Indian travellers will continue to enjoy visa-free entry to Thailand, the Thai government confirmed on Tuesday.
The announcement follows concerns that a proposal to end visa-free entry for Indian nationals had contributed to a decline in tourist arrivals. Although the proposal was never implemented, it created uncertainty among travellers and affected visitor numbers.
India remains one of Thailand's largest tourism source markets, alongside China and Malaysia.
However, the maximum duration of visa-free stays for Indian visitors has now been reduced from 60 days to 30 days.
Thailand's Tourism Minister, Surasak Phancharoenworakul, said the revised policy aligns more closely with the travel habits of Indian tourists while continuing to support the country's tourism sector.
"If problems arise from this measure in the future, the government can review it then," Surasak was quoted as saying by Bloomberg.
In May, Thailand's cabinet approved a proposal to reduce the number of visa-exempt countries from 93 to 54 and limit visa-free stays to 30 days for eligible visitors. Although the proposal had not been implemented at the time, the government has now confirmed that Indian citizens, along with visitors from Croatia, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Malta and the Maldives, will continue to receive 30-day visa-free entry.
The changes are part of the government's broader efforts under Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul to prevent misuse of Thailand's visa-free programme by foreign nationals engaged in illegal activities. The policy also addresses concerns raised by local businesses, particularly in major tourist destinations, about visitors working without authorisation or violating the conditions of their stay.
Tourism continues to be a key driver of Thailand's economy.
Thailand's tourism sector was also in the spotlight after a massive fire at a pub in Bangkok on July 12 claimed at least 27 lives and left several others injured.
