Thailand has reversed its initial plan to end visa-free access for Indian tourists and instead approved a new policy allowing Indian visitors to enter the country without a visa for up to 30 days. The Thai Cabinet confirmed this change in July 2026 following concerns over a decline in Indian arrivals.
Previously, Indian nationals could stay visa-free in Thailand for 60 days. The original May 2026 proposal had aimed to reduce the total number of countries eligible for visa-free travel from 93 to 54, which included plans to end visa-free entry for India. However, the revised decision maintains India on
the visa-free list with a reduced stay limit of 30 days. The updated list also added Croatia, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Malta, and the Maldives, increasing eligible countries and territories to 60. Authorities cited aligning the stay duration with typical travel patterns of Indian tourists as a key reason for the adjustment.
The initial announcement in May 2026 caused confusion and resulted in a drop in Indian tourist arrivals even before the policy took effect. The government undertook the revision to better manage visitor flows and to combat illegal activities linked to the misuse of visa-free travel. The move also aims to
safeguard local businesses in Thailand by ensuring fair competition.
Tourism Minister Surasak Phancharoenworakul confirmed that the Cabinet approved the 30-day visa-free entry in line with Indian travellers’ typical behaviour, stating, “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.” Indian tourists rank as the third-largest group visiting Thailand in 2026, trailing only visitors from China and Malaysia. Thailand’s tourism sector recorded nearly US$50 billion in revenue last year from 33 million foreign visitors, with over 16 million international arrivals reported by July 4, 2026.
The
revised visa policy also supports Thailand’s efforts to secure visa exemption arrangements with the Schengen Area for Thai passport holders. Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul’s administration has emphasized curbing misuse of visa-free travel and protecting domestic businesses as part of these policy updates.
