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New rules apply to Britons visiting Thailand from September 15

British holidaymakers heading to Thailand will notice big changes to entry rules in less than a fortnight.

From September 15, the visa-exempt stay for UK and Irish passport holders will be slashed from 60 days to just 30, with the new framework covering 60 countries and territories.

The move effectively undoes a policy introduced in 2024, when Thailand doubled its visa-free allowance from 30 to 60 days and broadened eligibility to nationals of 93 countries.

That expansion had been designed to encourage longer visits as tourism recovered from the pandemic. The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) is now urging UK travel agents to alert customers before the deadline arrives.

Under the revised rules, any British or Irish visitor hoping to stay beyond 30 days will need to apply for permission to stay.

However, Thailand's tourism authority shared why it expects minimal disruption to Britons. TAT Director for the UK and Ireland, Worapa Angkhasirisap, said: "The changes will have little impact on most holidays, as British and Irish visitors typically travel to Thailand for two to three weeks."

Those with longer itineraries have been urged to contact the Royal Thai Embassy or Consulate ahead of departure to make sure they have the appropriate visas. The guidance applies equally to Republic of Ireland passport holders.

TRAVEL INSPIRATION

The 2024 expansion had been actively marketed to the travel trade as a commercial opportunity.

At the time, then-TAT director Sadudee Sangnil said: "Thailand is such a diverse country with so much to explore. The option to stay for up to three months provides an opportunity for visitors to travel at a more leisurely pace. It's also a great sales opportunity for agents, to sell longer trips filled with more experiences and tours."

That approach has now been revised. Thailand's new system operates on a "one country, one entitlement" basis, assigning country-specific allowances rather than blanket exemptions.

Authorities say the restructured framework is intended to streamline immigration processes while bolstering national security.

Travellers who arrive in Thailand before September 15 will still benefit from the existing 60-day exemption, with the option to request a further 30-day extension once in the country.

A new restriction also applies at land crossings: visitors entering overland will generally be permitted only two visa-exempt entries per calendar year, though some nationalities are excluded from this cap.

This comes as Thailand introduces an optional mobile application called THIM — the Thailand Immigration Management app. It lets passengers pre-fill their mandatory Thailand Digital Arrival Card by scanning passport details and can handle group registrations of up to 10 people. The app is not compulsory and does not create any additional entry requirement.