BRITS can now visit a popular bucket list holiday destination for two months at a time, without needing a visa.
Previously, visitors to Thailand from the UK could only enter for 30 days at a time, twice a year, with the option of extending one of those stays for another 30 days once in the country.
However, Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) has since changed the rules, and visitors from 93 countries are now able to enter for 60 days at a time, without the need for a visa, including Brits.
This is for any visitor staying for tourism purposes, or short-term business engagements.
Again, that can also be extended at an Immigration Office for another period of 30 days, if needed.
Tourism is hugely important for the Thai economy, but the BBC reports that it has not fully recovered from the pandemic.
As many as 17.5 million foreign tourists visited the country in the first six months of 2024, 35 per cent more than in the same period last year.
But those numbers aren’t as high as pre-pandemic levels, when close to 40 million people would head to the country every year.
Similarly, tourism revenue during that period was around the 858bn Thai baht (£18.3bn) mark, less than a quarter of the government’s targets.
TAT hope that the new visa-free rules, which started on July 15 this year, will increase those numbers and boost the economy once again.
The South East Asian nation is also making it easier for people to work there, with five-year visas made available for remote workers, or “digital nomads”.
Those visitors can now stay in the country for up to 180 days each year for the duration of their visa.
Hotel fees have recently been reduced to try and make accommodation cheaper in the country too.
Just last month, TAT extended a waiver on hoteliers’ operating fees for another two years, cutting back on costs that would otherwise have been passed onto tourists.
A proposed tourism fee for anyone flying into the country was also scrapped.
That’s not to say Thailand is an expensive place to visit, with plenty of younger tourists choosing to head there for its cheap cost of living, as well as its amazing scenery and thriving nightlife.
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A beer in Thailand can be bought for around 40Thb (89p) while accommodation in its capital Bangkok is similarly affordable.
A night for two can be booked from as little as £7, while luxury five-star properties will set back visitors around £82 per night.
Return flights this winter can be secured for around £430.
By that time, one of its most popular attractions will be open once again and available to visit.
Maya Bay in Phi Phi Islands is among the most famous beaches in Thailand, thanks in no small part to Leonardo DiCaprio.
The bay is where scenes were filmed for the 2000 Danny Boyle film The Beach, based on a novel by Alex Garland, in which DiCaprio’s character Richard joins a hidden community of travellers with catastrophic consequences.
However, from August 1 until September 30, Maya Bay will be closed off from visitors to allow natural resources and ecosystems to recover.
Nation Thailand explained: “It’s also intended to ensure tourist safety during the rainy season when sea conditions are rough, especially at the Loh Samah Bay pier, which is crucial for boat access to Maya Bay.”
Meanwhile, the new travel rules for Brits heading to Europe have been delayed once again this year.
And Brits have been warned about likely disruption at some destinations this summer because of new rules.
