26 minutes ago, Front Row said:

I’d like to see the government collect some statistics, cold hard facts. One database of all crimes committed by foreigners, sortable by type of crime from petty crime to traffic incidents, to financial crimes, to rape and murder. Include the type of initial entry visa and current visa status. Maybe also note if TM-30 and TM-47 are up to date and accurate.

Use data to implement new visa regulations.

Monitor the data to see if the changes to visa regulations has any effect or not.

Modify visa regulations based upon data. Try to minimize the effects of perceptions, feelings, social media, and sensational news headlines.

That's a good step.

However it will take time.

But the govt will show actions.

That's the problem obviously

Yes, of course. The next 4 or 5 months to collect the data points showing the 60 to 30 day was a success. Then, 55, high season again. 55.

The reduction to thirty days to reduce crime was probably a knee jerk reaction.

Don't forget most crimes by foreigners are aided by corrupt Thai officials. False id's fake citizenship, forged land titles etc not possible without corrupt Thai officials on the take.

Hopefully this change will force them back to Bali, their traditional destination!

2 hours ago, ezzra said:

How is reducing the length of the stay will change the attitude of bad people? if someone is up for no good, he'll still be no good and do the wrong stuff, but I'm sure that that for those Thai policy makers it dose make sense,

we shall wait and see.

Those operating illegal business will find it harder staying in thailand for the 60 days plus 30. You could basically live in thailand without a visa for 180 days!

Further tightening up banking rules will make it much harder for foreigners to operate illegal businesses.

Does that mean everything will be perfect, of course not, but it definitely will help and give the thai govt more power to help control.

But im sure the thai govt, police and Immigration have taken note of your Pessimism 😁🙏

3 hours ago, newbee2022 said:

I don't agree. I'm convinced a 30 days visa will keep a lot of riffraff off entering the country, unless they would apply for a visa with all the paperwork. The so called nomads (most without proper work, income, education) might look for other countries with easier access.

Let's try. Time will tell. Or implement in addition an entry fee and a health/travel insurance, to buy at the airport/harbor.

They can just use an agent and not worry about all the paperwork.

1 minute ago, bullseye66 said:

They can just use an agent and not worry about all the paperwork.

Well, it will be therefore another hurdle. Additional money to pay. Very inconvenient.

7 hours ago, Georgealbert said:

Thailand’s decision to reduce visa-free stays from 60 days to up to 30 days for visitors from more than 90 countries marks a significant shift in how the Thai government manages tourism. While the country remains heavily dependent on foreign visitors, the move reflects growing concern that the previous policy was being exploited by individuals involved in illegal activities, overstaying, or operating businesses without proper authorisation.

30 days, 60 day or 90 days makes no difference...

tourists will tour and go home, criminals will stay and disappear.

3 hours ago, ezzra said:

How is reducing the length of the stay will change the attitude of bad people? if someone is up for no good, he'll still be no good and do the wrong stuff, but I'm sure that that for those Thai policy makers it dose make sense,

we shall wait and see.

Reducing legal stay cannot change attitudes, only access! I also think Immigration should make it "uncomfortably" expensive for those whose attitudes spill over into such action

3 hours ago, BerndD said:

I largely agree, but you forgot the large number of retirees who don't need a vacation from their jobs.

Got it in one......

18 minutes ago, newbee2022 said:

Well, it will be therefore another hurdle. Additional money to pay. Very inconvenient.

Inconvenient but necessary!

Cutting the 60days on entry to 30days will make no difference to those people that want to cause trouble.

The thing that will make a difference is the uncertainty they have caused with the clamp down.

Many pensioners that use Thailand as an escape from the northern winter don't want to deposit 800,000 baht in a Thai bank but want to spend four or five months in Thailand. The 60days on arrival plus a trip out of the country and a new 60days on returning was for many a way to spend the winter. Now many are wondering if they are welcome in Thailand even with an appropriate tourist visa and probably making plans to go elsewhere.

3 hours ago, new2here said:

A few things cross my mind.. In no specific order..

I don’t think cutting the allowed time, in and of itself, is going to cure the problem.. Will it help? I’m sure it will have some incremental impact.. but I don’t think it’s the magic bullet that’s going to fix this larger issue alone.

