Will I be refused entry to Thailand if I visit 5 times a year for 23 days each time under the new visa rules?

Well ive been 4 times last year between 16/ 19 nts had no problems when I filled in TDAC online And through immigration

Too much problem . However to to maximize your chances, have a copy of your hotel reservation showing a limited stay, and you return airline ticket. And be very polite to immigration officer.

Last year they changed a lot of the rules, but the number one rule is that it is all subjective in the opinion of the immigration officer. So be very polite and cooperative and you will probably have no problem. If you become at all secretive, uncooperative, or confrontational, you chancds of success go way down

It could be a problem...

5 times a year 23 days non continuously is fine. They are not after people like you.

If you don't do border runs and you are a genuine tourist you got nothing to worry

Why ? Most countries get 60 days on arrival

No as ur not doing boarder runs and not staying full length of ur visa entry, plus well under 183 days

I doubt it

If you want to be sure just pay the visa from the thai embassy in your home country and you will know before coming just apply online

No but you should think about going someplace else and they might get you on taxes

This is Thailand no set rules depends what mood the officer is in.. No argument.. Just pass or refusal and you cannot challenge it.. Had some mates refused.. Had a few let in

Yes

From November 2025, visa-free entry to Thailand (visa exemption) is limited to a maximum of 2 times per calendar year, regardless of whether you travel via land borders, sea or air. Typically, 60 days of stay are granted per entry. The previous practice of repeated "visa runs" to extend stay has been significantly tightened to prevent abuse.

5 times a year? Rookie numbers my guy

Eventually they are going to bust your ass.

215 days not bad

That’s not a holiday. That’s a residency.

Sooner or later you'll be questioned about why your visits are so frequent without applying for a more appropriate visa. I'm curious to why you spend 115 days here so you'll flag immigration at some point.

No. If you are a legitimate tourist you will be fine. They may ask for some extra details that's all.

From what I understand, you should be good, you’re not maxing out your stay, you’re not going for a Visa extension. Sounds like you’re maybe an offshore worker who comes and enjoys his three weeks off in Thailand. If your max of your time out each one, I think you would have issues but it sounds like you’re within the Visa free period.

The current Thai immigration framework is highly discretionary. The officer at the desk has broad authority, and if they believe you are violating the intent of the law—namely, using visa-exempt entry to live in Thailand long-term—you can be denied entry on the spot.

This clashes with how most Westerners think about law.

In Western legal systems, laws are typically nailed down with specific criteria so guilt or compliance can be clearly proven in court. The downside is that people learn to game the rules while technically staying “legal,” even if they violate the spirit of the law.

Many Asian legal systems take the opposite approach: broader laws, higher discretion, fewer court proceedings for low-level matters. The focus is on intent, behavior patterns, and administrative judgment—not courtroom precision. That difference is difficult for many Westerners to grasp, but it’s real.

Importantly, the immigration law itself has not changed. What has changed is enforcement.

Thai authorities observed a growing number of foreigners effectively living in Thailand by chaining together visa-exempt stays. The recent enforcement push is meant to stop that behavior.

How this plays out in practice:

- If you arrive with a history of multiple 90-day visa-exempt stays, especially back-to-back, expect heavy scrutiny and a real risk of denial.

-If you arrive with a pattern of short trips (for example, three or four two-week visits per year), plus an onward ticket and limited accommodation bookings, you’re far less likely to be flagged.

Before anyone jumps in swinging: I’m not defending this system. I’m explaining how it works.

If Thai authorities genuinely want to reduce confusion and misinformation, the obvious solution is simple: publish clear guidelines on what is and isn’t acceptable, and reduce the amount of guesswork placed on travelers.

For example:

If a person enters visa-exempt twice and stays the full duration both times, can they be denied on a third attempt?

The practical answer appears to be yes.

Which means much of what’s being called “misinformation” isn’t actually false—it’s just not cautiously phrased.

When the left hand doesn’t know what the right hand is doing, confusion is inevitable.

Very Thai.

Jesus how much are you spending on air tickets 🙄🙄🙄🥴

Lot of answers are not correct. Don't post if you don't know the correct answer.

No

freind works for immigration,everything has tightened up , it really depends on how you present and what way the immigration officer shift goes, if not too many are presenting that day you have a good chance of continuing,if you present and all is above board, if you dont raise any sort of eyebrows . If however there's a big infux of similar travelers pushing their luck then there's a good possibility you'll be refused. It's a numbers game , hope to land on a quiet day towards the end of shift change , no one wants the paperwork of a refusal close to shift change.

But if your pushing your luck I think some folk are going back home this time round.

Blame those who have been abusing the system , most folk are here legitimately some are cutting it tight, and the piss takers are ruining ot for the guenuine traveler.

