Thailand Visa Exemption (60 days) and Visa On Arrival (VOA) (15 days)

[daeumtnaot]

By the way, I had no problem either getting on the plane (they didn't ask to see onward ticket, only if I had a visa.  I said it's visa exempt.)  When I arrived at immigration I was asked no question at all.

 

Sometimes I wonder if there are agents here lurking trying to create insecurity?

[BrandonJT]

3 hours ago, daeumtnaot said:

By the way, I had no problem either getting on the plane (they didn't ask to see onward ticket, only if I had a visa.  I said it's visa exempt.)  When I arrived at immigration I was asked no question at all.

 

Sometimes I wonder if there are agents here lurking trying to create insecurity?

What would agents have to do with anything? There are legal requirements to enter as a tourist. Just because you aren't asked doesn't mean some people aren't. Especially if they are looking for an easy reason to deny you entry, those legal requirements are the first thing they are going to ask for.

[daeumtnaot]

On 2/27/2025 at 1:53 AM, BrandonJT said:

What would agents have to do with anything? There are legal requirements to enter as a tourist. Just because you aren't asked doesn't mean some people aren't. Especially if they are looking for an easy reason to deny you entry, those legal requirements are the first thing they are going to ask for.

 

Well, let's be honest, we don't really know who we're talking to on here, which is part of the attraction of forums like this.  But agents could also be hanging out here creating anxiety to make you think you need to pay like 5,000 baht in order to get in the country.  I'm sure most people are just trying to be helpful, and looking after your best interests

 

[Red Phoenix]

The upping of the 30-days to a 60-days permission to stay when entering Thailand Visa exempt was introduced to boost tourism and meant to be 'temporary'.    

There have been some rumors about reducing it again to 30-days, but nothing official.

Obviously Immigration will not do that at very short as that would create a pickle for those that already made travel-arrangements based on the current 60-days.

Are there any (semi)-official announcements I might have missed re the above?

[Caldera]

On 4/14/2025 at 8:09 AM, Red Phoenix said:

The upping of the 30-days to a 60-days permission to stay when entering Thailand Visa exempt was introduced to boost tourism and meant to be 'temporary'.    

 

They didn't make it temporary unlike when they had previously upped it to 45 days though. So whatever they'll do next (and when) remains to be seen.

[Liquorice]

According to a certain Bangkok tabloid, it's not a question of it will be reduced to 30 day VE entries again, it's just a case of agreeing and confirming an effective date.

[kwilco]

there WAS an interview with a Government minister about this - he explained how it was all going to work (especially thr 60day visa exempt) - has anyone got the link to that interview?

[Rob Browder]

20 hours ago, kwilco said:

there WAS an interview with a Government minister about this - he explained how it was all going to work (especially thr 60day visa exempt) - has anyone got the link to that interview?

The MFA spokesmen did several interviews. Here are a couple:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=goyZSHfJlc0

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xfy6zvvekkE

 

Bangkok Post interview podcast:

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/thailands-new-visas/id1656654945?i=1000663277504

 

I remember the 24-hour-out discussion in one of the interviews, but it was related to DTV re-entries.    

Edit: On the "how many times" visa-exempt - he talks about it at ~9:20 in the podcast, above - have to be out for "at least a day." (yet some borders now demanding 2 days) ... "I have to stress, the final decision depends on the discretion of the immigration officer."

Removing the 2-per-calendar-year land-border limit on Visa-Exempt is not the same as "unlimited."   There was never a hard-limit by air, but plenty of folks got locked-up in airport-detention and forced to fly back where they came from.

 

You CAN get "unlimited," but have to pay off immigration for each entry, after some vague, non-defined "too much time in Thailand as a tourist" period.  They keep it vague, and randomly / inconsistently enforced, to maximize agent-partner revenue. 

