Thailand to Launch Online TM6 Immigration Form by May 1st, Postpones 300-Baht Tourism Fee

PHOTO: Prachachat

National —

The Ministry of Tourism and Sports is preparing to roll out an online version of the TM6 immigration form, which will become mandatory for all foreign arrivals to Thailand starting May 1st, 2025. 

This move comes after the government decided to delay the collection of the 300-baht tourism fee for this year, according to Thai national media.

The TM6 immigration form, which was temporarily suspended by the cabinet on April 15th, 2024, will transition from paper-based to digital when the suspension ends on April 30th, 2025. 

According to Natthriya Thaweevong, the ministry’s permanent secretary, the new online form is designed to improve the tracking of tourists within Thailand, boosting safety and addressing negative perceptions of the country.

On January 21st, the Ministry of Tourism and Sports held an internal meeting and invited the Immigration Bureau to demonstrate the new online system. A larger meeting is scheduled for January 31st, 2025, with key stakeholders—including the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Tourism Authority of Thailand, airlines, hotels, and tour agencies—on hand to learn more about the process and help promote it to foreign travelers.

Mongkon Wimonrat, the ministry’s deputy permanent secretary, emphasized that the government will prioritize the digital TM6 form over other planned entry screening measures to avoid confusion for tourists. 

The online TM6 form will be free of charge and mandatory for all foreign arrivals, whether arriving by air, land, or sea. The cabinet is expected to approve the new system next month, allowing related parties to prepare.

An anonymous source within the ministry revealed that, with the online TM6 form set to launch soon, there is a higher likelihood that the 300-baht tourism fee will be postponed further. 

The government is focused on ensuring that the TM6 process operates smoothly before introducing additional measures. The source also noted that the system could take months, or even up to a year, to function without issues.

In light of concerns over illegal networks using Thailand as a transit hub to neighboring countries, the government may have judged it an inopportune moment to begin collecting the tourism fee. 

Furthermore, the introduction of additional entry measures, such as an electronic travel authorization, commonly used by some countries to approve visa-free travelers before their arrival, will also be delayed to allow the online TM6 system to run smoothly.

This article originally appeared on our sister website The Pattaya News.

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Kittisak Phalaharn
Kittisak has a passion for outgoings no matter how tough it will be, he will travel with an adventurous style. As for his interests in fantasy, detective genres in novels and sports science books are parts of his soul. He works for Pattaya News as the latest writer.