The Thai government has waived the requirement for foreign visitors entering the country via land or sea to complete TM 6 immigration forms. This temporary measure is in effect from April 15 to October 15 this year.
This decision was announced by the cabinet last week following a recommendation from Interior Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, as stated by ministry spokeswoman Traisuree Taisaranakul.
By eliminating the need to fill out the TM 6 form, which collects essential information for tracking purposes, immigration congestion will be reduced and tourism promoted, according to Traisuree Taisaranakul.
Foreign visitors arriving by airplane are not affected by this requirement.
The suspension of the TM 6 form applies to land entries at eight specific immigration checkpoints.
These include Aranyaprathet in Sa Kaeo, both Muang districts in Mukdahan and Nong Khai, Chiang Saen in Chiang Rai, Padang Besar and Sadao in Songkhla, Sungai Kolok in Narathiwat, and Betong in Yala.
Sea entries exempt from the TM 6 form include locations in Pattaya, Sri Racha, and Sichang in Chon Buri, Map Ta Phut in Rayong, Samui in Surat Thani, and immigration checkpoints in Phuket, Krabi, and Surat Thani.
“The ministry is confident that the measure will help alleviate congestion at immigration checkpoints and spur tourism and the economy,” stated Ms.
Traisuree. “The government will also monitor various facets of the impact and will come up with proper measures later.”
In related news, over 10,000 Cambodian migrant workers have traveled back to their hometowns to celebrate the extended Songkran holiday, reported Pol Col Naphatpong Suphaporn, head of the Sa Kaeo provincial immigration office.
He noted that immigration officers at the Sa Kaeo checkpoint efficiently managed to process all queues within three hours.
Similarly, in Nakhon Phanom in the Northeast, many Lao migrant workers have returned to their home country for the holiday.
One worker shared that she took the opportunity to purchase goods from Thailand to bring back to Laos during her company’s two-week closure.
Conversely, the ongoing conflict in Myanmar has deterred many Myanmar workers from returning home during Songkran, with concerns about potential conscription, as local reports suggest.
From April 1 to May 15, the Ministry of Labour has also waived re-entry fees for migrant workers from Cambodia, Laos, and Myanmar, aiming to uplift spirits and allow them to celebrate Songkran with their families without the burden of additional costs.
