1 hour ago, wensiensheng said:

I think you will find that property ownership, citizenship, visas and “other matters”? aren’t easy for Thais in most western countries. Maybe property ownership is possible, but it’s far from easy ( I’m Singaporean and recently bought a property in France….it wasn’t easy).

My daughter in law is Ukrainian and is married to my son who is a British national. It took five years and several thousand pounds before she gained British citizenship. I doubt it’s any easier or cheaper for a Thai person. And can you imagine a foreign person passing a Thai language test? Because she had to pass written and oral English tests.

I moan about Thai immigration, like most people here, but it’s not a piece of cake for Thais in other countries either.

it took 3 years "being married" for my Thai wife to apply and gain US Citizenship .. answer 6 out of 10 qustions correct at your hearing

and you can be sworn and and become a Naturalized Citizen.

1 minute ago, Luuk Chaai said:

it took 3 years "being married" for my Thai wife to apply and gain US Citizenship .. answer 6 out of 10 qustions correct at your hearing

and you can be sworn and and become a Naturalized Citizen.

1 minute ago, Luuk Chaai said:

it took 3 years "being married" for my Thai wife to apply and gain US Citizenship .. answer 6 out of 10 qustions correct at your hearing

and you can be sworn and and become a Naturalized Citizen.

1 minute ago, Luuk Chaai said:

it took 3 years "being married" for my Thai wife to apply and gain US Citizenship .. answer 6 out of 10 qustions correct at your hearing

and you can be sworn and and become a Naturalized Citizen.

Is that recently? From what one reads the USA is not so foreigner friendly these days. But in any case, I think it is true to say that many countries do not make it easy for a Thai person to stay there and/or become a citizen

1 minute ago, wensiensheng said:

Is that recently? From what one reads the USA is not so foreigner friendly these days. But in any case, I think it is true to say that many countries do not make it easy for a Thai person to stay there and/or become a citizen

That was 2016 ... . and it took 8 months to get her approved for a K1 visa to come to the U.S.

Yeah, it's the screw tightening a little more and the current PM has never been a fan of foreigners/immigration in general anyhow... notice how he has hung on to the Interiour Minister's position/portfolio for quite a while now.

It's getting to the point where you are a short-stay tourist, official legit business person/investor with a non-B (which is harder to get now than ever before), fairly well-off retiree ready to park money in an account that barely generates anything, or officially married to a Thai national and legally working... which is ironically much easier now than it has ever been before, remember back in the day when almost no-one had a work permit and it was almost a mythical thing to possess. Seems to me that the non-O based on marriage gets the least alterations plus you can apply for a work permit with it.

19 hours ago, Nick Carter icp said:

When do these changes go into effect ?

Its very important to tell people when the changes come into effect as some need to know that info when booking flights

It has not been decided yet.

It will probably take them months to decide.

5 hours ago, webfact said:

Iirc 60 countries for 90 days

What has that to do with Thailand??

I don't know where you are from, but if you are one of these 60 countries you are lucky all other 160 countries not. Please compare same things

40 minutes ago, wensiensheng said:

Is that recently? From what one reads the USA is not so foreigner friendly these days. But in any case, I think it is true to say that many countries do not make it easy for a Thai person to stay there and/or become a citizen

That is good news seeing as it is impossible for us farangs to be permanent citizens here.

And for what I have seen many times in the UK as soon as the Thai woman is legal and her husband visa sponsor is of no more use they are off faster than a rat up drain pipe, and the governments also have to take into account many of the women married to farangs are ex bar girls so they are right to be wary of Thai women applying for residency overseas.

3 hours ago, NanLaew said:

When the changes are published in the Royal Gazette, that announcement includes the date the new rules commence. It's the one -stop reference, always has been. Anything else is a government department or cabinet spokesman unofficial announcement, followed by foreigners whining, always has been too.

And the norm is zero notice at all. When they changed visa exempt to 60 days it was passed by the cabinet in May and announced that it would start in June. Then it was published in the Royal Gazette on July 15th and took effect immediately.

A visa does cost money, and it takes time for the Thai Consulate in your country to process.

