Thailand to Deport Russians and Crack Down on Visa Runners

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Thai authorities are revising their visa policy in response to widespread abuses. Many foreigners reside in the country long-term as “tourists,” violating the kingdom’s immigration and labor rules. In 2025 alone, about 100 Russian citizens have been deported on these grounds.

Thailand’s Minister of Tourism and Sports, Attakorn Sirirattayakorn, stated that the government plans to review the duration of the visa-free stay program. The priority stems from frequent abuses by foreigners who use relaxed rules to effectively live in the country. Authorities are assessing the impact of the current policy, under which many nationals may remain in the kingdom visa-free for up to 60 days. Some visitors exploit these rules by exiting and re-entering the country to reset their permitted stay (“visa runs”).

Sirirattayakorn clarified that this is not a wholesale overhaul of visa rules but an adjustment of time limits and conditions for repeat entries. A specific “cool-off” period may be set before a traveler can return, requiring a new authorization. Officials are discussing an optimal solution to balance tourism growth with migration security.



Thailand had previously considered cutting visa-free stays. The initiative would have affected Russians, but authorities declined to implement it at the time. In June, the head of the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), Thapanee Kiatphaibool, told reporters that visa-free travel for Russian citizens would remain unchanged, and 60-day stays would continue to be available in 2025, noting that the existing rules have proven effective for the sector.

Recall that in 2024 the government approved visa-free stays of up to 60 days for tourists from 93 countries and territories. Russians are included on the list and rank fourth by arrivals. Up to 1.9 million visits by Russian citizens are expected in 2025 — a new record after 1.7 million in 2024.



The government stresses that new rules will target illegal work and other violations linked to long-term stays under the guise of tourism. The tighter enforcement of immigration rules is driven by a growing number of breaches by foreign nationals. According to the Russian Embassy, from January to October 2025 at least 100 Russians were deported from the kingdom — almost one and a half times more than in all of 2024.

Ilya Ilyin, head of the Embassy’s consular section, noted that most cases involve overstays or working without permits. Serious criminal offenses are rare, but administrative cases are rising. He emphasized that Thai immigration services are scrutinizing entry stamps and travel patterns more closely. Increasingly, Russians are denied entry on signs of so-called “visa runs,” where a person repeatedly crosses the border, effectively residing in the country as a tourist.

In October, large-scale raids were conducted across various regions targeting foreigners running businesses illegally or working without permits. On Phangan Island alone, 19 Russians were detained in a week; some face immigration-related charges. In Pattaya, a Russian citizen who had stayed over two years without a visa was arrested, and in Bangkok a Russian woman awaits deportation after leaving a child unattended in a hotel. Authorities underline that stricter controls are not aimed at any nationality but at systematic violations.