Transcript of the above video: 

As the title of this video suggests, we are discussing yet again the TDAC system. For those who are unaware, this is the new Arrival/Departure Card System that Thailand is rolling out May 1. 

That said, I have gotten a lot of questions about this. As a general rule. I urge those who are watching this channel, or this video, go check out our other videos on the TDAC System, the Departure/Arrival Card System; you can find out more details on the system itself. That said, this video specifically pertains to those who have Permanent Residence in Thailand and how that interacts with the TDAC system.

I thought of making this video after reading a recent announcement via TAT News, that's the Tourism Authority of Thailand, tatnews.org, Thailand Digital Arrival Card System set to launch on May 1 2025. Quoting directly: "The Immigration Bureau of Thailand will launch the new Thailand Digital Arrival Card (TDAC) system on 1 May 2025, replacing the current paper arrival card for foreign nationals. From this date, all foreign visitors must submit their arrival information electronically before entering Thailand whether by air, land or sea." Quoting further: "Long-term or Permanent Foreign Residents in Thailand are advised to select "Thailand" under "Country of Residence," which will be available once the system is activated.” So that's the point they are getting at. If you have PR here in Thailand, when they ask you, “what's your country?” you have got to say Thailand. 

Look, I'll be honest with you. PRs are getting kind of the worst of both worlds with this because they are still having to deal with this TDAC system, even though they are permanently here. They have what we would call Lawful Permanent Residence in the United States or Landed Immigrant status in a British context; they are here, they are resident. I mean I can see the argument for saying look we need to set up maybe a specific system for PRs but I can also see the argument that it is just more efficient, just run everybody that's not a Thai national through this one system and sort it out on the other end of it. Again, both arguments are reasonable. We have yet to see this thing roll out so we don't exactly know what all the permutations are going to be with regard to how it interacts with people's Permanent Residence, and then on top of that how that interacts - I mean you have got this TDAC system, you have got to remember, in the context of non-immigrant visas, you have got Re-Entry Permits, in the context of Permanent Residents, the Immigrant Visa if you will is effectively a Re-Entry Permit for purposes of that type of Visa, or that type of immigration status, The Immigrant Visa is effectively a re-entry permit. So, you have still got to deal with that on top of the TDAC system.

I have got to imagine if anything, it's just stacking more bureaucracy on top of prior bureaucracy, but that seems to be the name of the game at the moment. It remains to be seen how this is going to roll out, but we will certainly keep you updated on this channel as the situation evolves.