Thailand reveals 93 countries losing 60-day visa-free entry
Thailand’s Cabinet has approved ending 60-day visa-free entry for 93 countries, with most set to return to 30-day stays.
Following the Cabinet’s resolution on Monday to approve the cancellation of the 60-day visa exemption, or visa-free entry, known as P.60, for tourists from 93 countries, the government will also cancel criteria for countries that receive more than one type of visa entitlement.
The affected countries will return to the normal previous criteria, with most granted permission to stay in the kingdom for no more than 30 days. The move is intended to organise and screen foreign visitors more effectively.
The next step is for relevant agencies to be notified of the Cabinet resolution. All countries affected by the cancellation of the 60-day visa-free entitlement will return to their previous visa categories, most of which allow stays of around 30 days, or the 30-day visa-free entitlement known as P.30.
The cancellation of the 60-day visa-free measure must first be published in the Royal Gazette before it can take effect.
The list of countries and territories whose passport holders, or holders of documents used in lieu of passports, were allowed to enter the kingdom temporarily for tourism, work or short-term business without a visa and stay for no more than 60 days under P.60 covers 93 countries for ordinary passport holders:
- Albania
- Andorra
- Australia
- Austria
- Bahrain
- Belgium
- Bhutan
- Brazil
- Brunei
- Bulgaria
- Cambodia
- Canada
- China
- Colombia
- Croatia
- Cuba
- Cyprus
- Czechia
- Denmark
- Dominica
- Dominican Republic
- Ecuador
- Estonia
- Fiji
- Finland
- France
- Georgia
- Germany
- United Kingdom and Northern Ireland
- Greece
- Guatemala
- Hong Kong
- Hungary
- Iceland
- India
- Indonesia
- Ireland
- Israel
- Italy
- Jamaica
- Japan
- Jordan
- Kazakhstan
- Kosovo
- Kuwait
- Laos
- Latvia
- Liechtenstein
- Lithuania
- Luxembourg
- Macao
- Malaysia
- Maldives
- Malta
- Mauritius
- Mexico
- Monaco
- Mongolia
- Morocco
- Netherlands
- New Zealand
- Norway
- Oman
- Panama
- Papua New Guinea
- Peru
- Philippines
- Poland
- Portugal
- Qatar
- Romania
- Russia
- San Marino
- Saudi Arabia
- Singapore
- Slovakia
- Slovenia
- South Africa
- South Korea
- Spain
- Sri Lanka
- Sweden
- Switzerland
- Taiwan
- Tonga
- Trinidad and Tobago
- Turkey
- Ukraine
- United Arab Emirates
- United States
- Uruguay
- Uzbekistan
- Vietnam
Future visa criteria will be assigned to the Visa Policy Committee, which will review details on a country-by-country basis to determine which visa category is appropriate for each country.
The review will consider national security alongside economic interests and tourism promotion in a comprehensive manner before being submitted to the government for approval.
The measure is a proactive policy review aimed at striking a balance between attracting spending from foreign tourists and monitoring groups that may enter Thailand under tourist privileges but work illegally.
It is also in line with the Immigration Bureau’s approach, which emphasises security and stricter screening.
The return to the previous criteria is not expected to have a significant impact on overall tourism, as the government still has other facilitation measures in place to support travellers.
