Thailand Cuts Visa-Free Stay for Indians to 30 Days — What Changed on September 15, 2026
Thailand shortened its visa-free stay for Indian travellers from 60 to 30 days, effective arrivals from September 15, 2026. Here's exactly what changed and what it means if you're flying to Bangkok or Phuket from Bangalore or Mumbai.
Thailand has tightened its visa-free entry for Indian passport holders. For arrivals on or before September 14, 2026, the older 60-day visa-free rule still applied. For arrivals from September 15, 2026 onward, the visa-free stay is capped at 30 days. Entry under the shorter window remains completely free — this is a length-of-stay change, not a new fee.
Why Thailand made the change
Thai authorities cited misuse of the long visa-free window — some travellers were reportedly using extended tourist entry to work informally or run unregistered business activity rather than travel. The 30-day exemption is aimed at closing that gap while keeping short-stay tourism friction-free.
What this means for a Bangkok or Phuket trip from Bangalore or Mumbai
For the large majority of leisure trips — a week to two weeks — nothing changes at all; you were never staying 60 days anyway. It matters specifically if you'd planned a longer stay, a multi-country Southeast Asia loop with Thailand as a long base, or an extension once you landed. For those cases, you'll now need to plan a formal extension or a tourist visa in advance rather than relying on the old default window.
Booking either route
Bangalore to Bangkok and Mumbai to Bangkok are both on Trripah's nightly-refreshed fare board, along with Phuket from Bangalore and Phuket from Mumbai — useful for comparing the two before you commit to a city.
Do Indians still need a visa for a short Thailand trip?
No — for stays up to 30 days from September 15, 2026, Indian passport holders can still enter Thailand visa-free. The change only affects stays longer than that.
What happens if I'm already planning a stay longer than 30 days?
You'll need to apply for a tourist visa in advance, or plan to formally extend your stay once in Thailand — the old 60-day default no longer applies to arrivals from September 15, 2026.
Sources: BTW Visas, Travel And Tour World.
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