As of April 1, 2023, citizens of approximately 60 countries that were previously granted a 45-day visa exemption will now only be granted a maximum of 30 days on arrival in Thailand. This change in policy applies to tourists arriving from Europe, the United Kingdom, the United States, Australia, Saudi Arabia, and other countries. However, visitors can still extend their stay by an additional 30 days at Thai immigration once. This new rule returns to the original policy that was in place prior to October 1, 2022.
Tourists from visa-exempt countries will now have a total of 60 days, instead of 75, to explore Thailand before their time expires. However, visitors can still leave the country and re-enter to get an additional 30+30 days. Nonetheless, land border runs are limited to a maximum of two in a calendar year. Immigration officers can still refuse entry at their discretion if they deem it necessary to obtain a formal visa from a Thai embassy in advance.
Citizens of 19 other countries categorized as visa on arrival can still enter Thailand without a prior visa but are required to pay 2,000 baht on entry. However, their stay will now be limited to 15 days instead of the previous 30 days. Moreover, nationals from visa on arrival countries can only receive a seven-day extension at immigration bureaux provided they can show a return air ticket to their home country, and they cannot extend their stay by crossing the border.
It is important to note that there was no official announcement made by immigration or the government about the changes. The decision to shorten the visa exemption period for six months was agreed upon by the Cabinet in autumn 2022, and it required no termination notice. Most Thai embassies, including those in the United Kingdom and the United States, had previously posted notices about the March 31 truncation. Hence, as of April 1, 2023, foreign tourists are subject to the new entry rules at both Thai airports and land crossing points.
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