The Thai government has warned that “problematic” tourists could be expelled from the country, as new rules targeting foreigners convicted of illegal activities came into force on Friday.
“Problematic tourists or foreign workers who violate the law must leave”, wrote on Thursday evening on social media the Tourism Minister Surasak Phancharoenworakul.
New rules governing the expulsion of foreigners who have completed their sentences were published on Friday in the Royal Gazette, the Thai official journal. They cover offenses such as visa overstay, illegal work, fraudulent business operations, the use of forged documents, or offenses punishable by at least five years in prison.
Incivilities that Are Increasingly Exasperating the Authorities
“The Thailand has a policy of welcoming foreigners who wish to travel, work, or do business. However, it has been observed that some foreigners do not act in accordance with the law or the customs of our people”, the text states.
Approved in July by the government of Conservative Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, these measures aim to “preserve Thai cultural values”, according to authorities.
Thailand had already decided in May to reduce visa-free stays for tourists from more than 90 countries from 60 to 30 days, in the announced bid to fight crime after a string of incidents. Altercations with tuk-tuk drivers, wild two-wheeled roadrides, public sexual escapades or illegal exploitation of businesses: incidents involving foreigners have fed local media nearly every week. A Spanish man and a Peruvian woman were expelled in May after being caught engaging in public sexual activity.
Separately, a controversy recently erupted after the French manager of a small wildlife park on the island of Koh Samui refused entry to Israelis, amid death threats and antisemitic statements.
The repeated incivilities have fueled public debate and pushed authorities to harden their tone, even as the Southeast Asian kingdom remains economically heavily dependent on tourism, which accounts for more than 10% of its gross domestic product (GDP).
Thailand expects around 33.5 million foreign tourists in 2026, compared with nearly 33 million last year.
