Thailand has walked back plans to scrap visa-free travel for Indians altogether, settling instead on a shorter 30-day window rather than the previous 60, the country’s cabinet confirmed on Tuesday. Bloomberg reported the decision follows months of confusion that had already begun denting arrivals from one of Thailand’s most valuable tourism markets.
The reversal traces back to May, when Thai authorities had floated a sharper cutback — trimming the roster of visa-exempt nations from 93 down to just 54, with a flat 30-day ceiling for whoever remained on the list. That plan was never implemented. But even as a proposal, it appears to have spooked Indian travellers enough to dampen booking numbers, prompting officials to step in with a clearer, if still tightened, alternative.
Tourism Minister Surasak Phancharoenworakul framed the new 30-day allowance as a practical compromise, one built around how Indian tourists typically plan their trips rather than around administrative convenience. Speaking to reporters after Tuesday’s cabinet session, he noted the arrangement remains open to future revision should complications surface, Bloomberg reported.
More countries to fall under 30-day framework
India is not an isolated case in this update. Deputy Government Spokesperson Ploytalay Laksameesangchan confirmed that Croatia, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Malta and the Maldives were folded into the same 30-day framework. That brings Thailand’s total list of visa-exempt countries and territories to 60. Ploytalay also suggested the recalibration might strengthen Thailand’s own case for winning Schengen-zone exemptions for its citizens, a long-running diplomatic goal.
Context matters here: India currently sits as Thailand’s third-biggest source of international visitors, behind only China and Malaysia, which explains why Bangkok was reluctant to let the market drift.
Thailand’s tourism industry
The policy shift also lands amid a broader tightening of the rules around foreign visitors. Thailand Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul’s administration has been cracking down on tourists who exploit visa-free access for unauthorized work or other activities outside their permitted status.
The stakes for Thailand’s tourism industry remain considerable. Bloomberg noted the sector generated roughly $50 billion in revenue last year from 33 million foreign arrivals, while this year has already brought in more than 16 million international visitors as of July 4.