The Government of Thailand has introduced stricter controls on tourist visa entries and extensions amid a spike in concerns over misuse of visa-exempt entries and associated criminal activity.
Authorities have flagged repeated “visa-runs” — where foreigners exit and immediately re-enter Thailand to reset their tourist-visa clock — as a loophole that has been exploited for illicit work, online scams and other offences. Under the new regime, people who make more than two visa-free entries (or visa-runs) without valid reasons may now be denied entry.
In addition, the rules for visa extension have been tightened. Foreign tourists may now obtain only two extensions at most: the first extension grants 30 days, and the second just 7 days — a sharp reduction compared to previous policies that allowed longer or multiple extensions.
For travelers entering under 30-day visas, the total permissible stay — including extension — now caps at 67 days; for visa-free entries, the maximum total stay drops to 97 days under the new rules.
The crackdown is part of a broader effort by the Immigration Bureau of Thailand and the government, led by Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, to curb rising incidents of illegal employment, scam-centre operations, cybercrime and other criminal activities allegedly facilitated by visa misuse.
Officials clarified that genuine tourists travelling for legitimate leisure with confirmed return tickets and standard itineraries, should not be affected by the changes — the measures specifically target repeat visitors suspected of abusing visa privileges.
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