Listen up if your here several times a year , just apply for the correct visa .

No.

No because you wouldn’t be getting any extensions so nothing to worry about

That was last year

They make it up as they go along !

Friend of mine got stopped at the the airport from Germany.

Told him your going back no explanation!

Held him for 1 hour then told him ok you can stay.

He missed his connecting flight to changmai.

Last year only 1 visit .

No explanation whatsoever .good luck 🤞

You say ypu come 5 times a year and you don’t know the visa rules ????? There are non new visa rules the visa rules are manny years here allready . The only difference is now you need to follow up the rules because they strikt !!! So thd answer is clear you never wac allowed to cross the border 5 times a year with a toerist stamp . So yu want to do it again . ? Forget it theh not let you In

You be ok our kid.. they can see you are a visitor by the passport record.

Yes... maybe

Get a tourist visa every time you come and you should be golden. And its not new laws they are just finally enforcing them.

That’s almost a third of a year. That’s a bit much for a tourist I would think or ask the IO next time you come.

Yes

Have you been doing wrong? Breaking laws, overstay, working… If not then you will be ok.

Not if you fly into Thailand

Probably not as long as you are out for several weeks between entries.

Most tourists don’t come and go 6 times a year like I do that’s the problem and after discussing this at immigration with the last official that let me through he wouldn’t recommend it get a more appropriate visa then your not going to have problems

If you have never done an overstay or an extension and total less than 150 days, you should never be flagged.

I am the same i got questioned as long as you have a valid return ticket to your home country you shpuld be fine

Do your homework

Last year was last year. Rules were tightened up in Nov. 25. 157 days in a 12 month period is a pretty good guide. For longer periods correct visas need to be paid for. No more border runs.

It doesn't look like your trying to live in Thailand without a suitable visa... So IMHO you'll be absolutely fine.

You’ll be fine.

I hope so.

I think so

This is my best interpretation of how immigration considers a persons entry..

Last year I entered 6 times. In December I applied for my first 30 day extension- at the time of applying I would have been in Thailand for 180 days. The extension would have taken me to 200 days for the year 2025. Some people would say I live there. Upon entering immigration at phuket they checked my documents and told me I can have 7 days. I followed thru the process, they handed me back the passport and to my surprise they granted the 30 days instead. How is this possible?!!…

I spoke to a Thai friend who gave me some clarity. Thai immigration are watching your behaviour, the expressions on your face, if you look a little worried- they can tell. For most people who’s living situation depends on those extensions, immigration know from your body language weather your a tourist or making a life there.

For me it didn’t matter if I was granted or not so I was relaxed and I think they saw that hence why they gave me a 30 day extension after 6 entries and 180 days already in the country. That is my best interpretation…

Could you be asked about your financial position on arrival

It all depends on how you present and to an extent how the IO you front feels about investigating deeper at that time. The bottom line they’re looking to ascertain is are you a genuine tourist.

So I would say another indicator that might cause scrutiny and rejection is your address registrations. Are they the same every time, or are they not made at all very much. As that would indicate you either own or rent property long term and would likely raise a “not a tourist” red flag.

If not commented on or questioned for the third iteration, would be quite surprised.

They have just announced : that news is a fake news. 😎

Thai Immigration now require you to have the correct long term visa if you wish to stay long term in The Kingdom. They are not trying to stop genuine tourists having as many holidays as they wish so if your travel history shows that you are a genuine tourist you should not have any issues.

Only person who cn decide is the immigration officer you see 😁😁

No

Tell them u indian and tight arse

Hi guys just from my experience I made 6 entries visa exempt last year my last one in December after the changes

I’ve always returned home to Australia never stayed longer than a month at a time

I’d seen many sad stories of people being refused entry prior to my last trip with lesser entries

The lady I had at immigration was very thorough and let me in but did say it could have been a different story with a different immigration officer

She advised me to obtain a proper visa if I’m to continue coming often as I have been

Your playing Russian roulette visa exempt at the moment if you come frequently

I’ve applied for a DTV

It’s not a great feeling travelling and hoping you get let in I wouldn’t risk it again visa exempt

This is Thailand common sense of you history and good track record does not apply with domestic immigration officials

no issues don’t worry

There are NO NEW RULES OR LAWS the laws are just being enforced

Pretty sure you'll be ok

You won’t have a problem if you come by plane and the time is separate a bit

No

Shouldn’t

Yes

John So while Visa Exempt entries allow up to 60 days in Thailand, without considering any extensions of them, the 'average' tourist spends 7-14 days in the country. That's the average, so visiting five times, each 23 days, you're not close to the 60 days allowed in Visa Exempt, but if you consider that allowing you in its up to the Immigration Officer that you stand before at Arrivals, you might meet some that have a stricter view of what is a tourist. If that happens anywhere from your third to fifth visit within a one year period, you could be refused entry. The many reports that have been mentioned in groups like this, are that some people (if they're being honest) are being turned away when they fully expected to get in. Others have no problem, it's completely random. Probably should ask yourself 'can I afford to waste hundreds of dollars or more on Airfares to try and spend that long there?'

