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Remember when traveling used to be easy? Book a flight, pack your passport and you’re set!

Well, seems those days are coming to an end as more and more countries institute new requirements just to step foot within their borders.

Heck, you can’t even go to Whole Foods anymore without being asked to scan your palm!

No thanks, Jeff Bezos; I’m just here to spend my entire paycheck on fruit and sushi!

You may have heard some big changes are coming to Europe.

Americans will need to register and be fingerprinted to gain entry starting in November, and there are really no ifs, ands, or buts about it.

Now Asia is following suit by taking a page out of Europe’s playbook. Well, Thailand anyway.

Beginning in December, all Americans will need travel authorization to visit Thailand.

Dear Thailand, What’s With All The Bureaucracy?!

Here at Travel Off Path, we love covering the latest trends.

You know, the spike in solo travel, the continuous digital nomad craze, and the best spots to immerse yourself in seamlessly never-ending fall foliage this time of year.

One notable trend that brings down moods is the frustrations of travel, and there seem to be more and more of them.

Reading fine print, filling out extra documents, forking over more money for visa expenses aren’t exactly the fun trends of travel, but nonetheless necessary to cover to ensure you don’t have any unnecessary hiccups along your journey.

Thailand has already implemented multiple changes in 2024, and it seems they want to end the year with a bang!

In recent months, digital nomads got their wish with Thailand’s digital nomad visa, but man was it confusing! A classic case of ‘be careful what you wish for’.

Additionally, Thailand also began allowing Americans to stay up to 60 days visa-free (with options to extend your stay).

As if those changes weren’t enough, Thailand essentially said, “hold my Singha!”, with their most recent announcement of new Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) requirements for 93 visa-exempt countries – yes, including Americans.

New Requirements For Americans Visiting Thailand

Circling back, the new ETA is similar to what’s being done in Europe. It’s not a visa, but more of a digital checkpoint to speed up the entry process.

Whether or not the process actually needs a kick in the rear, or if it’s simply wordplay to get more information out of you is another question, but what you can expect is there’s no way around doing it come December.

Visitors arriving by air, land, or sea will need to obtain an ETA. The finer details are expected to be released closer to the launch date.

What is known so far is travelers will need to go to the official e-portal to fill out the forms. In return, you should receive an email within 24 hours confirming entry – keyword: should.

What the forms ask of you is anyone’s guess at this point, but a safe bet is the usual flight numbers, departure airport, accommodation address, etc.

In total, there are 93 passports approved to visit Thailand visa-free and all them will need to verify entry through ETA.

While there are some definite gaps in what will be required, the main goal is to expedite the immigration process and dissect the bad apples.

One interesting aspect is the purposeful goal of removing officers by automating rejections if rumors of entry limits returning hold any merit.

If you flew across the world and weren’t allowed in, wouldn’t you want to talk to someone?!

Thailand Is More Popular Than Ever

To no surprise, Thailand shattered tourism records yet again which makes sense for Thailand to want to make immigration as seamless as possible.

While the bureaucratic nature of travel has definitely intensified in recent years, don’t let a few moments of frustration stop you from visiting one of the most fascinating countries on the planet.

From world-class beaches, up-and-coming hidden gems, to bustling iconic cities brimming with temples, markets, and indescribably delicious cuisine, Thailand is always a good idea any way you slice it.

Sam Sears

Sam, our Lead Writer & Journalist based in San Diego has visited 30 countries and written over 400 articles with a focus on sharing his own travel experiences and shining a light on lesser-known gems.

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This article originally appeared on TravelOffPath.com

Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline, or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included within the post.