Thailand is drastically cutting the length of visa-free stays for tourists from more than 90 countries in an effort to curb crime involving foreign nationals, officials announced on Tuesday.

While tourism remains absolutely vital to the Southeast Asian nation's economy, foreign arrivals have yet to fully return to their pre-Covid highs.

The policy shift follows a recent series of high-profile arrests of foreigners, which included cases linked to drug offences, sex trafficking, and individuals illegally operating businesses such as hotels and schools without proper permits.

Under Thailand's current tourism scheme, travellers from more than 90 countries—including Europe's 29-nation Schengen area, the United States, Israel, and several South American countries—are eligible to visit for up to 60 days without a visa.

However, Thailand's cabinet officially approved reducing visa-free stays for travellers from those nations on Tuesday, Tourism Minister Surasak Phancharoenworakul told reporters in Bangkok.

Surasak explained that the new visa-free duration would be decided on a country-by-country basis, with most foreign nationals granted stays of up to 30 days, while some could receive only 15 days.

Foreign Minister Sihasak Phuangketkeow stated last week that the plan to reduce visa-free stays was part of a broader crackdown on transnational crime.

He clarified that Thailand was not targeting any specific country, but was rather focusing on individuals who are actively abusing the visa system by committing crimes within the country.

Government spokesperson Rachada Dhanadirek also addressed reporters on Tuesday, noting that tourists provided "benefits, such as boosting the economy, but the current scheme has allowed some people to exploit it."

The visa-free period was previously capped at 30 days but had been extended to 60 days in July 2024 as part of the government's aggressive efforts to boost tourism and the economy.

Tourism accounts for more than 10 percent of Thailand's GDP, although overall visitor numbers remain below pre-pandemic levels.

In fact, foreign arrivals dropped by about 3.4 percent in the first quarter of this year compared to the same period in 2025, with visitors from the Middle East plunging by nearly a third, according to recent tourism ministry data.

Despite the tighter restrictions, the government has stated that Thailand still expects about 33.5 million foreign tourists this year, which is up from the nearly 33 million visitors recorded last year.

Source: AFP