New Thai Digital Arrival Card.

[Faz]

From May 1st 2025 all foreigners entering Thailand by air, land, or sea, will be required to complete an online Digital Arrival Card (similar to the old TM6).
Which portal is to be used has yet to be announced.

A proposed date for the new (ETA) Electronic Travel Authority scheme has also yet to be announced.

Then there is the requirement to complete a TM30, so soon Thai Immigration will have 3 ways of collecting information on foreign arrivals.

Read more;

The Thai Digital Arrival Card from May 1 causes confusion - Pattaya Mail

The announcement that all foreign arrivals will soon need to fill in a no-cost online TDAC prior to travelling still awaits the detail. It will replace the old manual TM6 arrival card which had fallen into disuse largely because weary travellers scribbled unreadably on a form too small for...

www.pattayamail.com

 

[Bacon]

Digital makes sense. The paper forms are just ridiculous. I could give two shits filling them so good luck reading half of what I wrote.

And airlines would definitely have to enforce this. Immi lines are gonna go to shit otherwise.

 

[Faz]

The paper forms are just ridiculous.

The requirement to complete the old TM6 arrival/departure cards ceased in July 2022.

Digital makes sense.

If the portal works efficiently. Thailand tends to have initial 'teething' issues with every portal it designs

And airlines would definitely have to enforce this

Agreed. I would assume that a copy of the completed DTA would be required in order to board or allowed in through any border checkpoint.
And if the portal fails or has an issue, the question is would you be allowed to still complete a paper version before, or on entry.
There are still a lot of unanswered questions, but as is the Thai way, I'm sure we'll have the answers the day before it's implemented.

 

[Bacon]

There's always occupation on there. What are they doing with that information? Cause I know a thing or two about data quality, and I wouldn't want to use that field as a basis for any type of decision making, knowing how many people lie or put random shit down. Me being one of them.

Yeah I'm a giraffe milker. Prove I'm not.

 

[kaptainrob]

And if when the portal fails or has an issue, the question is would you be allowed to still complete a paper version before, or on entry.
There are still a lot of unanswered questions, but as is the Thai way, I'm sure we'll have the answers the day before it's implemented.

Fixed that 4 U Faz

 

[MarcTwoSix]

It seems every country is going this ETA route now.....

The UK has it now for travelers as well

Canada has it for certain nationalities (it's great actually and acts as a visa as well)

 

[Faz]

The UK has it now for travelers as well

Only for certain nationalities, otherwise you still require a visa.

 

[Bacon]

It seems every country is going this ETA route now.....

The UK has it now for travelers as well

Canada has it for certain nationalities (it's great actually and acts as a visa as well)

Australia has arrival cards for everyone, including citizens, and it's still paper.

It also has occupation as a question. Last month I was a Tree Climber.

 

[Nauts]

I think Malaysia is also going digital for foreigners. I think there's an app. Similar to the one at Malaysia/Singapore Border crossing. The app scans the QR code on at passport control.

Aah just searched for it, "MyBorderPass" app

MyBorderPass - Apps on Google Play

MyBorderPass is a comprehensive mobile application developed by TRIS CENTRE.

play.google.com

MyBorderPass App - App Store

Download MyBorderPass by TRIS on the App Store. See screenshots, ratings and reviews, user tips and more games like MyBorderPass.

apps.apple.com

While the MyBorderPass QR replaces the need to take out your passport for immigration clearance, all international travellers are still required to carry their physical passports with them. The purpose of the MyBorderPass QR system is to speed up clearance and a valid passport is still mandatory to cross borders.

 

[Quarky]

What about old folk? I have an intelligent 84 year old friend and she likes to travel a lot.. but she got very confused with all this digital stuff on her last overseas trip...

 

[Bacon]

What about old folk? I have an intelligent 84 year old friend and she likes to travel a lot.. but she got very confused with all this digital stuff on her last overseas trip...

This is where AI could be helpful. It'll be a piece of cake to have an app you can just talk to. It can ask you questions and fill it in for you.

