Thailand Extends Visa-Free Entry for Indian Travelers, Boosts Tourism

Thailand has extended the visa-free entry policy for Indian travelers, allowing a stay of 60 days without a visa. The deadline for this policy was originally set to end on November 11, 2024. According to the Tourism Ministry of Thailand, Indian visitors can now stay in the country for 60 days without a visa and have the option to extend their stay for an additional 30 days. This new rule is aimed at promoting and increasing tourism in Thailand.

Previously, obtaining a Thai visa involved fees and documentation. However, the elimination of documentation requirements has led to a rise in the number of Indian tourists, with around 16.17 million Indian tourists visiting Thailand between January and mid-October this year. This has also resulted in increased bookings for spontaneous and weekend trips.

Thailand's visa-entry policy was introduced in November 2023 and has since attracted many Indian tourists. Even Malaysia introduced a visa-free policy for Indian travelers in December 2023, resulting in Malaysia climbing from the eighth to the fourth rank in most searched places by Indian tourists in the first six months of this year.

Countries like Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, and Vietnam witnessed around 70 million tourists last year. With this tourism boost, Prime Minister of Thailand, Srettha Thavisin, is planning an initiative for a Schengen-type visa for six countries in Southeast Asia. This move aims to promote seamless travel across these countries and increase tourist numbers.

Thailand recorded 28.4 million tourists from January 1 to October 27, marking a 29% rise from 2023, according to a report by Reuters. The government expects 36.7 million tourists this year, slightly less than the record 40 million tourists in 2019.

Aside from Thailand, Russia is also planning to give visa-free access by spring 2025 to increase the number of Indian tourists traveling to Russia, as reported by The Economic Times.