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.