Summary

Thailand is cracking down on visa runs, a popular method used by expats to stay in the country without obtaining a proper long-term visa by repeatedly entering and exiting through neighboring countries. As of November 2025, immigration officers now have broad discretion to deny entry to individuals they believe are misusing the visa exemption system, with no clear official guidelines on what constitutes excessive entries. The consequences can be severe, with one example shared of an expat being banned from Thailand for five years after repeatedly doing visa runs for 18 months. Expats are now advised to seek legitimate long-term visa options to avoid potential entry restrictions and multi-year bans.