Thailand Tightens Deportation Rules for Problematic Tourists

Thailand is tightening its deportation rules, targeting tourists who break the law.

Tourism Minister Surasak Phancharoenworakul said "Problematic foreign tourists or workers who break the law must leave" in a social‑media post, announcing new rules that will allow authorities to deport foreigners convicted of certain offenses.

The rules, approved by Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul's government in July, cover overstaying a visa, working or running a business illegally, using forged documents, or any crime that carries a prison sentence of more than five years.

Officials say the measures aim to safeguard Thailand's cultural values and to deal with what they call "low‑quality foreigners" who disturb public order, after several high‑profile cases such as loud Italian students on a train and a Spanish‑Peruvian couple caught having sex in public.

Tourism provides about 13 % of Thailand’s GDP, and the country expects roughly 33.5 million foreign visitors in 2026, so the government says it must balance stricter enforcement with the sector’s economic role.

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