Thailand News

Thailand is moving forward with two separate proposals to tax travelers. A 450-baht tourist arrival tax is approaching government review, while the Finance Ministry is seeking public feedback on a proposed 1,000-baht departure tax. Neither measure has been approved, but together they could add 1,450 baht to the cost of visiting Thailand by air.

After several months of testing, Thailand’s Immigration Bureau has officially launched the THIM application. Already downloaded more than 600,000 times, the app provides access to the TDAC digital arrival card and is expected to gradually bring together several immigration services, including stay extensions, 90-day reporting and Visa on Arrival.

Thailand has opened its automated immigration gates at Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport to arriving travelers from 33 nationalities, including those from the UK, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. However, four conditions currently need to be met to use the eGates.

Since September 15, 2026, US, UK, Canadian and Australian travelers, along with nationals of 56 other countries and territories, are now limited to 30 days of visa-free entry for tourism in Thailand. Several official Thai sources now confirm that this period can be extended by up to another 30 days through immigration, potentially allowing travelers to stay for as long as 60 days without a visa.

Starting tomorrow, September 15, 2026, Thailand will end its 60-day visa exemption scheme. For US, UK, Australian and Canadian citizens, visa-free stays will be reduced to 30 days and limited to tourism. The reform also changes the list of visa-exempt nationalities, sharply reduces eligibility for Visa on Arrival, and will require nationals of 21 countries to obtain a visa before traveling.

Thailand’s upcoming visa exemption reform will have major consequences for travelers from 21 countries. Starting September 15, 2026, they will no longer be able to enter the kingdom visa-free. For tourism purposes, travelers will notably be able to apply online through Thai e-Visa system.

Just days before Thailand’s revised visa exemption rules take effect, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has published an official infographic outlining the new entry arrangements for ordinary passport holders starting September 15, 2026.

Thailand has officially published the regulations ending its 60-day visa exemption scheme. Starting September 15, 2026, nationals of 60 countries and territories, including the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada and Australia, will be allowed to stay visa-free for up to 30 days. Citizens of two countries will receive a 15-day visa exemption, while three nationalities will remain eligible for a Visa on Arrival.

The measures ending Thailand’s current 60-day visa exemption have now been signed. An Interior Ministry letter dated August 27 confirms that the texts have been forwarded for publication in the Royal Gazette. Under the new framework, nationals of 60 countries and territories, including the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom and Australia, will be eligible for 30 days of visa-free entry.

A new regulation governing the deportation of foreign nationals takes effect in Thailand on August 28, 2026. The measure notably targets individuals who violate Thai law or whose behavior is deemed to threaten public order.

Thailand is moving ahead with its proposed tourist fee for foreign visitors, with authorities now considering a flat rate of 450 baht per person. The scheme, which could potentially use the Thailand Digital Arrival Card (TDAC) as part of the collection process, must still go through public consultation and several approval stages before it can take effect.

Starting October 16, 2026, security personnel at Thai airports will be allowed to open and inspect certain checked bags without the passenger being present. The procedure will only be used when screening detects a suspicious item, and each inspection must be video recorded.

Announced in spring 2026 and further clarified in July, Thailand’s overhaul of its visa exemption rules has still not taken effect. Nationals of 93 countries and territories can currently continue to stay visa-free for up to 60 days, while the country is also moving ahead with the digital modernization of its entry procedures through the TDAC and the upcoming THIM app.

Thailand is reminding foreign visitors that they may be asked to show proof of sufficient financial means when passing through immigration.

Thailand is testing the THIM mobile app, presented as a future digital gateway for immigration services. But one question keeps coming up among travelers: does this app replace the TDAC? At this stage, the answer is no. THIM is an optional, complementary channel, while the Thailand Digital Arrival Card remains the mandatory arrival requirement.