I also think the decision must also be viewed through the lens of a populist policy. I’m sure the ruling party has done their “homework” and figured out what action(s) they can take that will be viewed positively by their political base. That’s another reality.

Lastly, I think the reality is that regardless of the time you allow in country, you will run the risk of “bad behavior” and unfortunately there really is no way to proactively identify those who will be trouble BEFORE they arrive or at passport control. It’s always going to be a reactive process. So, to that end, I agree with better enforcement of existing law, consistent use of “banning” reentry to those who’ve shown they are unwilling or unable to comply with law.

Magic bullets don't exist....anywhere. But reducing period of stay, reduces opportunity among those who find bad behavior acceptable. I also think such behavior ought to be made "uncomfortably" expensive

The only things that change here are the "rules"

2 issues : The major problem involves big money....scam operations, developments etc. But Thailand has always welcomed big money "criminals" because Thailand's officialdom likes big money opportunity, benefits and facilitates it when it suits.

Secondly, social media has exagerrated the xenophobic tendencies ( encouraged by the government) to the point where Mrs Nattapom in Phisanalok will be outraged because Michelle from Bordeaux has brazenly opened a nail salon on Koh samui.......and now expects her government to do something about it !

Been a regular visitor in the past 15 years, staying 30-40days with my wife. If I have to apply for visa next January, I will not come. The problem is the risk of buying air tickets in September and not getting the visa on time. I would choose Vietnam instead.

Many snowbirds will go to Vietnam on a 3 month eVisa, bought for $25USD on the internet.

4 hours ago, ftpjtm said:

Malaysia, Singapore, Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong, Macau all have 90 day visa free arrivals but aren't plagued with unruly tourists because they have comparatively uncorrupt police forces that do actual policing. The term of the visa has nothing to do with it.

Comparing countries is comparing apple to oranges. If the government has done their homework there will be statistics showing visa type for all reported incidents but with (certain parts of) Thailand branded as Magaluf of the East the train has left the station to control the drunkards unruly behavior. For 99% change has no impact what so ever and the negativity some express most be founded in the fact they belong in the group Thailand don't want; as tourist or expats

4 hours ago, BerndD said:

I largely agree, but you forgot the large number of retirees who don't need a vacation from their jobs.

Same here - I'm now included in said retirees, BUT even when I was working, I used to visit Thailand for 2 to 3 months annually.

For the last 20 years of my working life , I didn't have a "boss" who could dictate to me when I had to be in work - I was an independent contractor who made his decisions purely on a financial basis - if I got a high paying 6 month contact in July, by January I simply made a choice. Come April/May -"rinse and repeat"

I'm not suggesting that I was a member of some "elite group" merely that the traditional employment model is no longer automatic, certainly in UK more and more people are in some form of self-employment. Whether that's good or bad, is out of scope here but it certainly offers certain freedoms, travel being one of them.

Having said that: A point I've made elsewhere is that if you can afford 2 months holiday , you can afford a visa, plus it's a foreign country with its own rules - deal with it!

Finally, I personally don't believe that the restoration of 30 days visa-free will make much, if any difference to peoples' behaviour; decent people will still be decent, thugs will still be thugs!

This is for Thai domestic consumption, while the economy keeps falling, standards of living falling, social media high lighting corruption which is everywhere, you do the one thing every government does and that is blame foreigners for all your troubles, the vast majority are not affected over 90% of tourists only stay less than 2 weeks, 30 days visa exempt plus 30 day extension is 60 days i wish i had that amount of holiday. there are plenty of options not least the DTV visa, Thai privilege, ed visas, and if you do not qualify, don't worry plenty of agents will get you what you want, retired no money no problem sir, and they are not hiding they operate openly, nothing is going to change there is money to be made, does a single person believe that the recent crack down on nominee holders is going to change, no chance, in 6 months it will all be forgotton again it is about money, how many lawyers were arrested in this crack down?

39 minutes ago, Senyo said:

Been a regular visitor in the past 15 years, staying 30-40days with my wife. If I have to apply for visa next January, I will not come. The problem is the risk of buying air tickets in September and not getting the visa on time. I would choose Vietnam instead.

