Should You Get a Long-Term Visa for Muay Thai?

Thailand operates differently from the West when it comes to rules, especially concerning visas. While things might be strict and clearly defined in other countries, here, there’s often a bit more flexibility or confusion. This is particularly true when it comes to staying long-term on tourist visas.

Visa on Arrival and Exemption Scheme

Thailand offers a visa-on-arrival and a visa exemption scheme, allowing you to stay for 30 or 60 days, depending on your nationality. While there’s technically no set limit on how many times you can re-enter using the visa exemption scheme, it’s up to the discretion of immigration officers.

If they suspect you're staying in the country long-term as opposed to being a genuine tourist, they may question or even deny you entry, advising you to apply for a long-term visa, but this is very rare unless you have been in Thailand for years and years.

The Problem with Education Muay Thai Visas

Though long-term visas are available through some Muay Thai gyms, these visas sometimes come with a serious downside. Many gyms that promote education visas for Muay Thai are more focused on marketing than the quality of training. Students often arrive expecting high-level instruction but end up disappointed.

The education visa locks you into that specific gym. Switching gyms becomes difficult or nearly impossible without canceling the visa, leaving you stuck with subpar training if the gym turns out to be less than advertised.

Additionally, to qualify for an education visa, most gyms require you to pay upfront for 12 months of training - whether you’re satisfied with the gym or not. That’s a significant financial commitment!

Flexibility Without the Long-Term Visa

In reality, the gyms offering long-term Muay Thai visas are often solving a problem that doesn't exist. You can stay in Thailand long-term without the need for an education visa by doing simple border runs. Many seasoned Muay Thai practitioners live in Thailand for years using tourist visas or the visa exemption scheme, exiting the country periodically to renew their stay. This route gives you far more flexibility to move between gyms and explore different training environments without being locked into one place.

My Personal Experience

As someone who prefers to follow the rules, I spent two years on education visas with Muay Thai gyms in two different cities. Both experiences were disappointing. The gyms changed, trainers came and went, and the training quality dropped. I regretted being tied to these places, unable to switch easily, and I paid upfront for a year of subpar training each time.

Muay Thai training in Thailand is fluid—gyms change, trainers leave, and students get overlooked. For this reason, I strongly advise against committing to a long-term Muay Thai visa. Thailand is a country that offers flexibility; take advantage of that. Speak to foreigners who’ve been training for years without an education visa, and you’ll find plenty of ways to stay legally without getting locked into a poor gym experience.

The Destination Thailand Visa

Thailand now offers a new 5-year visa for training Muay Thai called the Destination Thailand Visa. You just need to book some training with one of Thailand's approved Muay Thai Gyms and meet the following criteria: