Brief

Thailand is revoking its 60-day visa exemption for 93 countries, effective May 19, to address issues like illegal activities and antisocial behavior by foreign visitors. This change will reduce the visa-free entry period to 30 days for citizens of 54 countries and introduce a 15-day exemption for three others. The previous 60-day waiver, implemented in 2024, aimed to revitalize the tourism sector post-Covid-19, but authorities found it did not significantly increase tourism revenue as most visitors stayed less than 30 days. AI

A cross-border crackdown on scams across 10 jurisdictions has uncovered US$752 million in losses, with Hong Kong bearing the largest financial impact. The operation, involving 3,200 officers from March 10 to May 7, targeted various fraud schemes including online shopping, employment, investment, and telephone scams. Authorities arrested 3,018 individuals in connection with 138,000 cases, with Hong Kong alone accounting for over 40% of the total losses. AI