S'poreans visiting Thailand will need to apply for electronic travel authorisation (ETA) soon

Singaporeans visiting Thailand may be expected to apply for an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) when beta testing for the system begins soon.

A pilot phase is expected to begin in December 2024.

The ETA system will apply to most visa-exempt countries and is expected to have a full rollout by June 2025.

Applicable to all visa-exempt visitors

All visa-exempt visitors entering Thailand by land, air, or sea will be required to obtain an ETA beforehand, according to VisasNews.

An exemption is applied to holders of diplomatic passports, official passports, UN Laissez-Passer and Border Pass users.

Visa-exempt visitors will be expected to apply online for an ETA, which obtains the user a single entry of up to 60 days per visit, with one extension of 30 days.

The application should be free of charge.

The ETA will be introduced at the same time as the e-Visa system, where it is expected to be integrated into a single online application submission platform by June 2025.

Passport holders from 93 countries, including Singapore, India, China and Australia, are currently not required to obtain a visa when entering Thailand for tourism purposes.

Visitors are permitted to stay in Thailand for a period of not exceeding 60 days, and can also apply for an extension not exceeding 30 days at the discretion of the immigration officer.

The ETA system is aimed to enhance the screening and tracking of foreign nationals entering Thailand after the Thai government expanded the visa exemption in July 2024.

It is part of a broader effort aimed at ensuring national security while promoting Thailand as an attractive tourist destination, said the nation's Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Top image via Canva.