When I did this in 2023 , I applied for the eVisa 2 months before travelling - it arrived by email within days. It's good for 3 months from issue so I think your fears are unfounded. (It was slightly more nerve-racking back in the days when you had to apply by post and send your passport to the Embassy / Consulate - those days are gone)

The following is my post from Jan 2024 which is the last time i applied for an eVisa

Application process for Tourist eVisa from London as of January 2024 - Thai Visas, Residency, and Work Permits - Thailand News and Discussion Forum | ASEANNOW

Someone not on a retirement visa who is staying for 60 days rather than 30 days is not likely to be employed by someone else. After all, few employers offer 2 months of vacation leave. That means that working age visitors staying beyond 30 days are more likely to be self-employed, under-employed, or unemployed. This, coupled with the extended length of stay, makes them statistically more likely to run out of money and overstay a visa, engage in illegal work, or resort to criminal activity in order to try and make ends meet. The cut back to 30 days might not make a dramatic improvement, but I think it's a step in the right direction.

2 minutes ago, Gecko123 said:

Someone not on a retirement visa who is staying for 60 days rather than 30 days is not likely to be employed by someone else. After all, few employers offer 2 months of vacation leave. That means that working age visitors staying beyond 30 days are more likely to be self-employed, under-employed, or unemployed. This, coupled with the extended length of stay, makes them statistically more likely to run out of money and overstay a visa, engage in illegal work, or resort to criminal activity in order to try and make ends meet. The cut back to 30 days might not make a dramatic improvement, but I think it's a step in the right direction.

Agree with your comment about available time, but disagree with what follows. Read my reply to @BerndD above.

I was self-employed but being so, required me to think like a business owner in financial matters. That follows through to holiday planning.

Well I think that a few collateral damage , when you have a portfolio of 35-40 million Tourists , is hidden in the list of possible problems of the business . Or am I wrong ?

That said , 30 days is enough for the big % of the Tourists . The Snow Birds will have to apply to the multitude of visas avaliable for them .

I think that it is mostly the two week millionaires who stir up the place, rather than the long term "tourist".

5 hours ago, newbee2022 said:

That's true. So how to make Thailand to a desired quality destination for families and spenders?

How to eliminate the bad apples?

To describe the reality is no solution.

So what is your plan?

Enforcement. Enforcement. Enforcement.

VE entry 30 or 60 will make absolutely no difference.

Oh, and then I woke up 555

I have already booked myself a 32 night flight ticket to Bangkok arriving in late October. I booked when I saw a good price rather than for specific dates, and just want to escape the British weather.

I intended to stay and travel around Thailand, however with the 30 day limit I am now considering an onward flight to KTI or SGN for two or three weeks.

Hopefully this change will force them back to Bali, their traditional destination!

I've never been to Bali, and have little desire to go. Years ago, maybe. But success seems to have ruined the place.

I got a big kick out of a recent Bali YouTube where everyone they interviewed there was some kind of social media personality or consultant. The comments they uncovered were brutal, since almost all the "experts" they interviewed were brand new, and most of them were charging people for their expertise. My favorites were the dating coaches.

17 minutes ago, davee58 said:

I have already booked myself a 32 night flight ticket to Bangkok arriving in late October. I booked when I saw a good price rather than for specific dates, and just want to escape the British weather.

I intended to stay and travel around Thailand, however with the 30 day limit I am now considering an onward flight to KTI or SGN for two or three weeks.

And what are your problems to apply for a proper visa ???🫤

1 hour ago, Senyo said:

Been a regular visitor in the past 15 years, staying 30-40days with my wife. If I have to apply for visa next January, I will not come. The problem is the risk of buying air tickets in September and not getting the visa on time. I would choose Vietnam instead.

Safe trip and enjoy

"Some visitors questioned whether shorter visas will address the root causes of bad behaviour. Hungarian tourist Rudolf Guzsaly argued that disruptive tourists can create problems within days of arrival, suggesting that stricter enforcement may ultimately prove more effective than shorter permitted stays."

Most sensible comment in the whole post!