Foreigners without health certificates, insurance being turned away at Thai airports

No health certificate and travel insurance: “No Entry”

Nearly 100 foreign travellers have been denied entry into Thailand for failing to have the mandatory documents to meet immigration standards to fight the Covid-19 coronavirus. Of these, 73 are being deported back to their country of departure.

The passengers were among 4,533 passengers, both Thai and foreigners who landed in Thailand on Sunday, at Suvarnabhumi, Don Mueang, Phuket and Chiang Mai international airports. Apart from those deported, six making arrangements to leave the country, while the remaining 15 “have been detained.

The information was provided by Dr Kajornsak Kaewcharat of the Department of Disease Control.

Kajornsak explained that to enter Thailand, all travellers, both Thais and foreigners, must show health certificates and related travel insurance coverage or documents, to guarantee their whereabouts and ensure they are “fit-to-fly.”

Foreigners must show travel insurance with covering at least 100,000 US$ (about 3,300,000 baht), and medical certificates showing they have tested negative for Covid-19. Thais must have received approval from doctors to travel. The health documents must be issued within 72 hours of departure time. Other documents include certification from Thai embassies (for Thai nationals) and details of where they will stay under the 14 day self-isolation requirement upon their return to Thailand.

All border checkpoints have also been temporarily closed, though some were briefly reopened to allow throngs of migrant workers to return to neighbouring countries.

The AoT yesterday rearranged seats to ensure any remaining travellers kept between 1 – 2 metres apart at Suvarnabhumi, Don Mueang, Phuket, Chiang Rai and Hat Yai international airports.

SOURCES: Chiang Rai Times | Bangkok Post