Thailand Land Border Entry: 30 Days, Two Entries a Year
A land checkpoint gives a visa-exempt tourist the same 30 days as an airport, but land-checkpoint entries are capped at two per calendar year. Nationals of Malaysia, Brunei, Indonesia and Singapore are outside the cap. Officers ask for accommodation and onward travel within 30 days, and the TDAC comes first.
On this page
A land checkpoint gives up to 30 days for tourism, the same stay as any other entry, but land-checkpoint entries are capped at two per calendar year. The rest of this guide covers who the cap spares, what officers ask, which passports need something else, and the checkpoints on the ministry list.
What a land checkpoint gives compared with the airport
A Ministry of Interior announcement gives listed nationals up to 30 days for tourism. A separate clause caps entries through land-border checkpoints at two per calendar year.
The old 60-day exemption is gone: a companion announcement repeals it. The new rules apply from 15 September 2026. A traveller who entered before that date keeps the stay granted at entry.
The exemption is for tourism only. Working without a work permit is not allowed. Immigration police at the checkpoint decide whether you enter and for how long.
The twice-a-year limit on land entries
Entry through a land-border checkpoint on the 30-day exemption is allowed no more than twice per calendar year.
ในกรณีที่เข้ามาทางช่องทางอนุญาตของด่านตรวจคนเข้าเมืองหรือด่านพรมแดนที่เป็นเขตติดต่อกับพรมแดนทางบก ให้เข้ามาในราชอาณาจักรได้ไม่เกินสองครั้งต่อปีปฏิทิน
Where entering via land-border checkpoints, entry is allowed not more than twice per calendar year.
Ministry of Interior announcement, Royal Gazette, 31 August 2026, clause 3
The cap spares some passports. The Gazette names nationals of Malaysia, Brunei, Indonesia and Singapore, and nationals of other countries the minister designates.
| Passport | Land-checkpoint exemption entries per calendar year |
|---|---|
| Most of the 60 listed countries | 2 entries |
| Malaysia, Brunei, Indonesia, Singapore | No cap of 2 entries |
Embassy pages word the cap more widely. One covers land or sea checkpoints, and another says twice within a calendar year. If you plan several trips, count a ferry arrival as one of your two entries.
Travellers who plan more than two visits a year, or a purpose other than tourism, are strongly advised to apply for a visa. Visa routes are compared in Thailand visa types, and the multi-year option for remote workers is the DTV.
What officers ask at a land checkpoint
Officers ask for these items on arrival:
- Proof of accommodation.
- Proof of onward travel scheduled within 30 days of arrival.
- Proof of funds of THB 20,000 per person, at the officer’s discretion, or an interview.
- Cash of THB 20,000 per person or THB 40,000 per family.
The TDAC comes before the checkpoint. All non-Thai nationals entering by air, land or sea complete it online within 3 days before arrival. Details are in the TDAC guide.
The entry stamp shows the last date you may stay. Check that date before you leave the checkpoint. The exemption does not cover holders of a Travel Document for Aliens issued by the listed countries.
Visa on arrival and other passports at a land checkpoint
Visa on arrival is limited to Azerbaijan, Belarus and Serbia. It gives up to 15 days for tourism and costs THB 2,000, cash only. Applicants show living expenses of THB 10,000 per person or THB 20,000 per family.
A visa on arrival generally cannot be extended, except when illness prevents travel. The full rules are in the visa on arrival guide.
| Scheme | Stay per visit |
|---|---|
| 30-day list, 60 countries and territories | 30 days |
| Visa on arrival, 3 countries | 15 days |
| Cambodia and Myanmar bilateral exemption | 14 days |
| Argentina, Brazil, Chile, South Korea, Peru | 90 days |
Myanmar is exempt for arrival at international airports only. Nine more countries and territories have a bilateral exemption.
Travellers who need a visa apply through the Thailand e-Visa system at thaievisa.go.th and wait for approval before travelling. The embassy advice is to apply well in advance, with 14 business days allowed.
