Thailand visa-free stay for Indians reduced from 60 to 30 days 

Thailand visa free stay for Indians has been reduced from sixty days to thirty days. Thailand visa free stay will take effect on September 15  2026.Indian passport holders will continue to qualify for visa-free entry for tourism, but the maximum permitted stay will be shorter under the revised rules. 

The change follows a notification published in Thailand’s Royal Gazette on August 31. The updated system covers 60 countries and territories, replacing the earlier 60-day exemption arrangement introduced in 2024. India remains on the list of countries eligible for visa-free tourist entry. 

Under the revised Thailand visa-free rules for Indian tourists, travellers entering Thailand from September 15 can stay for up to 30 days without obtaining a visa. Those planning longer visits will need to apply for the appropriate Thai e-Visa before travelling. 

Indian travellers who enter Thailand before September 15 will continue under the existing 60-day arrangement. People already in Thailand when the new rules take effect will also not have their permitted stay automatically reduced. Their existing permission will remain valid until its stated expiry date. 

The Thailand visa-free stay for Indians is being shortened as part of a wider overhaul of the country’s visa exemption system. Thai authorities have cited factors including national security, international reciprocity, economic and tourism interests, overlapping visa privileges and the integration of the e-Visa system. 

The revised Thailand tourist visa rules 2026 also introduce restrictions on land border entries. Visa exempt travellers will be allowed to enter through land-border checkpoints only twice in a calendar year. Repeated border crossings to reset the permitted stay will no longer be allowed under the revised arrangement. 

The changes affect tourists planning trips around the September 15 transition date. Travellers visiting Thailand for more than 30 days after that date will need to consider the appropriate visa option before departure. 

The Thailand visa-free stay for Indians remains available despite the reduction in permitted duration. The main change is the length of stay, rather than the removal of India from Thailand’s visa-exemption list. The updated Thailand tourist visa rules 2026 therefore require Indian travellers to check their planned travel dates and intended length of stay before making arrangements.