Phuket Businesses Support End of Thailand’s 60-Day Visa-Free Stay Policy

Private sector leaders in Phuket have backed the Thai government’s decision to end the 60-day visa-free stay policy for tourists from 93 countries and return to country-specific rules that generally allow stays of about 30 days.

The Thai Cabinet approved the change, which will restore the previous visa regulations for visitors from more than 90 countries on a timetable that has not yet been identified.

Phumikit Raktaengam, president of the Sustainable Tourism Development Foundation, said the Cabinet’s resolution followed months of consultation with tourism operators. He said the existing 30-day stay period was already appropriate, while investors and businesspeople still had access to proper visa channels.

Raktaengam said the policy could reduce tourist numbers in Phuket, especially from the Middle East and India, but described the likely impact as manageable. He said arrivals from India and Kazakhstan could decline, while long-haul markets such as Australia remained stable because of advance bookings.

Small business operators in Phuket expressed mixed views but largely supported the move. Many said they saw it as a way to attract higher-spending visitors and reduce the number of long-stay travelers who contribute less economically.

They also pointed to the need to curb illegal employment and nominee businesses that they said undermine local enterprises, as well as to prevent Thailand from being used as a safe haven for criminal groups.

Private sector representatives said Phuket could see a slight downturn compared with last year in the short term, but argued that better visitor quality and stronger regulatory oversight would bring longer-term benefits.