The visa-free exemption for Malaysian visitors to Thailand has been extended from 30 days to 60 effective June 1. (Bernama pic)
PETALING JAYA: Malaysians are among those who are allowed to visit Thailand without visas for 60 days from today in a major move by Bangkok to boost tourism.
The previous visa-free period was 30 days.
Thailand government spokesman Chai Wacharonke said the cabinet has approved several visa facilitation measures to boost tourism, including visa exemptions, expanding the visa-on-arrival lists, and introducing a new visa category.
Effective today, he said, visitors from 93 countries, including Malaysia, may enter Thailand without visa requirements for stays of up to 60 days, up from the previous 57.
Additionally, the list of countries eligible for visa-on-arrival has increased to 31 from 19.
For digital nomads seeking long-term stays and remote work in Thailand, visa validity has been extended from 60 days to five years, with each stay up to 180 days.
Other measures include allowing foreign university students to stay for one year after graduation, and relaxing insurance requirements for long-stay foreign retirees, Bernama reported.
According to Thailand’s ministry of tourism and sports, the country has welcomed more than 14.32 million tourists as of last week, and aims to attract at least 35 million foreign arrivals this year.