A 60 day Visa free stay was enjoyable for me, a 75 year old retired guy, who still could afford

to stay in Thailand for a whole 60 days. This is just a greedy government and tourism way

to make a few more dollars, for their staff to collect from foreign visitors. In My Opinion.

It is too bad that corruption is so bad in most of the world including Asia.

I do hope there are some sane minds in the Thai government that will rethink this latest

change that they are planning.

I only know two thing. Several friends who come here every year to escape European winters tell me they’re not happy. They’ll go from a free visa to having to apply and pay for a multiple entry 60 day visa costing €175 per person . Imagine how much money they spend in Thailand over a 3 or 4 month period.

People will probably get caught out if this isn’t managed well. Leave on a trip thinking you’re going to enter Thailand on one set of rules and then while you’re in the air this gets published in the Royal Gazette so different rules and visa requirements apply. Oops!

They are smart. No, I don't think for a minute that this will reduce criminal acts which mostly come from neighborhood countries anyway, but when the tourist counts for 2026 and presumably 2027 are final, they can in any case blame the fact that fewer tourists are due to the cut back for visa-free stays.

Felt

The people that will be mostly effected will be the snowbirds from Europe Canada and USA who before could stay the 60days take a trip out of the country then get another 60days on entry and even a extra 30days if they wished. Now they will have the hassle of getting the visas online which is not so simple for many of them.

I have never understood why Thailand did't have a long term winter visa for this category of pensioners.

My longest stay in Thailand has been 4 weeks, would have loved to stay longer, but got rent and other fixed cost at home. The 30 days visa waiver is fine, if you want/need to stay longer you apply for an appropriate visa.

39 minutes ago, Stargeezr said:

A visa does cost money, and it takes time for the Thai Consulate in your country to process.

A 60 day Visa free stay was enjoyable for me, a 75 year old retired guy, who still could afford

to stay in Thailand for a whole 60 days. This is just a greedy government and tourism way

to make a few more dollars, for their staff to collect from foreign visitors. In My Opinion.

It is too bad that corruption is so bad in most of the world including Asia.

I do hope there are some sane minds in the Thai government that will rethink this latest

change that they are planning.

People exploiting and abusing the 60 days to establish themselves illegally in Thailand made the government change the duration.

48 minutes ago, Stargeezr said:

A visa does cost money, and it takes time for the Thai Consulate in your country to process.

A 60 day Visa free stay was enjoyable for me, a 75 year old retired guy, who still could afford

to stay in Thailand for a whole 60 days. This is just a greedy government and tourism way

to make a few more dollars, for their staff to collect from foreign visitors. In My Opinion.

It is too bad that corruption is so bad in most of the world including Asia.

I do hope there are some sane minds in the Thai government that will rethink this latest

change that they are planning.

Well, what is the connection of 60 days visa and greedy govt? And do you really think it's about money selling visa in embassies??

Also why bother? You can stay here the whole year if you want.

4 hours ago, newbee2022 said:

Well, that's a good point.

However, to stay longer (3-4 months) you can apply for a retirement visa.

The other group you mentioned is indeed the most disgusting group.

Maybe it's a solution to grant only 1 week visa free.

And a "MUST" is to buy a Health Insurance at the Airport before you meet/pass the immigration.

I have to say I really disagree with your suggestion for real snowbirds 4/5 months. There is no retirement visa but the option you suggest has way more paperwork and you have to keep 800k in account and it's not really convenient in any way. But I guess a 60 day tourist visa + 30 day extension, leave Thailand for a week return and do 30 days more and leave or extend that another 30 days is ok.

Will they "Flip Flop" on this one.

