Thailand Eyes 30-Day Limit on Visa-Free Stay for Security Reasons

Not long ago I red there were 800000 illegal working people in Thailand !

Maybe invite ICE from USA, they will clean up.

Not long ago I red a Chines on elite visa was a criminal !

To get that , you are screened, did they do that sleeping? How many more of those are in Thailand?

In Pattaya the Russian mob is active, why would you do something about that?

If they are there, some others could be as wel active, name them Chinese, Italian?, Thai and many others.

No of course it is the tourist.

Thailand, shame on you again !

Just ask for proofs of funds, €20k minimum to enter the country

then you will only have quality tourist and no people working illegaly for €1k a month

The increasing frequency of these tourism/immigration flip-flops is a concern - especially for those of us on long-stay visas; in light of the backdrop of the recent election results and the apparent rise of ultra-nationalism in Thailand.

On 2/13/2026 at 8:42 PM, NanLaew said:

Good point. Take the countries off the list whose citizens have committed most crimes and other illegal activities here. No prizes for picking the winner there.

Leave the visa exempt at 60 days but remove the extension option. Also, like Vietnam initially did when they rolled out visa-exempt entry, they can't be used consecutively or back-to-back. I recall it was a 45-day window before you could use visa exempt again in Vietnam. You could still get a Vietnam eVisa if you wanted to come back sooner.

First country off to list India just to upset the ladyboys

22 hours ago, heybuz said:

Could be wrong but can't customs check the passports when entering the country and they will see the number of entries if too many in a certain period deny entry. Maybe to simple a solution.

I rather think that is what immigration (not customs) do already.

So nothing to do with raising money by extension fee between 30-60 days rather than 60 days free?

On 2/13/2026 at 5:42 PM, NanLaew said:

Good point. Take the countries off the list whose citizens have committed most crimes and other illegal activities here. No prizes for picking the winner there.

Leave the visa exempt at 60 days but remove the extension option. Also, like Vietnam initially did when they rolled out visa-exempt entry, they can't be used consecutively or back-to-back. I recall it was a 45-day window before you could use visa exempt again in Vietnam. You could still get a Vietnam eVisa if you wanted to come back sooner.

Yes look at the ninety three countries, Russia would be the top of my lisr to restrict, they seem to be able to do as they please, there is many more but I do not want to sound racist.

Another one would be to allow the older couples and young families in , they are not trouble makers, but young hoons travelling together seem to be the trouble makers.

I know many elderly couples that come here and spend in condos , car rentals and restaurants for 3 months sometimes 3 times a year, and lots of nice families with kids that do the same easy to spot, just tidy it up.

16 hours ago, pacovl46 said:

Yeah, let's punish millions for the actions of a few! Totally makes sense!

Thai sense is very different from what we regard as common sense.

5 hours ago, wavodavo said:

First country off to list India just to upset the ladyboys

Are you trying to bankrupt the upstanding ladyboy community of Thailand 's premier seaside resort?

Need to look at the prisom of scams that are operating in Thailand. A lot of Thais have been badly hit.

This is to try and disrupt their operations.

Also too many trouble maker visitors but I don’t really think the Thai govt really gives a hoot about that.

On 2/13/2026 at 5:06 PM, kinyara said:

The question that should be asked is if The Tourism and Sports Ministry don't think reducing visa free access from 60 to 30 days will significantly affect tourism, why did they bother increasing it in the first place ?

Also, if it's not going to affect tourism, how much will it affect the types of activity that the reduction is intended to combat?

23 hours ago, thecyclist said:

Thai sense is very different from what we regard as common sense.

I know....

Smart move.....if I were a hardened criminal operating in the underworld I'd think OMG only 30 days....but it was 60.....nope, can't cope with that.

On 2/13/2026 at 5:42 PM, NanLaew said:

Good point. Take the countries off the list whose citizens have committed most crimes and other illegal activities here. No prizes for picking the winner there.

Leave the visa exempt at 60 days but remove the extension option. Also, like Vietnam initially did when they rolled out visa-exempt entry, they can't be used consecutively or back-to-back. I recall it was a 45-day window before you could use visa exempt again in Vietnam. You could still get a Vietnam eVisa if you wanted to come back sooner.

Currently , back to back possible, without limit. Plenty of visa run companies in Vietnam.

On 2/15/2026 at 1:03 PM, kiwikeith said:

Yes look at the ninety three countries, Russia would be the top of my lisr to restrict, they seem to be able to do as they please, there is many more but I do not want to sound racist.

Another one would be to allow the older couples and young families in , they are not trouble makers, but young hoons travelling together seem to be the trouble makers.

I know many elderly couples that come here and spend in condos , car rentals and restaurants for 3 months sometimes 3 times a year, and lots of nice families with kids that do the same easy to spot, just tidy it up.

you should keep in mind that Thailand and Russia have a bilateral agreement that basicly give both passport holder unlimited access to each other country, limited to 30days.

2 hours ago, visarunner said:

Currently , back to back possible, without limit. Plenty of visa run companies in Vietnam.

Yes, currently.

My point is it doesn't work as it's wide open to abuse as Thailand has proven. I wonder how long it will take Vietnam to wake up to the folly of blindly hosting people who need to use visa run companies and agents in order to be a "tourist"?

On 2/18/2026 at 8:06 AM, visarunner said:

you should keep in mind that Thailand and Russia have a bilateral agreement that basicly give both passport holder unlimited access to each other country, limited to 30days.

Yes true I can't see why that is, it's been abused for years

On 2/13/2026 at 5:39 PM, Nick Carter icp said:

I would say that those who have to stay permeantly in Thiland are the ne'er-do-wells.

International travellers who come and go and the ones doing well

Those who can afford to move and live here permanently are likely financially sound. Those I know who come to live seem negative of their home countries these days.

I really liked the 60 day visa waiver arrangement-- it was more flexible. Assuming that we are back on a 30 day visa waiver regime, I will probably still stay more than 30 days next time I visit Thailand, but will have to go immigration for an extension.

Speaking of which -- the whole conversation around the shortened visa waiver is about 'security', but I wonder how much of it is actually about income for Immigration, who made a heap on extensions.