Thailand 60-day visa-free for Indian passport — what nobody tells you
Thailand's 60-day visa-free rule is the easiest cross-border policy in SE Asia. What immigration actually checks, how to push to 90 days, the border-run lies.
Thailand removed visa entirely for Indian passports in 2024 — 60 days per entry, multi-entry within a 6-month window, no application. Most articles call it 'the easiest visa in SE Asia' and stop there. There are nuances worth knowing.
At immigration, the officer needs three things: passport (≥6 months validity from entry), proof of onward travel within 60 days, and ₹15,000 cash equivalent (rarely checked; have a screenshot of your bank balance ready as backup).
Onward ticket is the one most travellers fail on. AirAsia and IndiGo refuse boarding for one-way tickets unless you can show onward. A throwaway ₹600 bus ticket from 12Go Asia (Bangkok to Phnom Penh) satisfies airline staff. Don't buy a refundable flight just for this.
Extension to 90 days is possible at any Immigration Bureau in Thailand for ₹4,800. Walk in with passport, 2 photos, and a hotel address. Get it done by day 30 of your stay; queue is shorter Tuesday/Wednesday mornings.
Border runs are myth. Old advice said 'exit to Laos for the day, come back for another 60.' That doesn't work anymore — Thailand caps land-border entries at 2 per calendar year for tourists. If you want longer than 90 days, apply for a Tourist Visa from Mumbai/Delhi (₹3,500, 60-day stay, 1-month extendable).
For a Vietnam plan from Chennai or Thailand+Bali combo, open the architect.