Thailand förnekar sig inte....
Thailand is scrapping its much-dreaded TM6 arrival form, replacing it with a new digital system—the Thailand Digital Arrival Card (TDAC)—from May 1.
However, travellers should hold off on celebrating as the latest digital venture appears as perplexing as the form it replaces. The TDAC might ease entry formalities eventually, but the system launch is anything but smooth.
For years, non-Thai passport holders have filled out blue-and-white cards to enter the country, but the digital transition is meant to streamline this decade-old process.
The new system requires entrants to fill in personal, travel, and accommodation data online, promising a seamless experience with a QR code to present at immigration. But alas, the jargon-heavy user manual and an unreliable video tutorial only leave people scratching their heads.
As users grapple with a non-functioning tutorial and murky submission procedures, confusion reigns supreme. In fact, there's no word yet on whether travellers must continue carrying a paper form alongside their digital submission.

Screenshots from TDAC website
Further complicating matters, the authorities haven't confirmed if the TDAC will double as a customs declaration or whether an exit card is on the horizon.
Contrary to visa requirements, the TDAC is a separate consideration. No matter their visa status—whether visa-free for up to 60 days, extended duration, or work permits—foreign nationals must fill out the TDAC. The digital card is part of the grand plan to digitise Thailand's immigration, but right now, users are faced with a tangled web of uncertainty.
As the May 1 deadline looms, travellers are left wondering if the immigration process will be ready for prime time or if more chaos will ensue. Without clear instructions and user-friendly solutions for tech-challenged visitors, the initiative is in danger of reinforcing red tape, not removing it.
How the situation unfolds remains to be seen, but one thing is clear: Thailand's digital promise is a work-in-progress. Stay tuned for more updates.
Based on a report by The Thaiger