Suraskdit Firmly Commits to Eliminating 60-Day Visa Exemption with Stricter Screening Across All Categories, Prioritizing Quality Over Quantity
Thailand's tourism minister confirmed the government will eliminate the 60-day visa exemption and implement stricter screening across all visa categories following concerns about foreign criminals exploiting loose entry requirements.
Suraskdit Firmly Commits to Eliminating 60-Day Visa Exemption with Stricter Screening Across All Categories, Prioritizing Quality Over Quantity Following Criminal Nominee Activities.
At 6:00 PM on May 11, 2025 at Government House, Mr. Suraskdit Puntcharoenvrakul, Minister of Tourism and Sports from the Bhumjaithai Party faction, revealed after attending a cabinet meeting that discussions have been held regarding the limitation of tourists entering Thailand following reports of Chinese tourists and influential individuals encroaching on national park areas.
When asked whether the free visa policy would require review, Mr. Suraskdit stated that a comprehensive review is necessary. The Prime Minister has ordered the establishment of a working committee to consider all visa types, not just tourist visas, but all categories that Thailand issues, including BOI visas for investments, student visas, and all other visa types.
Mr. Suraskdit further stated that Deputy Prime Minister Pakorn Nilpraphan and relevant agencies will form a working committee to be appointed at tomorrow's cabinet meeting to study and review all visa types. He confirmed that the 60-day visa exemption will definitely be eliminated, with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs proposing this to the cabinet for careful consideration as the Prime Minister is concerned about this matter.
When asked whether he is confident that eliminating the visa exemption will reduce the impact from tourists violating Thai law, Mr. Suraskdit said that not all cases involve tourist visas, and there are various categories including people who marry Thai nationals. Ultimately, all categories must undergo a review of consideration criteria, with the Prime Minister ordering stricter examination procedures.
Mr. Suraskdit continued that currently money alone cannot be used as a verification tool, making it necessary to examine other dimensions. Simply having money doesn't guarantee a visa, as financial status is not an indicator that a person will not cause problems for the country. This is why we must review all categories.
When asked whether people who obtained visas legally will be affected by this review, Mr. Suraskdit said he believes those who are correct and have not violated the law will not face problems. However, the consideration of various visa types requires review of duration, documentation, and submission criteria, which must all be reconsidered.
Mr. Suraskdit acknowledged that with changing circumstances, nominee crimes have infiltrated various visa categories and caused problems in the country. The Prime Minister has stated that we must now screen visa applications more carefully.
Mr. Suraskdit further stated that we will no longer focus solely on tourism volume but must emphasize quality over quantity. It is not about making entry easy to attract large numbers of tourists that increase revenue. The Prime Minister has instructed that visa consideration be more careful to enhance the overall quality of the tourism system.
