Thailand, one of world's friendliest countries for tourists, extends waiver for immigration forms

By VNA October 15, 2024 | 08:21 pm PT

Tourists play with water as they celebrate the Songkran holiday which marks the Thai New Year in Bangkok, Thailand, April 13, 2024. Photo by Reuters

Thailand has approved an extension of the waiver for TM6 immigration forms for foreign tourists entering through 16 land and sea checkpoints until April 30, 2025.

The waiver, originally effective from April 15, aims to reduce congestion at checkpoints and boost tourism to support economic growth.

Key checkpoints include Aranyaprathet (bordering Cambodia), Chiang Saen (bordering Myanmar), and Padang Besar (bordering Malaysia).

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs proposed the extension, as it works on an electronic travel authorization (ETA) system to replace the TM6 form. The ETA will allow tourists from 93 countries to register for visa-free entry online, with a QR code for automatic gates.

The Ministry of Tourism is also considering integrating a tourism fee of 300 baht (US$9) for air travelers and 150 baht for land and sea travelers into the ETA system.

According to Songchai Mungprasithichai, President of Songkhla's Tourism Promotion Association, the TM6 waiver could increase daily tourist arrivals from Malaysia by 50%, potentially surpassing pre-pandemic levels in 2019.

He emphasized the need for new tourist attractions in southern Thailand to maintain momentum and called for convenient tourist fee collection at border checkpoints.

Thailand and Vietnam are the only two Southeast Asian nations named in Condé Nast Traveler's list of the world's 10 friendliest countries for tourists as voted by the magazine's readers earlier this month.