Thailand launches visa-run crackdown, closer scrutiny of visa extensions
Thailand has launched a visa-run crackdown targeting foreigners who repeatedly enter the country on visa-free stays, tightening checks on travellers suspected of using the system to work illegally or engage in cybercrime and other offences.
At a meeting held at 8.30am on Wednesday, Immigration Bureau commanders nationwide were instructed to increase scrutiny of foreign nationals whose repeated in-and-out travel under the visa-exemption scheme is considered inconsistent with ordinary tourism.
Pol Maj Gen Cherngron Rimphidi, Deputy Commissioner-General and Immigration Bureau spokesperson, said the bureau had been tasked with stopping foreigners from disguising themselves as tourists to conduct activities linked to crime, particularly cybercrime, money laundering and human exploitation.
The package of measures centres on four areas: screening repeat visa-free entries, blocking travellers flagged on watch lists in high-risk border regions, tightening visa extensions inside Thailand and stepping up overstay enforcement. Officials say the visa-run crackdown is designed to prevent abuse of the system while ensuring genuine tourists can continue to enter the country.
Stricter checks on repeated visa-free entries
The Immigration Bureau is tightening checks on travellers who frequently use visa-exemption entry and exit in a pattern characteristic of visa runs, without returning to their home country. Officials say such behaviour does not align with normal tourism.
Some foreigners have been found using visa-exemption stays of up to 90 days per entry and then re-entering several times a year. Immigration officers say certain groups use this loophole to work or run businesses that require the correct visa type, making monitoring more difficult.
All immigration checkpoints at airports and land borders have now been instructed to strictly control such movements. Travellers who have used visa-run privileges more than twice without a valid explanation may be denied entry and told to obtain an appropriate visa that reflects their purpose of stay.
Since the start of 2025, about 2,900 foreign nationals have been refused entry at airports for behaviour consistent with visa runs.
High-risk travellers blocked at scam-linked borders
Immigration officers have also been told to block foreign nationals whose names appear on watch lists in border districts of neighbouring countries known for online scam operations, including Mae Sot in Tak province.
These individuals are considered high-risk, either as suspected offenders or as potential victims being drawn into criminal networks. The Immigration Bureau says it sees no grounds for such travellers to re-enter Thailand once they have been flagged.
Foreigners previously deported via the Mae Sot–Myawaddy crossing will also be denied re-entry, with no exceptions.
Tougher extensions and nationwide checks on overstayers
Provincial immigration offices have been ordered to tighten the process for temporary visa extensions, particularly for individuals whose travel patterns suggest visa-run behaviour.
If such behaviour is detected, the extension will be refused or revoked, and the person will face deportation.
Immigration Division units nationwide have also been instructed to intensify efforts to locate and remove overstaying foreigners, with results to be publicly reported.
Pol Maj Gen Cherngron said the measures may cause some delays at airport immigration during peak periods, but screening should not exceed 45 seconds per person, with queue times kept under 40 minutes. Checkpoints will be fully staffed to support the increased workload.
Thai nationals can continue using the automatic passport control lanes, which take around 20 seconds.
The spokesperson said the tougher screening is intended to protect Thailand from criminal activity and will help ensure the country welcomes visitors who follow the rules and contribute positively to the economy.