eTM6 - online immigration arrival card

[Ratsima]

480E7AAB-C49F-4504-8F2B-B16122291142.jpeg (59.4 KiB) Viewed 592 times

Immigration strikes again.

Thailand 4.0

[Big Boy]

Why would you bother? Does it exempt you from queuing for Immigration at borders?

[buksida]

Using Thai government websites is a massive exercise in futility. No wonder the country still runs on reams of paper.

4.0 indeed.

[HHTel]

I thought the TM6 was being scrapped. It was announced by the government in September stating that they will be discontinued in the next 2 to 3 months.

[Ratsima]

Why would you bother? Does it exempt you from queuing for Immigration at borders?

Because once you successfully start (ie - Never), you don't have to complete the form every time. The information is supposed to be propagated so that on your next departure it's all there. Plus, it eliminates the paper form and means the Immigration officer doesn't have to key anything in. If used, it should speed up the process.

On the other hand, the new fingerprint biometric machines are a disaster. I happened to be in line with some older Chinese people. A couple of them had fingers so bent by arthritis that they had great difficulty putting them flat enough on the platen to get a proper scan. Plus, the machines are so high off the ground that short people have trouble getting their thumbs up on the glass. This fiasco adds a couple of minutes to every transaction.

One step forward, two steps backward.

I don't have a huge amount of experience dealing with Thai government agencies online, but both Revenue and PEA have made considerable strides and are now very functional and easy to use. PEA puts a QR code on the bill so I just scan and pay with my phone and few seconds later my wife gets a notice on her phone that the bill has been paid.

But, Immigration has been a disaster ever since they introduced the online 90 day report. Their websites look like they were designed by some kid who took a six week web design course at technical college.

My wife tried to do a TM30 yesterday upon my return from abroad. She completed the online form, but got no feedback or receipt that the task had been performed. She did manage to do a query and get back what she had input. I guess a screenshot will have to suffice as a receipt.

[Big Boy]

Why would you bother? Does it exempt you from queuing for Immigration at borders?

Because once you successfully start (ie - Never), you don't have to complete the form every time. The information is supposed to be propagated so that on your next departure it's all there. Plus, it eliminates the paper form and means the Immigration officer doesn't have to key anything in. If used, it should speed up the process.

I can see the perceived advantage of other IT solutions, regardless of whether they work or don't work. However, I cannot see any advantage to replacing the human check on Immigration with a phone app. Yes, it could be argued for honest people like you or I, the entire Immigration process is pointless. To replace a human Immigration officer with a 2 Baht phone app would effectively open the doors to every dishonest person in the world, and would be a case of the technology tail wagging the dog.

I honestly don't see how it could work effectively.

[Ratsima]

It doesn't replace the Immigration officer. The officer still sees the data you entered and examines that data along with your passport. All it does is eliminate the paper form and the process of the officer entering the handwritten data into their database.

[HHTel]

The government spokesman also revealed that the government had decided to scrap the TM6 arrival and departures card that every foreigner in Thailand will be very familiar with. He is reported as saying that Thailand will experience 40 million visitors this year and that the cards simply ended up being stored and never used by authorities or security services.

https://www.thaiexaminer.com/thai-news- ... ootrakool/

BANGKOK — A senior government official said Tuesday foreign visitors will soon no longer have to fill out “TM6” arrival and departure forms.
Explaining the government’s decision, Kobsak said arrival and departure forms for tourists, known as TM6 forms, have led to a storage problems.

http://www.khaosodenglish.com/news/busi ... -tm30-app/

So what happened?

[Big Boy]

So you type the information on to the phone screen rather than write it on a piece of paper? Yes, I can see minimal savings, if completed correctly, and the system is working. However, what happens if there's an error? I honestly don't see significant savings enough to justify an app.

If the app actually worked, it then relies upon the system being man enough and robust enough to handle how many passengers per day? TIT - I can see it now, hundreds of people queuing at Immigration when there's a power cut. At least with the paper system, there's a catch up option. What would Immigration do? Retain everybody's phone and send it in the post when power is restored?

I can't see any system designer worth his salt even attempting to produce such a system. There are times when technology is not worth the end results - many such examples exist in Thailand. Just try buying a cinema ticket these days.

[buksida]

Or booking a train ticket ... or doing your 90 day report online ... or booking accommodation at a national park ...


4.0

[VincentD]

So what happens if you don't have a phone??