IBNS-CMEDIA: Indian travellers will continue to enjoy visa-free entry to Thailand, the Thai government announced on Tuesday, ending months of uncertainty over a proposal to withdraw the facility.
However, while visa-free access remains in place, the maximum permitted stay has been reduced from 60 days to 30 days.
The decision comes after concerns that the earlier proposal to scrap visa-free entry had discouraged Indian tourists, leading to a decline in visitor numbers despite the plan never being implemented.
India remains a key tourism market
India is among Thailand’s largest inbound tourism markets, behind only China and Malaysia.
Thailand’s Tourism Minister Surasak Phancharoenworakul said the revised policy better reflects the travel patterns of Indian visitors while continuing to support the country’s tourism industry.
“If problems arise from this measure in the future, the government can review it then,” Surasak was quoted as saying by Bloomberg.
Government balances tourism and security
In May, Thailand’s cabinet approved a proposal to reduce the number of visa-exempt countries from 93 to 54 and cap visa-free stays at 30 days.
While the broader proposal has yet to take effect, the government has now confirmed that Indian nationals, along with travellers from Croatia, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Malta and the Maldives, will continue to receive 30-day visa-free entry.
The policy change is part of the Thai government’s broader effort to prevent misuse of the visa-free regime by foreign nationals allegedly engaging in illegal work or other unauthorised activities.
Authorities have also cited concerns from local businesses in major tourist destinations over visitors violating the conditions of their stay.
Tourism remains crucial to Thailand’s economy
Tourism continues to be a cornerstone of Thailand’s economy, making the retention of visa-free access for key markets such as India a significant policy decision.
The announcement comes as the government seeks to strike a balance between boosting tourist arrivals and tightening oversight of the country’s immigration system.
