PATTAYA, Thailand – Russia’s ambassador to Thailand says Moscow understands Bangkok’s decision to cancel the temporary 60-day visa-free entry scheme for more than 90 countries and return to previous bilateral agreements, confirming that Russian tourists will still be entitled to 30 days visa-free under the original Russia-Thailand arrangement. The comments came after Thailand’s Cabinet approved a rollback of the extended visa exemption policy introduced after the COVID-19 pandemic to boost tourism. Under the revised system, each country will return to its original visa arrangement with Thailand, while the government also moves toward a stricter “one country, one visa privilege” policy.
Speaking to MGR Online, Russian Ambassador H.E. Evgeny Tomikhin said the change should not be viewed as a completely new rule, noting that the previous 60-day and 90-day exemptions were unilateral measures introduced by Thailand to stimulate tourism recovery. “We explained to Russian authorities and Russian citizens that this is not a new rule,” Tomikhin said. “The original bilateral agreement between Russia and Thailand has always allowed 30 days visa-free, and that agreement remains in force.”
Russia was Thailand’s fourth-largest source of foreign tourists last year, with nearly 1.9 million Russian arrivals in 2025. During the first four months of 2026 alone, more than 863,000 Russians visited Thailand, placing Russia third among all international visitor markets. Tomikhin acknowledged that some concern and dissatisfaction among long-term Russian residents in Thailand was inevitable, especially among those who had become accustomed to longer stays and visa extension mechanisms during recent years. “Sooner or later, we expect letters or messages from the Russian community in Thailand,” he said. “But this should not necessarily be seen as complaints. These are the rules that all foreigners living here must follow.”
The ambassador also expressed hope that Thailand and Russia could continue discussing additional flexibility in special situations, especially involving illness or emergencies. “Life is more complicated than regulations,” Tomikhin said. “If someone is hospitalized and unable to leave the country immediately, I hope there will be flexible tools available to help in such cases.” His remarks came shortly after a phone discussion between Thai Foreign Minister Sihasak Phuangketkeow and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, where the protection of Russian citizens living in Thailand was reportedly among the issues discussed. (Photo and story from MGR Online, May 20)
