drivers in Phuket as well as enrollment in language schools across many locations without the necessary documentation.
It is undoubtedly true that police investigators now have an easier time keeping an eye on foreigners in Thailand. Modern immigration computers are now able to recognize people even if they alter their names, and intelligent technology can locate suspect cell phone users. This is evident from the rising number of long-term visa overstayers that Thai immigration officers have detained without informing the authorities. With no tourist visa, Thailand is poised to overtake all other foreign travel destinations. However, the more general concerns about public safety and potential transnational criminal activity are losing ground. Currently, at least.
Visa Free Thailand Coming Soon