No problem at all its the border runners who are finally being stopped (at last) not people like you who just like to holiday here.

Spam

Visa info online Thai Emb.

Do you need ticket out or can you get one way ?

Best to spent more time in other nearby country like Vietnam, Cambodia, Loa , Phillipines, where more tourist friendly , better exchange rate , and better attitude by public ! . I had a 90 day single entry tourist Visa approved in Australia by Thai Embassy Canberra, and was changed to 60 day stay only on entry I had 8,000A$ cash own accommodation and outward air flight in 88 days . Immigration refused to listen to me . Female Muslim avoid them .

I hope so

Depends on immigration officers mood

There were new extension rules from a few months back but not sure how many times you can come in per year on 30 day exemptions

No absolutely no reason to get turned away

LAND OF THE LAZY PEOPLE?

5 times a year?

No problem if you go back home in between those periods

Mr. Dusit might refuse it!

No

Yes

No

Maybe.

All depends on the IO you get

What new visa rules??

No clarity so who knows?why dont they just make a clear rule then let us follow it?i guess because they like no clarity better,if forced i may like vietnam better

No. You are using your mode of entry exactly as intended. Tourism.

The systematic “gaming” of the system regarding extensions and border runs by “Cheap Charlie’s”is under very close scrutiny. Best they go get a retirement visa.

It’s a crap shoot. Good luck.

No because your leaving before your exit date every time 🤷‍♂️ your doing any extension & not even staying the maximum that you can

No, last year I entered 5 times for 60 days each and on 2nd January they stopped me, asked me what I did for work, my purpose of travel and checked I had a flight home and let me in. I will do the same this year too.

Just live there mate

Yes but can’t go over 180 days in a total year 👍

There are no new rules but there is increased scrutiny. Nobody can really say for sure.

I know. But sadly it’s true

😭😭😭😭

You shouldn’t but you still might, good luck anyway. Applying for tourist visas is safer.

No

No not at all, you are not their target

There are no new "visa rules" and there is no new law.

There is no “reset” when a new calendar year begins.

There is no limit of two visa-exemptions within a 1-year period, and definitely not within a calendar. This is simply not true.

What has changed, mandated from above, is the strict scrutinizing of your number of visa-exempt entries and the thorough check on "visa runners" (actually they meant to say "back-to-back border runners").The new approach taken by border officials is intended to ensure that the option to do a "visa run" is not abused.

Now as far as regarding extensions on visa-exempt entries, it does appear that the Immigration offices are indeed only issuing 7-day extensions if you already got one previous 30-day extension on any visa exempt entry

It is totally up to the discretion of the immigration officer you are in front of when you apply for the extension and they will tell you if you can get the 30-days extension, or if you only get the 7-days extension.

Fact is right now it is totally subjective and up to the officer you are standing in front of when you go to stamp into the country, for them to decide if you're a "real tourist" or if they think you're milking the visa exempt entry program.

There is just no clear directive as far as what's what, however from a few interviews with Immigration top officers, a few basic patterns have crystallized.

Some people with a 30-days extension already on a previous visa exempt entry reported getting another 30-days extension without any issue, however some have reported they only got a 7-days extension issued. Thus, your experience might vary.

60 + 30 + 60 + 7 = a maximum of 157 days per year... and it seems this is regardless of whether you arrived by air or across a land border (some say that for a land border visa-exempt entry, you cannot get any extension at all)

Visa-exempt entries themselves are not limited, even though some believe that unlimited visa-free entries are possible by air. This is simply not true.

Visa-exempt entries are not limited to two entries per calendar year. It is totally irrelevant if you enter via a land border or by air.

This is a misconception, and some agents and lawyers spread this information to make profit from panicked people.

Many agents and Immigration Volunteers (!!) are warning you should not believe those alleged news telling you that visa-exempt entries are limited to two per calendar year. It simply is not true.

In the past visa-exempt entries were limited to two across land borders, this old rule got discontinued on July 15th, 2024.

On the paper, visa-exempt entries by air or across land and sea were “unlimited” after this date. LET ME EXPLAIN: this wording “unlimited” is not a fixed rule of Immigration – THEY decide when your “personal limit” is up, not any text printed on the websites of Thai embassies or posted by barstool experts on Facebook.

