Thailand has introduced new entry rules affecting travellers from several African countries.
Citizens of South Africa and Mauritius can still travel without a visa, but their permitted stays are now shorter.
Meanwhile, Moroccan travellers must obtain a visa before travelling to Thailand under the new system.
The changes took effect on September 15, according to Business Insider Africa.
South Africans keep visa-free access
South African passport holders remain eligible for visa-free travel to Thailand.
However, they can now stay for up to 30 days without a visa.
Previously, South Africans were covered by Thailand’s wider 60-day visa exemption programme.
Thailand has now replaced that system with new rules covering fewer nationalities.
Mauritius gets 15-day visa-free stays
Travellers from Mauritius also retain visa-free access.
However, the permitted stay is now 15 days.
Seychelles is also included in the 15-day visa-free arrangement. It was not part of the previous 60-day programme.
Moroccans now need a visa
The biggest change among the affected African countries applies to Morocco.
Moroccan passport holders previously benefited from Thailand’s 60-day visa-free scheme.
Under the new rules, however, they must obtain a visa before travelling to Thailand.
Morocco is among 21 countries whose citizens now require a visa before travelling.
Why did Thailand change its visa rules?
Thailand says the new system takes several factors into account.
These include national security, tourism, economic interests and reciprocal visa arrangements.
Officials also want to reduce overlapping visa privileges and make greater use of Thailand’s electronic visa system.
Thailand has also raised concerns about some foreign visitors misusing tourist stays for illegal employment and other activities.
However, the new rules affect travellers based on nationality and entry category rather than individual conduct.
Thailand remains a major tourism destination
The changes come as Thailand continues to attract millions of international visitors.
Bangkok received about 30.3 million international visitors in 2025, according to Euromonitor International figures cited by Business Insider Africa.
That placed Bangkok ahead of Hong Kong, London and Macau in the ranking cited by the report.
African travellers planning a trip to Thailand should therefore check the entry rules applying to their passport before travelling.