Thailand is reviewing its entry rules for foreign tourists. On May 19, 2026, the country's government approved changes to the visa exemption and Visa on Arrival regimes, which effectively cancel the previously introduced 60-day visa-free model for 93 countries and territories. For travelers, this means a return to stricter entry conditions and a more careful check of current rules before traveling.
The main practical conclusion is simple: for short vacations, the changes may be almost unnoticeable, but for those who planned a longer stay without obtaining a visa, the situation becomes less predictable. Some tourists will likely have to adjust the length of their trip or prepare other documents in advance.
What Exactly the Thai Government Decided
According to official information, the government approved several changes at once. First, the 60-day visa-free regime for all 93 countries and territories will be canceled. Second, the 30-day visa-free scheme for tourist trips will be reviewed, and the number of countries in it will be reduced from 57 to 54. Third, the authority is introducing a new 15-day visa-free scheme for three countries and territories. Separately, Visa on Arrival is being reviewed: the list of countries whose citizens can use this mechanism is being reduced from 31 to 4.
At the same time, the official announcement does not yet contain the full new list of countries in each category. Therefore, tourists should rely not only on the general news, but also on further clarifications from consular and migration authorities before booking their trip.
Why Thailand is Returning to Stricter Rules
Local authorities explain the review by the fact that the previous scheme needed to be adapted to the current situation. According to data cited by Thai media and officials, the vast majority of foreign tourists stay in the country for less than 30 days, so the 60-day regime was not critically important for the mass leisure flow. At the same time, in public statements, the authorities emphasize issues of control, security, and the expediency of current benefits.
For the tourism market, this is a signal that Thailand is increasingly precisely tuning its entry policy for specific categories of travelers, rather than trying to maintain the widest possible simplified access for all. This may primarily affect snowbirds, the digital nomad audience, and those who combine vacation with a longer stay in the country.
What This Means for Tourists Now
p>While the new rules are moving into practical application, travelers should check the conditions specifically for their citizenship. This is especially true for those planning a trip longer than two to three weeks, a trip with a possible extension of stay, or a trip with multiple entries.
For Ukrainian tourists and other foreigners, the key will not be the general headline about the cancellation of 60 days, but the final configuration of the lists: who will remain in the 30-day regime, who will be moved to the 15-day format, and who will have to rely on other entry mechanisms. These details will determine how noticeable the changes will be in practice.
Thus, the news is important primarily because Thailand is returning from a maximally liberal model to a more selective system of tourist admission. For the market, this does not necessarily mean a sharp drop in demand, but for the travelers themselves, it means one thing: before booking tickets and hotels, entry rules must now be checked particularly carefully.