Thailand now gives Britons 30 days visa-free. Vietnam gives 45 and Malaysia 90. Is Thailand now the hardest of the three?

For years Thailand was the easy option in Southeast Asia: turn up, get a long visa-free stamp and sort the paperwork later. Since 15 September 2026 that is no longer the case. Most visa-exempt visitors now get 30 days, for tourism only. So how does that compare with the two neighbours many expats in Thailand fly to most often?

We compared the current rules for a full British citizen passport, using the UK Foreign Office's entry advice for each country alongside the Thai, Vietnamese and Malaysian governments' own notices. Rules differ by nationality, so if you hold another passport, read the note further down.

Thailand: 30 days, and tourism really means tourism

The Government Public Relations Department says the revised visa measures were published in the Royal Gazette on 31 August 2026. They scrapped the 60-day exemption and replaced it with a single scheme per country, with 30 days for tourism for the largest group of nationalities.

The UK Foreign Office spells out what that means in practice. Visa-exempt entry no longer covers business travel such as conferences or meetings. Entries over land borders are normally limited to two a calendar year, although that does not generally apply when you fly in. Frequent visitors may be asked for proof of onward travel, accommodation or funds, and the Foreign Office says British nationals have been refused entry for failing to provide it. Overstaying costs 500 baht a day, up to 20,000 baht.

Vietnam: 45 days, guaranteed until 2028

Vietnam's Ministry of Foreign Affairs lists the United Kingdom among 12 countries whose citizens get 45 days visa-free regardless of passport type or purpose, under a government resolution effective from 15 March 2025 to 14 March 2028. The others are Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Russia, Japan, South Korea, Denmark, Sweden, Norway and Finland.

If 45 days is not enough, the Foreign Office says you can apply for an e-visa allowing a 90-day stay with multiple entries. Vietnam also encourages, but does not yet require, an online arrival card for arrivals at Tan Son Nhat in Ho Chi Minh City. The catch with an e-visa is that it ties you to the entry and exit points you choose when you apply, and if you get one while already in Vietnam you have to leave and re-enter to start it.

Malaysia: 90 days, with one form to fill in first

The United Kingdom is not on the Malaysian Immigration Department's list of countries that need a visa, and the Foreign Office says British tourists are normally allowed to stay 90 days on arrival. You must submit an online arrival card before you travel, and airlines may ask to see it at check-in. Anything longer than 90 days, or any purpose other than tourism, needs a visa from a Malaysian mission before you go.

So is Thailand now the hardest of the three?

On the length of a visa-free stay, for British passport holders, yes. Thailand now offers a third of Malaysia's allowance and two thirds of Vietnam's. But length is not the whole story. Thailand still has dedicated long-stay options, such as the Destination Thailand Visa, for people who want to live there rather than visit. And for anyone planning more than a month, the honest answer in all three countries is the same: get the right visa before you travel rather than relying on a stamp.