My three Thailand trips from 2019, 2022, 2024 — and now the 2026 visa change
I've been to Thailand three times: 2019 with the old VOA, 2022 with the e-Visa, 2024 with the 60-day visa-exempt rule. On 21 May 2026 the exemption was reverted to 30 days — same free stamp, half the duration. Here's what changed.
Three trips, three visa regimes, three different countries. I've been to Thailand in 2019, 2022, and 2024 — and the visa rules changed every single time. The May 19 2026 cabinet decision adds a fourth rule set. Here's how each trip went and what Indians should actually do today.
Trip 1: October 2019. Bangkok and Phuket. 7 days. ₹42,000 total.
Visa: Visa-on-Arrival sticker, 2,000 THB (≈₹4,800 in 2019). Paid in cash at the airport. 30-minute queue. 15-day stay limit on VoA. Forms filled in front of the immigration officer.
Bangkok hit me like a truck — humid, neon, motorcycle taxis weaving through 4 lanes of traffic, the smell of grilled meat from every corner. Stayed in Khaosan Road area, ₹400/night dorm. Did the usual — Grand Palace (₹1,200), Wat Pho (₹600), Chatuchak market (free), a ladyboy show (regret), Thai massage on a side street (₹400).
Phuket via overnight bus from Bangkok (12 hours, ₹1,200). Stayed in Patong — Patong is a mistake, Karon or Kamala is the move. Did a James Bond island tour (₹2,500), one snorkel trip, a lot of beach.
What 2019-me overpaid for: airport taxi (₹1,500 vs Grab ₹400), the ladyboy show, an organised Phi Phi day trip when I should have done the public ferry.
Trip 2: December 2022. Chiang Mai and Pai. 8 days. ₹52,000 total.
Visa: e-Visa online, 2,000 THB equivalent paid by card, processing 5 days. The sticker was replaced by a QR code. Faster at immigration (10 minutes).
Chiang Mai is everything Bangkok isn't — quiet, walkable, mountains, temples without crowds, ₹300 night markets. Stayed in the Old City, walking distance to everything. Did the Doi Suthep temple (sunrise, ₹400 songthaew), Wat Phra Singh, the Sunday Walking Street.
The Chiang Mai-Pai road: 762 curves in 130 km. I took the minivan (₹600, 3 hours). Sat in front to fight motion sickness. Pai itself is a hippie backpacker town in a valley surrounded by mountains. Hot springs, waterfalls, an absurd density of cafes, the Pai Canyon at sunset. Stayed 3 nights at a bamboo bungalow for ₹500/night.
What 2022-me did right: rented a scooter in Chiang Mai for ₹250/day (with International Driving Permit this time), used Grab for everything in Bangkok, ate exclusively at street stalls.
Trip 3: August 2024. Krabi and Koh Lanta. 6 days. ₹68,000 total.
Visa: 60-day visa-exempt rule (active July 2024 for Indians). Walked up to immigration, got a 60-day stamp, no application, no fee. This was the easiest immigration experience I've ever had. I stayed 6 days — could have stayed 60.
Krabi for 2 nights (Ao Nang beach, ₹2,500/night hotel), then ferry to Koh Lanta for 4 nights (south Lanta, ₹3,200/night). Koh Lanta in August is shoulder-monsoon — half-empty beaches, occasional thunderstorms, accommodation 30% cheaper than peak. Did the Mu Ko Lanta National Park southern tip (lighthouse hike, monkeys, the cleanest beach I've seen in SE Asia).
What 2024-me got right: skipped Phuket entirely, picked Koh Lanta over Phi Phi (Phi Phi is overrun, Lanta is half-asleep), used the 60-day stamp to be flexible on departure date.
The May 2026 change: on 19 May 2026 the Thai Cabinet decided to revert the 60-day visa-exemption back to 30 days, effective 21 May 2026. The stamp is still FREE — only the duration shortened. The Thailand Digital Arrival Card (TDAC) is mandatory online within 72h of arrival (free). For 31+ day stays, paid e-Visa (~INR 3,000 single-entry) or the DTV digital-nomad visa (180 days per entry, multi-entry).
What this means in practice: - Spontaneous Thailand weekends still work — TDAC takes 5 minutes online, free. - 30-day stays still cost ₹0 in visa fees. - 31+ day stays now need either the paid e-Visa (~INR 3,000) or the DTV. - Border-run cycling no longer works as a reliable workaround.
Total spends compared (same purchasing power, adjusted to 2026 INR): - 2019: ₹42,000 → ₹52,000 in 2026 money - 2022: ₹52,000 → ₹58,000 - 2024: ₹68,000 → ₹72,000 - 2026 (projected, 7-day trip): ₹75,000 (no visa fee for 30-day stays)
What's better in 2026: hostels have professionalised (private dorms, fast wifi, working AC), Grab covers every city, Klook handles activity bookings, eSIMs killed the airport SIM hustle.
What's worse in 2026: the 60→30 day cut means long backpacker hubs are harder, Phuket is unrecognisable from 2019 (overdeveloped, expensive), Koh Phi Phi is full of TikTok day-trippers, and the Thai baht is stronger so the rupee buys less.
My ranking after three trips: Chiang Mai (2022) > Krabi/Lanta (2024) > Bangkok/Phuket (2019). The further you get from the standard tourist trail, the better Thailand gets. The 30-day window is enough for most trips; only digital-nomad-style stays need the new e-Visa or DTV.
Plan a Thailand trip in Architect. See Thailand 30-day reversion post, Extending Thailand visa from India 2026, the Thailand destination guide, and the best month to visit Thailand from India.