Thailand’s widely publicised plan to halve visa-exemption stays from 60 days to 30 for 93 nationalities—including India—has not yet taken legal effect, according to a detailed expatriate bulletin posted on 3 August. Cabinet approved the cutback in May, but the change must be published in the Royal Gazette and then wait 15 days before enforcement. With no gazette notice issued by 3 August, both new entrants and travellers already in the kingdom continue to enjoy the full 60-day visa-free allowance. For Indian tourists and location-independent professionals who frequently hop between Bangkok and Indian metros, the extra month can mean the difference between a single-trip ticket and an expensive visa run. Corporate travel planners, meanwhile, still have a buffer to schedule project teams and training rotations without the complexity of multiple-entry visas. The bulletin also notes that Thailand’s Immigration Bureau is soft-launching an all-in-one arrival app called THIM later this month, but the existing free online arrival card (TDAC) remains valid. Users are warned that several unofficial websites are charging fees for the TDAC form—a scam that has already ensnared some Indian first-time visitors. Bottom line: keep using the TDAC portal for now, monitor the Royal Gazette for the final visa-stay rule, and advise travellers that the 60-day window still applies to entries made today.