On a few conditions, but always at the individual discretion of the border official, multiple visa-exempt entries are possible - like four, five or even more times, if you do not milk the system.

In this case the entry history in your passport and your profile on Immigration’s Central Computer must prove that your stays were short-term holidays (like only 2-4 weeks), and the total annual stay is not exceeding 157 days (some will say not exceed 180 days, some will say 150 days – it remains unclear)

There should be several weeks (or months) abroad between each visa-exempt stay.

Your best proof that you are not milking the visa-free system is when you can show that you returned to your home country between each visa-exempt stay, or stayed abroad for a long time. Plus - when you show an onward travel proof

ATTENTION: an “onwardticket” can be scolded upon by Immigration and you can be accused of showing a faked ticket, denied entry and being forced to buy a ticket back to your origin.

The new approach was to prohibit "visa runs," where you only entered a neighboring country briefly and then immediately re-entered.

You must be able to prove the planned short stay at the immigration counter—for example, with proof of onward travel or a return journey, such as a flight ticket.

It seems that a border official would consider you being a "genuine" tourist based on such short holiday trips within a year.

In this case, they expect to see on their Central Computer that you never extended the 60-days visa-exempt stay permit – i.e. maximized – any of these short trips.

The 7-day extension is a REAL extension. It is not the same as the stamp "application for extension denied, you have 7 days to leave the Kingdom" even if for some people it looks like the “7-days grace period”.

I have already seen the stamp of a 7-days extension, it takes up half of a passport page.

What is crystal-clear, is that "per year" is defined as "per one-year period”.

Some people still say they meant “calendar year” however, this doesn’t make any sense, and we have received many confirmations after January 1, that nothing “resets in a new calendar year”. The count will be for a full one-year period

Not if you have a long term multiple entry Visa

Yes

Yes you need to ask for tourist visas multi entry

No new visa rules. Still same if you look at visa options on the Thai embassy website. Exempt entries with no visa still 60 days. No change there either. Required proofs of accomodation, 20k tbt equivalent, and ticket out they can ask for, thats still the same.

Most probably the stupid new rules are a joke a lot depends on the immigration officer on the day if he dose not get laid the night before who knows what he will do

Best way is get a fake Indian passport black up and you can stay in Thailand as long as you want you can even sleep on the beach have fight s with lady boys and buy a bottle of beer and 5 strays and hold hands with other Indian s and walk in the middle of the road

😭😭😭

What passport? Do you have a return flight? If mainstream tourist, you should have no problem if you're not on any list

If you are there only 23 days each visit and don't get any visa extensions with breaks between visits then I don't see a problem if you are compiling with all the usual rules of available cash funds and return or exit ticket out of Thailand each time..

There are of course no garrentees that you won't be questioned since that would look like more regular visits than a typical tourist would normally do by the time you reach your 5th vist in the year..

And its always at the discretion of the Immigration officer you are dealing with on the day..

It will be interesting to see how you go..

The only thing for certain is that everything will be fine until it's not..

I was Thailand 4 times last year here now no problems

I know people doing similar and they had problems. Apply for visa in advance and no issue.

Yes

Mixed Bag Baby

Five trips per year staying around 23 days each means roughly 115 days total, with clear breaks outside Thailand. That still looks like normal tourism, not long term residence or tourist visa/exempt abuse. There is no rule limiting entries to a fixed number per year, and nothing “resets” or blocks you just because of frequency alone, and there’s no new rules for visa or visa exempt. What immigration looks at is the overall pattern. Short stays, time spent outside Thailand, and returns to your country of domicile are all positive factors. As always, entry is discretionary, so you should have an onward ticket, accommodation details, and sufficient funds ready, but based on what you describe, refusal would be unlikely.

According to this article, you shouldn't have any problems:

/17/thai-ministry-warns-of-fake-news-on-visa-free-entry-rules/?fbclid=IwdGRleAPb-NBleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZAo2NjI4NTY4Mzc5AAEeYPPlLRrYyowehc2_37S0nlR2Ig3N1yX12zCAngP1WnSGfpi49jIwaSu4LB0_aem_oQCi5JZGIgZjCuMaJVJRww

I would say you are very welcome, you arrive, you contribute, you play by the rules, any you're obviously sensible because you're asking this question...it's the know-it-alls that come unstuck.

I would be confident you would have no problem when they can see your past history that you go and come for 23 days. They know there's people that work like this. It's the ones that come for 60 days and extend by and 30 and keep trying to do it they have a problem with. You're clearly a tourist that works rotas and come to Thailand on your time off.

No you shouldn’t be. It’s those who extend their stay repeatedly and who are quite obviously living here who are being targeted.