An initial proposal, which had not come into effect despite being approved by the cabinet in May, had caused confusion among Indian travellers and resulted in a decline in arrivals from the country, Tourism Minister Surasak Phancharoenworakul said after a weekly cabinet meeting.
“The cabinet therefore approved a 30-day visa-free entry to align with the travel behaviour of Indian tourists, who represent a large market for Thailand,” Surasak told reporters after the weekly cabinet meeting. “If problems arise from this measure in the future, the government can review it then.”
Indian tourists, the third-largest group of visitors to Thailand this year after China and Malaysia, are currently allowed to stay for 60 days without a visa. That had been set to end after Thailand announced in May the removal of visa-free entry for tourists from 93 countries and territories.
Under that proposal, Thailand would have granted 30-day visa waivers to just 54 countries and territories.
Other countries that will now receive 30-day visa-free entry are Croatia, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Malta and the Maldives, according to Deputy Government Spokesperson Ploytalay Laksameesangchan. That brings the total number of countries and territories eligible for 30-day visa-free visits to 60, she said.
The new 30-day visa waiver plan, which now covers all 27 member states of the European Union, may help Thailand in its ongoing negotiations for Schengen visa exemptions for Thai passport holders, Ploytalay said.
Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul’s new conservative government has sought to curb foreigners who exploit Thailand’s visa-free policies to carry out illicit activities, as part of a wider crackdown on transnational scam operations. It is also seeking to address concerns among local businesses, particularly in areas popular with foreign tourists, that their livelihoods are being threatened by visitors who misuse visas to engage in prohibited activities.
The tourism industry, one of Thailand’s main economic drivers, generated nearly $50 billion from 33 million foreign visitors last year. The country welcomed more than 16 million tourists this year up to July 4.
