A tourist looks at elephant pants at a stall outside the Grand Palace in Bangkok on May 20, 2026. (AFP Photo)
Thailand's government has warned that "problematic" tourists could face deportation as new rules on removing foreigners convicted of illegal activities came into effect on Aug. 28.
The changes come amid growing scrutiny of the behavior of visitors to the Southeast Asian country, whose beaches and culture attract tens of millions of tourists each year.
"Problematic foreign tourists or workers who break the law must leave," Tourism Minister Surasak Phancharoenworakul said in a social media post late on Aug. 27.
His comments came ahead of the implementation of new rules on how foreigners could be deported from Thailand after being convicted and serving sentences for certain crimes.
These include overstaying a visa, working or operating a business unlawfully, using or making forged documents, or any other offense that carries a prison sentence of more than five years.
The measures, approved by Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul's government in July, are intended to "safeguard Thailand's cultural values", officials said.
Previously, deportation cases were largely considered on a case-by-case basis.
"Thailand has a policy of welcoming foreigners to travel, work and conduct business. However, it has been found that some foreigners have not acted in accordance with the law," read the new regulation published in the kingdom's Royal Gazette.
Surasak said the rules were intended to deal with "low-quality foreigners" who disrupt public order.
In May, Thailand announced it was halving the time that tourists from most countries could visit without a visa from 60 to 30 days.
The move came after a series of high-profile arrests of foreigners for drug offenses, sex trafficking and unlawfully operating businesses such as hotels and schools.
Since then, a number of incidents have provoked public debate.
In July, Italy's embassy apologized after a video of a group of Italian students being loud and rude on a Bangkok train went viral.
In May, authorities deported a Spanish and a Peruvian national after the couple were caught having sex in public, an act that can constitute a public indecency offense under Thai law.
However, experts warn the country needs to balance tighter oversight with its reliance on tourism, which accounts for 13 percent of GDP.
Thailand expects about 33.5 million foreign tourists in 2026, up from nearly 33 million visitors in 2025, the government has said.
The country has attracted 18 million foreign tourists since the beginning of the year, but arrivals were down three percent from the same period last year, according to the latest figures.
