Thailand has finally decided to simplify its entry rules, which will attract many travelers and revitalize the tourism industry.
The Covid-19 Situation Administration Center (CCSA) meeting on Friday, April 22, brought the changes that the tourism industry and travelers have long awaited.
“The Test & Go program for foreign arrivals will be abolished [] from May 1 to boost tourism and the economy,” Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha said Friday.
“Many countries are easing travel restrictions significantly and our country relies heavily on tourism to support its economy,” the prime minister added.
New entry rules for vaccinated travelers
International travelers who have been fully vaccinated no longer need to provide proof of a negative RT-PCR test prior to arrival or be tested on arrival.
The registration system of Thailand pass is still mandatory, despite calls from tourist offices to scrap it, as it is complicated and time-consuming.
But the only documents travelers need to upload to register before coming to Thailand are passport, vaccine information, and proof of insurance.
You also have to wait for the pass approval before coming to Thailand.
The current waiting time is usually 1-3 days, but it may take longer.
However, with far fewer documents being requested, approvals should be faster after May 1.
Applications under the new rules will be accepted from April 29, according to an update on Thailand Pass’s official website: tp.consular.go.th†
Once in Thailand, travelers gain entry and can travel anywhere in the kingdom.
New entry rules for unvaccinated travelers
International travelers who are not or not fully vaccinated are also no longer required to show proof of a negative RT-PCR test before arrival or to be tested on arrival.
They must register for a Thailand Pass with a 5-day hotel reservation and insurance that covers a minimum of $10,000 (instead of $20,000).
Once they arrive in Thailand, they must undergo a 5-day quarantine and an RT-PCR test on day 5.
An exception will be made for non-vaccinated travelers who can upload proof of a negative RT-PCR test via the Pass Thailand system within 72 hours of travel, they will be admitted – just like those who have been fully vaccinated – free to move anywhere in the kingdom.
respect the rules
In Thailand, vaccinated and unvaccinated travelers are advised to adhere strictly to health and safety standards.
Travelers with Covid-19-like symptoms will need to be tested.
If the test is positive, they should receive appropriate medical treatment.
Mandatory testing under the Test & Go entry scheme may be lifted as statistics showed a very low infection rate among foreign arrivals for the Test & Go scheme, just 0.46% this month here, said Dr. Taweesilp.
Arrival by land
Before land arrivals, visitors who plan to stay no longer than two days must be fully vaccinated and undergo self-antigen testing.
Otherwise they cannot enter the country.
For visitors planning to stay longer, vaccinated travelers will not be quarantined if they pass the antigen test, while unvaccinated travelers will be quarantined for five days.
Relaxation of controls in the country
On Friday, the CCSA also took note of the Ministry of Health’s decision to relax nationwide disease control from May 1, ending control zones (orange) in 20 provinces.
As a result, the number of closely monitored areas (yellow) will increase from 47 to 65 counties, said Dr. Taweesilp.
In addition, the number of pilot areas for tourism (blue) will increase from 10 to 12 provinces, with Songkhla and Rayong as newcomers.
Source : bangkok post† TAT News
