Thailand cut its visa-exempt tourist stay from 60 days to 30 this year, and added a Digital Arrival Card on top. If you have been getting by on tourist stamps and border runs, that plan just got a lot less comfortable.
It is easy to miss this if you already hold a DTV or another long-term option, but plenty of people still island-hop on 30 or 60 day stamps and figure it out later. That runway just got shorter, and border runs every month are expensive and tiring in a way that quietly eats into the "cheap cost of living" pitch that draws people to Thailand in the first place.
The upside is that the alternatives have genuinely improved. The Destination Thailand Visa now runs up to five years, which is a real option for freelancers and remote employees who can show proof of income or a client contract. Vietnam, Malaysia, and the Philippines have all rolled out or expanded their own nomad visa programs this year too, so Thailand is no longer the only game in the region, and it is having to compete on more than sunshine.
Our members in Phuket ask about this constantly, usually right after they have done the maths on a third border run in six months. The honest answer is that a proper visa costs more upfront than winging it on tourist stamps, but it costs less in flights, stress, and lost work days over a year.
If you are still on tourist stamps and planning to stay past a few months, this is the year to sort out something more durable. The rules are not getting looser.
This is general information, not immigration advice. Check requirements with a licensed agent or the Thai embassy before you commit to a plan.