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 purpose. Not to mention the struggle to find a pen that worked after a long journey.
We already know from May 1 that anyone travelling to Thailand – unless they hold a Thai passport – will need to submit the online form in advance of travel to include the usual biographical points as well as travel and accommodation details. The new rule will apply to all non-Thai passport holders whether arriving by air, land or sea. But we don’t yet know the online portal which will receive this information.
Presumably, the traveller will receive from the official platform a QR code confirmation which can be presented along with the passport to the immigration officer or, if allowed, to the electronic immigration gates already installed at some airports. Presumably, the TDAC will also double as a customs declaration form although that has to be confirmed. Some reports say that the TDAC will also involve a leaving procedure on exiting the country, but no announcement so far.
Confusion has arisen between the TDAC and a visa application. They are quite separate bureaucracies. Tourists from 93 countries, including all those sending large numbers, are now visa exempt for 60 days with the option of extending a further month at local immigration. They will from May have to complete the TDAC bureaucracy. But so will all visa holders as the new rule applies to all foreign arrivals irrespective of their permission or permit status.
A number of other matters await clarification. Will defaulters be denied boarding by airlines fearful of being fined? Or will there be the facility to fill in the form on arrival in the airport or border terminal? Will the TDAC be required for every visit? What about visitors who change their address after submitting the form? With less than three months before implementation, lots more information needs to reach the travelling public soon. Or the government’s aim to create a seamless travel experience for all will rapidly disintegrate.
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