[kwilco]

4 hours ago, Rob Browder said:

The MFA spokesmen did several interviews. Here are a couple:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=goyZSHfJlc0

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xfy6zvvekkE

 

Bangkok Post interview podcast:

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/thailands-new-visas/id1656654945?i=1000663277504

 

I remember the 24-hour-out discussion in one of the interviews, but it was related to DTV re-entries.    

Edit: On the "how many times" visa-exempt - he talks about it at ~9:20 in the podcast, above - have to be out for "at least a day." (yet some borders now demanding 2 days) ... "I have to stress, the final decision depends on the discretion of the immigration officer."

Removing the 2-per-calendar-year land-border limit on Visa-Exempt is not the same as "unlimited."   There was never a hard-limit by air, but plenty of folks got locked-up in airport-detention and forced to fly back where they came from.

 

You CAN get "unlimited," but have to pay off immigration for each entry, after some vague, non-defined "too much time in Thailand as a tourist" period.  They keep it vague, and randomly / inconsistently enforced, to maximize agent-partner revenue. 

Yes - it was the deeper dive interview - have you watched it?

https://www.google.com/search?q="Deeper+dive"+immigration+regulations+60+day+in+Thailand&sca_esv=8aeaa65e2db77436&rlz=1C5CHFA_enGB958GB958&sxsrf=AHTn8zqAzL1VB2vEpJQ-vD90U25ILMmE3w%3A1745230633531&ei=KRsGaMiXINqzhbIPyYf34QE&ved=0ahUKEwiI0Nnf8uiMAxXaWUEAHcnDPRwQ4dUDCBA&uact=5&oq="Deeper+dive"+immigration+regulations+60+day+in+Thailand&gs_lp=Egxnd3Mtd2l6LXNlcnAiOCJEZWVwZXIgZGl2ZSIgaW1taWdyYXRpb24gcmVndWxhdGlvbnMgNjAgZGF5IGluIFRoYWlsYW5kMgUQIRigAUjeYFCgHVjGXnAEeACQAQGYAfcBoAHhD6oBBjE5LjIuMbgBA8gBAPgBAZgCGaACqA7CAg4QABiABBiwAxiGAxiKBcICCBAAGLADGO8FwgILEAAYgAQYsAMYogTCAgcQIRigARgKmAMAiAYBkAYHkgcEMjMuMqAHqEWyBwQxOS4yuAedDg&sclient=gws-wiz-serp#fpstate=ive&vld=cid:01531066,vid:EIhRsYAUmEg,st:0

 

[popabear]

On 4/21/2025 at 2:10 PM, Rob Browder said:

 

 

On 4/21/2025 at 2:10 PM, Rob Browder said:

You CAN get "unlimited," but have to pay off immigration for each entry, after some vague, non-defined "too much time in Thailand as a tourist" period.  They keep it vague, and randomly / inconsistently enforced, to maximize agent-partner revenue. 

 

THIAILAND IS TALKING OF HAVING A REESSION  ( in BKK post today )  they complain no tourist coming , maybe if they let them in easy, more would come, one does not want to arrive ,refused entry, put in detention and sent back home .because you come to many times.  I am in my eighty years odd and the trip is hard enought with out having go through another long flight back home.

But this can happen, I always come 3 times a year and usually i am in Thailand this time of the year, but because I come 3 times visa excempt last year and year before  3 times with many trips in the previous 20 years most times staying 3 times a year, between 30/40 days each time, so i should be there now spending money .                                                                                                                                                                           I am not new to Thailand been  coming neally every year since 1980 and even going back 40 years ago ,it was no better , even with visa sometimes found it in the to hard basket , you sought of be thinking on the trip up, am I going to have another problem at border check in.  Why has it go to be like this, I been retired  many years and come to Thailand as a tourist never been a problem with over stay or any other problems .Regards Popa

[Rob Browder]

1 hour ago, popabear said:

Why has it go to be like this,

It is like this because Immigration is a racket that captured a govt-agency, and which doesn't care about "What is Best for Thailand or Thai people."

