The government has suspended the requirement for foreigners who enter Thailand by land or sea to fill out TM 6 immigration forms from April 15 until Oct 15.
The cabinet approved the suspension on April 9 in response to a proposal by Interior Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, ministry spokeswoman Traisuree Taisaranakul said on Friday.
Suspending the requirement for the TM 6 form — on which foreign visitors must give necessary details for authorities to keep track of them — will alleviate congestion at immigration checkpoints and facilitate tourism, she said.
International visitors arriving by air are not required to submit the form.
The TM 6 suspension will take effect for entry by land at eight immigration checkpoints: Aranyaprathet in Sa Kaeo, Muang district in Mukdahan, Muang district in Nong Khai, Chiang Saen in Chiang Rai, Padang Besar and Sadao in Songkhla, Sungai Kolok in Narathiwat and Betong in Yala.
The checkpoints for entry by sea are at Pattaya, Sri Racha and Sichang in Chon Buri, Map Ta Phut in Rayong, Samui in Surat Thani, and Phuket, Krabi and Surat Thani immigration checkpoints.
“The ministry is confident that the measure will help alleviate congestion at immigration checkpoints and spur tourism and the economy,” said Ms Traisuree. “The government will also monitor various facets of the impact and will come up with proper measures later.”
In a related development, more than 10,000 Cambodian migrant workers have returned to their hometowns for the long Songkran holiday, said Pol Col Naphatpong Suphaporn, superintendent of Sa Kaeo provincial immigration office.
He said immigration police officers were manning every counter at the Sa Kaeo checkpoint and were able to clear all queues within three hours.
In Nakhon Phanom in the Northeast, many Lao migrant workers also returned home for the long holiday. One Lao worker said her company was closed for two weeks, so she decided to buy many goods from Thailand to take back to Laos.
However, not many Myanmar workers want to go home during Songkran due to the conflict in their country, and many are afraid that they will be conscripted, according to local reports.
The Ministry of Labour has waived re-entry fees for migrant workers from Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar from April 1 to May 15.
The measure is intended to boost the morale of migrant workers who want to reunite with their families and celebrate Songkran without incurring extra expense.