The Cabinet acknowledged economic stimulus visa measures. The Foreign Ministry has proposed reviewing the "60-day visa exemption" rule after discovering foreigners exploiting it to work illegally, impacting national security.
On 10 Feb 2026 GMT+7, Ms. Airin Panrit, Deputy Spokesperson for the Prime Minister's Office, stated that the Cabinet acknowledged the report on visa measures and policies to promote tourism and stimulate Thailand's economy, as proposed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Although these measures facilitate tourists effectively, the Ministry reported significant problems and obstacles, especially concerning the enforcement of the 60-day visa exemption (PE60), which has negatively affected the country's security and image in certain aspects.
The report indicated that since implementing visa exemptions for 93 countries and territories from 15 Jul 2024 GMT+7, a key problem has emerged: some foreigners misuse this privilege by posing as tourists to engage in illegal work or use Thailand as a transit point to commit crimes in neighboring countries. This has directly impacted the economy and national security. To urgently address this, the Prime Minister has signed an order appointing a new visa policy committee to review the measures. The Foreign Ministry plans to submit data on PE60 issues and other loopholes to this committee for prompt solutions.
Ms. Airin further updated on other completed measures reported to the Cabinet, including short-term initiatives such as announcing the list of 93 countries/territories granted the 60-day visa exemption, granting Visa on Arrival (VoA) rights in the first phase to 31 countries, launching the Destination Thailand Visa (DTV) for remote workers (Workcation), and improving student visas (Non-Immigrant ED Plus) to allow study and work opportunities in Thailand.
Regarding medium-term measures, the visa code structure for temporary residents (Non-Immigrant) was reformed to reduce complexity from 17 codes to 7, effective since 31 Aug 2025 GMT+7. The e-Visa system was expanded to cover all 94 Thai embassies and consulates worldwide from 1 Jan 2025 GMT+7 to facilitate visa applicants without in-person embassy visits. For long-term measures, the Immigration Bureau developed the Thailand Digital Arrival Card (TDAC), replacing the previous ETA system, which has been operational since 1 May 2025 GMT+7.
Additionally, ongoing measures include considering expanding the list of countries eligible for the second phase of VoA and revising long-stay visa criteria to attract potential elderly foreigners to retire in Thailand. The government believes these measures will be crucial mechanisms to sustainably stimulate the country's economic and tourism growth.