Thailand has reopened its borders, and if you’ve been planning to travel to Thailand in the next coming months, we have good news. Travellers from more than 50 countries can now visit Thailand 45 days on a ‘visa on arrival’.
Previously, travellers from 64 countries (including the Germany and Switserland) were eligible for 30-day visas on arrival in Thailand. Since October 1, however, that visa has been extended with 2 weeks, meaning that you can stay in the Kingdom for 45 days without the need to purchase a visa.
The idea behind the plan is to kickstart Thailand’s tourist industry. Having exceeded one million monthly arrivals in July for the first time in two-and-a-half years, the Thai government wants to attract 10 million more travellers by the end of 2022.
In order to do that, it is offering many tourists even more time to spend trekking through Thailand’s countryside, chilling out on the white sandy beaches or exploring the dive sites.
If the 45 days are coming to end and you wish to stay in Thailand longer, it’s possible to apply for an extension of stay at a local immigration office for 1,900 Baht. So, without the need to buy a tourist visa, you can stay in Thailand for 75 days!
The main downside is that the visa extension is only temporary. Having started on October 1, 2022, it is scheduled to end on March 31, 2023. So if you’re planning that trip, make sure you get it booked in soon and travel to Thailand before the end of March!
Check out a full list of the countries included in in the 45-day visa scheme on the official Thai embassy website.