ADVERTISEMENTDreaming of a White Lotus-inspired holiday or hoping to take a selfie with Moo Deng, social media’s favourite pygmy hippo, in the background?
Before you jet off to Thailand, don’t forget to file your paperwork first.
Starting from 1 May, all non-Thai nationals entering the country by air, land or sea must complete a Thailand Digital Arrival Card (TDAC) before arrival.
What is the Thailand Digital Arrival Card – and how do you get one?
This new arrival card replaces paper forms to streamline the immigration process and better secure Thailand’s border entry system.
The TDAC system will be synced with the immigration bureau’s biometric database, allowing officials to quickly check the criminal backgrounds of international arrivals.
Travellers must register within three days of their arrival (meaning, within three days of travelling to Thailand).
After completing your registrationonline, you will receive a QR code to present at your immigration checkpoint on arrival.
That’s it. There are no fees and no other steps. But it’s vital to remember to do it, or you will be denied entry.
From May onward, the TDAC will be mandatory for all foreign passport holders, including tourists, business travellers and long-term residents.
The only exceptions apply to travellers transiting or transferring through Thailand without passing through immigration control.
Travel to Thailand is surging – again
With its idyllic tropical scenery, addictive cuisine and legendary hospitality, Thailand long ago evolved from its Hippie Trail roots into one of the world’s top travel destinations.
In 2019, nearly 40 million visitors arrived in the country, ranking it among the ten most-visited countries globally. Despite a global lull in travel during the COVID-19 pandemic, the momentum hasn’t slowed much.
In the first three months of 2025 alone, 9.5 million travellers touched down – many drawn by viral moments that spread like wildfire online.
Take Moo Deng, the hose-loving pygmy hippo whose name means “bouncy pork.” After a video of the slippery toddler splashing around at Khao Kheow Open Zoo lit up social media last year, crowds surged. The zoo, about an hour from Bangkok, smashed attendance records – and it’s still drawing thousands of daily visitors.
Then came the White Lotus effect. The newest season of the dark comedy, filmed on the sun-drenched islands of Phuket and Koh Samui, has re-ignited wanderlust among global viewers looking to holiday in high style.
ADVERTISEMENTAccording to Hotels.com, the ultra-luxury Four Seasons Koh Samui site saw a40 per cent increase in searches for property after it was announced as a filming location.
Despite anearthquake in March, travel has continued unabated to a country often called “Teflon Thailand” for its ability to bounce back from unrest and disruptions.
Whether you’re heading to Thailand to fulfil a luxury fantasy or spot its internet-famous wildlife, the first step to getting there now happens before you even leave home.
Just make sure your QR code is ready before you depart.
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