Thailand to End 60-Day Visa-Free Stays for UK

UK travellers are among citizens of many nations who will soon need to obtain a visa if they plan to remain in Thailand for longer than 30 days.

Since July 2024, visitors from 93 countries have been allowed to stay in Thailand visa-free for up to 60 days. The policy was introduced to help revive the country's economy and tourism industry following the disruption caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.

However, on Tuesday, Thai authorities approved plans to end the blanket 60-day exemption. Future visa-free stay periods will instead be determined individually for each country. Officials said concerns over security and the complexity of the existing visa arrangements contributed to the decision.

Countries whose citizens currently benefit from the 60-day visa exemption include Australia, China, France, Germany, India, Italy, Spain, the United Kingdom and the United States.

According to Thailand's foreign ministry, many travellers from these nations will need a visa for visits exceeding 30 days. However, the exact length of visa-free stays will vary depending on reciprocal agreements between Thailand and individual countries.

The revised system will take effect 15 days after it is officially published in the Royal Gazette, the government's publication for legal and regulatory announcements.

Officials also said the changes are intended to simplify the visa framework and reduce confusion caused by multiple exemption arrangements applying to the same country.

Thailand remains one of Asia's most popular tourist destinations, with tourism playing a major role in the national economy.

The country welcomed almost 40 million international visitors in 2019, before arrivals collapsed during the pandemic. Visitor numbers have steadily recovered over the past two years, and government data shows that nearly 12 million tourists have already arrived in Thailand this year.