Tourist entry to Thailand is going digital – here’s what is changing ...Middle East

Travellers visiting Thailand will soon need to apply for a visa waiver online before arriving in the country.

The Immigration Bureau of Thailand has announced that all foreign visitors will have to fill in their details on a website, for the soon-to-launch Thailand Digital Arrival Card (TDAC).

From 1 May 2025, the new system will replace paper arrival cards – known as TM6 forms – which are currently necessary for entry to Thailand.

The online TDAC website will launch on 28 April to accommodate those arriving from the start of May.

It’s a continuation of the Tourism Authority of Thailand’s (TAT) ‘Smart Tourism’ initiative, which aims to integrate technology, improve safety, and boost the country’s ability to attract foreign visitors.

In a statement seen by The i Paper, Worapa Ankhasirisap, the Director of TAT London, explained the change, saying the “streamlined, paperless system makes the arrival process more efficient allowing travellers to start their journey in Thailand with ease”.

“By embracing digital innovation, we are not only improving border procedures but also gathering valuable insights to better understand travel trends and enhance our tourism offerings,” Ankhasirisap added.

As of 1 May, all international travellers who do not hold a Thai passport, entering Thailand by air, land, or sea for both leisure or business purposes, must apply online for the TDAC before they enter the southeast Asian nation.

Thailand welcomes millions of visitors every year to the likes of Koh Samui island, made even more famous by the recent series of White Lotus set there (Photo: Sandro Bisaro/Getty Images)

The process is mandatory and free to complete – and the only exceptions for non-Thai passport holders are for those who are transiting or transferring in Thailand without going through immigration control.

It’s possible to apply for the digital arrival card up to three days before your arrival date to the country; if you have access to wifi on your arrival in Thailand, you can also apply at the port before you queue to go through immigration.

Officials do recommend completing the application before travelling to make the process easier, however.

Travellers can submit a TDAC as an individual or as part of a group. Once the form is completed online, they’ll receive a QR code.

Along with passports, this QR code must be shown, either on a device or printed out, to the immigration officer on arrival to Thailand.

Have details on hand before you apply

To apply for a TDAC, travellers will need to visit the official website at tdac.immigration.go.th.

When accessed, you’ll need to follow the step by step guide for ‘Arrival Card’.

To complete the form, you’ll need details of the following:

If you’re travelling in a group, additional passengers can be added to an application, following the same steps.

On accepting the terms and conditions, the QR code will be displayed and sent to the supplied email address.

A TDAC – and its paper predecessor – is not a visa.

Currently, British citizens are able to travel to Thailand for 60 days visa free, and stays can be extended by an additional 30 days at a cost of 1,900 Thai Baht (about £43).

For travellers planning to work or study while in the country, a specific visa must be obtained before entry, via the relevant Thai embassy or consulate.

Rules can change quickly and with little warning, so it’s worth checking the Foreign Office’s (FCDO) advice page for Thailand before you book a trip.

In March, Thai officials announced they plan to halve the number of days foreign tourists can stay in the country without a visa from 60 days down to 30.

It’s part of a clamping down on travellers allegedly exploiting the visa waiver to carry out illegal business activities.

Thai press cited concerns from local travel and hospitality associations over visitors renting out accommodation without the correct, official authorisation.

That decision – which has yet to be enacted in law – came as a surprise to many.

Last summer, Thailand upped the number of tourists allowed to stay for 60 days from 57 countries to 93. Those measures were put in place in part of an effort to boost visitors.

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Tourism is big business for the country.

In December, TAT announced that international tourist arrivals have surpassed their target of 35 million visitors in 2024.

Between 1 January to 27 December 2024, Thailand welcomed 35,047,501 international visitors – and expects to receive up to 39 million in 2025.

If that does happen, numbers will surpass 2019’s, when 39.8 million arrived, and Thailand received the fourth highest tourism earning worldwide.

The UK remains one of Thailand’s largest tourist markets. According to TAT, from 1 January to 31 October 2024, the country saw 739,837 British visitors, and put in place a year-end target of one million.

One rule has been in place for years – and isn’t going anywhere.

If holidaymakers overstay their 60 days in Thailand, there can be serious consequences.

This includes fines of 500 Baht (£11.40) per day up to a maximum of 20,000 Baht (£455.90), and offenders may also face a ban from re-entering Thailand for up to 10 years.

The FCDO also warns that those who overstay risk being held in detention and deported at their own expense.

A statement on the website adds that “conditions in detention centres can be harsh,” and that “detainees have died in custody”.

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