Land checkpoints on the ministry list
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs list of checkpoints that issue visa on arrival or tourist visa exemption is dated 26 January 2011. These land checkpoints appear on it.
| Checkpoint | Province |
|---|---|
| Nong Khai | Nong Khai |
| Mukdahan | Mukdahan |
| Chieng Khong | Chiang Rai |
| Mae Sai | Chiang Rai |
| Tak | Tak |
| Aranyaprathet | Sa Kaeo |
| Sadao | Songkhla |
| Padang Besar | Songkhla |
| Betong | Yala |
| Sungai Kolok | Narathiwat |
Cambodian crossings
In June 2025 each border checkpoint with Cambodia got its own measures. The measures ran from limits on crossings and shorter crossing hours to closing individual checkpoints. Regular crossings for trade, education and medical services stayed open.
Border runs, extensions and overstay
A visa-exempt visitor can request an extension of up to 30 days. Apply before the permitted stay ends. The Bureau fee is THB 1,900. The steps are in extend your visa exemption.
The overstay fine is THB 500 per day, up to THB 20,000 for overstays of 40 days or longer.
| Overstay case | Outcome |
|---|---|
| Fine paid before departure | No ban on the next visit |
| Stay of more than 90 days past the end date | A ban applies |
| Arrested after up to 1 year overstay | A ban applies |
More on fines and bans is in Thailand overstay fines.
Step by step
- Check your passport on the exemption listNationals of 60 countries and territories get up to 30 days for tourism from 15 September 2026.
- Count your land entries this calendar yearLand-checkpoint entries on the exemption are allowed no more than twice per calendar year, except for Malaysia, Brunei, Indonesia and Singapore passports.
- File the TDACComplete it online within 3 days before arrival, for entry by air, land or sea.
- Carry the documents officers ask forProof of accommodation and onward travel within 30 days, and cash of THB 20,000 per person or THB 40,000 per family.
- Check the stamp before you leave the checkpointThe stamp shows the last date you may stay.
Not confirmed: Whether any Cambodian land crossing is open to tourists now: the latest official text is the ministry briefing of 8 June 2025. Ask the Royal Thai Embassy in Phnom Penh. The ministry list gives provinces, not opening hours or neighbouring countries. Whether a sea arrival counts toward the land cap is open: the Gazette clause names land checkpoints.
Common questions
How many times can you enter Thailand by land without a visa?
Entry through land-border checkpoints on the 30-day exemption is allowed no more than twice per calendar year. Nationals of Malaysia, Brunei, Indonesia and Singapore are outside that cap.
Is the long exemption stay still available at a land border?
The 60-day exemption was repealed by a companion Gazette announcement. Listed nationals get up to 30 days for tourism from 15 September 2026.
Do you need the TDAC at a land border?
All non-Thai nationals entering by air, land or sea complete the TDAC online within 3 days before arrival. It is free of charge and not a visa.
How much money do you need to show at a land border?
Cash of THB 20,000 per person or THB 40,000 per family is the stated minimum for the tourist exemption. Officers may also ask for proof of funds of THB 20,000 per person.
Can Cambodian or Myanmar passport holders cross visa-free by land?
The 14-day exemption lists Cambodia and Myanmar, with Myanmar limited to arrival at international airports. Other travellers who need a visa apply on thaievisa.go.th, with 14 business days allowed.
Can you extend a stay that started at a land checkpoint?
A visa-exempt visitor can request an extension of up to 30 days, applied for before the permitted stay ends. The fee is THB 1,900.
What is the fine for overstaying after a border crossing?
The overstay fine is THB 500 per day, up to THB 20,000 for 40 days or longer. Paying the fine before departure avoids a ban on the next visit.
Read next
General information checked against the sources listed above, not legal advice for your situation. Rules and office practice change; confirm with the immigration office or a licensed adviser before you act. See how guides are checked.
Spotted an error? Report it.