What is new?

Thailand’s Ministry of Foreign Affair is pushing ahead with the rollout of the new ETA (Electronic Travel Authorization), which will be mandatory for foreign tourists entering Thailand by air, land or sea under this program. Somehow similar to the upcoming ETIAS program for visa-free visitors to the European Union’s Schengen Area, or Singapore’s Arrival Card (SGAC) and Malaysia’s Digital Arrival Card (DAC) which are also mandatory. ETAs are becoming virtually universal.

When will it be implemented?

The ETA is planned to be introduced for a phased entry into Thailand between December 2024 and June 2025 and will be free of charge. It is only applicable to visa-free arrivals and requires an application on the e-portal www.thaievisa.go.th, which is quickly becoming the entry norm for most visitors here.

What do we know?

Well, as with the Thai income tax system for Thais and foreigners living in Thailand for 180 days or more per calendar year - a whole other topic - there is a lot we don't know about the ETA. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs hasn’t released the fine print yet, so no one knows what documents need to be uploaded as part of the verification process. One possibility is the need to show an accommodation address in Thailand, as well as a return ticket.

Another unknown is whether the algorithm-based ETA system will include trigger points to limit the number of 60-day entries a person can make. Until July this year, Thailand's immigration department limited visa-free entry to two land border crossings per year, but has since apparently lifted that rule. The ETA could reinstate restrictions with a computerized rejection notice (instead of a human immigration officer) that tersely informs that "you need a proper visa."

What’s next?

The usual; hope that the State Department will disclose the many details that fall within its area of ​​responsibility in a timely manner.