Official System: Thailand Digital Arrival Card (TDAC — Replaced Paper TM6)
2026 Quick Answer
All foreign nationals entering Thailand by air, land, or sea must complete the Thailand Digital Arrival Card (TDAC) within 72 hours (3 days) before arrival. Introduced in May 2025 to permanently replace the paper TM6 disembarkation card, the TDAC is mandatory for both visa-exempt tourists and visa holders.
Follow this exact countdown schedule before arriving in Thailand so your QR code is ready prior to airline check-in.
| Timing Before Arrival | Window Status | Required Traveler Action |
|---|---|---|
| 4+ days (>72 hours) before arrival | Too Early | The TDAC portal only opens 72 hours before your scheduled arrival date in Thailand. Prepare your passport details, flight number, and Thai accommodation address. |
| 72 hours to 24 hours before arrival | Window Open | Optimal filing window. Submit your passport bio data, arrival flight, and province/district address in Thailand to receive your TDAC confirmation email. |
| 24 hours to 3 hours before arrival | Priority Window | Complete before heading to the departure airport so your passport number is already synced with Royal Thai Immigration. |
| Upon landing at BKK / DMK / HKT | Final Cutoff | Travelers without a completed TDAC must step out of the immigration line to complete the form on their phone before an officer can stamp their passport. |
Compliance tip: Must match the machine-readable zone (MRZ) of the passport you present at Thai Immigration.
Compliance tip: Keep your hotel address handy, including the Thai postal code.
Compliance tip: Integrated directly into the single TDAC submission flow.
Eligible Passports: Available for outbound departure to most e-passport holders (70+ nationalities) and select inbound categories once TDAC is linked.
How Airport Clearance Works: Your TDAC links electronically to your passport number. After biometric facial and fingerprint verification at immigration, your entry record is logged digitally.
| Code | Port of Entry | Mode | 2026 Operational Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| BKK | Suvarnabhumi Airport (Bangkok) | Air | Main international hub for Bangkok and connecting flights to Phnom Penh (KTI) and Siem Reap (SAI). |
| DMK | Don Mueang International Airport (Bangkok) | Air | Regional low-cost carrier hub serving AirAsia and Nok Air routes across Southeast Asia. |
| HKT | Phuket International Airport | Air | Primary southern island gateway with automated biometric verification lanes. |
| CNX | Chiang Mai International Airport | Air | Northern Thailand gateway accepting TDAC QR confirmations. |
Note that from 15 September 2026, Thailand revised its unilateral visa-exemption scheme (replacing the earlier 60-day rule with updated 30-day and 15-day tiers for eligible passports). Verify your allowed stay before booking onward flights.
Enter your passport details, inbound flight number, and Thailand hotel address within the 3-day window before landing.
Download the confirmation sent to your email. If you exit Thailand to visit Siem Reap or Phnom Penh and later fly back to Bangkok, you must file a fresh TDAC for your second entry into Thailand.
Because all Thailand–Cambodia land borders (Poipet, Cham Yeam, Hat Lek) remain closed in 2026, book a short flight from BKK or DMK to Siem Reap (SAI) or Phnom Penh (KTI) and complete your Cambodia eVisa and 7-day CeA.
Regional SE Asia Loop Advisory:
Bangkok–Siem Reap Loop Rule (2026): You cannot cross overland at Poipet or Koh Kong/Cham Yeam because all Thailand–Cambodia land checkpoints are closed. Fly from BKK or DMK to SAI or KTI, file your Cambodia e-Arrival Card (CeA) within 7 days of your Cambodia flight, and file a new Thailand TDAC within 72 hours of flying back to Bangkok.
Thailand officially replaced the paper TM6 arrival card with the mandatory online Thailand Digital Arrival Card (TDAC) on 1 May 2025 for all foreign nationals entering by air, land, or sea.
You can submit the TDAC up to 72 hours (3 days) before your scheduled arrival date in Thailand.
Yes. The TDAC is a single-entry arrival declaration. When you fly from Bangkok to Siem Reap (SAI) or Phnom Penh (KTI), you need the Cambodia e-Arrival Card (CeA) for Cambodia, and a new TDAC within 72 hours of your return flight to Thailand.
No. All land border crossings between Thailand and Cambodia are closed in 2026. Travelers moving between Thailand and Cambodia must travel by air into Techo International Airport (KTI), Siem Reap Angkor Airport (SAI), or Sihanoukville Airport (KOS).