Thailand’s Civil Aviation Authority details international flight rules

The Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand has announced some specific flight rules on the procedure for international travellers flying into Phuket after July 1. This comes just after the Tourism Authority of Thailand laid out more general rules for travel within Thailand for international tourists. Tourism officials from TAT and the island have been steadfastly determined to reopen under its tourism “sandbox” plan, despite the current surge in cases and daily new cases still appearing in Phuket.

The Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration will be evaluating Phuket’s readiness and reporting to the cabinet for a meeting Friday to approve or deny the July 1 reopening.

The flight rules for passengers arriving into Phuket from abroad will require all arrivals to be fully vaccinated, receiving 2 doses of those vaccines that require it. Notably, an exception is made for AstraZeneca, only requiring a traveller to have received the first of 2 jabs for just that brand.

Another exception for requiring the immunity that vaccination provides is that of natural immunity. People with documentation that they have fully recovered from a Covid-19 infection within the previous 90 days before their arrival will also be allowed to enter. New flight rules will require all passengers to have paperwork confirming that they have been tested for Covid-19 within the last 7 days and have returned a negative result.

Any travellers attempting to board a plane without documents meeting these flight rules – proof of a negative test within a week and either 1 AstraZeneca shot, full inoculation, or full recovery from Covid-19 within the past 3 months – will be denied boarding by the airlines and not allowed to travel.

The exception to these new tight restrictions implemented to allow international travel to begin to return to Thailand is for children. Kids under 5 years old will have an exemption from the flight rules and will be allowed to travel with parents who are properly vaccinated or meet the other qualifications.

Meetings have been taking place to judge Phuket’s readiness for reopening before the CCSA delivers its report to the Cabinet, and also to take into account public opinion on reopening. Officials are meeting with hotels, transportation, restaurants and other businesses catering to tourism, and also other local business operators to discuss opinions on reopening on July 1.

SOURCE: Bangkok News