Mr. Tee Lawyer

01/09/2026

Thailand Reduces Visa-Free Stay from 60 to 30 Days

Thailand has reduced the maximum visa-free stay for foreign visitors from 60 days to 30 days.

* The new measure was published in the Royal Gazette on 31 August 2026.
* It will take effect 15 days after publication, meaning approximately 15 September 2026.
* Nationals of countries eligible for Thailand’s Visa Exemption scheme will generally be permitted to stay for up to 30 days per entry, instead of the previous 60 days.
* The change does not necessarily mean that foreigners cannot extend their stay. Those wishing to remain longer will need to apply for an appropriate extension or visa, subject to the applicable immigration rules.
* Certain countries, including Seychelles and Mauritius, have different arrangements and may receive a shorter visa-free period of 15 days.

Practical impact

This change is particularly relevant to foreigners who plan to stay in Thailand for several weeks for purposes such as property purchases, contract signing, property transfers, company matters, or other legal/business transactions.

They should carefully plan their immigration status and ensure that their permitted period of stay covers the time required to complete their transactions.

28/07/2026

Please note that 28–30 July 2026 are public holidays in Thailand. These holidays are for His Majesty King Rama X's Birthday and the important Buddhist holidays of Asalha Bucha Day and Buddhist Lent Day.

During these days, all government offices will be closed, including the Land Office, Immigration Office, and Municipality Office.

20/05/2026

Thailand has decided to end the 60-day visa-free stay scheme
The system will likely return to a 30-day visa exemption
However, final details and exact effective date have not yet been announced
What Will Change
The previous 60-day visa-free stay (introduced after COVID-19) will be cancelled
Immigration rules will revert to the earlier system used before the 60-day policy
The change applies to all 93 countries currently under the scheme

2. Planned Framework
30-day visa exemption
Reduced from 57 countries to 54 countries
Some countries will be removed (not yet officially named)
15-day visa exemption
Introduced for certain nationalities
Visa on Arrival (VOA)
Simplified system
Reduced from 31 countries to 4 countries in this category
Bilateral agreements remain unchanged
Some countries still have special arrangements (14, 30, or 90-day stays depending on agreements)

3.All tourists entering Thailand under visa-free or visa-on-arrival schemes
Visitors already in Thailand will keep their current permitted stay until it expires

Concerns over foreigners using long stays to run businesses improperly
Security and immigration control issues
Overlapping visa schemes causing confusion
Need to review and simplify the overall visa system
📊 Tourism Context
Foreign arrivals (recent data): 12.9 million, down 3.3% year-on-year
Last year: 33 million arrivals (down 7%)
Forecast for this year: around 32 million
🧭 Important Note
The policy is approved but not fully implemented yet
Countries affected and exact dates will be officially confirmed later by Thai authorities
💡 In Simple Terms

Thailand is tightening and simplifying its visa-free entry rules, reducing the 60-day stay back to shorter periods, mainly 30 days or less, with some additional restrictions depending on nationality.

Source MFA

16/05/2026

Koh Samui New Road

Feasibility Study and Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Report Preparation Project for the West–East Road Network Connection on Koh Samui
Koh Samui, has its main transportation route as the Ring Road around the island (Highway No. 4169), which is approximately 50 km in length. At present, one of the major issues is the inconvenience of traveling between towns on the island.
Due to long travel distances and various geographical obstacles, travel times are considerably lengthy. As tourism is the primary industry of Koh Samui, the island’s tourism sector has been unable to fully develop because the transportation system is not yet sufficiently comprehensive or well connected. Furthermore, in emergency situations requiring travel to government centers on Koh Samui, such as medical emergencies requiring immediate access to hospitals, transportation cannot always be carried out promptly.

The Ministry of Transport assigned the Department of Rural Roads to conduct a feasibility study for the development of the rural highway network on Koh Samui. The study was completed in 2022. According to the study findings, the road connection linking Highway No. 4169 from the western side to the eastern side of the island (W–E Corridor) was identified as the highest-priority project under the Koh Samui rural highway network development plan.

The proposed route would provide several important benefits, including improving traffic flow and reducing congestion on the island’s main road network. The route would also connect the western ferry pier area to the airport on the eastern side of the island and serve as an important access route to key tourist attractions, such as Buddhadīpankara Meditation Center and Wat Saket.

Project Route Map – New Road Connecting the West and East Sides of Koh Samui
The project aims to establish a more efficient transportation network on the island, reduce traffic congestion, and provide additional travel route options. 🛣️🚘
Route: Taling Ngam – Bo Phut 🏝️

Project details:

Road type: 4-lane roadway
Project starting point: Area near Wat Saket
Project ending point: Area near Sheraton Samui Resort

Source: Around SURAT THANI Update

17/04/2026

The Order of the Central Partnership and Company Registration Office No. 1/2026 has been effective from 1 April 2026 onwards. This measure focuses on monitoring companies that undergo structural changes, particularly in cases where a “foreigner” becomes a shareholder, or where there is an amendment to the directors or their authority resulting in a foreigner having the power to sign or co-sign on behalf of the company.

In this regard, the director applying for registration is required to submit an investment confirmation letter, which must include the following key representations:

Confirmation of investment: All partners or shareholders have jointly made actual capital contributions and fully paid their investments.
Confirmation of transparency: There has been no assistance, support, or joint business operation with a foreigner in the form of a “nominee” arrangement.

Lawyer TEE

10/04/2026

The Department of Business Development (DBD) has introduced stricter measures to investigate high-risk businesses in order to prevent the use of Thai nominees by foreign investors. These measures have been effective since 1 April 2026 and aim to enhance transparency and fairness in business operations in Thailand.

The key focus is a serious crackdown on nominee arrangements. Authorities will intensify inspections of suspicious shareholding structures, and any irregularities may lead to strict legal action.

The measures include five main controls: expanding scrutiny of high-risk individuals (especially those whose financial status does not align with their shareholding), integrating financial data with other agencies, enforcing strict identity verification for directors and signatories, requiring in-person signing before lawyers or accountants to prevent proxy use, and reviewing individuals with a history of nominee involvement.

In addition, Thailand is moving toward a fully digital system. From 1 July 2026, paper-based corporate document requests will be discontinued and replaced by electronic systems. There is also a proposal to classify nominee arrangements as a predicate offense under anti-money laundering laws.

These changes will significantly impact business operators, particularly foreign investors and corporate service providers, who must strictly comply to avoid investigation and legal penalties.

05/04/2026

April 6, 2026 is a public holiday.
All government offices will be closed,
including Immigration, the Land Department, and municipalities.

25/03/2026

Financial institutions in Thailand will designate any cash withdrawal of 5 million baht or more in a single day as a high‑risk transaction from April 1, 2026, with customers required to provide clear explanations and supporting documents on the source and purpose of the funds.

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03/03/2026

3 March 2026 is Makha Bucha Day, an important Buddhist religious holiday and an official public holiday in Thailand.

On this day, the Immigration Office, the Land Office, and other government agencies will be closed and will resume operations on the following business day.

In addition, all shops are prohibited by law from selling alcoholic beverages on this day.

19/02/2026

https://www.khaosodenglish.com/news/2026/02/13/74-billion-baht-samui-sea-bridge-set-for-2029-400-billion-baht-economic-boost-forecast/

SURAT THANI — The Expressway Authority of Thailand (EXAT) has unveiled the final study results for the proposed 74-billion-baht Samui Expressway project, a 37.41-kilometer route linking the mainland to Koh Samui via a 22-kilometer sea bridge. EXAT Governor Surachet Laophulsuk on 13 Febuary chaired...