Bangkok: The Immigration Bureau has unveiled a set of four measures aimed at curbing the practice of free visa runs, a tactic often associated with grey businesses. Pol. Maj. Gen. Cherngron Rimphidee, spokesperson for the Immigration Bureau (IB), announced that these measures will enhance and intensify the screening process for individuals who frequently exploit free visas to enter and exit the country without returning to their home countries. These individuals typically use their visa exemptions to stay in Thailand for up to 90 days at a time, allowing for multiple entries and exits throughout the year. Immigration officers across all checkpoints, including airports and borders, have been instructed to enforce strict controls over the entry and exit of such foreigners. Those who cannot provide a legitimate reason for their repeated visa runs will be denied entry.
According to Thai News Agency, since the beginning of 2025, the Immigration Bureau has denied entry to over 2,900 foreigners exhibiting similar behaviors at airports. The agency has ramped up its efforts to clamp down on foreigners with watchlist records in border areas, which are often hotspots for scammers, such as Mae Sot in Tak Province. Immigration Bureaus in inner-city areas have also been directed to tighten the process for granting temporary extensions of stay for those who partake in visa-run activities and then seek extensions. If foreigners are discovered to be engaging in such practices, their visas will be denied or revoked, potentially leading to deportation. All divisions of the Immigration Bureau have been tasked with targeting foreigners who overstay, with the aim of delivering tangible results. The outcomes of these operations will be made available to the public.