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Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul has informally called for the establishment of a working group to review all visa categories like investment, long-term stay, students, and digital nomads, The Nation Thailand reported.

Indonesia’s Directorate General of Immigration is considering a reassessment of the visa-free access granted to certain nationalities to prevent the nation from becoming a hub for online scam operations, Jakarta Post reported.

In neighboring Malaysia, police said they are cooperating closely with immigration and other agencies to monitor the entry of foreigners and tourists, warning that the relaxed visa policies could bring foreign criminal networks to the country.

Dr Justin Matthew Pang, senior program manager for tourism & hospitality management at RMIT Vietnam, said visa policies across Southeast Asia have changed greatly in recent months, reflecting growing concerns about overstays, illegal employment, and criminal activities linked to foreign visitors.

He said Vietnam has followed suit, introducing its own online arrival registration system.

From April 15, the Department of Immigration requires international arrivals at Tan Son Nhat International Airport in Ho Chi Minh City to make pre-entry information declarations to reduce immigration processing times.

The department said it would roll out the online platform nationwide in the coming time.

“Vietnam’s adoption of the e-arrival card system strengthens its image as a secure and forward-looking destination,” Pang added.

Speaking at a conference held in Ho Chi Minh City on May 15, Deputy Minister of Public Security Lieutenant General Pham The Tung said Vietnam would strengthen the management of foreigners living and traveling in Vietnam, but maintain open visa and immigration policies aimed at supporting tourism, investment, and economic growth.

Martin Koerner, commercial director of The Anam Group, a chain of luxury resort hotels in Vietnam, said Vietnam needs to remain open while adopting a more selective, modern and disciplined approach to visa management.

Koerner said that while Vietnam should strengthen enforcement against abuse, it should continue expanding convenient visa access for high-spending and long-haul markets.

“A mass visa policy can generate short-term arrival growth, but if it is not managed properly, it may create pressure on infrastructure, local communities, the environment and the image of the destination. It can also encourage low-yield tourism if the focus is only on volume,” he added.

“The more sustainable approach is not mass tourism at any cost, but high-quality growth.”

Koerner said a well-managed visa policy protects the destination’s image, gives confidence to local communities and businesses and ensures that Vietnam continues to attract the right type of visitors: tourists who respect the country, spend meaningfully and contribute positively to the economy.

Vietnam received more than 22.8 million foreign arrivals last year, 18% up from 2024 and the highest ever in a year.

This year there have been more than nine million arrivals, a 22.5% increase year-on-year.