 

[Faz]

What about old folk? I have an intelligent 84 year old friend and she likes to travel a lot.. but she got very confused with all this digital stuff on her last overseas trip...

Yeah, I know a couple who don't have or can't use a mobile, and think the 'internet' is a high speed train system.

 

[Quarky]

Yeah, I know a couple who don't have or can't use a mobile, and think the 'internet' is a high speed train system.

My dad used to struggle with a TV remote!

 

[Quarky]

Is the 60 day visa on arrival reverting back to 30 days again?

 

[bacwaan]

Is the 60 day visa on arrival reverting back to 30 days again?

There is talk of that happening...apparently Thai authorities (mostly TIT) are surprised that tourists are not taking advantage of the full 60 days and just staying the portion of it they want like they always did when it was 30 days....what were they thinking was going to happen???

some people just want a stopover type holiday....others a week or two on a beach...not everyone needs 60 days..I'd venture less than 20%..

having said that, I am leaving the day after tomorrow and will squeeze 59 days in...it's perfect for me once a year...but it's not for everyone...

 

[Quarky]

Thanks. I wonder who put into their heads that a longer visa would make most stay longer... 55

 

[Stillearly]

There is talk of that happening...apparently Thai authorities (mostly TIT) are surprised that tourists are not taking advantage of the full 60 days and just staying the portion of it they want like they always did when it was 30 days....what were they thinking was going to happen???

some people just want a stopover type holiday....others a week or two on a beach...not everyone needs 60 days..I'd venture less than 20%..

having said that, I am leaving the day after tomorrow and will squeeze 59 days in...it's perfect for me once a year...but it's not for everyone...

It's going to be a pain for me if they do revert to 30 days .. I will probably go back to doing side trips to Cambodia or elsewhere for a week and spend money outside of Thailand ..

 

[MarcTwoSix]

There is talk of that happening...apparently Thai authorities (mostly TIT) are surprised that tourists are not taking advantage of the full 60 days and just staying the portion of it they want like they always did when it was 30 days....what were they thinking was going to happen???

some people just want a stopover type holiday....others a week or two on a beach...not everyone needs 60 days..I'd venture less than 20%..

having said that, I am leaving the day after tomorrow and will squeeze 59 days in...it's perfect for me once a year...but it's not for everyone...

I thought they were reverting back to 30 days because there has been a lot of shit bag tourists coming on 60 days and causing all kinds of problems??

 

[Stillearly]

I thought they were reverting back to 30 days because there has been a lot of shit bag tourists coming on 60 days and causing all kinds of problems??

It's more like they are missing the money from visa extensions...

 

[Faz]

Is the 60 day visa on arrival reverting back to 30 days again?

There was never a 30-day visa on arrival, it was a 30-day visa exempt, meaning no visa requirement.
It's only a proposal at the moment, and it's unclear if it will affect all nationalities or just some.

Prior to July 2024, 57 countries were eligible for visa-free entry to Thailand for up to 30 days, but this number expanded to 93 countries with a 60-day visa-free stay starting July 15, 2024. Land border entries were also restricted to 2 per calendar year and although that order wasn't rescinded, it was suspended, allowing multiple land border entries.
The purpose for these changes was to encourage and promote an increase in tourism to pre Covid numbers. TAT predicted the return of 40 million tourists in 2025 and that was only possible by opening the floodgates. What the changes have actually achieved if a flagrant abuse of the system allowing foreigners to remain in Thailand throughout the year, using border hops for multiple 60 day entries + 30 day extensions.
This has allowed certain nationalities the time to open and operate illegal business ventures.

It's also allowed some retirees and those with a Thai spouse to circumvent the financial requirements for 1 year extensions based on retirement or Thai spouse, instead using the multiple border hops + extensions to remain in Thailand throughout the year.

Even in the event visa exempt entries for certain nationalities are reduced to 30 day entries, you will still be able to apply for a 30-day extension for tourism, and/or a 60-day extension to visit Thai family, without leaving the Country.

If they want to attract more tourists, then they need to address the levels of corruption and scams IMO.