The story
Thailand’s 60-day visa exemption ended on 15 September 2026. For tourism, the revised scheme gives eligible passports up to 30 days, while separate bilateral agreements can allow longer stays. Ordinary-passport holders from Brazil, the Republic of Korea and Peru have identified 90-day agreements. Your passport and entry arrangement determine which period applies, according to the Tourism Authority of Thailand and Royal Thai Embassy in Wellington.
Checked: 25 October 2026.
Who gets 30 days, and who gets something different?
The post-Gazette TAT guidance lists 60 countries and territories eligible for tourism stays of up to 30 days. Examples include Japan, Indonesia, India, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Taiwan. These examples are not the complete eligibility list: check the official passport roster before choosing your trip dates.
Seychelles and Mauritius fall under the revised 15-day tourism exemption. Azerbaijan, Belarus and Serbia fall under Visa on Arrival, a separate category that should not be confused with visa exemption. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs briefing says this review concerns the tourism exemption and Visa on Arrival framework; other visa categories are unaffected by that review.
Which passports can still get 90 days?
Separate agreements remain relevant. The Wellington embassy guidance identifies 90-day ordinary-passport agreements for Brazil, the Republic of Korea and Peru, alongside 30-day arrangements for Vietnam and Hong Kong SAR. TAT describes separate bilateral and related arrangements with periods of 90, 30 or 14 days, depending on the agreement.
Those named 90-day passports are verified examples, not a complete inventory of every bilateral entitlement. A traveler relying on an agreement should confirm its application with the Thai embassy or consulate responsible for their passport. A headline saying everyone now gets 30 days would miss this distinction.
AI-generated conceptual illustration of Thai temple-inspired roof details; not a photograph of an identified attraction.
Can you turn a 30-day stay into 60 days?
You may request an extension of up to 30 additional days under the 30-day scheme, but approval rests solely with the immigration officer, says the Royal Thai Embassy in Washington. The possibility of an extension does not restore the former 60-day allowance at entry.
The practical tradeoff is flexibility versus certainty. An extension request may support a longer holiday, but an itinerary that depends on approval carries uncertainty. If your trip needs more than the initial allowance, establish the appropriate entry route before committing to dates. Do not treat a possible extension as an already secured stay.
What changes if you enter by land?
For the 30-day exemption, land-border immigration entry is generally limited to twice per calendar year. TAT names exceptions for nationals of Malaysia, Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia and Singapore, with provision for other minister-designated nationalities.
That statement belongs to the 30-day scheme. The reviewed guidance does not settle how the cap interacts with every separate bilateral agreement. If repeated land entries are central to your plans, confirm the rule for your actual arrangement rather than applying the general cap to every visa-free traveler.
What to check before booking
Match your passport, tourism purpose and intended stay to the current official category. Then check whether a separate agreement applies and whether your plans depend on an extension or repeated land entries.
The shorter standard window can complicate a longer holiday. The MFA’s stated reasons include security, reciprocity, tourism and economic interests, reducing overlapping privileges and the convenience of e-Visa. Those policy reasons do not change the traveler’s task: verify the allowance that applies to the passport and purpose of this trip.
Sources and evidence
The Thailand sources support this article. The remaining ledger entries record alternative-topic research and the publication-overlap check; they do not support Thailand entry claims.
TH1 — Tourism Authority of Thailand: revised exemption rules
TH2 — Thailand Ministry of Foreign Affairs: revised visa measures
TH3 — Royal Thai Embassy, Wellington: visa exemption
TH4 — Royal Thai Embassy, Washington: exemption and extension
TH5 — Royal Thai Government: earlier Cabinet announcement
PH1 — Philippine Ports Authority: ORAS and Undas forecast
PH2 — Philippine Information Agency: Balanacan walk-in passenger measures
PH3 — Philippine Information Agency: Balanacan queue preparations
PH4 — Philippine News Agency: Coast Guard Undas alert
WTN1 — World Trip News homepage