Thailand cuts visa-free stay period for more than 90 countries including UK

Many visitors who have been exempt for 60 days will soon have to apply for a visa after 30 days. Thailand cuts visa-free stay period for more than 90 countries including UK Copyright current_year BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking. Copyright current_year BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking. Tourists from 93 countries have been able to visit Thailand without needing a visa for 60 days since July 2024 Tourists travel on tuk-tuk taxis in Bangkok. UK citizens are among dozens of nationalities who will soon have to apply for a visa if they wish to stay in Thailand for more than 30 days. Tourists from 93 countries have been able to visit without needing a visa for 60 days since July 2024, as part of a government effort to boost the economy following the Covid pandemic. But it approved plans on Tuesday to revoke this exemption, with how long travellers can stay to now be decided on a country-by-country basis. It cited security and a confusing visa scheme among reasons for the change. There have been a series of high-profile arrests of foreigners in the south-east Asian nation, including cases linked to drugs and sex trafficking. Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said the government found the policy needed revising "to be more suitable for the current situation, both in terms of the economy and national security". Nationals who have enjoyed the 60-day exemption include those from Australia, China, France, Germany, India, Italy, Spain and the US. Many of those countries' citizens will have to apply for a visa for stays longer than 30 days, the Thai foreign ministry said, though some will have exemption periods shorter or longer than this based on reciprocal agreements with individual countries. The new visa system will come into effect 15 days after it appears in the Royal Gazette, where legal and regulatory notifications are published. The foreign ministry said it aimed to reduce instances of multiple visa exemptions applying to the same country "that confuse foreigners". Thailand is one of Asia's top holiday destinations, with tourism a key component of the nation's economy. It had nearly 40 million visitors in 2019, but this number fell dramatically during the pandemic and has only recovered in the past two years. Nearly 12 million people have already visited so far this year, official figures show. But a number of foreign nationals have been arrested for a range of crimes in recent months, including UK citizens accused of drug smuggling. But a number of foreign nationals have been arrested for a range of crimes in recent months, including In April, Thai police raided an unlicensed international school in the capital, Bangkok, and arrested 10 foreigners who had been employed there without work permits, local media reported at the time. Thailand relaxes afternoon alcohol ban to boost tourism Inside Munich Airport two police officers patrol the building, with the word POLIZEI on the back of their protective vests. They wear police hats, blue trousers, black shoes and black shirts with an equipment belt. To the left we see a hand wheeling a colourful suitcase with palm trees on. British woman charged with Thai cannabis smuggling The freight train collided with a bus in Bangkok, killing eight people and injuring dozens of others. The nagatitan is the largest dinosaur found in South-East Asia and weighs as much as nine elephants. Jo Ingram is on the mend after falling while pony trekking - deemed an "extreme sport". Jason McKelvie says Stirrups Hotel could see its annual rates rise by almost £150k over the next three years. Foreign visitors to Goa have nearly halved from their pre-Covid peak even as domestic tourism is booming. The government says the levy will help local businesses benefit "even more" from tourism. A £12m active travel route between Hawick and Selkirk would travel past the new holiday village. Visitors from France were up by 60% compared with the same period last year, new figures say.