If you’re landing in Thailand on or after June 20, 2026, two things are changing at once: the TM6 arrival card is being retired in favor of a digital TDAC registration, and the departure tax is jumping by THB 390 per person. Neither change is a trip-stopper, but both need a five-minute action window before you fly.
Change 1: TDAC Replaces the TM6 Arrival Card
The Thailand Digital Arrival Card (TDAC) becomes mandatory on June 20, replacing the paper TM6 form that arrivals have filled in on planes for decades. The TDAC must be completed online before you land — not at the airport.
What you need to do: Register at the official Thai government TDAC portal (tdac.immigration.go.th) within 72 hours before your scheduled arrival. You’ll need your passport details, your flight number, and your accommodation address in Thailand. You’ll receive a QR code to present at immigration.
What happens if you don’t? Airlines are being directed to check for TDAC completion during boarding. Passengers without a completed TDAC may be denied boarding or face delays at immigration. We’d treat this like getting a visa — do it the night before, not at the gate.
Exemptions: Thai citizens and holders of a Thailand Privilege Card are exempt. Transit passengers not clearing immigration are also exempt.
For Bangkok arrivals: Suvarnabhumi (BKK) and Don Mueang (DMK) are fully integrated with the TDAC system. The process at immigration should be faster than paper TM6, once the system is running smoothly. Expect some first-week queues as travelers unfamiliar with the new process slow down the lanes.
Change 2: Departure Tax Increases to THB 1,120
The second change is purely financial: Thailand’s departure tax for international flights rises from THB 730 (roughly $20) to THB 1,120 (roughly $31) per person, also effective June 20, 2026.
In most cases this fee is already included in your airline ticket and you won’t see it as a separate charge. However, if you purchased your ticket before the rate changed and your airline has not re-collected the difference, you may be asked to pay the THB 390 balance at the airport departure counter.
What to do: Check your ticket confirmation. If it shows a departure tax line item of THB 730 or lower and your flight departs on or after June 20, contact your airline about whether they will collect the supplement at check-in. Some carriers absorb this; others will queue you at the airport. Either way, carry the equivalent of $15 in Thai baht when departing.
Budget impact: For a couple, the departure tax increase adds roughly $22 round-trip compared to pre-June 20 travel. For a family of four it’s closer to $44 total. Not a dealbreaker, but worth factoring into your final-day cash.
What This Means for Your Trip
Bangkok is ground zero for both changes given the volume of international arrivals through Suvarnabhumi. We’d add the TDAC registration to our pre-departure checklist right alongside online check-in.
For Phuket arrivals, the HKT airport immigration system is also integrated, but Phuket tends to have more charter traffic from Europe whose passengers are less digitally prepared — those queues may be longer in the first weeks.
Chiang Mai (CNX) handles far fewer international arrivals directly, but the same TDAC rules apply.
Action Checklist Before You Fly
- 72 hours before departure: Complete TDAC at tdac.immigration.go.th — have your passport and hotel address ready
- Download your QR code: Save it offline in case you lose mobile signal at the airport
- Check your ticket: Verify whether your airline has already updated the departure tax or will collect the supplement
- Carry THB: Have THB 1,500–2,000 accessible on departure day in case you need to pay the tax difference at the counter
For the full picture on Thailand entry requirements and how they compare to previous years, see our budget travel Thailand guide and our best time to visit Thailand post for seasonal planning context.