If worried about immigration on your trips, they offer an agent payoff method, to avoid the "refused entry" lottery, and you also get to skip the queue - see:

https://aseannow.com/topic/1336926-setv-metv-still-around-now-that-visa-exempts-are-now-60-days/?do=findComment&comment=19217493

 

[popabear]

21 hours ago, Rob Browder said:

"refused entry" lottery, and you also get to skip the queue - see:

Thanks Rob,, HA HA I never thought of calling it a entry lottery, but that"s about what it is, NO I not falling for another one of their scams and paying to get through immigration just on principal , as this is no better than it was 40 odd years ago, although I have never been refused, but many times I have talked my way in ,, enough is enough thanks, after coming there for the past 45 years, I am  not going to risk it any more at my old age, sad it"s the Thai people that suffer. I will find another Malaysia,, Philippines or Vietnam, been to all 3 ,they let you in with a smile on their face..  Redards POPA

[StayinThailand2much]

What is the earliest day, I can extend my 60-day VFE for 30 days at Chaengwattana?

[StayinThailand2much]

On 4/21/2025 at 1:10 PM, Rob Browder said:

You CAN get "unlimited," but have to pay off immigration for each entry, after some vague, non-defined "too much time in Thailand as a tourist" period.  They keep it vague, and randomly / inconsistently enforced, to maximize agent-partner revenue. 

 

Well, if the chicks at the airport wanted a bribe, they could just give me a hint, but almost refusing me, being here only for a few hours, just travelling from Suvarnabhumi to Don Muang to catch another flight... 🤔 

[Rob Browder]

5 hours ago, StayinThailand2much said:

 

Well, if the chicks at the airport wanted a bribe, they could just give me a hint, but almost refusing me, being here only for a few hours, just travelling from Suvarnabhumi to Don Muang to catch another flight... 🤔 

They won't take bribes directly (in reports I've seen) - likely because there are cameras watching.  Such must be pre-arranged through their agents.

[GanDoonToonPet]

I spent continuous 7 months here last year, on a mixture on 30 / 60 day VE plus extensions, then 6 months in the UK and arrived at BKK last week. I didn't have an onward / return ticket and Emirates at NCL didn't ask for one.

 

At the immigration desk, the lady (no comment) asked if I had a return ticket. After a short discussion about me going back to work in China soon, she let me through with the words 'You can't keep doing this without a visa'. She was very calm and polite about it so I'll take it as friendly advice. 😊

 

Interestingly, she knew that I 'stay with Thai lady' which I had disclosed when I got pulled aside last year after my final VE...so they do keep tabs.

[GanDoonToonPet]

6 hours ago, StayinThailand2much said:

What is the earliest day, I can extend my 60-day VFE for 30 days at Chaengwattana?

 

7 working days before expiry I believe.

 

Also, unless things have changed, 60 day VE are extended at the much more convenient IT Square, Laksi. It's literally next door to the MRT station.

[StayinThailand2much]

7 minutes ago, GanDoonToonPet said:

 

7 working days before expiry I believe.

 

Also, unless things have changed, 60 day VE are extended at the much more convenient IT Square, Laksi. It's literally next door to the MRT station.

 

Thanks, great advice!

 

Do they need a TM30 from my hotel?

[StayinThailand2much]

54 minutes ago, Rob Browder said:

They won't take bribes directly (in reports I've seen) - likely because there are cameras watching.  Such must be pre-arranged through their agents.

 

Okay. They seem to presume that tourists know that... Guess, they share such agent bribes among all IOs. 😆 

[GanDoonToonPet]

6 minutes ago, StayinThailand2much said:

 

Thanks, great advice!

 

Do they need a TM30 from my hotel?

 

Officially needed but they didn't ask for one last year, even though I did my own (twice)...actually I forgot to do it last week 😂

[StayinThailand2much]

3 minutes ago, GanDoonToonPet said:

 

Officially needed but they didn't ask for one last year, even though I did my own (twice)...actually I forgot to do it last week 😂

 

Thanks.