19 hours ago, ikke1959 said:

For real tourists it will have a small impact as most have enough of 30 days.. All other must apply for a longer visa, which should not be a problem with good intentions. However if I read some posts it seems that people want to stay longer without applying for a visa, The question remains for them why??? It is not the cost of the visa I suppose and not the paperwork, but possible the requirements..in Vietnam for example the stay is also max 45 days and for more a visa is needed. There are no problems but there are people

19 hours ago, ikke1959 said:

For real tourists it will have a small impact as most have enough of 30 days.. All other must apply for a longer visa, which should not be a problem with good intentions. However if I read some posts it seems that people want to stay longer without applying for a visa, The question remains for them why??? It is not the cost of the visa I suppose and not the paperwork, but possible the requirements..in Vietnam for example the stay is also max 45 days and for more a visa is needed. There are no problems but there are people

19 hours ago, ikke1959 said:

For real tourists it will have a small impact as most have enough of 30 days.. All other must apply for a longer visa, which should not be a problem with good intentions. However if I read some posts it seems that people want to stay longer without applying for a visa, The question remains for them why??? It is not the cost of the visa I suppose and not the paperwork, but possible the requirements..in Vietnam for example the stay is also max 45 days and for more a visa is needed. There are no problems but there are people

For me it’s the convenience

2 hours ago, wensiensheng said:

Is that recently? From what one reads the USA is not so foreigner friendly these days. But in any case, I think it is true to say that many countries do not make it easy for a Thai person to stay there and/or become a citizen

A Thai person with a good reason to visit the USA and a better reason ( like serious work etc) to return to Thailand can get a 10 year multiple entry visa and this visa is easy to extend for the second 10 years. Many Thais have this and we can't get anything comparable in Thailand.

10 minutes ago, alex8912 said:

I have to say I really disagree with your suggestion for real snowbirds 4/5 months. There is no retirement visa but the option you suggest has way more paperwork and you have to keep 800k in account and it's not really convenient in any way. But I guess a 60 day tourist visa + 30 day extension, leave Thailand for a week return and do 30 days more and leave or extend that another 30 days is ok.

That could be a solution, or just use the two tourist visas per year allocation... do one for 90 days, then go on holiday somewhere for a week or two and apply for the second one but not extend it so that you don't become a resident. You might get asked the odd question or two, but I would have thought that it would be okay if you are only doing it once a year. However, really Thailand should recognise the "snow bird" market and tailor make a visa for them with monetary and age requirements (say 60) or whatever, as a full-on retirement visa is a lot of hassle for say just 4-6 months.

1 hour ago, Front Row said:

I only know two thing. Several friends who come here every year to escape European winters tell me they’re not happy. They’ll go from a free visa to having to apply and pay for a multiple entry 60 day visa costing €175 per person . Imagine how much money they spend in Thailand over a 3 or 4 month period.

People will probably get caught out if this isn’t managed well. Leave on a trip thinking you’re going to enter Thailand on one set of rules and then while you’re in the air this gets published in the Royal Gazette so different rules and visa requirements apply. Oops!

What is the point of a multiple entry 60 day visa? If you'r reaving the country frequently than back to back 30 day visa free entries would work, if only leaving the country once and the timing doesn't work, a 60 day visa followed by a visa-free entry.

My partner runs a guesthouse, which has many bookings each year with long stayers, all tourists, no dodgy businessmen, just snowbirds. It'll be interesting to see if any cancellations come in for next high season.

17 hours ago, Jingthing said:

They will do what they want but it seems to me this change is an overreaction to a problem that could have been addressed other ways and is in effect just throwing away a lot of tourism money for no good reason.

Is the Thai economy so great that they can afford to do that?

If the Thai police did their job properly there would be less troublesome tourists creating hell in the main resorts, and if local authorities did their job there would not be the nominee problem. And if Anutin hadn’t encouraged all these illegal drug shops, the attraction of tourist interest would not have escalated.

There lies the problem, no one does their job.

The property market and legal rentals will fall drastically and pénalisé the pensioners and those who have bought condominiums legally.

Will Extensions still be allowed ?

3 hours ago, howerde said:

If the list is correct it is a massive change for Indians currently visa exempt for 60 days back to visa on arrival(don't they then have to buy the visa) i though Indians were the fastest growing market?

Completely agree. Many people are missing this change. Walking Street in Pattaya is full of Indian Nightclubs that have grown in number ever since they were allowed 60 days visa exemption. Back to Visa on Arrival 15 days is a kick in the teeth to them, but one I welcome.

