With Thailand’s temporary visa-free scheme for Indian tourists having lapsed on 30 May, the Indian Embassy in Bangkok has published an 11-point advisory reminding travellers of tighter entry checks. Key take-aways: every adult must carry at least THB 20,000 (≈ ₹57,400) in cash when using Visa on Arrival; a confirmed return ticket and hotel booking are mandatory; and the Thailand Digital Arrival Card (TDAC) must be completed online within 72 hours of arrival, generating a QR-code for immigration. The advisory, tweeted on 2 July and amplified by Indian media on 3 July, also warns job-seekers not to abuse tourist status and urges transit passengers to carry visas for onward destinations. Thai immigration officers have stepped-up spot checks at Suvarnabhumi and Phuket airports after several cases of incompletely documented Indian passengers caused queue backlogs in June. For Indian corporates the cash-in-hand rule is the biggest operational hurdle: employees travelling on short notice for meetings or MICE events must be briefed to withdraw Thai baht before boarding or risk secondary inspection and potential refusal. Travel managers should update duty-of-care checklists to include TDAC submission screenshots and proof of funds. Tour operators expect some softening of demand now that visa-free entry is gone and living-cost proof is enforced, although Thailand remains one of the few short-haul markets with daily wide-body capacity from Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru. Longer-term, stakeholders anticipate a return to e-visa facilitation rather than outright waivers.
Source: NDTV Travel
