Thailand recently announced that it is going to cut down the length of visa-free stay for foreign tourists from 60 days to 30 days. This move from the Southeast Asian nation comes as an attempt to curb down the exploitation of the waiver that tourists misuse to establish illegal business activities in the nation, as remarked by tourism and sports minister Sorawong Thienthong. The Association of Thai Travel Agents and other hospitality associations also complained about visitors renting out local accommodation without any official authorisation in order to carry out these activities.
Sorawong Thienthong also revealed that this decision has been discussed in principle with several ministries. This restriction will affect passport holders from 93 countries which previously had the benefit of longer stays. However, exemptions or transitional measures might be possible for travellers who have made bookings already, as per reports.
How will Thailand’s 30-day visa-free stay period affect tourists?
Thailand’s previous policy of 60-day visa-free stay period was a convenient option for many travellers, especially for digital tourists and those who retired. According to data, around seven per cent of bookings to Thailand between January and February were trips for over 22 nights.
Bloomberg Intelligence analysts reported this week, “The potential policy move adds to a growing list of factors weighing on the sector […], along with Chinese tourists’ security concerns and tighter travel budgets among North American and European travellers.”
Local officials believe that the curbing of visa-free days could have a minor negative impact on inbound tourism demand.