5 hours ago, Hanuman2547 said:

I don't think people that want to spend 3-4 months in Thailand really want to go and jump through all of the hoops required to get a retirement visa as well as tie up 800K baht in a Thai bank. This does affect people that want to escape the northern hemisphere winter.

A non-imm O visa allows for stays of upto 90 days without any Thai bank deposit. Been doing it for the past 15 years. Applications via London consulate usually processed within a week.

Made the news in Australia.

https://www.9news.com.au/world/thailand-visa-changes-2026-aussies-impacted-as-travel-rules-for-tourists-tightened/376d0ca8-cdb6-43c8-b1a8-492e1c8bae6f

The Thai Ministry of Public Health is actively planning to implement compulsory health insurance for all foreign visitors to reduce the financial burden of unpaid medical bills.

A 30-day tourist visa should limit the cost of such insurance and be less of a financial burden entering Thailand.

Those who think/ believe a pensioner who spends 3 /4 months in Thailand ( a snowbird) should get a retirement visa don’t know what they are talking about. Just watch the condo sales and rentals to fall drastically and the many good restaurants and shops suffer from lack of these customers.

18 hours ago, Jingthing said:

They will do what they want but it seems to me this change is an overreaction to a problem that could have been addressed other ways and is in effect just throwing away a lot of tourism money for no good reason.

Is the Thai economy so great that they can afford to do that?

I share your reservations

Time will tell if the idea is good or not

Post breaking forum rules removed

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18 hours ago, Georgealbert said:

UPDATE

Thailand Tightens Visa-Free Entry Rules

Pictures courtesy of Khaosod

Thailand has confirmed further details of its planned rollback of visa-free entry privileges, with authorities announcing that all 93 countries and territories currently eligible for 60-day visa-free stays will lose the scheme as part of a major overhaul of the kingdom’s immigration policy.

The update was announced on 19 May by Mangkorn Pratoomkaew, director-general of the Department of Consular Affairs, following Cabinet approval of a review proposed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Under the revised system, each country or territory will be granted only one visa exemption privilege to simplify Thailand’s immigration framework. Officials said overlapping visa privileges had created confusion for travellers and complicated the Foreign Ministry’s e-Visa system.

The government will also review the existing 30-day visa-free tourism scheme, reducing the number of eligible countries and territories from 57 to 54. In addition, Thailand plans to introduce a new 15-day visa-free tourism programme covering three countries or territories. Authorities also confirmed that the number of countries eligible for Visa on Arrival will be sharply reduced from 31 to just four under the new framework.

The changes will take effect 15 days after publication in the Royal Gazette through three announcements issued by the Ministry of Interior. Travellers already in Thailand, or those entering the country before the measures come into force, will still be permitted to remain under their existing conditions until their authorised stay expires. Once the new rules are implemented, all incoming travellers will be required to comply with the revised visa conditions.

Mangkorn said the review followed discussions between agencies under the Visa Policy Committee and considered national security, tourism, economic interests and reciprocal treatment between countries. Thai authorities have increasingly expressed concerns that generous visa exemptions were being exploited by illegal businesses and transnational criminal groups operating in the country.

The government has repeatedly stressed that future visa policy will focus more on attracting “quality tourists” rather than maximising arrival numbers. Further full details of new policy will be released as soon as possible by the government.

Khaosod reported that officials also confirmed that Prime Minister had signed an order appointing a new committee to regularly review Thailand’s visa policies. The committee will be chaired by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sihasak Phuangketkeow to ensure immigration measures remain aligned with changing conditions.

Adapted by ASEAN Now Khaosod 19 May 2026

That picture shows the old visa form, from when you had to send your passport to a Embassy or Consulate. Since the Covid restrictions were lifted, you can do an online application for a 60 day TV. I did one in 23 and one in 24. Each cost about £30 and took less than 5 days from application to receipt.

And why are people whining so much anyway? The 60 days was only ever meant to be temporary concession. I spend about 2 months in Thailand every year and shall need this next time, but another £30 and 20 minutes of admin is hardly going to be a strain!